Phase-sensitive non-reciprocal transport in high-temperature superconductor

TL;DR

This paper introduces a phase-sensitive superconducting diode effect in a Josephson junction as a novel method to probe the pairing symmetry of high-temperature superconductors, revealing controllable non-reciprocal transport linked to the d-wave symmetry.

Contribution

It proposes a new superconducting diode effect as a phase-sensitive probe for d-wave pairing in high-Tc superconductors, enabling tunable non-reciprocal transport diagnostics.

Findings

The SDE arises from asymmetric interface coupling and spontaneous phase difference.

The SDE's polarity and efficiency can be controlled by crystallographic orientation.

The SDE provides a robust link between nonreciprocal transport and pairing symmetry.

Abstract

We propose the superconducting diode effect (SDE) in a planar s-wave/d-wave/s-wave Josephson junction as a direct phase-sensitive probe of the d-wave pairing function in high-Tc superconductors. Asymmetric interface coupling breaks inversion symmetry and induces a spontaneous Pi/2 phase difference, thereby breaking time-reversal symmetry without a magnetic field. In this TRS-broken state, the SDE emerges when single-Cooper-pair tunneling is enabled at the s-d interfaces, with its polarity and efficiency controllable by rotating the d-wave crystallographic orientation or perturbing its intrinsic C4 symmetry. Our results reveal a robust link between nonreciprocal Josephson transport and pairing symmetry, establishing the SDE as a powerful diagnostic tool for high-Tc superconductors and a tunable element for superconducting electronics.