Nonlocal measurement of quasiparticle charge and energy relaxation in proximitized semiconductor nanowires using quantum dots
Guanzhong Wang (TU Delft - QRD/Kouwenhoven Lab, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft, TU Delft - QuTech Advanced Research Centre)
T. Dvir (TU Delft - QRD/Kouwenhoven Lab, TU Delft - QuTech Advanced Research Centre, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)
N. van Loo (Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft, TU Delft - QRD/Kouwenhoven Lab, TU Delft - QuTech Advanced Research Centre)
G.P. Mazur (TU Delft - QuTech Advanced Research Centre, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft, TU Delft - QRD/Kouwenhoven Lab)
Sasa Gazibegovic (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Ghada Badawy (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Erik P.A.M. Bakkers (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Leo P. Kouwenhoven (Microsoft Quantum Lab Delft)
G. de Lange (Microsoft Quantum Lab Delft)
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Abstract
The lowest-energy excitations of superconductors do not carry an electric charge, as their wave function is equally electron-like and hole-like. This fundamental property is not easy to study in electrical measurements that rely on the charge to generate an observable signal. The ability of a quantum dot to act as a charge filter enables us to solve this problem and measure the quasiparticle charge in superconducting-semiconducting hybrid nanowire heterostructures. We report measurements on a three-terminal circuit, in which an injection lead excites a nonequilibrium quasiparticle distribution in the hybrid system, and the electron or hole component of the resulting quasiparticles is detected using a quantum dot as a tunable charge and energy filter. The results verify the chargeless nature of the quasiparticles at the gap edge and reveal the complete relaxation of injected charge and energy in a proximitized nanowire, resolving open questions in previous three-terminal experiments.