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Spin-Split Superconductivity in Spin-Orbit Coupled Hybrid Nanowires with Ferromagnetic Barriers
Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 086302 – Published 27 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/k8sv-lp1j
Abstract
We report transport studies of hybrid Josephson junctions based on semiconducting InAs nanowires with fully overlapping epitaxial ferromagnetic insulator EuS and superconducting Al partial shells. Current-biased measurements reveal a hysteretic superconducting window with a sizable supercurrent near the coercive field of the ferromagnetic insulator, accompanied by multiple Andreev reflections. Tunneling spectroscopy shows a superconducting gap characterized by three peaks, which we attribute to tunneling between exchange-split superconductors. A theoretical model reproduces the observed features and indicates that spin mixing, driven by sizable spin-orbit coupling, is essential to their formation. Our results demonstrate proximity-induced superconductivity through a ferromagnetic insulator and establish a new platform for exploring spin-triplet pairing.