Polarization-controlled supercurrent in ferroelectric Josephson junctions
Yaozu Tang (TU Delft - Applied Sciences, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)
Mazhar N. Ali (TU Delft - Applied Sciences, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)
Gerrit E.W. Bauer (Tohoku University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
Yaroslav M. Blanter (Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft, TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
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Abstract
Josephson junctions are essential devices in superconducting electronics and quantum computing hardware. Here we predict electrical control of the supercurrent in composite superconductor-insulator-ferroelectric-insulator-superconductor (S-I-FE-I-S) Josephson junctions. Inversion symmetry broken by unequal dielectric barrier thicknesses and/or potentials converts ferroelectric polarization reversal into a substantial change of the critical current. Using a WKB approximation, we model the nonvolatile switching of the critical current with on-off efficiency that is tunable by thicknesses and potential barriers of the insulating layers, as well as the thickness and dielectric constant of the ferroelectric layer. We also derive a compact linear expression for the critical current valid for small polarizations. Our results identify ferroelectric Josephson junctions as electrically programmable superconducting current switches for cryogenic memory and logic applications.
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