New frontiers in quantum science and technology using van der Waals Josephson junctions

TL;DR

This review explores the rapid development of van der Waals Josephson junctions, highlighting their unique physics, potential applications in quantum technology, and the challenges of scalability.

Contribution

It synthesizes recent advances in vdW JJs, emphasizing their novel functionalities, integration with twistronics and topology, and potential for quantum sensing and computation.

Findings

vdW JJs enable exploration of new physics inaccessible in conventional JJs

Long relaxation times in 2D heterostructures facilitate quantum sensing

Integration with twistronics and topology could revolutionize superconducting quantum tech

Abstract

Over the last decade, the development of Josephson devices based on van der Waals (vdW) materials has advanced rapidly, representing a paradigm shift driven by the advent of 2D materials. The diverse vdW materials library, combined with advanced fabrication techniques, enables the integration of materials with vastly disparate properties for scientific exploration. The vdW Josephson junctions (JJs) offer a unique route to explore novel functionalities and associated physics that remain inaccessible in conventional JJs, which have reached an industrial level in terms of fabrication. Beyond material diversity, vdW crystalline materials offer fundamental new control over device symmetries, enabling the realization of Hamiltonians unique to 2D systems. Furthermore, the long relaxation times of myriad excitations in 2D heterostructures open possibilities for creating exquisite quantum sensors, with the 2D material itself acting as an efficient bus for transmitting excitations to the active sensing element. This creative explosion in vdW-based superconducting electronics is rapidly growing, and our review highlights the resulting devices and physics. The confluence of vdW JJs with twistronics and topology has the potential to redefine superconducting quantum technology, enabling applications from quantum computation to ultra-sensitive hybrid sensors. While opportunities abound with vdW JJs, the challenge of scalability must be surmounted for translation into real-world devices. This review synthesizes current developments and offers a roadmap for researchers navigating this burgeoning field.