Geometric Superconducting Diode Effect in an NbN Nanoring

Abstract

Superconducting diodes, which exhibit nonreciprocal critical currents, are promising building blocks for low-power cryogenic electronics and superconducting circuits. Existing superconducting diode platforms commonly rely on Josephson junctions, multilayer heterostructures, ferromagnetic elements, gate-difined structures. Here, we demonstrate a geometrically induced superconducting diode effect realized in a structurally minimal, single-materials NbN nanoring, where inversion-symmetry breaking is introduced solely by the asymmetric geometry. The device exhibits pronounced and polarity-switchable critical-current nonreciprocity. Systematic magnetic-field and temperature-dependent measurements reveal that, at low fields, the applied magnetic field redistributes the critical current asymmetrically between opposite bias directions without significantly reducing the overall superconducting current-carrying capability. Moreover, the maximal nonreciprocity and diode efficiency exhibit distinct temperature dependence: the maximal diode efficiency follows the evolution of the energy gap, whereas the maximal nonreciprocity is more closely associated with the superfluid density. These results establish asymmetric superconducting nanorings as a minimal geometric platform for studying nonreciprocal superconducting transport and provide a simple design principle for future superconducting electronics.