This paper reports the realization of superconducting topological-insulator nanowires based on (Bi1−xSbx)2Te3 thin films. Two rectangular pads of palladium are deposited on a BST thin film with a separation of 100-200 nm, converting the BST beneath the pads into a superconductor. The interface is epitaxial and has a high electronic transparency, leading to a robust superconductivity induced in the nanowire. This platform is promising for future studies of Majorana zero modes. Topological insulators (TI) have gapless surface states whose gapless nature is protected by time-reversal symmetry.

However, the size quantization effect turns these 1D states into peculiar one-dimensional (1D) states that are gapped due to the formation of subbands1,2. These tunable 1D states have been proposed to be a promising platform to host Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in the presence of proximity-induced superconductivity. However, a suitable method to realize an epitaxial interface between a TI nanowire and a superconductor has been lacking. This work found that depending on the Pd deposition method, Pd can diffuse deeper into the BST film and the conversion of BST into a PdTe2-based superconductor can take place in the whole film.
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