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IEEE International Magnetics Conference

Superconductor-normal metal-superconductor junctions for signal amplification and harmonic multiplication

V. Soares, A. M. Luiz, R. Nicolsky

Published Jan 1, 1999• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report in this work on signal amplification and harmonic multiplication processes based on the nonlinear current-voltage characteristics (CVC) displayed by superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) junctions.
DOI
10.1109/intmag.1999.837186

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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.
A Superconducting - Normal metal - Superconducting junction (SNS junction) may exhibit a Low Voltage Negative Differential Resistance (LVNDR) effect over part of its Current Voltage Characteristic (CVC). As the LVNDR effect is stable against a bias voltage at this CVC range, it should be possible to combine a SNS junction with conventional electronic circuits to obtain electronic devices such as mixers, amplifiers and oscillators. Making use of this remarkable effect, we show tliat an amplifier may be feasible by assembling a simple voltage divider made up of a SNS junction in series witli a resistor. The amplifier circuit includes an adjustable DC voltage supply (the bias voltage) and an AC signal source with a given voltage. The SNS junction is connected in series with a resistor R. Choosing values of the load resistance R approximately equal to the module of the negative differential resistance (dV/dI), at the bias voltage, we may obtain large gains in this amplifier device. In order to get an oscillator, the SNS junction should be connected to a RLC tank circuit with a bias voltage adjusted in the range of the LVNDR region of its CVC. A power output of the order of one microwatt may be easily obtained.
It has been shown recently that the current-voltage characteristic of a metallic (non-tunneling) Josephson junction could exhibit a negative differential resistance at low voltages, as a predictable and reproducible effect. This letter shows an alternative procedure to generate non-Josephson microwaves (in the cm and mm range) taking advantage of this effect. It is shown that, instead of obtaining harmonic oscillations with the AC Josephson effect, it is possible to generate microwaves using the averaged IVC (current-voltage characteristics) of a SNS junction (a Josephson junction which exhibits no tunneling and has no hysteresis in the IVC).
We design a millimeter-wave heterodyne receiver using Superconductor-Normal metal-Superconductor (SNS) junction. We simulate its Current-Voltage Characteristics (CVC) as a function of its relevant physical parameters. Performing computer simulations, we use the negative derivative range of its CVC to calculate the conversion gain and reflectivity coefficients of the proposed device. These parameters show that it should be possible to increase the sensitivity of the SNS mixer and a reflection parametric amplifier may be feasible.