Shapiro steps as a direct probe of±s-wave symmetry in multigap superconducting Josephson junctions

Abstract

We theoretically study the Shapiro steps in a hetero-Josephson junction made of a single-gap superconductor and a two-gap one. We find that an anomalous dc Josephson current is induced by tuning the frequency of an applied microwave to the Josephson-Leggett mode frequency, which creates an extra step structure in the $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ characteristics besides the conventional Shapiro steps. The step heights at the resonance voltages exhibit an alternate structure of a large and small value reflecting the gap symmetry of the two-gap superconductor. In the $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}s$-wave case in which the two gaps have opposite signs in the two-gap superconductor the steps with odd index are enhanced, whereas in the $s$-wave case the ones with even index have larger values. The existence of the fractional Shapiro steps is also predicted.