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

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters

Staircase Structure of Shapiro Steps

Yu. M. Shukrinov, I. R. Rahmonov, M. Nashaat

Published Dec 1, 2015• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We investigate IV -characteristics of coupled Josephson junctions which model the intrinsic Josephson junctions in high temperature superconductors under external electromagnetic radiation. A staircase structure of Shapiro steps is found in the branching region. Its origin is related to the coupling between junctions and their switching from rotating to oscillating states. This conclusion is tested by detailed analysis of the IV -characteristics as for total stack and for each junction in the stack. IV -curves of junctions in the stack are compared with the average of time derivative of phase difference. Experimental observation of this staircase structure would give us a proof of coupling between junctions and a way for precise measurement of its value. Such investigations would be also useful for a diagnostic of Josephson junctions in the stack.

DOI
10.1134/s002136401524011x

Related papers

Phase dynamics and IV-characteristics of two parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions

Yu. M. Shukrinov, I. R. Rahmonov, Andrej Plecenik +4 more

Two parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions are investigated to clarify the physics of transitions between the rotating and oscillating states and their effect on the IV-characteristics of the system. The detailed study of phase dynamics and bias dependence of the superconducting and diffusion currents allows one to explain all features of simulated IV-characteristics and demonstrate the correspondence in their behavior. The coupling between JJ in the stacks leads to the branching of IV-characteristics and a decrease in the hysteretic region. The crucial role of the diffusion current in the formation of the IV-characteristic of the parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions is demonstrated. We discuss the effect of symmetry in a number of junctions in the stacks and show a decrease of the branching in the symmetrical stacks. The observed effects might be useful for development of superconducting electronic devices based on intrinsic Josephson junctions.

arXiv:1408.1541•Aug 7, 2014•0 citations

Phase dynamics of two parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions

Yu. M. Shukrinov, I. R. Rahmonov, Andrej Plecenik +3 more

Two parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions (JJs) are investigated to clarify the physics of transitions between the rotating and oscillating states and their effect on the IV -characteristics of the system. The detailed study of phase dynamics and bias dependence of the superconducting and diffusion currents allows one to explain all features of simulated IV -characteristics and demonstrate the correspondence in their behavior. The coupling between JJ in the stacks leads to the branching of IV -characteristics and a decrease in the hysteretic region. The crucial role of the diffusion current in the formation of the IV -characteristic of the parallel stacks of coupled JJs is demonstrated. We discuss the effect of symmetry in a number of junctions in the stacks and show a decrease of the branching in the symmetrical stacks. The observed effects might be useful for development of superconducting electronic devices based on intrinsic JJs.

Superconductor Science and Technology•Nov 12, 2014•8 citations

Subharmonic Shapiro steps and noise in high-T c superconductor Josephson junctions

Michael A. Tarasov, Dmitry S. Golubev, Vitaly S. Shumeiko +4 more

An experimental investigation is made of the subharmonic Shapiro steps observed on the I-V curves of high-T c superconductor Josephson junctions and on the bias-voltage dependences of the rf noise and detector response when the junctions are subjected to external submillimeter radiation. Structures of this type are ordinarily described by a nonsinusoidal current-phase relation, which is why subharmonic steps appear. Numerical modeling of the processes occurring in a Josephson junction by means of a simple current-phase relation, as in the case of an SNS junction, gives good agreement with experiment. The width of the characteristic Josephson generation line of the junction was estimated on the basis of the noise dependences and the selective detector response. The width can be explained by taking into account the shot noise of the tunneling component of the conductivity. A model of the conductivity of a high-T c superconductor Josephson junction, consisting of a tunnel junction with microshorts possessing metallic conductivity, is discussed.

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters•Sep 1, 1998•19 citations

Shapiro steps and stimulated radiation of electromagnetic waves due to Josephson oscillations in layered superconductors

Lev N. Bulaevskii, Alexei E. Koshelev, M. Tachiki

Single crystals of layered high-temperature superconductors intrinsically behave as stacks of Josephson junctions. We analyze response of current-biased stack of intrinsic junctions to irradiation by the external electromagnetic (em) wave. In addition to well-known Shapiro steps in the current-voltage characteristics, irradiation promotes stimulated radiation which adds with spontaneous Josephson radiation from the crystal. Such enhancement of radiation from current-biased crystal may be used for amplification of em waves. Irradiation also facilitates synchronization of Josephson oscillations in all intrinsic Josephson junctions of a single crystal as well as oscillations in intrinsic junctions of different crystals.

Physical Review B•Dec 19, 2008•8 citations

Shapiro Step on the rc-Branch in the IV-characteristic of a Josephson Junction with an LC-shunting

Yu. M. Shukrinov, I. R. Rahmonov, K. V. Kulikov +1 more

The effect of external radiation on the phase dynamics of Josephson junctions shunted by an LC circuit is examined. It is shown that additional resonant circuit (rc) branches appear in the current voltage characteristics of the junctions when the Josephson frequency is equal to the frequency of the formed resonance circuit. We show that the amplitude dependence of the Shapiro step width crucially changes when the Shapiro step is on the rc-branch in comparison to the case of Josephson junction without shunt. The experimental implementation of these effects might give very important advantages for existing methods and technologies.

arXiv:1405.3898•May 15, 2014•0 citations

Coherent emission from the stack of Josephson junctions with the non-uniform inductive interaction

O. M. Grib, O. L. Samsonik, Р. В. Сухов

During last decade, considerable efforts were made to achieve coherent emission from stacks of many Josephson junctions. It is known that strong emission from a junction in the presence of external magnetic field appears at the so-called Fiske steps in the IV-characteristic at voltages which correspond to frequencies of geometrical resonances. However, it is possible to obtain resonant steps in long junctions without external magnetic field. The periodical movement of fluxons is excited due to some disorder in the distribution of critical currents along junctions. The so-called zero-field steps are formed in the IV-curve due to the interaction of fluxons with oscillations of voltage at Josephson frequencies. We investigated numerically IV-characteristics and the dependence of the average square of ac voltage at the end of the stack of two long Josephson junctions on the average voltage. Junctions interacted inductively with each other. We introduced not only the Gaussian distribution of critical currents along junctions but also the Gaussian distribution of coefficients of the interaction between junctions (mutual inductances). Zero-field steps in the IV-characteristic were found at voltages which corresponded to frequencies of in-phase collective modes in the stack as well as to frequencies of uncoupled junctions. Zero-field steps appeared in the hysteretic region of the IV-curve. There appeared also jumps of voltage from the resistive branch to the zero-field step. We showed that there existed distributions of mutual inductances along junctions which provided jumps to voltages at which the average square of ac voltage at the end of the stack (which is proportional to power of emission) was larger than that for the stack with the uniform distribution of mutual inductances.

The Journal of V N Karazin Kharkiv National University Series Physics•Jan 1, 2019•0 citations
We investigate IV -characteristics of coupled Josephson junctions which model the intrinsic Josephson junctions in high temperature superconductors under external electromagnetic radiation. A staircase structure of Shapiro steps is found in the branching region. Its origin is related to the coupling between junctions and their switching from rotating to oscillating states. This conclusion is tested by detailed analysis of the IV -characteristics as for total stack and for each junction in the stack. IV -curves of junctions in the stack are compared with the average of time derivative of phase difference. Experimental observation of this staircase structure would give us a proof of coupling between junctions and a way for precise measurement of its value. Such investigations would be also useful for a diagnostic of Josephson junctions in the stack.
Two parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions are investigated to clarify the physics of transitions between the rotating and oscillating states and their effect on the IV-characteristics of the system. The detailed study of phase dynamics and bias dependence of the superconducting and diffusion currents allows one to explain all features of simulated IV-characteristics and demonstrate the correspondence in their behavior. The coupling between JJ in the stacks leads to the branching of IV-characteristics and a decrease in the hysteretic region. The crucial role of the diffusion current in the formation of the IV-characteristic of the parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions is demonstrated. We discuss the effect of symmetry in a number of junctions in the stacks and show a decrease of the branching in the symmetrical stacks. The observed effects might be useful for development of superconducting electronic devices based on intrinsic Josephson junctions.
Two parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions (JJs) are investigated to clarify the physics of transitions between the rotating and oscillating states and their effect on the IV -characteristics of the system. The detailed study of phase dynamics and bias dependence of the superconducting and diffusion currents allows one to explain all features of simulated IV -characteristics and demonstrate the correspondence in their behavior. The coupling between JJ in the stacks leads to the branching of IV -characteristics and a decrease in the hysteretic region. The crucial role of the diffusion current in the formation of the IV -characteristic of the parallel stacks of coupled JJs is demonstrated. We discuss the effect of symmetry in a number of junctions in the stacks and show a decrease of the branching in the symmetrical stacks. The observed effects might be useful for development of superconducting electronic devices based on intrinsic JJs.
An experimental investigation is made of the subharmonic Shapiro steps observed on the I-V curves of high-T c superconductor Josephson junctions and on the bias-voltage dependences of the rf noise and detector response when the junctions are subjected to external submillimeter radiation. Structures of this type are ordinarily described by a nonsinusoidal current-phase relation, which is why subharmonic steps appear. Numerical modeling of the processes occurring in a Josephson junction by means of a simple current-phase relation, as in the case of an SNS junction, gives good agreement with experiment. The width of the characteristic Josephson generation line of the junction was estimated on the basis of the noise dependences and the selective detector response. The width can be explained by taking into account the shot noise of the tunneling component of the conductivity. A model of the conductivity of a high-T c superconductor Josephson junction, consisting of a tunnel junction with microshorts possessing metallic conductivity, is discussed.
Single crystals of layered high-temperature superconductors intrinsically behave as stacks of Josephson junctions. We analyze response of current-biased stack of intrinsic junctions to irradiation by the external electromagnetic (em) wave. In addition to well-known Shapiro steps in the current-voltage characteristics, irradiation promotes stimulated radiation which adds with spontaneous Josephson radiation from the crystal. Such enhancement of radiation from current-biased crystal may be used for amplification of em waves. Irradiation also facilitates synchronization of Josephson oscillations in all intrinsic Josephson junctions of a single crystal as well as oscillations in intrinsic junctions of different crystals.
The effect of external radiation on the phase dynamics of Josephson junctions shunted by an LC circuit is examined. It is shown that additional resonant circuit (rc) branches appear in the current voltage characteristics of the junctions when the Josephson frequency is equal to the frequency of the formed resonance circuit. We show that the amplitude dependence of the Shapiro step width crucially changes when the Shapiro step is on the rc-branch in comparison to the case of Josephson junction without shunt. The experimental implementation of these effects might give very important advantages for existing methods and technologies.
During last decade, considerable efforts were made to achieve coherent emission from stacks of many Josephson junctions. It is known that strong emission from a junction in the presence of external magnetic field appears at the so-called Fiske steps in the IV-characteristic at voltages which correspond to frequencies of geometrical resonances. However, it is possible to obtain resonant steps in long junctions without external magnetic field. The periodical movement of fluxons is excited due to some disorder in the distribution of critical currents along junctions. The so-called zero-field steps are formed in the IV-curve due to the interaction of fluxons with oscillations of voltage at Josephson frequencies. We investigated numerically IV-characteristics and the dependence of the average square of ac voltage at the end of the stack of two long Josephson junctions on the average voltage. Junctions interacted inductively with each other. We introduced not only the Gaussian distribution of critical currents along junctions but also the Gaussian distribution of coefficients of the interaction between junctions (mutual inductances). Zero-field steps in the IV-characteristic were found at voltages which corresponded to frequencies of in-phase collective modes in the stack as well as to frequencies of uncoupled junctions. Zero-field steps appeared in the hysteretic region of the IV-curve. There appeared also jumps of voltage from the resistive branch to the zero-field step. We showed that there existed distributions of mutual inductances along junctions which provided jumps to voltages at which the average square of ac voltage at the end of the stack (which is proportional to power of emission) was larger than that for the stack with the uniform distribution of mutual inductances.