Pinning of vortices and penetration of the magnetic field into a periodically modulated long Josephson contact

The upper field of the Meissner regime, H _up, and overheat field H′_c1, above which vortices start penetrating into a Josephson contact, are calculated throughout the range of pinning parameter I. The stability of likely configurations is investigated. It is shown that H _up = H′_c1 at any I. The existence of a single vortex centered at the extreme cell in the contact is demonstrated to be a possibility. At I > 3.69, such a vortex may exist even in a zero magnetic field. At 1.48 < I < 3.69, this vortex can exist in an external field in the range from some H _v to H _up. At I < 1.48, the vortex cannot exist under any conditions. From the equality of H _up and H′_c1 at any I, the conclusion is drawn that penetration of vortices into any Josephson medium is conditioned by the need to satisfy flux quantization conditions. Here, not the forces of vortex pinning at defects in the medium but quantization requirements are of major importance, which are satisfied in specific quantum ways rather than by meeting equilibrium conditions for vortices, forces, etc.     

Calculation of the vortex pinning energy in a long periodically modulated Josephson contact

An analytical method for evaluating the Josephson and magnetic energies of a vortex, as well as the vortex pinning energy and its components, in a long periodically modulated Josephson contact is suggested. The method allows one to take into account the variation of the vortex shape with the position of the vortex. The results obtained with this method are much closer to those of exact computer analysis compared with results of the conventional techniques. The discrepancy between the exact shape of the vortex and a function obtained by solving a differential equation approximating the exact difference equation is studied.     

Hysteresis in the behavior of a long periodically modulated Josephson junction in a magnetic field for not small values of the pinning parameter

The magnetization curve for a long periodically modulated Josephson junction is calculated using the approach based on analysis of the continuous change in the configuration in the direction of the decrease in the Gibbs potential upon cyclic variation of the external magnetic field for not small values of pinning parameter I. It is shown that unlike in the case of small I, when the hysteresis loop is a part of a certain universal curve, the segments of the loops corresponding to a decrease in h in the first and second quadrants (and symmetric to them) pass below the universal loop, the degree of deviation increasing with pinning parameter I. The properties of the hysteresis loops are considered for various amplitudes of the magnetic field variation on the basis of analysis of vortex configurations.     

Formation of a quasi-uniform sequence of vortices in a periodically modulated finite-length Josephson contact

The configurations of currents and the profile of a magnetic field penetrating into a finite-length contact at I < I _C are calculated. The computational method is based on analyzing the continuous variation of the current structure leading to a decrease in the Gibbs potential. Such an approach makes it possible to find a configuration that sets in when an external field slightly exceeds H _max and trace the evolution of this configuration with increasing field. It is shown that at H > H _max boundary structures turn into quasi-uniform sequences of vortices the spacing between which oscillates about a mean value decreasing with increasing H. At some values of H, vortices with a number of fluxoids Φ₀ larger by unity start penetrating into the contact in the form of boundary sequences. As the field grows, they produce quasi-uniform sequences, etc. Vortices with the number of fluxoids Φ₀ differing by more than unity can fall into the contact at no field. The penetration of vortices with (k + 1)Φ₀ into a contact each cell of which contains kΦ₀ is fully identical to the penetration of vortices with one Φ₀ into the Meissner configuration. This statement is supported by the almost strict periodicity of mean induction b in the contact versus external field h dependence with a period of 1 along both axes and also by the form of the dependences of the magnetic field in the cells on the cell-boundary distance.     

Magnetoplasmons in gapped graphene in a periodically modulated magnetic field

Motivated by recent experiments on long‐lived magnetoplasmons in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field, we investigate the dynamical dielectric response function of graphene in contact with a substrate using the random phase approximation. We add a periodically modulated magnetic field within the graphene plane and address both the inter and intra Landau band magnetoplasmons. Verification of the predicted magnetic modulation effects is possible by experiments analogous to those for the zero gap limit.     

Penetration of the magnetic field into a 3D ordered Josephson medium at small values of the pinning parameter

The current configurations and the profile of the magnetic field penetrating into a 3D ordered Josephson medium are calculated for I < I _C . The calculation algorithm (modified for finite-length samples) is based on analyzing the continuous variation of the configuration toward a decrease in the Gibbs potential. This algorithm makes it possible to find a configuration into which the Meissner state passes when I < I _C and an external field slightly exceeds H _max and trace the evolution of this configuration with a further rise in the field. At H > H _max, the magnetic field penetrates into the sample as a quasi-uniform sequence of plane vortices. When H is roughly equal to H ₀/2, where H ₀ is the outer field at which one fluxoid Φ₀ passes through each cell, the plane vortices disintegrate into linear ones centered in cells neighboring along the diagonal. As the field grows, the vortex pattern condenses: zero-fluxoid cells are gradually “filled” starting from the boundary. When the field approaches H ₀, a sequence of plane vortices centered in adjacent rows arises near the boundary. With a further increase in the field, sequences of linear vortices with a double fluxoid form at the boundary. Then, such a scenario is periodically repeated with a period H ₀ in the external field.     

Raman scattering from a two-dimensional electron gas in a weakly and periodically modulated magnetic field

An analysis of light scattering from a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) subject to aweak periodicmagnetic modulation of strengthB_mand to a perpendicular uniform magnetic fieldBof arbitrary strength is presented. Raman spectra are calculated for (i) electron inter-Landau-level transitions, which result in a Raman shift ∼  2ω_c, and (ii) inter-Landau-level collective electron excitations at a hybridized magnetoplasmon frequency and at anewlow-frequency, intra-Landau-level plasmon mode induced by the modulation. The dependence of the Raman cross sections on the strength ofBandB_mis assessed. The effect of a weakB_mon the Raman spectrum is similar to that of a weak electric modulation but the signals from the magnetically modulated 2DEG are much stronger. The combined effect of the electric and magnetic modulations is also considered.     

Penetration of the magnetic field into a 3D ordered Josephson medium at very small values of the pinning parameter

The Meissner state of a 3D Josephson medium is analyzed for stability against small fluctuations of phase discontinuities at contacts. For any form of fluctuations, there exists value I ₀ of pinning parameter I such that the Meissner configuration remains stable if I < I ₀. Reasons why the configuration remains stable at small I are considered. Instability arises when the quadratic form of the second variation of Gibbs potential G is not a positively definite quantity. At small I, the contribution of the Josephson energy to G is small. The second variation of the magnetic energy, the other component of G, is always a positively definite quadratic form. Therefore, instability may arise only if I has a finite value. This statement holds true not only for the Meissner but also for any equilibrium configuration. At I < I ₀, stability persists up to the boundary of the Meissner state. Then, a sequence of plane vortices parallel to the boundary appears throughout the sample. Thus, vortices appearing at I < I ₀ are plane vortices rather than linear. The configurations of currents and the magnetic field profile inside the sample are calculated for I < I ₀. Calculation is based on analyzing the continuous variation of the current configuration toward a decrease in the Gibbs potential.     

Recursion operation in a stability treatment: The asymptotic magnetic field distribution in a long Josephson junction

It is shown that a recursion operator can be used to examine the Lyapunov stability of non-integrable boundary-value problems. There is a detailed discussion of determining the asymptotic state in a long Josephson contact in an external magnetic field. This is reduced to examining the stability of the stationary solutions that satisfy certain boundary conditions and the sin-Gordon equation. Omsk State University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 7, pp. 37–43, July, 1997.     

Critical magnetic field of cylindrical Josephson junctions

The cylindrical Josephson junction can entirely suppress the interference effects which produce the usual variation of dc Josephson current with magnetic field. This allows the determination of the intrinsic dependence of the Josephson current density upon axial field. For Nb wire-oxide-Sn film junctions we find $\text{I}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>J</mtext>}}\text{=I}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>J</mtext>}}\text{(0) [1?(}\text{B}\text{B}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>S</mtext>}}\text{)}{}^2\text{]}$.     

Effects of a magnetic field on a modulated phase

The effects of a magnetic field on a modulated phase are studied. A modulated phase is found to have two critical fields H₁ and H₂. For a large enough magnetic field, H₁ and H₂ can be approximated by a linear law. As a result, the minimum magnetic field needed to destroy a modulated phase is a constant. The minimum magnetic field also greatly depends on the order of a commensurate phase. A very high order commensurate phase and an incommensurate phase cannot survive a magnetic field. The behaviour of a magnetoelastic chain in a magnetic field can be described by a harmless devil's staircase. The inverse temperature is found to play a role similar to that of a special magnetic field. The deeper physics underlying these new phenomena is the breaking of the left-right symmetry of a phase diagram. As a result a controllable path to a modulated phase is found.     

Giant magnetoresistance in a two-dimensional electron gas modulated by periodically repeated magnetic barriers

The giant magnetoresistance effect is investigated in a two-dimensional electron gas modulated by periodically repeated magnetic barriers, which can be realized by depositing parallel ferromagnets on the top and the bottom of a heterostructure. It is found that the magnetoresistance ratio (MRR) of the present system shows a strong dependence on the number of ferromagnetic unit cells. The modified MRR (MMRR) shows oscillations, where the number of peaks is determined by the number of units, and our study indicates that for experimentally accessible parameters for a GaAs heterostructure the value of the MMRR can be as high as 55% for a realistic electron density.     

Fluxon pinning on a periodical structure of magnetic inclusions in a Josephson contact

The low speed motion of a fluxon in a Josephson contact containing a periodical system of magnetic inclusions is considered. The existence of fluxon pinning at some distance from the magnetic inclusion is shown. This distance depends both on the structure period and on the parameters of the magnetic inclusions. The critical current of fluxon depinning is obtained. The existence of two different types of critical current is shown: the main critical current of the fluxon leaving the inclusion and a small critical current of the fluxon jumping between neighbouring potential minima.     

Maximal supercurrent of a Josephson junction in a field of magnetic particles

The maximal supercurrent I_m of a short Josephson junction formed by an edge contact of two superconducting films is calculated for the case where the junction is placed in a periodic field produced by a chain of magnetic nanoparticles. The commensurability effects occurring when the magnetic flux of a homogeneous external field H₀ through an elementary cell is equal to an integral number of magnetic flux quanta Φ₀ are considered. The effects give rise to additional maxima in the I_m(H₀) dependence.