Fractional ac Josephson effect in p- and d-wave superconductors

For certain orientations of Josephson junctions between two p_x-wave or two d-wave superconductors, the subgap Andreev bound states produce a -periodic relation between the Josephson current I and the phase difference : . Consequently, the ac Josephson current has the fractional frequency , where V is the dc voltage. In the tunneling limit, the Josephson current is proportional to the first power (not square) of the electron tunneling amplitude. Thus, the Josephson current between unconventional superconductors is carried by single electrons, rather than by Cooper pairs. The fractional ac Josephson effect can be observed experimentally by measuring frequency spectrum of microwave radiation from the junction. We also study junctions between singlet s-wave and triplet p_x-wave, as well as between chiral -wave superconductors.Received: 24 September 2003, Published online: 2 April 2004PACS: 74.50. + r Tunneling phenomena; point contacts, weak links, Josephson effects - 74.70.Kn Organic superconductors - 74.72.-h Cuprate superconductors (high-T_c and insulating parent compounds) - 74.70.Pq Ruthenates     

Orientation dependence of proximity effect in ferromagnet/$\mathsf{d}$-wave superconductor junctions

The Nambu spinor Greens function approach is applied to studying the proximity effect in ferromagnet/d-wave superconductor (FM/d-wave SC) junctions. It is found that the magnitude of the proximity effect depends to a great extent on the orientation of the SC crystal with respect to the interface normal. On the FM side, near the interface there are two different types of density of states (DOS) with superconducting features. On the SC side, the DOS near the interface is spin dependent, indicating a local coexistence of weak ferromagnetism and d-wave superconductivity.Received: 10 February 2004, Published online: 12 July 2004PACS: 74.45. + c Proximity effects; Andreev effect; SN and SNS junctions - 74.50. + r Tunneling phenomena; point contacts, weak links, Josephson effects - 74.20.Rp Pairing symmetries (other than s-wave)     

Engineering quantum decoherence of charge qubit via a nanomechanical resonator

We propose a theoretical scheme to observe the loss of quantum coherence through the coupling of the superconducting charge qubit system to a nanomechanical resonator (NAMR), which has already been successfully fabricated in experiment and is convenient to manipulate. With a similar form to the usual cavity QED system, this qubit-NAMR composite system with engineered coupling exhibits the collapse and revival phenomenon in a progressive decoherence process. Corresponding to the two components of superposition of the two charge eigenstates, the state of the nanomechanical resonator evolves simultaneously towards two distinct quasi-classical states. Therefore the generalized which way detection by the NAMR induces the quantum decoherence of the charge qubit.Received: 21 May 2004, Published online: 9 September 2004PACS: 03.65.-w Quantum mechanics - 74.50. + r Tunneling phenomena; point contacts, weak links, Josephson effects - 03.67.Lx Quantum computation - 85.25.Dq Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs)     

Experimental test of a superconducting digital interface for vortex qubits

We have developed and tested a classical superconducting logic interface to a qubit prototype based on two macroscopically distinct quantum states of a vortex in a long Josephson junction. The initial state preparation as well as the readout of a qubit is demonstrated by using a relatively simple Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) circuit. RSFQ logic appears as a very feasible choice for constructing an interface between superconducting qubits and room-temperature electronics.Received: 16 January 2004, Published online: 20 April 2004PACS: 74.40. + k Fluctuations (noise, chaos, nonequilibrium superconductivity, localization, etc.) - 74.50. + r Tunneling phenomena; point contacts, weak links, Josephson effects - 74.78.-w Superconducting films and low-dimensional structures     

High-field interlayer tunnelling transport in layered cuprates: Uncovering the pseudogap state

In high temperature (high T _c ) cuprate superconductors the gap in the electronic density of states is not fully filled at T _c ; it evolves into a partial (pseudo)gap that survives way beyond T _c , challenging the conventional views. We have investigated the pseudogap phenomenon in the field-temperature (H-T) diagram of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_{8 + y} over a wide range of hole doping ( ). Using interlayer tunneling transport in magnetic fields up to 60 T to probe the density-of states (DOS) depletion at low excitation energies we mapped the pseudogap closing field H _pg . We found that H _pg and the pseudogap onset temperature T ^* are related via a Zeeman relation , irrespective of whether the magnetic field is applied along the c-axis or parallel to CuO₂ planes. In contrast to large anisotropy of the superconducting state, the field anisotropy of H _pg is due solely to the g-factor. Our findings indicate that the pseudogap is of singlet-spin origin, consistent with models based on doped Mott insulator.Received: 2 February 2004, Published online: 10 August 2004PACS: 74.25.Dw Superconductivity phase diagrams - 74.25.Fy Transport properties (electric and thermal conductivity, thermoelectric effects, etc.) - 74.72.Hs Bi-based cuprates     

Josephson effect between superconducting nanograins with discrete energy levels

We investigate the Josephson effect between two coupled superconductors, coupled by the tunneling of pairs of electrons, in the regime that their energy level spacing is comparable to the bulk superconducting gap, but neglecting any charging effects. In this regime, BCS theory is not valid, and the notion of a superconducting order parameter with a well-defined phase is inapplicable. Using the density matrix renormalization group, we calculate the ground state of the two coupled superconductors and extract the Josephson energy. The Josephson energy is found to display a reentrant behavior (decrease followed by increase) as a function of increasing level spacing. For weak Josephson coupling, a tight-binding approximation is introduced, which illustrates the physical mechanism underlying this reentrance in a transparent way. The DMRG method is also applied to two strongly coupled superconductors and allows a detailed examination of the limits of validity of the tight-binding model.Received: 8 September 2003, Published online: 28 May 2004PACS: 74.20.-z Theories and models of superconducting state - 74.78.-w Superconducting films and low-dimensional structures - 74.50. + r Tunneling phenomena; point contacts, weak links, Josephson effects     

The Electrodynamics of Granular High-Temperature Superconducting Media

The electrodynamic properties of granular high-temperature superconducting media are studied. Relations for the surface resistance and impedance of a high-temperature superconducting medium are derived. The temperature and frequency dependence of the phase velocity and group velocity and depth of penetration of the electromagnetic field into the Josephson medium are calculated. The possibility of using high-temperature superconducting films as high-efficiency shields is shown. The shielding properties are improved appreciably with increase in the critical current density of the high-temperature superconducting film. The shield thickness is several microns or several fractions of a micron for a critical current density of >10⁷ A/m². The results obtained can be used in designing superhigh-frequency shields, microstrip lines, and other devices based on high-temperature superconducting Josephson media.     

Carrier relaxation time divergence in single and double layer cuprates

We report the transient optical pump-probe reflectivity measurements on single and double layer cuprate single crystals and thin films of ten different stoichiometries. We find that with sufficiently low fluence the relaxation time ( of all samples exhibits a power law divergence with temperature . Further, the divergence has an onset temperature above the superconducting transition temperature for all superconducting samples. Possible causes of this divergence are discussed.Received: 30 June 2003, Published online: 23 December 2003PACS: 74.78.Bz High-T _c films - 74.72.-h Cuprate superconductors (high-T _c and insulating parent compounds) - 74.25.Gz Optical propertiesM.L. Schneider: Present address: NIST, mc 816.01, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305-3328, USA     

Study of Ti/Au,Ti/Al/Au,and Ti/Al/Ni/Au ohmic contacts to <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-GaN

The contacts of Ti/Au, Ti/Al/Au, and Ti/Al/Ni/Au films deposited on n-GaN were studied by current–voltage (I–V) and transmission-line-method measurements. The effect of annealing temperature on specific contact resistivity has been investigated by changing the annealing temperature from 400 to 900 °C. Ti/Al/Au and Ti/Al/Ni/Au films were superior to the bilayer (Ti/Au) in ohmic contact characteristics and thermal stability. The Ti/Al/Ni/Au composite showed the best thermal stability due to the fact that Ni plays a more important role than the alloy of Ti/Al in preventing the interdiffusion of Ti, Al, and Au. The lowest contact resistivity (10^-7cm²) to n-GaN was obtained for the Ti/Al/Ni/Au sample by short-time/high-temperature annealing. The formation mechanism of ohmic contacts to n-GaN is also discussed. PACS 73.40.Cg; 73.61.Ey     

高Tc超导薄膜约瑟夫逊结光探测研究

我们研制了具有约瑟夫逊效应的高Tc GdBa₂Cu₃O₇-薄膜双晶晶界结,对其交直流约瑟夫逊效应进行了观测,并用其进行光探测,用波长为0.6328μm的He-Ne激光器辐照双晶结结区,系统观测了双晶晶界结的光响应特性,得到的最好结果如下噪音等效功率NEP=1.9×10^-13W,归一化探测率D=53×109cmHz^1/2W^-1,响应率Rv=4.2×10⁷V/W,响应时间τ=4.35×10^-7s.     

Microscopic theory of equilibrium properties of F/S/F trilayers with weak ferromagnets

The aim of this paper is to explain the non monotonic temperature dependence of the self-consistent superconducting gap of ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet (F/S/F) trilayers with weak ferromagnets in the parallel alignment (equivalent to F/S bilayers). We show that this is due to Andreev bound states that compete with the formation of a minigap. Using a recursive algorithm we discuss in detail the roles of various parameters (thicknesses of the superconductor and ferromagnets, relative spin orientation of the ferromagnets, exchange field, temperature, disorder, interface transparencies).Received: 23 January 2004, Published online: 29 June 2004PACS: 74.78.Na Mesoscopic and nanoscale systems - 74.45. + c Proximity effects; Andreev effect; SN and SNS junctions - 74.50. + r Tunneling phenomena; point contacts, weak links, Josephson effects     

Precursor diamagnetism above the superconducting transition in YNi_\mathsf{2}B_\mathsf{2}C

High-resolution SQUID magnetization measurements in a single crystal of YNi₂B₂C around the superconducting transition are reported. The diamagnetic magnetization -M _fl at constant field H as a function of temperature and isothermal magnetization curves -M _fl vs. H are used to derive insights on precursor phenomena approaching the bulk transition temperature K. The precursor diamagnetism is found strongly enhanced with respect to the conventional Ginzburg-Landau value for Gaussian fluctuations and the curves -M _fl vs. H exhibit an upturn with the field and hysteretic effects up to T ^* = 15.4 K. These results are interpreted in terms of a non-zero order parameter in superconducting droplets above the bulk T _c . These droplets are likely to be related to inhomogeneities resulting from small amount of boron to carbon substitutions.Received: 23 April 2003, Published online: 15 October 2003PACS: 74.40.+k Fluctuations (noise, chaos, nonequilibrium superconductivity, localization, etc.) - 74.20.De Phenomenological theories (two-fluid, Ginzburg-Landau, etc.) - 74.25.Ha Magnetic properties     

Planar microwave biased RF-SQUIDs in niobium technology

A planar version of microwave biased SQUIDs is described. In this type of SQUID, a superconducting half-wavelength microstrip resonator serves as tank circuit, into which the SQUID is integrated. For evaluation of this type of SQUID, samples were prepared from thin Nb films on sapphire substrates, using tunnel junctions as Josephson elements. When operated in hysteretic mode, signal voltages of up to 80 V were achieved, corresponding to a flux noise of 4×10^–6 ₀/Hz and an energy resolution of 2×10^–31 J/Hz.     

Viewing the proton through “color” filters

A seven-quasiparticle isomer with and T _1/2 = 53 ( ^{+ 3} _-7) ns has been identified in ¹⁷⁹Ta. By comparing its excitation energy with results from multi-quasiparticle calculations that include the effects of blocking and residual nucleon-nucleon interactions, the isomer is assigned the (5/2 ⁺ [402], 7/2 ⁺ [404], (5/2^-[512], 7/2^-[514], 7/2^-[503], 9/2 ⁺ [624]) configuration. The decay of this isomer is found to be unusually fast, a feature that is attributed to a mixing with a specific collective level. The interaction strength is found to be orders of magnitude lower than that observed between interacting collective levels.Received: 7 March 2004, Revised: 3 May 2004, Published online: 5 October 2004PACS: 21.10.Re Collective levels - 21.10.Tg Lifetimes - 23.20.Lv Gamma transitions and level energies - 27.70. + q S.J. Freeman: Present address: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.G . Mukherjee: Present address: Nuclear and Atomic Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata 700 064, India.     

High resolution multiphoton ionization and dissociation of acetone via $\mathsf{3s\leftarrow n}$ Rydberg transitions

Measurements of multiphoton ionization and dissociation of acetone are reported in the wavelength range 582.60-585.80 nm at photon energy resolution of 0.3 cm^-1. To our knowledge there are not available results of (3 + 2) REMPI on acetone at 0.01 nm in this region. The experiments were performed using an Nd: YAG-OPO (optical parametric oscillator) laser system coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The ion yield and the single ion channel are presented. The high-resolution three-photon resonance multiphoton spectrum of the acetone Rydberg transition is also reported. The experimental results show three dissociation channels of the acetone ion, leading to the products: (CH₃CO ⁺ ), (CH₃ ⁺ ) and (COH ⁺ ); the channel CH₃COCH ₃CO ⁺ + CH₃ being the most favored. The acetone and acetyl ions are observed in all wavelength range investigated. In addition, we have measured the origin of the and transitions, and vibrational bands of the 3s state.Received: 21 March 2004, Published online: 11 May 2004PACS: 33.80.Rv Multiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states) - 33.15.Ta Mass spectra - 33.80.Gj Diffuse spectra; predissociation, photodissociation     

利用超导结的直流约瑟夫逊效应探测β粒子的初步实验结果

利用超导结的直流约瑟夫逊效应探测粒子,具有能量分辨率高和时间响应快的优点。我们首次进行了用Sr⁹⁰-Y⁹⁰β源辐照Nb-NbO_x-Pb超导结的实验。结果表明:在β粒子的辐照下,不仅超导结的临界电流和能隙电压都变小,而且在超导结的两端产生电压脉冲讯号。本文报道了利用直流约瑟夫逊效应探测β粒子所观察到的一些现象。 关键词：     

Andreev scattering and cotunneling between two superconductor-normal metal interfaces: the dirty limit

Crossed Andreev reflections and cotunneling occur between two neighbouring superconductor- normal metal or superconducting-ferromagnet interfaces. Previous works assumed a clean BCS superconductor. Here the calculation of the corresponding crossed conductance terms is generalized to a dirty superconductor. The range of the effect is shown to be the coherence length , instead of the BCS coherence length . Moreover, in three dimensions, the algebraic prefactor scales as 1/r instead of 1/r ². The calculation involves the virtual diffusion probability of quasiparticles below the superconducting gap, in the normal and the anomalous channel.Received: 10 October 2003, Published online: 23 December 2003PACS: 74.45. + c Proximity effects; Andreev effect; SN and SNS junctions - 73.63.Rt Nanoscale contacts - 74.78.-w Superconducting films and low-dimensional structures     

Technology of Production of Integrated Devices for Millimeter Wave Electronics Based on High-Temperature Superconducting Films

In the work, the results on the analysis of phase transitions in amorphous films Y-Ba-Cu-O under their annealing are presented for the purpose to obtain high-temperature superconducting film samples intended for microwave applications. The analysis and choice of material for substrates have been carried out with the purpose to create integrated microwave circuits, using the high-temperature superconducting films. The method of producing the epitaxial Y-Ba-Cu-O films for microwave electronics has been justified. With the purpose of creation of the hybrid integrated circuits with application of high-temperature superconductor films, the data on producing the ohmic contacts with low transitional resistance in a system metal - high temperature superconducting film are presented. The analysis of critical parameters and microwave properties of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ films under their annealing in vacuum has been carried out. The justification of temperature regimes of contact photolithography concerning the YBa₂Cu₃O_7– films is given. The influence of oxygen implantation on structural properties and critical parameters of YBa₂Cu₃O_7– is demonstrated.     

Thermal conductivity and competing orders in d-wave superconductors

We derive the expression for the thermal conductivity in the low-temperature limit in d-wave superconductors, taking into account the presence of competing orders such as spin-density wave, is-pairing, etc. The expression is used for analyzing recent experimental data in . Our analysis strongly suggests that competing orders can be responsible for anomalies in behavior of thermal conductivity observed in those experiments.Received: 9 December 2003, Published online: 2 April 2004PACS: 74.25.Fy Transport properties (electric and thermal conductivity, thermoelectric effects, etc.) - 74.72.Dn La-based cuprates - 74.72.-h Cuprate superconductors (high-Tc and insulating parent compounds)V.P. Gusynin: On leave from Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, 03143 Kiev, UkraineV.A. Miransky: On leave from Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine     

Linear High-Tc YBa2Cu3O7?δ Superconducting Thin Film Infrared Detectors Coupled with a Cylindrical Microlens Array in Quartz Glass Substrate

Monolithic linear cylindrical microlens array in a quartz glass substrate is fabricated using photolithography and ion beam etching technique, the high-Tc YBa₂Cu₃O_7– superconducting thin films are deposited through excimer laser scanning ablation, the superconducting thin films are patterned by photolithographic method and ion beam etching technique, and the hybrid structure of the microlens array component and the superconducting IR detectors has been obtained using an IR glue to cement the microlens component onto the superconducting device. We also investigate the optical response characteristics of the hybrid device in the optical spectral region of 1 ~ 5 m, as follows. The average optical responsivity of the hybrid device is 1.6×10⁴ V/W, average noise equivalent power is 2.3×10^–12 WHz^–1/2, average detectvity is 3.2×10⁹ cmHz^1/2W^–1, and the non-uniformity of detectvity (D*) is not more than 14%. The experimental results show that the performance of the superconducting device is improved notably using a quartz glass refractive microlens array as the incident IR radiation concentrators.