Nonequilibrium transport through a spinful quantum dot with superconducting leads

TL;DR

This paper investigates nonlinear cotunneling in a spinful quantum dot with superconducting leads, revealing how asymmetry influences transport mechanisms and resulting in distinctive IV-characteristics.

Contribution

It introduces a nonequilibrium Green function approach to analyze the interplay of Andreev reflections and Yu-Shiba-Russinov states in asymmetric setups.

Findings

Current is carried by multiple Andreev reflections in symmetric cases.

Spin-induced Yu-Shiba-Russinov states dominate in asymmetric configurations.

Interplay causes unique IV features like negative differential conductance.

Abstract

We study the nonlinear cotunneling current through a spinful quantum dot contacted by two superconducting leads. Applying a general nonequilibrium Green function formalism to an effective Kondo model, we study the rich variation in the IV-characteristics with varying asymmetry in the tunnel coupling to source and drain electrodes. The current is found to be carried respectively by multiple Andreev reflections in the symmetric limit, and by spin-induced Yu-Shiba-Russinov bound states in the strongly asymmetric limit. The interplay between these two mechanisms leads to qualitatively different IV-characteristics in the cross-over regime of intermediate symmetry, consistent with recent experimental observations of negative differential conductance and re-positioned conductance peaks in sub-gap cotunneling spectroscopy.