Quantum Hall Andreev conversion in graphene nanostructures

Abstract

We study Andreev conversion in clean nanostructures containing an interface between graphene in the quantum Hall (QH) state and a superconductor, focusing on the lowest Landau level. First, several graphene nanostructures formed from zigzag edges with sharp corners are considered using a tight-binding model. We find the scattering state for an electron impinging on the interface from the upstream QH edge state, together with the probability of it exiting as a hole in the downstream QH edge state (Andreev conversion). From these results, we deduce the behavior for edges at an arbitrary angle and for rounded corners. A key issue is whether the graphene-superconductor interface is fully transparent or only partially transparent. For full transparency, we recover previous results. In contrast, interfaces with partial but substantial transparency (well away from the tunneling limit) behave very differently: (i) the hybrid electron-hole interfacial modes are not valley degenerate and (ii) intervalley scattering can occur at the corners, even when rounded. As a result, interference between the two hybrid modes can occur, even in the absence of disorder. Finally, we compare the sensitivity of Andreev conversion to interface transparency in the QH regime to that in the absence of a magnetic field. While the zero-field result closely follows the classic Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk relation, Andreev conversion in the QH regime is more robust.

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