Shapiro Steps as a Direct Probe of $\pm s$-wave Symmetry in Multi-gap Superconducting Josephson Junctions

Abstract

We theoretically study the Shapiro steps in a hetero Josephson junction made of a single-gap superconductor and a two-gap one. We find that an anomalous DC Josephson current is induced by tuning the frequency of an applied microwave to the Josephson-Leggett mode frequency, which creates an extra step structure in the $I$-$V$ characteristics besides the conventional Shapiro steps. The step heights at the resonance voltages exhibit an alternate structure of a large and small value reflecting the gap symmetry of the two-gap superconductor. In the $\pm s-wave case in which the two gaps have opposite signs in the two-gap superconductor the steps with odd index are enhanced, whereas in the s-wave case the ones with even index have larger values. The existence of the fractional Shapiro steps is also predicted.

4 pages, 3 figures

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• Anomalous proximity effects at the interface of s and s+- superconductors
• Phase diagram of Josephson junction between s and s+- superconductors in dirty limit
• Macroscopic quantum tunneling in multigap superconducting Josephson junctions: Escape rate enhancement via quantum fluctuations of Josephson-Leggett mode