Lifetime and coherence of two-level defects in a Josephson junction

We measure the lifetime (T?) and coherence (T?) of two-level defect states (TLSs) in the insulating barrier of a Josephson phase qubit and compare to the interaction strength between the two systems. We find for the average decay times a power-law dependence on the corresponding interaction strengths, whereas for the average coherence times we find an optimum at intermediate coupling strengths. We explain both the lifetime and the coherence results using the standard TLS model, including dipole radiation by phonons and anticorrelated dependence of the energy parameters on environmental fluctuations.     

Implementing multi-qubit entanglement of two-level systems inside a superconducting phase qubit

The interaction between a superconducting phase qubit and the two-level systems located inside the Josephson tunnel barrier is described by the XY model, which is naturally used to implement the i-SWAP gate. With this gate, we propose a scheme to efficiently generate multi-qubit entangled states of such two-level systems, including multipartite W state and cluster states. In particular, it is found that, with the help of the phase qubit, the entanglement witness can be used to efficiently detect the produced multi-qubit entangled states.     

Tunneling current spectroscopy of a nanostructure junction involving multiple energy levels

A multilevel Anderson model is employed to simulate the system of a nanostructure tunnel junction with any number of one-particle energy levels. The tunneling current, including both shell-tunneling and shell-filling cases, is theoretically investigated via the nonequilibrium Green's function method. We obtain a closed form for the spectral function, which is used to analyze the complicated tunneling current spectra of a quantum dot or molecule embedded in a double-barrier junction. We also show that negative differential conductance can be observed in a quantum dot tunnel junction when the Coulomb interactions with neighboring quantum dots are taken into account.     

Quantum two-level systems in Josephson junctions as naturally formed qubits

The two-level systems (TLSs) naturally occurring in Josephson junctions constitute a major obstacle for the operation of superconducting phase qubits. Since these TLSs can possess remarkably long decoherence times, we show that such TLSs can themselves be used as qubits, allowing for a well controlled initialization, universal sets of quantum gates, and readout. Thus, a single current-biased Josephson junction can be considered as a multiqubit register. It can be coupled to other junctions to allow the application of quantum gates to an arbitrary pair of qubits in the system. Our results indicate an alternative way to realize superconducting quantum information processing.     

Nonresonant echo spectroscopy of inhomogeneously broadened two-level systems

Effects which arise in inhomogeneously broadened systems upon nonresonant excitation are examined theoretically. The effect of such excitation on the signals representing a decaying free polarization and a two-pulse echo is discussed. The onset of echo signals generated in two-pulse retarded nutation during the application of a field is studied. The response can acquire a multicomponent structure. This structure is manifested in the appearance of a single-pulse echo, eight satellites in the two-pulse echo, and four nutation echo signals in the retarded two-pulse nutation. An experimental study of these effects is reported. The possibility of using them to determine relaxation times is analyzed.Institute of Solid-State and Semiconductor Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Scientific-Research Institute of Problems of Semiconductor Physics, Belarus State University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 7, pp. 59–71, July, 1993.     

Curved Josephson junction

The constant curvature one and quasi-one dimensional Josephson junction is considered. On the base of Maxwell equations, the sine–Gordon equation that describes an influence of curvature on the kink motion was obtained. It is showed that the method of geometrical reduction of the sine–Gordon model from three to lower dimensional manifold leads to an identical form of the sine–Gordon equation.     

Fluctuation power spectrum of a Josephson junction

The fluctuation power spectrum of the Josephson junction has been evaluated in the limit of large energy barriers [(U _n ^max−U _n ^min)γ]≫1 and small currents [x≪x _e]. The result is valid for finite capacitance of the junction. The effect of the fluctuating Josephson current on the voltageV(t) across the junction has also been taken into account.     

Quantum coherence in a superfluid Josephson junction

We report a new kind of experiment in which we take an array of nanoscale apertures that form a superfluid (4)He Josephson junction and apply quantum phase gradients directly along the array. We observe collective coherent behaviors from aperture elements, leading to quantum interference. Connections to superconducting and Bose-Einstein condensate Josephson junctions as well as phase coherence among the superfluid aperture array are discussed.     

Rabi-type oscillations in a classical Josephson junction

We study analytically and numerically the phase-modulation properties of a classical Josephson tunnel junction biased in the zero-voltage state and phase locked to an external ac field. We show that the phase-locked state is being modulated in the transients, or in response to perturbations, and the modulation frequency is calculated as a function of relevant system parameters, such as microwave field amplitude. Our analysis demonstrates that the modulation of a phase-locked state in an entirely classical Josephson junction produces oscillations analogous to quantum mechanical Rabi oscillations, expected to be observed under the same conditions.     

Josephson effect in a Coulomb-blockaded SINIS junction

The problem of a Josephson current through a Coulomb-blocked nanoscale superconductor-normal-superconductor structure with tunnel contacts is reconsidered. Two different contributions to the phase-biased supercurrent I(?) are identified, which are dominant in the limits of weak and strong Coulomb interaction. Full expression for the free energy valid at arbitrary Coulomb strength is found. The current derived from this free energy interpolates between known results for weak and strong Coulomb interaction as the phase bias changes from 0 to π. In the broad range of Coulomb strength, the current-phase relation is substantially nonsinusoidal and qualitatively different from the case of semiballistic SNS junctions. The Coulomb interaction leads to the appearance of a local minimum in the current at some intermediate value of the phase difference applied to the junction.     

Novel spin dynamics in a Josephson junction

We address the dynamics of a single spin embedded in the tunneling barrier between two superconductors. As a consequence of pair correlations in the superconducting state, the spin displays a rich and unusual dynamics. To properly describe the time evolution of the spin we find the generalized Wess-Zumino-Witten-Novikov term in the effective action for the spin on the Keldysh contour. The superconducting correlations lead to an effective spin action which is nonlocal in time leading to unconventional precessions. Our predictions might be directly tested for macroscopic spin clusters.     

Fluxon interaction in a long Josephson junction

Fluxon interaction in a long Josephson junction with bias current and losses is investigated by means of a perturbational approach. A simple analytical theory of the congelation (bunching) of unipolar fluxons is presented. Asymptotic results are confirmed by numerical solutions. It is shown that a system of congealed fluxons reflects from an open end of the junction without being destroyed.     

Unusual constraints in the quantum statistical mechanics of Josephson junction systems

In order to apply quantum statistical mechanics to systems composed of Josephson junctions, the unconventional constraint of fixed macroscopic wave function magnitudes on either side of a junction must be accommodated. In order to use this information, the density matrix formalism must be extended to deal directly with probability distributions over general quantum states. As a result, in thermal equilibrium, the explicit temperature dependence becomes modified from the trivial 1/kT factors.     

Probe-field spectroscopy in two-level systems with low Doppler broadening

The spectrum of absorption (amplification) of a weak probe field by two-level atoms colliding with atoms of a buffer gas in the field of a strong electromagnetic wave is studied theoretically. A universal, free of any collision model, solution is obtained for systems with small (compared to collision rates) Doppler broadening with no restrictions on the strong-field intensity and with the possible absence of dephasing of the light-induced dipole moment in elastic collisions of the gas particles. The relation of the collisional parameters of the problem with the characteristics of an elementary scattering event and with the macroscopic characteristics connected with the transport phenomena is established. It is found that the nontrivial features of the probe-field spectrum discovered by us previously [Zh. Éksp. Teor. Fiz. 127, 320 (2005)] in the framework of the strong-collision model are not connected with a particular model of collisions and have a universal nature.     

Current noises in a topological Josephson junction

We study the transport properties of a superconductor-quantum spin Hall insulator-superconductor Josephson junction both in the absence and in the presence of a DC bias voltage. As the system is predicted to host Majorana fermions at its interfaces,the Andreev bond states are supposed to exhibit a distinct 4π periodicity in the superconducting phase difference, namely the fractional Josephson effect. Using the non-equilibrium Green's function method, we calculate the current and the related current noise based on a tight-binding Hamiltonian. Our direct results show that the fractional Josephson effect can not be seen in equilibrium junctions. While in non-equilibrium junctions, this effect can be confirmed by the multiple Andreev reflections induced peaks of the non-equilibrium noise, which appear at discrete frequencies ω = ne V with n being an integer number.     

Vibrating superconducting island in a Josephson junction

We consider a combined nanomechanical-supercondcuting device that allows the Cooper pair tunneling to interfere with the mechanical motion of the middle superconducting island. Coupling of mechanical oscillations of a superconducting island between two superconducting leads to the electronic tunneling generates a supercurrent that is modulated by the oscillatory motion of the island. This coupling produces alternating finite and vanishing supercurrent as function of the superconducting phases. Current peaks are sensitive to the superconducting phase shifts relative to each other. The proposed device may be used to study the nanoelectromechanical coupling in case of superconducting electronics.     

Steady oscillatory states of a finite Josephson junction

Under the assumption that solutions have traveling-wave form, time-periodic solutions are found for the Josephson phase equation for a finite-length tunnel junction with uniform current feed and linear loss term. Exact current-voltage characteristics are found and compared with simple approximations. The complete current-velocity and mean-width-velocity curves for isolated fluxons are found. Comparison with characteristics for a finite junction shows that end effects obtained from analysis of a circuit model of the junction shows that end effects introduce lower- and upper-current thresholds.     

Stochastic dynamics of a Josephson junction threshold detector

We generalize the stochastic path integral formalism by considering Hamiltonian dynamics in the presence of general Markovian noise. Kramers' solution of the activation rate for escape over a barrier is generalized for non-Gaussian driving noise in both the overdamped and underdamped limit. We apply our general results to a Josephson junction detector measuring the electron counting statistics of a mesoscopic conductor. The activation rate dependence on the third current cumulant includes an additional term originating from the backaction of the measurement circuit.