We study the dynamics of multi-junction switching (MJS): several intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) in an array switch to the finite voltage state simultaneously. The number of multi-switching junctions (N) was successfully tuned by changing the load resistance serially connected to an Bi2Sr1.6La0.4CuO6+δ IJJ array. The independence of the escape rates of N in the macroscopic quantum tunneling regime indicates that MJS is a successive switching process rather than a collective process. The origin of MJS is explained by the gradient of a load curve and the relative magnitudes of the switching currents of quasiparticle branches in the current-voltage plane.
@article{arxiv.1004.1893,
title = {Multi-Junction Switching in Bi$_2$Sr$_{1.6}$La$_{0.4}$CuO$_{6+\delta}$ Intrinsic Josephson Junctions},
author = {Hiromi Kashiwaya and Tetsuro Matsumoto and Hajime Shibata and Hiroshi Eisaki and Yoshiyuki Yoshida and Hiroshi Kambara and Shiro Kawabata and Satoshi Kashiwaya},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1004.1893},
year = {2010}
}