Related papers: Microwave-induced thermal escape in Josephson junc…
We propose a model describing the formation of both dual (quantum) and classical Shapiro steps in small Josephson junctions. According to this model, the dual Shapiro steps are formed at relatively low frequency of the microwave signal and…
We have investigated the dynamics of underdamped Josephson junctions. In addition to the usual crossover between macroscopic quantum tunnelling and thermally activated (TA) behaviour we observe in our samples with relatively small Josephson…
The first evidence of the dc Josephson effect dates back to 1963 when J. S. Rowell measured the diffraction pattern of the critical current flowing through a single superconducting tunnel junction subjected to an in-plane magnetic field.…
Two superconductors coupled by a weak link support an equilibrium Josephson electrical current which depends on the phase difference $\varphi$ between the superconducting condensates [1]. Yet, when a temperature gradient is imposed across…
We investigated macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_y$ intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) with two device structures. One is a nanometer-thick small mesa structure with only two or three IJJs and the other is a…
A quantum mechanical analysis of the Josephson phase escape in the presence of both dc and ac bias currents is presented. We find that the potential barrier for the escape of the phase is effectively suppressed as the resonant condition…
We suggest a single-photon thermal detector based on the abrupt jump of the critical current of a temperature-biased tunnel Josephson junction formed by different superconductors, working in the dissipationless regime. The electrode with…
The Josephson effect represents perhaps the prototype of macroscopic phase coherence and is at the basis of the most widespread interferometer, i.e., the superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). Yet, in analogy to electric…
When a Josephson junction is exposed to microwave radiation, it undergoes the inverse AC Josephson effect - the phase of the junction locks to the drive frequency. As a result, the I-V curves of the junction acquire "Shapiro steps" of…
The properties of phase escape in a dc SQUID at 25 mK, which is well below quantum-to-classical crossover temperature $T_{cr}$, in the presence of strong resonant ac driving have been investigated. The SQUID contains two Nb/Al-AlO$_{x} $/Nb…
Josephson junctions, in appropriate configurations, can be excellent candidates for detection of single photons in the microwave frequency band. Such possibility has been recently addressed in the framework of galactic axion detection. Here…
We present switching current measurements in niobium-aluminum oxide-niobium underdamped Josephson rings. Underdamped Josephson rings display hysteretic current-voltage curves which can be characterized by their switching current, the value…
We study analytically and numerically the phase-modulation properties of a biased classical Josephson tunnel junction in the zero-voltage state and phase-locked to an external ac field. We show that the phase-locked state is being modulated…
We study the thermal escape problem in the low damping limit. We find that finiteness of the barrier is crucial for explaining the thermal activation results. In this regime low barrier non-equilibrium corrections to the usual theories…
Current-voltage curves of small area hysteretic intrinsic Josephson junctions, for which the Josephson energy $E_J=\hbar J_c/2e$ is of order of thermal energy $kT$, are investigated. A non-monotonic temperature dependence of the switching…
Switching current distributions have for decades been an indispensable diagnostic tool for studying Josephson junctions. They have played a key role in testing the conjecture of a macroscopic quantum state in junctions at millikelvin…
Josephson junctions and superconducting wires when probed with current pulses exhibit stochastic switching from superconducting to a stable non-zero voltage state. Electrical current dependence of the switching probability (so called…
The effect of thermal fluctuations in Josephson junctions is usually analysed using the Ambegaokar-Halperin (AH) theory in the context of thermal activation. "Enhanced" fluctuations, demonstrated by broadening of current-voltage…
Despite extensive experimental and theoretical work over several decades, Schmid-Bulgadaev quantum phase transition remains a subject of debate. Here we revisit this problem by performing systematic experiments on low-frequency…
We consider a two-dimensional fully frustrated Josephson-junction array, which is driven uniformly by oscillating currents. As the temperature is lowered, there emerges a dynamic phase transition to an ordered state with nonzero dynamic…