Phase-sensitive SQUIDs based on the 3D topological insulator HgTe

Abstract

Three-dimensional topological insulators represent a new class of materials in which transport is governed by Dirac surface states while the bulk remains insulating. Due to helical spin polarization of the surface states, the coupling of a 3D topological insulator to a nearby superconductor is expected to generate unconventional proximity induced $p$-wave superconductivity. We report here on the development and measurements of SQUIDs on the surface of strained HgTe, a 3D topological insulator, as a potential tool to investigate this effect.