- Editors' Suggestion
- Letter
Spin-polarized specular Andreev reflections in altermagnets
Phys. Rev. B 111, L100507 – Published 27 March, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.111.L100507
Abstract
We show theoretically that specular Andreev reflection occurs stably at altermagnet-superconductor interfaces, which is a phenomenon that has previously been predicted only in a limited range of materials, such as Dirac/Weyl materials with fine-tuned chemical potentials. Furthermore, the characteristic spin-split bands of the altermagnet lead to a distinctive spin polarization in the specular Andreev reflections. By utilizing this feature, we propose a device that integrates the functions of both a Cooper pair splitter and a spin beam splitter, thereby creating energy-entangled electron pairs. The positive nonlocal conductance and the positive noise cross-correlation are unambiguous signatures of specular Andreev reflections in the proposed device.