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arXiv:cond-mat/0003487 · Physical review. B, Condensed matter

Non−Φ0−periodic macroscopic quantum interference in one-dimensional parallel Josephson junction arrays with unconventional grating structure

Jörg Oppenländer, Ch. Häussler, Nils Schopohl

Published Dec 20, 2000• 89 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

A theoretical study is presented for a number N of Josephson junctions connected as a one-dimensional (1D) parallel array in such a manner that there are $N\ensuremath{-}1$ individual superconducting loops with arbitrary shape formed. In the resistive array mode, for bias currents $I>{I}_{c},$ all Josephson junctions in the array oscillate at the same magnetic field dependent frequency ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{B}$ which is, in general, not a ${\ensuremath{\Phi}}_{0}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{c}$ function of the strength of magnetic field $\mathbf{B}.$ Within the range of validity of the resistively and capacitively shunted junction (RCSJ) model the periodicity of ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{B}$ is controlled by the array geometry alone and does not depend on the distribution of the array junction parameters. In the overdamped junction regime, ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{B}$ is for certain types of unconventional grating structures a unique function around a sharp global minimum at $\mathbf{B}=0.$ This filter property does not apply for regular gratings and superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID's). Computer simulations of the full nonlinear array dynamics reveal that the qualitative macroscopic quantum interference properties of unconventional arrays are governed, irrespective of the strength of inductive couplings, by a complex structure factor ${S}_{N}(\mathbf{B})$ which can be determined analytically. Also, the performance of magnetometers based on 1D arrays with unconventional grating structure can be significantly better than the performance of conventional SQUID's. In particular, 1D arrays with unconventional grating structure should provide a technically rather unsophisticated precision measurement of absolute strength and orientation of external magnetic fields.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.63.024511

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A theoretical study is presented for a number N of Josephson junctions connected as a one-dimensional (1D) parallel array in such a manner that there are N\ensuremath−1N\ensuremath{-}1N\ensuremath−1 individual superconducting loops with arbitrary shape formed. In the resistive array mode, for bias currents I>Ic,I>{I}_{c},I>Ic​, all Josephson junctions in the array oscillate at the same magnetic field dependent frequency \ensuremathνB{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{B}\ensuremathνB​ which is, in general, not a \ensuremathΦ0\ensuremath−periodic{\ensuremath{\Phi}}_{0}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{c}\ensuremathΦ0​\ensuremath−periodic function of the strength of magnetic field B.\mathbf{B}.B. Within the range of validity of the resistively and capacitively shunted junction (RCSJ) model the periodicity of \ensuremathνB{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{B}\ensuremathνB​ is controlled by the array geometry alone and does not depend on the distribution of the array junction parameters. In the overdamped junction regime, \ensuremathνB{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{B}\ensuremathνB​ is for certain types of unconventional grating structures a unique function around a sharp global minimum at B=0.\mathbf{B}=0.B=0. This filter property does not apply for regular gratings and superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID's). Computer simulations of the full nonlinear array dynamics reveal that the qualitative macroscopic quantum interference properties of unconventional arrays are governed, irrespective of the strength of inductive couplings, by a complex structure factor SN(B){S}_{N}(\mathbf{B})SN​(B) which can be determined analytically. Also, the performance of magnetometers based on 1D arrays with unconventional grating structure can be significantly better than the performance of conventional SQUID's. In particular, 1D arrays with unconventional grating structure should provide a technically rather unsophisticated precision measurement of absolute strength and orientation of external magnetic fields.
We present experimental results on the magnetic field B dependent voltage response V(B) of a number of N resistively shunted Josephson junctions connected in parallel by a multiple loop network. For an appropriate distribution of the array loop sizes, such networks constitute superconducting quantum interference filters (SQIFs) with voltage response functions V(B) that are not /spl Phi//sub 0/-periodic. The voltage response of SQIFs is a unique function around a global minimum at B=0 that has a high sensitivity and a low noise level. In contrast to conventional superconducting quantum interference devices, SQIFs can be directly employed as highly sensitive magnetometers allowing the absolute measurement of magnetic fields. The experimental results are in very good agreement with the theoretical predictions on which basis the SQIF has been fabricated, All findings suggest that superconducting quantum interference filters may allow the design of novel superconducting devices.
We present a theoretical study on the voltage response function 〈V〉 of series arrays of dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) for which the elementary dc SQUID loops vary in size and, possibly, in orientation. If the distribution of the array loop sizes is chosen according to an arithmetic relation, 〈V〉 is not a Φ0-periodic function of the strength of external magnetic field B. For arithmetic arrays the periodicity of 〈V〉 is controlled by the geometry of the array alone and does not depend on spreads in the array junction parameters. If small fluctuations are added to the loop size distribution, 〈V〉 becomes a unique function around a global minimum at B=0 without possessing significant additional minima for finite B. This filter property does not apply for conventional SQUIDs and series arrays of identical or nearly identical SQUID loops. Applications of arithmetic series arrays include the design of current amplifiers and novel quantum interference filters, which possess large voltage swing and low noise level. In particular, quantum interference filters should provide a rather simple and extremely sensitive measurement of the absolute strength of magnetic fields.
A superconducting quantum interference grating (SQUIG), consisting of many Josephson junctions in parallel, exhibits quantum interference analogous to the optical interference pattern produced by a diffraction grating, just as the dc SQUID is the magnetic analog of the double slit in optics. The field- dependent critical current of a SQUIG with sufficiently low inductance exhibits a series of sharp peaks, similar to the position-dependent intensity of a multiple-slit interference pattern. Such a device has the potential for improved sensitivity as a magnetic sensor because of its enhanced flux-to-voltage transfer coefficient. The behavior is quite different, however, when the inductance is large. In this limit, the field-dependent critical current becomes extremely hysteretic and exhibits self- organized phase coherence, in which a peak in the critical current (indicating coherence of the junction phases) is observed after each reversal of the field sweep. We have observed this phenomenon in large inductance arrays with up to ten YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) bi-crystal grain boundary junctions in parallel. We have modeled the behavior using a Frenkel-Kontorova model generalized to include global interactions due to mutual inductance. According to our model calculations, self-organized phase coherence occurs when the system relaxes from its critical state, causing the phases to simultaneously relax to minima in the periodic potential representing the Josephson coupling energy, and thus to become coherent modulo 2(pi) .
Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs), formed by incorporating Josephson junctions into loops of superconducting material, are the backbone of many modern quantum sensing systems. It has been demonstrated that, by combining multiple SQUID loops into a two-dimensional (2D) array, it is possible to fabricate ultra-high-performing radio-frequency sensors. However, to function as absolute magnetometers, current-in-use arrays require the area of each SQUID loop in the array to be incommensurate. Doing so forbids the achievement of their full potential of performance, limited only by the standard quantum limit. This is because imposing incommensurability in the areas contrasts with optimised performance in each single SQUID loop. In this work, we report that by selectively inserting bare sections of a superconducting circuit with no Josephson junctions, 2D SQUID arrays can operate as an absolute magnetometer even when no physical area spread is applied. Based on a generalisation of currently available theories, a complete analytical formulation for the one-to-one correspondence between the distribution of these bare loops and what we call a synthetic areas spread is unveiled. This synthetic spread represents the equivalent physical spread of incommensurate SQUID loops that you would use to obtain the absolute Voltage-Magnetic Flux response if no bare loops were in use. Our work opens the way to a broader use of this technology for the fabrication of ultra-high-performance absolute quantum sensors. Our approach is also experimentally verified by fabricating several 2D Superconducting Quantum Interference Filter (SQIF) arrays incorporating bare superconducting loops and by demonstrating that they behave in alignment with what is suggested by our theory.
Abstract Designing superconducting electronic devices involves a careful study of all the elements in the circuit, including the superconducting bias leads. In this work, we introduce a theoretical model for two-dimensional (2D) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) arrays capable of simulating the voltage-to-magnetic flux response of devices with different bias current configurations. First, we compare uniformly biased and centre biased SQUID arrays by investigating the voltage versus magnetic flux response, maximum transfer function and voltage modulation depth. Then, we calculate the time-averaged fluxoid distributions for one-dimensional (1D) and 2D centre biased arrays. Finally, we study the performance of the two bias current configurations depending on array size, screening parameter, thermal noise strength and kinetic self-inductance fraction. Our calculations reveal: (i) centre biased 1D parallel SQUID arrays present an unusual voltage response caused by the asymmetric fluxoid distribution; (ii) the optimal transfer function of centre biased arrays strongly depends on the number of junctions in parallel; (iii) the performance of centre biased arrays approaches the uniform biased ones when the number of junctions in series exceeds those in parallel; (iv) while the screening parameter and the thermal noise strength clearly affect the device performance, the kinetic to self-inductance fraction seems to play only a secondary role.
We review experiments on small-capacitance Josephson junctions. When the Josephson junction is fabricated in the configuration of dc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), the Josephson coupling can be tuned IN SITU with an external magnetic field. The electrical transport properties of one-dimensional arrays of small-capacitance dc SQUIDs have been investigated in order to study the superconductor-insulator transition. The arrays have also been used to bias a single Josephson junction, and a clear Coulomb blockade of Cooper-pair tunneling has been observed in the single junction.