Parity Anomaly and Spin Transmutation in Quantum Spin Hall Josephson Junctions

Yang Peng, Yuval Vinkler-Aviv, Piet W. Brouwer, Leonid I. Glazman, and Felix von Oppen
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 267001 – Published 23 December 2016
PDFHTMLExport Citation

Abstract

We study the Josephson effect in a quantum spin Hall system coupled to a localized magnetic impurity. As a consequence of the fermion parity anomaly, the spin of the combined system of impurity and spin-Hall edge alternates between half-integer and integer values when the superconducting phase difference across the junction advances by 2π. This leads to characteristic differences in the splittings of the spin multiplets by exchange coupling and single-ion anisotropy at phase differences, for which time-reversal symmetry is preserved. We discuss the resulting 8π-periodic (or Z4) fractional Josephson effect in the context of recent experiments.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 13 September 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.267001

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Yang Peng1, Yuval Vinkler-Aviv1, Piet W. Brouwer1, Leonid I. Glazman2, and Felix von Oppen1

  • 1Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems and Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
  • 2Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Supplemental Material (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 117, Iss. 26 — 23 December 2016

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
CHORUS

Article Available via CHORUS

Download Accepted Manuscript
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×