Andreev reflection and strongly enhanced magnetoresistance oscillations in GaInAs/InP heterostructures with superconducting contacts

I. E. Batov, Th. Schapers, N. M. Chtchelkatchev, H. Hardtdegen, A. V. Ustinov

Published 2007-04-23, updated 2007-08-01Version 3

We study the magnetotransport in small hybrid junctions formed by high-mobility GaInAs/InP heterostructures coupled to superconducting (S) and normal metal (N) terminals. Highly transmissive superconducting contacts to a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) located in a GaInAs/InP heterostructure are realized by using a Au/NbN layer system. The magnetoresistance of the S/2DEG/N structures is studied as a function of dc bias current and temperature. At bias currents below a critical value, the resistance of the S/2DEG/N structures develops a strong oscillatory dependence on the magnetic field, with an amplitude of the oscillations considerably larger than that of the reference N/2DEG/N structures. The experimental results are qualitatively explained by taking Andreev reflection in high magnetic fields into account.