Double path interference and magnetic oscillations in Cooper pair transport through a single nanowire

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the critical current in a two-channel nanowire Josephson junction exhibits multi-periodic magnetic oscillations due to quantum interference effects influenced by spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman interaction.

Contribution

It introduces a minimal two-channel model explaining complex interference phenomena in Josephson transport through Bi nanowires.

Findings

Critical current shows multi-periodic magnetic oscillations.

Quantum interference between channels is affected by spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman interaction.

The model explains recent experimental observations in Bi nanowires.

Abstract

We show that the critical current of the Josephson junction consisting of superconducting electrodes coupled through a nanowire with two conductive channels can reveal the multi-periodic magnetic oscillations. The multi-periodicity originates from the quantum mechanical interference between the channels affected by both the strong spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman interaction. This minimal two-channel model is shown to explain the complicated interference phenomena observed recently in Josephson transport through Bi nanowires.