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The demand for low-power devices is on the rise as semiconductor engineering approaches the quantum limit and quantum computing continues to advance. Two-dimensional (2D) superconductors, thanks to their rich physical properties, hold significant promise for both fundamental physics and potential applications in superconducting integrated circuits and quantum computation. Here, we report a gate-controlled superconducting switch in GaSe/NbSe$_2$ van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure. By injecting high-energy electrons into NbSe$_2$ under an electric field, a non-equilibrium state is induced, resulting in significant modulation of the superconducting properties. Owing to the intrinsic polarization of ferroelectric GaSe, a much steeper subthreshold slope and asymmetric modulation are achieved, which is beneficial to the device performance. Based on these results, a superconducting switch is realized that can reversibly and controllably switch between the superconducting and normal state under an electric field. Our findings highlight a significant high-energy injection effect from band engineering in 2D vdW heterostructures combining superconductors and ferroelectric semiconductors, and demonstrate the potential applications for superconducting integrated circuits., Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures

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 $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$. This phenomenon is induced by the proximity effect within a van der Waals heterostructure, consisting of thin $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$/NbSe$_2$ 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 NbSe$_2$(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 $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$. 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 $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ may be responsible for the mechanism. Our findings furnish a platform for the exploration of superconducting diode effect via the artificial construction of heterostructures.

The significance of the superconducting diode effect lies in its potential application as a fundamental component in the development of next-generation superconducting circuit technology. The stringent operating conditions at low temperatures have posed challenges for the conventional semiconductor diode, primarily due to its exceptionally high resistivity. In response to this limitation, various approaches have emerged to achieve the superconducting diode effect, primarily involving the disruption of inversion symmetry in a two-dimensional superconductor through heterostructure fabrication. In this study, we present a direct observation of the supercurrent diode effect in a NbSe2 nanobridge with a length of approximately 15 nm, created using focused helium ion beam fabrication. Nonreciprocal supercurrents were identified, reaching a peak value of approximately 380 $\mu$A for each bias polarity at $B_{z}^{max} =\pm 0.2$ mT. Notably, the nonreciprocal supercurrent can be toggled by altering the bias polarity. This discovery of the superconducting diode effect introduces a novel avenue and mechanism through nanofabrication on a superconducting flake, offering fresh perspectives for the development of superconducting devices and potential circuits.

Nonreciprocal charge transport in heterostructural superconductors exhibits appealing quantum physical phenomena and holds the promising potential for superconducting circuits applications. Realizing a nonreciprocity is, however, fundamentally and technologically challenging, as it requires a material structure without a centre of inversion, which is scarce among superconducting materials. Here, we report an evidence of helical superconductivity, in which the Rashba spin-orbit coupling induces momentum-dependent superconducting gap in the inversion symmetry breaking heterointerface superconductor consisting of Mott insulating Ti$_2$O$_3$ and polar semiconducting GaN. Remarkably, the nonlinear responses emerge in the superconducting transition regime, when the magnetic field is precisely aligned in-plane orientations perpendicular to the applied current. In particular, the observed nonreciprocal supercurrent is extremely sensitive to the direction of the magnetic field for 0.5 degree, suggestive of a crossover from a symmetry breaking state to a symmetric one. Our finding not only unveils the underlying rich physical properties in heterointerface superconductors, but also provides an exciting opportunity for the development of novel mesoscopic superconducting devices.

Nontrivial topological superconductivity has received enormous research attentions due to its potential for diverse applications in topological quantum computing. The intrinsic issue concerning the correlation between a topological insulator and a superconductor is, however, still widely open. Here, we systemically report an emergent superconductivity in a cross-junction composed of a magnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 and a conventional superconductor NbSe2. Remarkably, the interface indicates existence of a reduced superconductivity at surface of NbSe2 and a proximity-effectinduced superconductivity at surface of MnBi2Te4. Furthermore, the in-plane angular-dependent magnetoresistance measurements reveal the fingerprints of the paring symmetry behaviors for these superconducting gaps as a unconventional nature. Our findings extend our views and ideas of topological superconductivity in the superconducting heterostructures with time-reversal symmetry breaking, offering an exciting opportunity to elucidate the cooperative effects on the surface state of a topological insulator aligning a superconductor., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

Time reversal symmetry breaking in superconductors, resulting from external magnetic fields or spontaneous magnetization, often leads to unconventional superconducting properties. In this way, a conventional Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state, characterized by the Cooper pairs with nonzero total momentum, may be realized by the Zeeman effect caused from external magnetic fields. Here, we report the observation of superconductivity in a few-layer antiferromagnetic insulator CrOCl by utilizing superconducting proximity effect with NbSe2 flakes. The superconductivity demonstrates a considerably weak gap of about 0.12 meV and the in-plane upper critical field reveals as behavior of the FFLO state at low temperature. Our first-principles calculations indicate that the proximitized superconductivity may exist in the CrOCl layer with Cr vacancies or line-defects. Moreover, the FFLO state could be induced by the inherent larger spin splitting in the CrOCl layer. Our findings not only demonstrate the fascinating interaction between superconductivity and magnetism, but also provide a possible path to construct FFLO state by intrinsic time reversal symmetry breaking and superconducting proximity effect.

Nonreciprocal charge transport phenomena are widely studied in two-dimensional superconductors, which demonstrate unidirectional-anisotropy magnetoresistances as a result of symmetry breaking. Here, we report a strong nonreciprocal transport phenomenon in superconducting CsV$_{3}$Sb$_{5}$ thin flakes. The second harmonic voltages, mainly originating from the rectification effect of vortex motion, are unambiguously developed with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields, and their magnitudes are comparable to those in noncentrosymmetric superconductors. The second harmonic magnetoresistances split into several peaks and some of them reverse their signs by ramping the magnetic field or the current within the superconducting transition. The nonreciprocity suggests a strong asymmetry in CsV$_{3}$Sb$_{5}$. The centrosymmetric structure and symmetric electronic phases in CsV$_{3}$Sb$_{5}$ can hardly induce the distinct nonreciprocal transport phenomenon, which could be correlated to a symmetry breaking from an unconventional superconducting order parameter symmetry.