Superconducting Proximity Effect in Two-Dimensional Hole Gases

TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical model for proximity-induced superconductivity in two-dimensional hole gases, especially in germanium, incorporating band interactions and interface properties to aid quantum device design.

Contribution

It introduces a simple, quantitative model based on the Luttinger-Kohn framework that describes both intra- and interband pairing in hole gases, including effects of interface parameters.

Findings

Predicts coexistence of s-wave and d-wave pairings in hole gases.

Shows the emergence of triplet pairings and modified spin-orbit couplings.

Provides explicit relationships between interface properties and induced pairings.

Abstract

Technology involving hybrid superconductor-semiconductor materials is a promising avenue for engineering quantum devices for information storage, manipulation, and transmission. Proximity-induced superconducting correlations are an essential part of such devices. While the proximity effect in the conduction band of common semiconductors is well understood, its manifestation in confined hole gases, realized for instance in germanium, is an active area of research. Lower-dimensional hole-based systems, particularly in germanium, are emerging as an attractive platform for a variety of solid-state quantum devices, due to their combination of efficient spin and charge control and long coherence times. The recent experimental realization of the proximity effect in germanium thus calls for a theoretical description that is tailored to hole gases. In this work, we propose a simple model to describe proximity-induced superconductivity in two-dimensional hole gases, incorporating both the heavy-hole (HH) and light-hole (LH) bands. We start from the Luttinger-Kohn model, introduce three parameters that characterize hopping across the superconductor-semiconductor interface, and derive explicit intraband and interband effective pairing terms for the HH and LH bands. Unlike previous approaches, our theory provides a quantitative relationship between induced pairings and interface properties. Restricting our general model to an experimentally relevant case where only the HH band crosses the chemical potential, we predict the coexistence of $s$-wave and $d$-wave singlet pairings, along with triplet-type pairings, and modified Zeeman and Rashba spin-orbit couplings. Our results thus present a starting point for theoretical modeling of quantum devices based on proximitized hole gases, fueling further progress in quantum technology.