All-electrical generation and control of odd-frequency s-wave Cooper pairs in double quantum dots

TL;DR

This paper proposes an all-electrical method using double quantum dots to detect and control odd-frequency s-wave Cooper pairs, linking nonlocal Andreev processes to odd-frequency pairing through conductance measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental setup for manipulating and detecting odd-frequency pairing in double quantum dots via electrical tuning.

Findings

Nonlocal Andreev processes indicate odd-frequency pairing presence.

Level tuning controls the amplitude of odd-frequency pairs.

Detection feasible with current experimental techniques.

Abstract

We propose an all-electrical experimental setup to detect and manipulate the amplitude of odd-frequency pairing in a double quantum dot. Odd-frequency pair amplitude is induced from the breakdown of orbital symmetry when Cooper pairs are injected in the double dot with electrons in different dots. When the dot levels are aligned with the Fermi energy, i.e., on resonance, nonlocal Andreev processes are directly connected to the presence of odd-frequency pairing. Therefore, their amplitude can be manipulated by tuning the level positions. Detection of nonlocal Andreev processes by conductance measurements contributes a direct proof of the existence of odd-frequency pair amplitude and is available using current experimental techniques.