Design optimization for microwave coupling structures of a digital-to-analog converter based on series arrays of high-temperature superconducting Josephson junctions

A new coupling scheme of the external microwave signal for a digital-to-analog converter based on series arrays of high-temperature superconducting Josephson junctions has been proposed. It is suggested to couple the meander-like array inductively to a parallel microwave transmission line. Within the resistively shunted junction model different types of microwave coupling structures were analyzed with the goal to reduce the mutual phase locking and to achieve high output power and phase-locking stability. A harmonic balance technique was used to derive an analytic expression connecting the amplitudes of microwave voltages and currents in the array and the frequency of the external signal. Numerical simulations were performed to determine the boundaries of stable locking as a function of circuit parameters.