Supercurrent Reversal in Two-Dimensional Topological Insulators

Abstract

We calculate supercurrent across a two-dimensional topological insulator subjected to an external magnetic field. When the edge states of a narrow two-dimensional topological insulator are hybridized, an external magnetic field can close the hybridization gap, thus driving a quantum phase transition from insulator to semimetal states of the topological insulator. We find a sign reversal of the supercurrent at the quantum phase transition revealing intrinsic properties of topological insulators via Josephson effect.

7 pages, 3 figures. To Appear in Physical Review B

References in corpus (7)

• Superconducting proximity effect and Majorana fermions at the surface of a topological insulator
• Classification of topological insulators and superconductors in three spatial dimensions
• Finite size effects of helical edge states in HgTe/CdTe quantum wells
• Edge-mode Superconductivity in a Two Dimensional Topological Insulator
• Topological Josephson ${\varphi }_0$-junctions
• Fractional Charge and Spin States in Topological Insulator Constrictions
• Quantum interference of edge supercurrents in a two-dimensional topological insulator

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Transport in two-dimensional topological materials: recent developments in experiment and theory
• Edge-induced pairing states in a Josephson junction through a spin-polarized quantum anomalous Hall insulator
• Giant spin splitting and $0-\pi$ Josephson transitions from the Edelstein effect in quantum spin-Hall insulators
• Edge absorption and pure spin current in 2D topological insulator in the Volkov-Pankratov model