High-Tc Cooper-pair injection in a semiconductor–superconductor structure

Abstract

We observe Andreev reflection in a YBCO–GaN junction through differential conductance spectroscopy. A strong characteristic zero-bias peak was observed and persisted up to the critical temperature of the superconductor with a smaller superconducting order parameter Δ ∼ 1 meV. The presence of Andreev reflection with the small Δ in comparison to its value for high-Tc superconductors forms an important milestone toward demonstration of superconducting proximity in high-Tc/semiconductor junctions. Experimental results were then compared to the theoretical model with good agreement. Efficient injection of Cooper pairs into direct bandgap semiconducting structures, together with high transition temperature of YBCO, can pave the way to novel optoelectronics and quantum optical studies of high-Tc materials.