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Current-induced re-entrant superconductivity and extreme nonreciprocal superconducting diode effect in valley-polarized systems
by Yu-Chen Zhuang and Qing-Feng Sun
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Yu-Chen Zhuang |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | scipost_202505_00037v2 (pdf) |
| Date submitted: | Nov. 15, 2025, 12:57 p.m. |
| Submitted by: | Yu-Chen Zhuang |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approach: | Theoretical |
Abstract
The superconducting diode effect (SDE) refers to the nonreciprocity of superconducting critical currents. Generally, the SDE has a positive and a negative critical currents jc± corresponding to two opposite directions with unequal amplitudes. It is demonstrated that an extreme nonreciprocity where two critical currents can become both positive (or negative) has been observed in twisted graphene systems. In this work, we theoretically propose a possible mechanism to realize an extreme nonreciprocal SDE. Based on a simple microscopic model, we demonstrate that depairing currents required to dissolve Cooper pairs can be remodulated under the interplay between valley polarizations and applied currents. Near the disappearance of the superconductivity, the remodulation is shown to induce extreme nonreciprocity and also the current-induced re-entrant superconductivity where the system has two different critical current intervals. Our study may provide new horizons for understanding the coexistence of superconductivity and spontaneous valley polarizations, and pave a way for designing SDE with 100% efficiency.
Author indications on fulfilling journal expectations
- Provide a novel and synergetic link between different research areas.
- Open a new pathway in an existing or a new research direction, with clear potential for multi-pronged follow-up work
- Detail a groundbreaking theoretical/experimental/computational discovery
- Present a breakthrough on a previously-identified and long-standing research stumbling block
Author comments upon resubmission
List of changes
1) We revised the Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 to make our theory more clear. 2) We add some explanations in 2nd, 3rd and 4th paragraphs of Page 7 to illustrate the logic of our theory to determine actual critical currents. 3) We add a new appendix (Appendix. C) with a new figure (Fig. 7) to discuss the effect of trigonal warping. 4) We add a new appendix (Appendix. D) with a new figure (Fig. 8) to discuss the coupling between supercurrents and valley polarizations. 5) We add some discussions about the estimation of α± in a more realistic tight-binding model in Appendix. E with a new figure (Fig. 9). 6) We add some statements in the section of ‘Discussions and conclusion’ to emphasis some correspondences between our theoretical calculations and experimental observations. 7) Some new references are cited, see Refs. 4, 28, 29, 40, 80-85.
Current status:
Reports on this Submission
Report #1 by Jin-Xin Hu (Referee 1) on 2025-11-15 (Invited Report)
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