We report the experimental observation of oscillations in the critical current $I_c$ of SNS Josephson junctions as a function of in-plane magnetic field $B_{\parallel }$ (where S is Nb and N is Al above its critical temperature). Our theoretical calculations within the Ginzburg-Landau framework demonstrate that at sufficiently large $B_{\parallel }$, in-plane vortices enter the N layer, pin on the SN interface, and partially penetrate the S layer in the banks of the SNS junction. These interface vortices significantly affect the proximity-induced superconductivity in the normal weak link, leading to pronounced oscillations in the critical current $I_c\left(B_{\parallel }\right)$. We also observe a superconducting diode effect of orbital origin that undergoes sign reversal with variations in the magnetic field.

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• Critical current
• Diodes
• Josephson junctions
• Landau-Ginzburg theory
• Transport techniques