Detecting Fulde–Ferrell superconductors by an Andreev interferometer

Abstract

We propose an Andreev interferometer, based on a branched Y-junction, to detect the finite momentum pairing in Fulde–Ferrell (FF) superconductors. In this interferometer, the oscillation of subgap conductance is a unique function of phase difference between the two channels of the Y-junction, which is determined by the phase modulation of the order parameter in the FF superconductors. This interferometer has the potential not only to determine the magnitude but also the direction of the momentum of Cooper pairs in the FF superconductor. The possible applications of the interferometer in the identification of the finite momentum pairing in non-centrosymmetric superconductors are also discussed.

Keywords

• Fulde–Ferrell superconductors
• superconducting proximity effect
• Andreev interferometer
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