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

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity

π-Loops With ds Josephson Junctions

Michael I. Faley, Pim Reith, Vasily S. Stolyarov, Igor A. Golovchanskiy, Alexander A. Golubov, Hans Hilgenkamp, Rafal E. Dunin‐Borkowski

Published Jan 24, 2019• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We fabricated Josephson junctions (JJs) between the d-wave superconductor (SC) YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) and the s-wave SC Nb (ds-JJs) on graphoepitaxially buffered MgO substrates, studied ds-JJs at temperatures down to 30 mK and employed these JJs in π-loops. Current-voltage characteristics of ds-JJs oriented along the [100] axis of YBCO exhibited up to a factor of 200 higher critical current densities than ds-JJs oriented along the [110] axis of YBCO. The critical current$I_{c}$and the$I_{c}R_{n}$product of [100]-oriented 3 μm wide ds-JJs are ∼70 μA and ∼200 μV, respectively, at 4.2 K. Rectangular arrays of up to 40 000 π-loops based on such ds-JJs were investigated using a low temperature scanning superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) microscope. We observed ordering of spontaneously generated half integer magnetic flux quanta in the π-loops correlated with minute spurious background magnetic fields, as well as with configurations and mutual coupling of the π-loops. We manipulated the magnetic states of the π-loops by the local application of magnetic fields using nearby planar coils. This paper paves the way for the use of π-loops in computations that are based on annealing processes.

DOI
10.1109/tasc.2019.2892078

Related papers

Superconductor digital circuits with π junctions alone

Feng Li, Yuto Takeshita, Masamitsu Tanaka +1 more

We adopt superconductor/ferromagnet/insulator/superconductor (SFIS) Josephson junctions (JJs) as both switching JJs and intrinsic π phase shifters in superconductor digital circuits. The critical current density (Jc) and characteristic voltage (Vc) of the SFIS junctions are about 22 A/cm2 and 22 μV, respectively. The intrinsic π phase shift is confirmed by measuring the suppressed nominal critical current Icn and half-period-shifted modulation pattern of a π–π–π superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) that contains three π-JJs in a superconducting loop. A single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuit composed of a DC/SFQ, Josephson transmission line (JTL), and SFQ/DC converter based on SFIS JJs alone is demonstrated at 4.2 K. The energy dissipation of the SFQ/DC converter decreases by 80% because some JJs are self-biased by the π phase shifter. The intrinsic circulating currents induced by the π phase shifters lead to a narrow bias margin (±5%) and even error function, which can be solved by parameters optimization or circuit initialization in the future. The half-modulation period (Φ0/2) of a half-flux-quantum (HFQ) SQUID (a partial HFQ JTL) exhibits propagation of HFQ between π–π–π SQUIDs, indicating that more complex HFQ circuits can be developed with π-JJs alone in the future.

Applied Physics Letters•Apr 17, 2023•10 citations

Fractional flux quanta in high-Tc/low-Tc superconducting structures

C.J.M. Verwijs

When the conventional superconductor niobium and the cuprate superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) are connected in a ring-shaped geometry, the ground state is characterized by a spontaneously generated current corresponding to a half-integer magnetic flux quantum in the large inductance limit. The spontaneously generated currents result from a π-phase shift originating from the difference in order parameter symmetry for niobium (s-wave) and YBCO (dx2-y2-wave). The fractional magnetic flux quanta in high-Tc/low-Tc superconducting structures have been used for an angle-resolved phase sensitive study to the order parameter symmetry in YBCO, which was found to contain an s-wave admixture of at least 9%. Moreover, the experiments set an upper limit of a few percent on any complex admixture. The fractional flux quanta have also been used for the realization of a novel superconducting logic circuit element: a toggle flip-flop with integrated π-rings. The dx2-y2-wave-induced π-phase shifts alleviate the need for bias current lines and improve design-, fabrication- and operation margins. The π-ring-based toggle flip-flop has been integrated in a test circuit and its correct operation was demonstrated. Besides in π-rings, the fractional magnetic flux quanta have also been studied in a so-called corner geometry. The first on-chip manipulation and read-out of half-integer flux quanta in a 0-π-0 junction is presented. This is an important step forward if corner junctions are to be integrated in superconducting electronics.

•Jun 25, 2009•1 citation

Half-integer Shapiro-steps in superconducting qubit with a π-Josephson junction

Michiyasu Mori, Sadamichi Maekawa

Abstract A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) comprising 0- and π-Josephson junctions (JJs), called π-SQUID, is studied by the resistively shunted junction model. The π-SQUID shows half-integer Shapiro-steps (SS) under microwave irradiation at the voltage V = ( ℏ / 2 e ) Ω ( n / 2 ) , with angular frequency Ω and half-integer n/2 in addition to integer n. We show that the π-SQUID can be a π-qubit with spontaneous loop currents by which the half-integer SS are induced. Making the 0- and π-JJs equivalent is a key for the half-integer SS and realizing the π-qubit.

arXiv:2108.11006•Applied Physics Express•Aug 25, 2021•2 citations

Graphoepitaxial Josephson junctions and DC SQUIDs

Michael I. Faley, Doris Meertens, U. Poppe +1 more

We have prepared high-Tc superconducting heterostructures for DC SQUIDs with graphoepitaxial step edge Josephson junctions on single crystal MgO substrates and investigated them using complementary characterization techniques, including atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Combined epitaxial (out-of-plane) and graphoepitaxial (in-plane) growth of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films on the tilted surfaces of step edges on MgO substrates was observed. The high-Tc step-edge Josephson junctions demonstrated a good reproducibility and an IcRn product of about 600 μV at 77 K. The DC SQUIDs with step edge junctions showed voltage swings δVpp of up to about 60 μV at 77 K. High values of Rn of the graphoepitaxial step edge Josephson junctions can be advantageous for their applications as qubits.

IEEE International Superconductive Electronics Conference (ISEC)•Jul 1, 2013•5 citations

Analysis of the Effect of 0-π SQUIDs for Enhancing Mutual Coupling

Masayuki Higashi, Yuto Takeshita, Kento Kato +5 more

This study shows that we can obtain an enhanced mutual coupling by using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) containing a π-phase shift Josephson junction (π-junction). The π-junction can increase the current flowing in the loop inductance of the SQUID, thereby enhancing the magnetic flux generated in the inductance. Therefore, the effective self-inductance of the SQUID can increase, resulting in an increase in the mutual coupling. We use a 0-π SQUID formed by a conventional Josephson junction (0-junction) and a π-junction. Our numerical analysis for a simplified structure revealed that the ratio of effective to original self-inductance increased to 50. To confirm this, we measured the modulation patterns of critical current in dc-SQUIDs in which part of the loop inductance was replaced with a series of 0-π SQUIDs. The observed modulation pattern revealed that the effective self-inductance became more than 10-fold larger than the original self-inductance under the conditions that the applied current is a few μA while the critical current of the 0-junction in 0-π SQUIDs is 35 μA.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Mar 2, 2023•4 citations

Coupling of two superconductors through a ferromagnet. SFS π-junctions and intrinsically-frustrated superconducting networks

V. V. Ryazanov, V. A. Oboznov, A. V. Veretennikov +3 more

Reentrant superconducting behavior of the critical supercurrent temperature dependencies has been observed for the Nb–Cu/Ni–Nb Josephson SFS (superconductor–ferromagnet–superconductor) junctions. The Ic(T) oscillations detected are associated with a crossover of the SFS junctions from '0'- to 'π'-state that is related to a special feature of superconducting pair flow through a ferromagnet (spatial oscillations of induced superconducting order parameter in presence of the exchange field). A triangular array of the junctions in the π-state shows evidence for a phase shift of π on the Ic(H) dependence. We have argued advantages of the SFS π-junction use for the quantum bit implementation based on the superconducting loop with quantum Josephson junctions. While designs proposed previously are based on magnetically frustrated superconducting loops, we discuss the advantages offered by the π-junctions in obtaining naturally degenerate two-level systems.

Physics-Uspekhi•Oct 1, 2001•12 citations
We fabricated Josephson junctions (JJs) between the d-wave superconductor (SC) YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) and the s-wave SC Nb (ds-JJs) on graphoepitaxially buffered MgO substrates, studied ds-JJs at temperatures down to 30 mK and employed these JJs in π-loops. Current-voltage characteristics of ds-JJs oriented along the [100] axis of YBCO exhibited up to a factor of 200 higher critical current densities than ds-JJs oriented along the [110] axis of YBCO. The critical currentIcI_{c}Ic​and theIcRnI_{c}R_{n}Ic​Rn​product of [100]-oriented 3 μm wide ds-JJs are ∼70 μA and ∼200 μV, respectively, at 4.2 K. Rectangular arrays of up to 40 000 π-loops based on such ds-JJs were investigated using a low temperature scanning superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) microscope. We observed ordering of spontaneously generated half integer magnetic flux quanta in the π-loops correlated with minute spurious background magnetic fields, as well as with configurations and mutual coupling of the π-loops. We manipulated the magnetic states of the π-loops by the local application of magnetic fields using nearby planar coils. This paper paves the way for the use of π-loops in computations that are based on annealing processes.
We adopt superconductor/ferromagnet/insulator/superconductor (SFIS) Josephson junctions (JJs) as both switching JJs and intrinsic π phase shifters in superconductor digital circuits. The critical current density (Jc) and characteristic voltage (Vc) of the SFIS junctions are about 22 A/cm2 and 22 μV, respectively. The intrinsic π phase shift is confirmed by measuring the suppressed nominal critical current Icn and half-period-shifted modulation pattern of a π–π–π superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) that contains three π-JJs in a superconducting loop. A single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuit composed of a DC/SFQ, Josephson transmission line (JTL), and SFQ/DC converter based on SFIS JJs alone is demonstrated at 4.2 K. The energy dissipation of the SFQ/DC converter decreases by 80% because some JJs are self-biased by the π phase shifter. The intrinsic circulating currents induced by the π phase shifters lead to a narrow bias margin (±5%) and even error function, which can be solved by parameters optimization or circuit initialization in the future. The half-modulation period (Φ0/2) of a half-flux-quantum (HFQ) SQUID (a partial HFQ JTL) exhibits propagation of HFQ between π–π–π SQUIDs, indicating that more complex HFQ circuits can be developed with π-JJs alone in the future.
When the conventional superconductor niobium and the cuprate superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) are connected in a ring-shaped geometry, the ground state is characterized by a spontaneously generated current corresponding to a half-integer magnetic flux quantum in the large inductance limit. The spontaneously generated currents result from a π-phase shift originating from the difference in order parameter symmetry for niobium (s-wave) and YBCO (dx2-y2-wave). The fractional magnetic flux quanta in high-Tc/low-Tc superconducting structures have been used for an angle-resolved phase sensitive study to the order parameter symmetry in YBCO, which was found to contain an s-wave admixture of at least 9%. Moreover, the experiments set an upper limit of a few percent on any complex admixture. The fractional flux quanta have also been used for the realization of a novel superconducting logic circuit element: a toggle flip-flop with integrated π-rings. The dx2-y2-wave-induced π-phase shifts alleviate the need for bias current lines and improve design-, fabrication- and operation margins. The π-ring-based toggle flip-flop has been integrated in a test circuit and its correct operation was demonstrated. Besides in π-rings, the fractional magnetic flux quanta have also been studied in a so-called corner geometry. The first on-chip manipulation and read-out of half-integer flux quanta in a 0-π-0 junction is presented. This is an important step forward if corner junctions are to be integrated in superconducting electronics.
Abstract A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) comprising 0- and π-Josephson junctions (JJs), called π-SQUID, is studied by the resistively shunted junction model. The π-SQUID shows half-integer Shapiro-steps (SS) under microwave irradiation at the voltage V = ( ℏ / 2 e ) Ω ( n / 2 ) , with angular frequency Ω and half-integer n/2 in addition to integer n. We show that the π-SQUID can be a π-qubit with spontaneous loop currents by which the half-integer SS are induced. Making the 0- and π-JJs equivalent is a key for the half-integer SS and realizing the π-qubit.
We have prepared high-Tc superconducting heterostructures for DC SQUIDs with graphoepitaxial step edge Josephson junctions on single crystal MgO substrates and investigated them using complementary characterization techniques, including atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Combined epitaxial (out-of-plane) and graphoepitaxial (in-plane) growth of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films on the tilted surfaces of step edges on MgO substrates was observed. The high-Tc step-edge Josephson junctions demonstrated a good reproducibility and an IcRn product of about 600 μV at 77 K. The DC SQUIDs with step edge junctions showed voltage swings δVpp of up to about 60 μV at 77 K. High values of Rn of the graphoepitaxial step edge Josephson junctions can be advantageous for their applications as qubits.
This study shows that we can obtain an enhanced mutual coupling by using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) containing a π-phase shift Josephson junction (π-junction). The π-junction can increase the current flowing in the loop inductance of the SQUID, thereby enhancing the magnetic flux generated in the inductance. Therefore, the effective self-inductance of the SQUID can increase, resulting in an increase in the mutual coupling. We use a 0-π SQUID formed by a conventional Josephson junction (0-junction) and a π-junction. Our numerical analysis for a simplified structure revealed that the ratio of effective to original self-inductance increased to 50. To confirm this, we measured the modulation patterns of critical current in dc-SQUIDs in which part of the loop inductance was replaced with a series of 0-π SQUIDs. The observed modulation pattern revealed that the effective self-inductance became more than 10-fold larger than the original self-inductance under the conditions that the applied current is a few μA while the critical current of the 0-junction in 0-π SQUIDs is 35 μA.
Reentrant superconducting behavior of the critical supercurrent temperature dependencies has been observed for the Nb–Cu/Ni–Nb Josephson SFS (superconductor–ferromagnet–superconductor) junctions. The Ic(T) oscillations detected are associated with a crossover of the SFS junctions from '0'- to 'π'-state that is related to a special feature of superconducting pair flow through a ferromagnet (spatial oscillations of induced superconducting order parameter in presence of the exchange field). A triangular array of the junctions in the π-state shows evidence for a phase shift of π on the Ic(H) dependence. We have argued advantages of the SFS π-junction use for the quantum bit implementation based on the superconducting loop with quantum Josephson junctions. While designs proposed previously are based on magnetically frustrated superconducting loops, we discuss the advantages offered by the π-junctions in obtaining naturally degenerate two-level systems.