Gate-defined Josephson junctions in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene

In situ electrostatic control of two-dimensional superconductivity(1) is commonly limited due to large charge carrier densities, and gate-defined Josephson junctions are therefore rare(2,3). Magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG)(4-8) has recently emerged as a versatile platform that combines metallic, superconducting, magnetic and insulating phases in a single crystal(9-14). Although MATBG appears to be an ideal two-dimensional platform for gate-tunable superconductivity(9,11,13), progress towards practical implementations has been hindered by the need for well-defined gated regions. Here we use multilayer gate technology to create a device based on two distinct phases in adjustable regions of MATBG. We electrostatically define the superconducting and insulating regions of a Josephson junction and observe tunable d.c. and a.c. Josephson effects(15,16). The ability to tune the superconducting state within a single material circumvents interface and fabrication challenges, which are common in multimaterial nanostructures. This work is an initial step towards devices where gate-defined correlated states are connected in single-crystal nanostructures. We envision applications in superconducting electronics(17,18) and quantum information technology(19,20).

Automated summary

Magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) has emerged as a versatile platform combining metallic, superconducting, magnetic, and insulating phases in a single crystal. By using multilayer gate technology, this study successfully created devices based on two distinct phases in adjustable regions of MATBG and observed tunable Josephson effects.