2024/09/06 by Jiadian He, He, Jiadian, Yifan Ding +33 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Condensed Matter Physics #FOS: Physical sciences #Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall) #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con) #Theoretical and Computational Physics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2409.04093
openalex publication_date 2024/09/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Nonreciprocal superconductivity, also called as superconducting diode effect that spontaneously breaks time-reversal symmetry, is characterized by asymmetric critical currents under opposite applied current directions. This distinct state unveils a rich ore of intriguing physical properties, particularly in the realm of nanoscience application of superconductors. Towards the experimental realization of superconducting diode effect, the construction of two-dimensional heterostructures of magnets and s-wave superconductors is considered to be a promising pathway. In this study, we present our findings of superconducting diode effect manifested in the magnetic Mott insulator α-RuCl3. This phenomenon is induced by the proximity effect within a van der Waals heterostructure, consisting of thin α-RuCl3/NbSe2 flakes. Through transport property measurements, we have confirmed a weak superconducting gap of 0.2 meV, which is significantly lower than the intrinsic gap of NbSe2(1.2 meV). Upon the application of a weak magnetic field below 70 mT, we observed an asymmetry in the critical currents under positive and negative applied currents. This observation demonstrates a typical superconducting diode effect in the superconducting α-RuCl3. The superconducting diode effect and nonreciprocal resistance are observed exclusively when the magnetic field is aligned out-of-plane. This suggests that an Ising-type spin-orbit coupling in the superconducting α-RuCl3 may be responsible for the mechanism. Our findings furnish a platform for the exploration of superconducting diode effect via the artificial construction of heterostructures.