Interface controlled spin filtering and nonreciprocal transport in Altermagnet/Ising superconductor junctions

TL;DR

This paper theoretically explores spin filtering and nonreciprocal transport in Altermagnet/Ising superconductor junctions, revealing tunable anisotropic and spin-polarized effects driven by spin-orbit coupling and interface properties.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding spin-resolved transport and nonreciprocal effects in AM/ISC junctions, highlighting the role of spin-orbit coupling and interface scattering.

Findings

Enhanced spin filtering with increasing ISOC.

Pronounced angular dependence of conductance based on spin texture.

Nonreciprocal transport persists across various regimes.

Abstract

We investigate theoretically spin-resolved transport, spin filtering, and nonreciprocal effects in an Altermagnet/Ising superconductor (AM/ISC) junction with a spin-active interface. Using a modified Bogoliubov-de Gennes framework within the scattering formalism, we demonstrate that the interplay among intrinsic spin-orbit coupling (ISOC), anisotropic AM spin texture and spin-dependent interfacial scattering gives rise to strongly anisotropic charge and spin conductance. In the weak spin-mixing regime, transport remains predominantly helicity conserving and exhibits pronounced angular dependence governed by the relative orientation between the AM spin texture and interface magnetization. Increasing ISOC enhances spin conductance and leads to spin-selective Andreev reflection resulting in finite spin filtering. In contrast, the strong spin-mixing regime exhibits enhanced angular anisotropy and robust spin-polarized transport over a broad energy range. Conventional Andreev reflection becomes strongly suppressed, accompanied by substantial spectral redistribution. We further show that nonreciprocal transport persists throughout the single-band, intermediate and double-band ISC regime. The spin polarization and spin-filter efficiency exhibit nonmonotonic dependence on system parameters, reaching values up to $\sim 86\%$, with characteristic angular modulation determined by the AM spin texture. Finite-energy analysis reveals enhanced spin selectivity at low energies and suppression near the superconducting gap. Furthermore, strong spin mixing at the AM/ISC junction produces asymmetric conductance patterns, indicating nonreciprocal transport. Our results establish AM/ISC junctions as a versatile platform for tunable superconducting spintronics and directional spin transport.