Evidence for non-trivial edge modes in binary multilayers formed by normal and magnetic nm-thick metallic films

Evidence for non-trivial edge modes in binary multilayers formed by normal and magnetic nm-thick metallic films | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Evidence for non-trivial edge modes in binary multilayers formed by normal and magnetic nm-thick metallic films Mikhail Belogolovskii, Ivan Nevirkovets This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3809379/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Unidirectional and backscatter-free propagation of charge carriers in three-dimensional materials is of fundamental interest in physics and high demand for practical implementations in quantum electronic circuits. Using phase-sensitive Josephson interferometry, we have identified edge-localized and chiral current-carrying modes in binary heterostructures formed by alternating nanometer-thick films of ferromagnetic (F = Ni) and normal (N = Al) metals with an insulating (I = Al/AlOx) interlayer which are coupling two superconducting (S = Nb) electrodes. Instead of conventional Fraunhofer-like patterns, the vertically stacked S(NF)10NI(NF)10NS Josephson junctions exhibit SQUID-like maximum supercurrent versus in-plane magnetic field characteristics with a normal (h/e) rather than superconducting (h/2e) flux quantum periodicity. The subsequent replacement of the I interlayer with a Josephson S'IS' junction (S/ is an ultrathin Nb film), which acts as a “bottleneck” controlling the supercurrent throughout the entire device, revealed the transformation of edge currents upon their contact with the S' plane into hybrid electron-hole modes propagating along it. Possible reasons for the emergence of chiral edge currents in the heterostructures based on conventional and well-studied materials are discussed. Physical sciences/Physics/Condensed-matter physics/Surfaces, interfaces and thin films Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology/Nanoscale devices/Superconducting devices Physical sciences/Materials science/Nanoscale materials/Electronic properties and materials Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryinformationMBIPN.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3809379","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":282273112,"identity":"213dc158-61e9-4591-aa87-f539b956166a","order_by":0,"name":"Mikhail Belogolovskii","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA60lEQVRIie3PwQqCMBjA8YmQF6vrF0nPYAw0yYdxBPYKHjoogSfBq0H0GJ0ngl2Ert1CegGDDh7bwkuX6TFofxhjYz+2ISST/WAmUkM2rdgYIeoFbKOfKJxAR6qO0KEEKfEAYmtRVL8CWJjXktD6VGA7HOePRkCcJN9jowJs3nxKybmwDDrZmMKH3Ug8n8VADpkWcuIC0i0QknvdkfTCyPFD7FZ8ixLPnoykiD8sLCx+i/D7TkL2GLG/TMH3qFduMag6hkpAbK3I6zZwF6NpiZ/tbr3MtGTZBALCU/XvZc9xntIOOCSTyWR/3BuQ0VBOK+JvwwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6657-378X","institution":"Kyiv Academic University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mikhail","middleName":"","lastName":"Belogolovskii","suffix":""},{"id":282273113,"identity":"b5b2a866-1613-411e-bd7c-1ee515f4be41","order_by":1,"name":"Ivan Nevirkovets","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Northwestern University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ivan","middleName":"","lastName":"Nevirkovets","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2023-12-26 19:35:12","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3809379/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3809379/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":53835050,"identity":"47a31a64-146c-494b-84f4-a86f2a03394c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-04-01 05:56:01","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":614656,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptMBIPN.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3809379/v1_covered_32dfd7d9-ca17-46ea-960a-6ce3941194d7.pdf"},{"id":53834616,"identity":"0e9ae347-0c5d-429b-8f25-5f07a01fa3f9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-04-01 05:47:57","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":375375,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryinformationMBIPN.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3809379/v1/af42e1106dbe492d23f3019c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Evidence for non-trivial edge modes in binary multilayers formed by normal and magnetic nm-thick metallic films","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3809379/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3809379/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eUnidirectional and backscatter-free propagation of charge carriers in three-dimensional materials is of fundamental interest in physics and high demand for practical implementations in quantum electronic circuits. 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