Realization of the field-free Josephson Diode

Understand

The superconducting analog to the semiconducting diode, the Josephson diode, has long been sought, with multiple avenues to realization proposed by theorists.

• Exhibiting magnetic-field free, single directional superconductivity with Josephson coupling of the supercurrent across a tunnel barrier, it would serve as the building-block for next-generation superconducting circuit technology.
• Here we realized the field-free Josephson diode using an inversion symmetry breaking heterostructure of $\mathrm{NbSe_2/Nb_3Br_8/NbSe_2}$.
• We demonstrate, for the first time without magnetic field, the junction can be superconducting in one direction while normal in the opposite direction.