Asymmetric edge supercurrents in MoTe2 Josephson junctions

Abstract

To investigate the higher order topology in MoTe₂, the supercurrent interference phenomena in Nb/MoTe₂/Nb planar Josephson junctions have been systematically studied. By analyzing the obtained interference pattern of the critical supercurrents and performing a comparative study of the edge-touched and untouched junctions, it's found that the supercurrent is dominated by the edges, rather than the bulk or surfaces of MoTe₂. An asymmetric Josephson effect with a field-tunable sign is also observed, indicating the nontrivial origin of the edge states. These results not only provide initial evidence for the hinge states in the higher order topological insulator MoTe₂, but also demonstrate the potential applications of MoTe₂-based Josephson junctions in rectifying the supercurrent.