Josephson effect through a multilevel dot near a singlet-triplet transition

TL;DR

This paper studies the Josephson effect through a two-level quantum dot near a singlet-triplet transition, revealing complex phase diagrams and the possibility of Kondo-assisted $ ext{π}$-junctions, with implications for experimental realizations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis combining perturbative and numerical methods to explore the interplay of Kondo correlations and superconductivity in a multilevel quantum dot system.

Findings

Transitions between 0 and π junction behaviors depending on orbital parity and spin correlations.

Prediction of Kondo-driven double transitions in the Josephson current.

Proposal of conditions for a Kondo-assisted π-junction contrary to common beliefs.

Abstract

We investigate the Josephson effect through a two-level quantum dot with an exchange coupling between two dot electrons. We compute the superconducting phase relationship and construct the phase diagram in the superconducting gap--exchange coupling plane in the regime of the singlet-triplet transition driven by the exchange coupling. In our study two configurations for the dot-lead coupling are considered: one where effectively only one channel couples to the dot, and the other where the two dot orbitals have opposite parities. Perturbative analysis in the weak-coupling limit reveals that the system experiences transitions from 0 to $\pi$ (negative critical current) behavior, depending on the parity of the orbitals and the spin correlation between dot electrons. The strong coupling regime is tackled with the numerical renormalization group method, which first characterizes the Kondo correlations due to the dot-lead coupling and the exchange coupling in the absence of superconductivity. In the presence of superconductivity, many-body correlations such as two-stage Kondo effect compete with the superconductivity and the comparison between the gap and the relevant Kondo temperature scales allows to predict a rich variety of phase diagrams for the ground state of the system and for the Josephson current. Numerical calculations predicts that our system can exhibit Kondo-driven 0-$\pi$-0 or $\pi$-0-$\pi$ double transitions and, more interestingly, that if proper conditions are met a Kondo-assisted $\pi$-junction can arise, which is contrary to a common belief that the Kondo effect opens a resonant level and makes the 0-junction. Our predictions could be probed experimentally for a buckminster fullerene sandwiched between two superconductors.