Superconducting Dirac point in proximetized graphene

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that proximity-induced superconductivity in graphene can be tuned through the Dirac point, enabling access to both electron and hole superconducting regimes, with unique interface reflection phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a superconducting Dirac point in graphene and explores its experimental and theoretical properties, revealing novel interface effects and perfect Andreev reflection conditions.

Findings

Tunable transition between hole and electron superconductivity in graphene.

Suppressed conductance at interfaces due to reflection effects.

Ideal Andreev reflection achieved with momentum matching.

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, composed of single atomic layers, have attracted vast research interest since the breakthrough discovery of graphene. One major benefit of such systems is the simple ability to tune the chemical potential by back-gating, in-principle enabling to vary the Fermi level through the charge neutrality point, thus tuning between electron and hole doping. For 2D Superconductors, this means that one may potentially achieve the strongly-coupled superconducting regime described by Bose Einstein Condensation physics of small bosonic tightly bound electron pairs. Furthermore, it should be possible to access both electron and hole based superconductivity in a single system. However, in most 2D materials, an insulating gap opens up around the charge neutrality point, thus preventing approach to this regime. Graphene is unique in this sense since it is a true semi-metal in which the un-gapped Dirac point is protected by the symmetries. In this work we show that single layer graphene, in which superconducting pairing is induced by proximity to regions of a low density superconductor, can be tuned from hole to electron superconductivity through the strong coupling regime. We study, both experimentally and theoretically, the vicinity of this "Superconducting Dirac point" and find an unusual situation where reflections at interfaces between normal and superconducting regions within the graphene, suppress the conductance and, at the same time, Andreev reflections maintain a large phase breaking length. In addition, the Fermi level can be adjusted so that the momentum in the normal and superconducting regimes perfectly match giving rise to ideal Andreev reflection processes.