Superconducting molecular quantum dots

by Seminar Admin · Published May 5, 2010 · Updated February 20, 2014

Wednesday, 5 May 2010, 12:00-13.00

Prof. Reinhold Egger

Universidad de Duesseldorf, Alemania

ABSTRACT:

The Josephson current through nanoscale quantum dots will be discussed in this talk, mainly from a theory point of view. The effects of electron-electron interactions, in particular the interplay of Kondo physics and superconductivity in spin-degenerate quantum dots and in carbon nanotube dots (where a larger SU(4) symmetry can be realized) are addressed. In systems with an internal degree of freedom, it is possible to modify this mode in a dissipationless manner through changes in the superconducting phase difference. This is shown for the case of a two-level system as model of a conformational degree of freedom. I will also discuss effects of spin-orbit coupling, which can induce a spontaneous breaking of time reversal symmetry, leading to an anomalous Josephson current.