Intrinsic non-linearity of Josephson junctions as an alternative origin of the missing first Shapiro step

Abstract The missing first Shapiro step in microwave-irradiated Josephson junctions has been widely interpreted as a hallmark of Majorana bound states. However, conventional mechanisms like junction underdamping or Joule heating can produce similar signatures. Here, we demonstrate that the intrinsic non-linear current-voltage characteristic of low-to-moderate transparency junctions can also suppress the first step, accompanied by distinctive zigzag boundaries between the zeroth and first step at intermediate driving frequencies. Microwave measurements on Al/WTe2 junctions and numerical simulations of a non-linear resistively and capacitively shunted junction model reveal the first-step collapse induced by switching jumps of current, together with zigzag features absent in scenarios solely driven by finite $$\beta$$ β or Joule heating. This zigzag signature, therefore, provides a crucial diagnostic tool, emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive analysis of microwave spectra before attributing the absence of the first Shapiro step to Majorana physics.