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Physica C Superconductivity

Microwave and millimeter-wave mixers using negative differential resistance due to Andreev reflection in superconducting weak links

Hiroshi Ohta, Toshiaki Matsui

Published Dec 1, 1991• 18 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1016/0921-4534(91)91414-y

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Short metallic weak links of Nb are used for millimeter-wave mixer experiments at 100-110 GHz. When the weak links are connected to a voltage bias circuit with zero output impedance, subharmonic gap structures are observed as a large dynamic resistance region or a negative differential resistance region at voltages V/sub u/=2/spl Delta//ne on the I-V curve, where n=1, 2, 3, ... . These strong structures are caused by a resonance effect between the energy gap and the multiple Andreev reflections that are present whenever there is a spatial inhomogeneity of the pair potential. Enhancement of IF signal peaks is observed at the subgap voltages. These experimental results suggest the appearance of the density of states predicted theoretically by R. Kummel et al. The subharmonic gap structure and details of the SNS mixer experiment will be described.>

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IEEE Transactions on Magnetics•Jan 1, 1999•3 citations
We have studied negative-resistance mixers both theoretically and experimentally. The current carried by the bound quasi-particles in the N-region of a mesoscopic SNS weak-link has a dc and cosine components. Current transport in the SNS weak-links is affected by bias-voltages in many experiments. The I-V curves often show complex structures including negative differential resistance which cannot be understood by the simple RSJ model. Supercurrent is directly affected both by the bias voltage and the density of states at the energy gap of superconductor. The supercurrent by the Multiple-Andreev-Reflection is considerably changed across subharmonic gap voltages because of the singularity of the density of state of superconductor near the energy gap. We have done mixer experiment of SNS weak-links and have observed IF peaks at subgap voltages which are caused by the negative differential resistance.
Short metallic weak links of Nb are used for millimeter-wave mixer experiments at 100-110 GHz. When the weak links are connected to a voltage bias circuit with zero output impedance, subharmonic gap structures are observed as a large dynamic resistance region or a negative differential resistance region at voltages V/sub u/=2/spl Delta//ne on the I-V curve, where n=1, 2, 3, ... . These strong structures are caused by a resonance effect between the energy gap and the multiple Andreev reflections that are present whenever there is a spatial inhomogeneity of the pair potential. Enhancement of IF signal peaks is observed at the subgap voltages. These experimental results suggest the appearance of the density of states predicted theoretically by R. Kummel et al. The subharmonic gap structure and details of the SNS mixer experiment will be described.>
We report signal amplification and harmonic multiplication processes based on the nonlinear current-voltage characteristics (CVC) displayed by superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) junctions. Such junctions may exhibit a negative differential resistance at low voltages, the so called low-voltage-negative-differential-resistance (LVNDR) effect. This effect is due to the quantum mechanical multiple Andreev reflection mechanism in very clean systems and is stable against a bias voltage. Therefore, it is in principle possible to use these junctions as an active element in a variety of circuit applications such as oscillators, amplifiers or mixers, in the microwave and millimeter-wave range.