Experimental realization of superconducting quantum interference devices with topological insulator junctions

We demonstrate topological insulator (Bi2Te3) dc SQUIDs, based on superconducting Nb leads coupled to nano-fabricated Nb-Bi2Te3-Nb Josephson junctions. The high reproducibility and controllability of the fabrication process allow the creation of dc SQUIDs with parameters that are in agreement with design values. Clear critical current modulation of both the junctions and the SQUID with applied magnetic fields have been observed. We show that the SQUIDs have a periodicity in the voltage-flux characteristic of Phi(0) of relevance to the ongoing pursuit of realizing interferometers for the detection of Majorana fermions in superconductor-topological insulator structures. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3686150]