Quantum superconductivity & magnetism coexist in novel junction

Researchers at The University of Tokyo and New York University are exploring a new path toward advanced superconducting devices by demonstrating the coexistence of quantum superconductivity and ferromagnetism within a novel junction. The work centers on iron-doped, narrow-gap III-V ferromagnetic semiconductors, materials expected to form highly conductive interfaces with superconductors and allow tuning of both carrier concentration and magnetic exchange energy. This approach offers a potential workaround to the typical suppression of superconducting coherence length seen with non-diluted ferromagnets, potentially enabling the creation of “Josephson π-junctions, spin-triplet superconductivity, and superconducting diode effect.” Epitaxially grown heterostructures with atomically clean interfaces are proving valuable for applications including gatemons and topological qubits, and a new study highlights the potential of iron-doped, narrow-gap III-V ferromagnetic semiconductors as hosts for proximity-induced superconductivity. Researchers focused on these materials because they are expected to form Ohmic…