Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics

Relaxation Oscillator Using Nb/AlOx/Al/Nb Josephson Junctions Measured with DC Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices

Nobuhiro Shimizu, T. Morooka, Mititada Morisue

Published Oct 1, 1995• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this paper we propose a new measurement method to investigate the basic properties of a Josephson relaxation oscillator (RO) using dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). The dc SQUIDs linearly and continuously convert the oscillating current into voltage enabling the waveforms to be clearly observed. The voltage and current waveforms have been measured simultaneously. The basic operation of the RO has been experimentally confirmed.

DOI
10.1143/jjap.34.5588

Related papers

Direct observation of the current oscillation in a dc SQUID

Kiyotaka Nakajima, Akira Fujimaki, Yasuji Sawada

The current waveforms of the self-resetting oscillation in a dc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) are observed by means of a Josephson sampling system. The frequency of the oscillation is around 60 GHz. The time period of the self-resetting oscillation is experimentally measured as a function of the bias current to the SQUID. Theoretical and numerical analyses are presented for the self-resetting oscillation in the dc SQUID.

Journal of Applied Physics•Nov 15, 1986•3 citations

Noise in relaxation-oscillation-driven DC SQUIDs

S.A. Gugoshnikov, O.V. Kaplunenko, Yu. V. Maslennikov +1 more

The noise properties of the simple relaxation-oscillation-driven DC SQUIDs (RO-SQUIDs) have been studied. A limitation of its internal energy sensitivity E/sub v/ at a level close to 4*10/sup -31/ J/Hz due to the influence of the Josephson junction plasma oscillation has been found for the 5- mu m-design-rule technology. The signal characteristics with the transfer flux-to-voltage factor up to 2 mV/ Phi /sub 0/ and equivalent noise flux of about 1.3*10/sup -6/ Phi /sub 0//Hz/sup 1/2/ in the new all-niobium version of the balanced RO-SQUID have been measured.

IEEE Transactions on Magnetics•Mar 1, 1991•10 citations

dc SQUID Phase Qubit

Tauno Palomaki

This thesis examines the behavior of dc SQUID phase qubits in terms of their proposed use in a quantum computer. In a phase qubit, the two lowest energy states (n=0 and n=1) of a current-biased Josephson junction form the qubit states, with the gauge invariant phase difference across the junction being relatively well defined. In a dc SQUID phase qubit, the Josephson junction is isolated from the environment using an inductive isolation network and Josephson junction, which are connected across the phase qubit junction to form a dc SQUID. Five dc SQUID phase qubits were examined at temperatures down to 25 mK. Three of the devices had qubit junctions that were Nb/AlOx/Nb junctions with critical currents of roughly 30 microamps. The other two had Al/AlOx/Al junctions with critical currents of roughly 1.3 microamps. The device that had the best performance was an Al/AlOx/Al device with a relaxation time of 30 ns and a coherence time of 24 ns. The devices were characterized using microwave spectroscopy, Rabi oscillations, relaxation and Ramsey fringe measurements. I was also able to see coupling between two Nb/AlOx/Nb dc SQUID phase qubits and perform Rabi oscillations with them. The Nb/AlOx/Nb devices had a relaxation time and coherence time that were half that of the Al/AlOx/Al device. One of the goals of this work was to understand the nature of parasitic quantum systems (TLSs) that interact with the qubit. Coupling between a TLS and a qubit causes an avoided level crossing in the transition spectrum of the qubit. In the Al/AlOx/Al devices unintentional avoided level crossings were visible with sizes up to 240 MHz, although most visible splittings were of order ~20 MHz. The measured spectra were compared to a model of the avoided level crossing based on the TLSs coupling to the junction, through either the critical current or the voltage across the junction.

•Aug 6, 2008•2 citations

High sensitivity double relaxation oscillation superconducting quantum interference devices with large transfer from flux to voltage

Derk Jan Adelerhof, Jun Kawai, Gen Uehara +1 more

Double relaxation oscillation superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) (DROSs) based on Nb/AlOx tunnel junctions have been fabricated and characterized. The estimated relaxation frequencies range from 400 MHz up to 14 GHz. Transfer coefficients from flux to voltage of 2 up to 7 mV/φ0 have been obtained. Both the intrinsic flux noise and the performance in a flux-locked loop with direct-voltage readout have been determined. Special attention is paid to the effect of damping resistors on the sensitivity of DROSs. The intrinsic sensitivity improves with increasing relaxation frequency, leveling off to a value of 13h at relaxation frequencies above 2–3 GHz for SQUID inductances of about 30 pH. This sensitivity is very close to the theoretical maximum sensitivity of 6h of a comparable standard type dc SQUID. In a flux-locked loop based on direct-voltage readout, a noise level of 0.55 μφ0/√Hz corresponding to an energy sensitivity of 34h has been obtained for a DROS with a SQUID inductance of 29 pH.

Review of Scientific Instruments•Mar 1, 1995•18 citations

Asymmetry in the LC resonance characteristic in dc superconducting quantum interference devices: New method of observing pair-quasiparticle interference in superconducting tunnel junctions

Y. Song

The $\mathrm{LC}$ (inductance-capacitance) resonance phenomenon in the dc SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) creates a current peak in the $I\ensuremath{-}V$ characteristics at a voltage determined by the resonance frequency. These $I\ensuremath{-}V$ characteristics have been analyzed with the resistively shunted Josephson-junction model in the low-damping and small-oscillation regime. The resonance $I\ensuremath{-}V$ characteristics contain sufficient information to determine all circuit parameters for the dc SQUID's. Specifically, we can apply this analysis to symmetric, tunnel-junction dc SQUID's to deduce the pair-quasiparticle interference conductance ($cos\ensuremath{\theta}$ term).

Physical review. B, Condensed matter•Sep 1, 1981•0 citations

Second generation dc-SQUID sensors: relaxation oscillation SQUIDS (ROS) with frequency readout and double relaxation oscillation SQUIDS (DROS) with voltage readout

Derk Jan Adelerhof, Michiel van Duuren, Jaap Flokstra +1 more

Relaxation Oscillation SQUIDs (ROSs) based on 4x4 micrometers 2 Nb/AlOx Josephson tunnel junctions have been fabricated and characterized. A ROS consists of a hysteretic dc SQUID shunted by an inductor L and a resistor R in series to induce the relaxation oscillations. The values of L range from 20 nH up to about 300 nH, whereas the time constant L/R are between 8 and 45 ns. Frequency-flux characteristics have been recorded with the help of a spectrum analyzer, directly connected to the ROS. The relaxation frequencies range from 5 to 180 MHz. The experimental characteristics can be explained very well with a simple model describing the oscillation cycle. The effect of the self-induced magnetic field due to a magnetic coupling between the dc SQUID and the shunt circuit has been studied in detail. The sensitivity of ROSs and DROSs (Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUIDs) improves with increasing relaxation frequency. In (D)ROSs based on unshunted, hysteretic tunnel junction dc SQUIDs, the maximum relaxation frequency and the sensitivity are limited by LC resonances due to the SQUID capacitance and the shunt inductance. It is shown that the relaxation frequency can be increased up to frequencies of the order of 1 GHz if an extra resistor is integrated to damp these resonances. The optimum value of the damping resistor can be obtained from the ROS parameters. For stable operation of a (D)ROS, the shunt resistance should not be too large. The optimum value of this resistance can be calculated from the effective McCumber parameter and the bias current. Theoretically, the sensitivity of a ROS with a SQUID capacitance of 1 pF, a SQUID inductance of 20 pH and a relaxation frequency of 1 GHz equals about 5h, where h is Planck's constant. In a DROS with voltage readout based on similar SQUIDs, the theoretical sensitivity at a relaxation frequency of 1 GHz is 17h, with an estimated flux-to-voltage transfer coefficient of 5 mV/(phi) 0.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Jul 2, 1994•6 citations
In this paper we propose a new measurement method to investigate the basic properties of a Josephson relaxation oscillator (RO) using dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). The dc SQUIDs linearly and continuously convert the oscillating current into voltage enabling the waveforms to be clearly observed. The voltage and current waveforms have been measured simultaneously. The basic operation of the RO has been experimentally confirmed.
The noise properties of the simple relaxation-oscillation-driven DC SQUIDs (RO-SQUIDs) have been studied. A limitation of its internal energy sensitivity E/sub v/ at a level close to 4*10/sup -31/ J/Hz due to the influence of the Josephson junction plasma oscillation has been found for the 5- mu m-design-rule technology. The signal characteristics with the transfer flux-to-voltage factor up to 2 mV/ Phi /sub 0/ and equivalent noise flux of about 1.3*10/sup -6/ Phi /sub 0//Hz/sup 1/2/ in the new all-niobium version of the balanced RO-SQUID have been measured.
This thesis examines the behavior of dc SQUID phase qubits in terms of their proposed use in a quantum computer. In a phase qubit, the two lowest energy states (n=0 and n=1) of a current-biased Josephson junction form the qubit states, with the gauge invariant phase difference across the junction being relatively well defined. In a dc SQUID phase qubit, the Josephson junction is isolated from the environment using an inductive isolation network and Josephson junction, which are connected across the phase qubit junction to form a dc SQUID. Five dc SQUID phase qubits were examined at temperatures down to 25 mK. Three of the devices had qubit junctions that were Nb/AlOx/Nb junctions with critical currents of roughly 30 microamps. The other two had Al/AlOx/Al junctions with critical currents of roughly 1.3 microamps. The device that had the best performance was an Al/AlOx/Al device with a relaxation time of 30 ns and a coherence time of 24 ns. The devices were characterized using microwave spectroscopy, Rabi oscillations, relaxation and Ramsey fringe measurements. I was also able to see coupling between two Nb/AlOx/Nb dc SQUID phase qubits and perform Rabi oscillations with them. The Nb/AlOx/Nb devices had a relaxation time and coherence time that were half that of the Al/AlOx/Al device. One of the goals of this work was to understand the nature of parasitic quantum systems (TLSs) that interact with the qubit. Coupling between a TLS and a qubit causes an avoided level crossing in the transition spectrum of the qubit. In the Al/AlOx/Al devices unintentional avoided level crossings were visible with sizes up to 240 MHz, although most visible splittings were of order ~20 MHz. The measured spectra were compared to a model of the avoided level crossing based on the TLSs coupling to the junction, through either the critical current or the voltage across the junction.
Double relaxation oscillation superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) (DROSs) based on Nb/AlOx tunnel junctions have been fabricated and characterized. The estimated relaxation frequencies range from 400 MHz up to 14 GHz. Transfer coefficients from flux to voltage of 2 up to 7 mV/φ0 have been obtained. Both the intrinsic flux noise and the performance in a flux-locked loop with direct-voltage readout have been determined. Special attention is paid to the effect of damping resistors on the sensitivity of DROSs. The intrinsic sensitivity improves with increasing relaxation frequency, leveling off to a value of 13h at relaxation frequencies above 2–3 GHz for SQUID inductances of about 30 pH. This sensitivity is very close to the theoretical maximum sensitivity of 6h of a comparable standard type dc SQUID. In a flux-locked loop based on direct-voltage readout, a noise level of 0.55 μφ0/√Hz corresponding to an energy sensitivity of 34h has been obtained for a DROS with a SQUID inductance of 29 pH.
The LC\mathrm{LC}LC (inductance-capacitance) resonance phenomenon in the dc SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) creates a current peak in the $I\ensuremath{-}V$ characteristics at a voltage determined by the resonance frequency. These $I\ensuremath{-}V$ characteristics have been analyzed with the resistively shunted Josephson-junction model in the low-damping and small-oscillation regime. The resonance $I\ensuremath{-}V$ characteristics contain sufficient information to determine all circuit parameters for the dc SQUID's. Specifically, we can apply this analysis to symmetric, tunnel-junction dc SQUID's to deduce the pair-quasiparticle interference conductance ($cos\ensuremath{\theta}$ term).
Relaxation Oscillation SQUIDs (ROSs) based on 4x4 micrometers 2 Nb/AlOx Josephson tunnel junctions have been fabricated and characterized. A ROS consists of a hysteretic dc SQUID shunted by an inductor L and a resistor R in series to induce the relaxation oscillations. The values of L range from 20 nH up to about 300 nH, whereas the time constant L/R are between 8 and 45 ns. Frequency-flux characteristics have been recorded with the help of a spectrum analyzer, directly connected to the ROS. The relaxation frequencies range from 5 to 180 MHz. The experimental characteristics can be explained very well with a simple model describing the oscillation cycle. The effect of the self-induced magnetic field due to a magnetic coupling between the dc SQUID and the shunt circuit has been studied in detail. The sensitivity of ROSs and DROSs (Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUIDs) improves with increasing relaxation frequency. In (D)ROSs based on unshunted, hysteretic tunnel junction dc SQUIDs, the maximum relaxation frequency and the sensitivity are limited by LC resonances due to the SQUID capacitance and the shunt inductance. It is shown that the relaxation frequency can be increased up to frequencies of the order of 1 GHz if an extra resistor is integrated to damp these resonances. The optimum value of the damping resistor can be obtained from the ROS parameters. For stable operation of a (D)ROS, the shunt resistance should not be too large. The optimum value of this resistance can be calculated from the effective McCumber parameter and the bias current. Theoretically, the sensitivity of a ROS with a SQUID capacitance of 1 pF, a SQUID inductance of 20 pH and a relaxation frequency of 1 GHz equals about 5h, where h is Planck's constant. In a DROS with voltage readout based on similar SQUIDs, the theoretical sensitivity at a relaxation frequency of 1 GHz is 17h, with an estimated flux-to-voltage transfer coefficient of 5 mV/(phi) 0.