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Japanese Journal of Applied Physics

Proposal for a Beat Oscillating Superconducting Quantum Interference Device

Hisao Furukawa, Shinji Tomiyama, Itsuo Hatono, Hiroyuki Tamura

Published May 1, 1998• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We describe a new dc-superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) circuit of the FM type, which has a large coefficient for converting an applied magnetic flux into a frequency of MHz band or a lower band. The circuit consists of a SQUID amplifier composed of two stages, formed by a superconducting weak link and two dc-SQUID elements with nonhysteretic characteristics. In the first stage, the weak link and dc-SQUID elements are connected in parallel and operated by a common bias voltage. Since the respective elements oscillate with high frequencies by the ac Josephson effect, the two frequencies interact with each other, so that, the first stage generates a beat signal of a lower frequency. In the second stage, the other dc-SQUID element with a intrinsic flux gain enhances the beat signal generated during the first stage. A theoretical analysis of the circuit with computer simulation shows that the beat frequency is a periodical function of the magnetic flux, and the SQUID amplifier with two stages can improve the flux sensitivity.

DOI
10.1143/jjap.37.2485

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IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Jun 1, 1999•1 citation
We describe a new dc-superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) circuit of the FM type, which has a large coefficient for converting an applied magnetic flux into a frequency of MHz band or a lower band. The circuit consists of a SQUID amplifier composed of two stages, formed by a superconducting weak link and two dc-SQUID elements with nonhysteretic characteristics. In the first stage, the weak link and dc-SQUID elements are connected in parallel and operated by a common bias voltage. Since the respective elements oscillate with high frequencies by the ac Josephson effect, the two frequencies interact with each other, so that, the first stage generates a beat signal of a lower frequency. In the second stage, the other dc-SQUID element with a intrinsic flux gain enhances the beat signal generated during the first stage. A theoretical analysis of the circuit with computer simulation shows that the beat frequency is a periodical function of the magnetic flux, and the SQUID amplifier with two stages can improve the flux sensitivity.
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Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) are promising for detection of extremely weak power regimes for the Internet of Things and long-distance satellite networks. In low-frequency magnetic signal measurements, it has demonstrated superior performance over the traditional systems. We review the resistively and capacitively shunted junction model of dc SQUIDs and investigate its transfer function to magnetic flux signals while taking thermal fluctuation into account. We numerically evaluate the influence of bias current and bias flux signal to determine the operating parameters of the device. The performances related to SQUID ring inductance operating at 4.2 K and 77 K are demonstrated. Combined with common radio frequency front-end modules, including low-noise amplifier and low-pass filter, we evaluate the bit-error-rate performance of the system under different inductance values and inferred that the sensitivity of the system can reach −99 dBm at 100 MHz bandwidth.
Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) is a sensitive detector of magnetic flux signals. Up to now, the main application of SQUIDs has been measurements of magnetic flux signals in the frequency range from near DC to several MHz. Recently, cryogenic low-noise radio-frequency (RF) amplifiers based on DC SQUID are under development aiming to detect RF signals with sensitivity approaching quantum limit. In this paper, we review the recent progress of cryogenic low-noise RF amplifiers based on SQUID technology.
We describe a low-noise, two-stage dc Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) amplifier that is designed for applications requiring high bandwidth and dynamic range. The output signal of a low-noise SQUID in the input stage coherently modulates a series array of identical SQUIDs in the output stage via a common modulation line. The input stage is designed so its output signal does not produce multiple modulation periods in the output stage. The output stage is designed to have sufficient gain so the output noise is dominated by the amplified noise of the input SQUID and exceeds the noise of a preamplifier in the room temperature readout electronics. The SQUID amplifier may therefore be operated without flux modulation or any impedance matching network, resulting in a large dynamic range and high bandwidth.
We have developed a radio frequency bias current scheme with reversal frequency up to 50 MHz for dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). The SQUID and the readout electronics, were connected via a quarter wavelength (/spl lambda//4) transmission line. This transmission line not only transported the SQUID signal, but also served as the resonant matching circuit. For a dc SQUID of inductance 115 pH (loop size 75/spl times/75 /spl mu/m/sup 2/), we measured a flux noise of 33 /spl mu//spl phi//sub 0///spl radic/Hz at 77 K in the flux locked loop configuration. The corner frequency of 1/f noise was less than 0.5 Hz.
The dynamics and noise of a dc SQUID (the Superconducting Quantum Interference Device), with the McCumber parameter /spl beta//sub c/=2/spl pi/R/sup 2/l/sub c/C//spl Phi//sub 0/ close to the unity (where I/sub c/, R, C is the critical current, the shunt resistance and the capacitance of the Josephson junctions comprising the SQUID, respectively, /spl Phi//sub 0/=2.07 10/sup -15/ Wb is the magnetic flux quantum) integrated with a planar spiral input coil, have been experimentally studied. The length of the spiral input coil was chosen so as to match its /spl lambda//4 microwave resonance frequency to the plasma resonance frequency of the SQUID. The input coil resonance is found to enhance the overall quality factor Q of the Josephson oscillations in the SQUID and, as a result, to increase the dynamic resistance R/sub d/ and the gradient of the flux-to-voltage characteristics, /spl delta/V//spl delta//spl Phi/, without hysteresis. A dc SQUID with a loop inductance L=30.5 pH, /spl beta//sub c/=0.72, and a 6 turn input coil demonstrated a non-distorted quasi-sinusoidal flux-to-voltage transfer function with an exceptionally large modulation depth of 140 /spl mu/V peak-to-peak. The spectral density of the magnetic flux noise was as low as 3.5/spl times/10/sup -7/ /spl Phi//sub 0//Hz/sup 1/2/ in the double stage configuration, measured at a temperature 4.2 K using direct read out electronics. In combination with an intermediary transformer, the current resolution of the SQUID is as low as 1.25 pA/Hz/sup 1/2/ with an input coil inductance of 100 nH.