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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Local imaging of diamagnetism in proximity-coupled niobium nanoisland arrays on gold thin films.

In this work, we study the effect of engineered disorder on the local magnetic response of proximity-coupled superconducting island arrays by comparing scanning superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) susceptibility measurements to a model in which we treat the system as a network of one-dimensional (1D) superconductor-normal-metal-superconductor Josephson junctions, each with a Josephson coupling energy E-J determined by the junction length or distance between islands. We find that the disordered arrays exhibit a spatially inhomogeneous diamagnetic response which, for low local applied magnetic fields, is well described by this junction network model, and we discuss these results as they relate to inhomogeneous 2D superconductors. Our model of the static magnetic response of the arrays does not fully capture the onset of nonlinearity and dissipation with increasing applied field, as these effects are associated with vortex motion due to the dynamic nature of the scanning SQUID susceptometry measurement. This work demonstrates a model 2D superconducting system with engineered disorder, and it highlights the impact of dissipation on the local magnetic properties of 2D superconductors and Josephson junction arrays.

Bishop-Van Horn, Logan↗
DOE OSTI2021

Nearly Quantum-Limited Josephson-Junction Frequency-Comb Synthesizer

While coherently driven Kerr microcavities have rapidly matured as a platform for frequency-comb formation, such microresonators generally possess weak Kerr coefficients; consequently, triggering comb generation requires millions of photons to be circulating inside the cavity. This suppresses the role of quantum fluctuations in the dynamics of the comb. In this paper, we realize a minimal version of coherently driven Kerr-mediated microwave-frequency combs in the circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) architecture, where the fluctuations of the quantum vacuum are the primary limitation on comb coherence. We achieve a comb phase coherence of up to 35 μs, approaching the theoretical device quantum limit of 55 μs and vastly longer than the inherent lifetimes of the modes, of 13 ns. The ability within cQED to engineer stronger nonlinearities than optical microresonators, together with operation at cryogenic temperatures, and the excellent agreement of comb dynamics with quantum theory indicates a promising platform for the study of complex dynamics of quantum nonlinear systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Temperature-driven BCS-BEC crossover and Cooper-paired metallic phase in coupled boson-fermion systems

Motivated by strongly correlated and frustrated systems, in this work we propose an effective model that describes the dynamics of pairs of opposite spin fermions scattering from localized bosons. Integrating out one of the degrees, either the bosons or fermions, generates temperature-dependent long-range effective interactions between the entities that we investigate using Monte Carlo techniques. The behavior of bosons is dominated by vortex-antivortex unbinding, with effective interboson interactions beyond the nearest-neighbor Josephson coupling of phases. Remarkably, in the fermion sector we observe a temperature-driven phase transition from a SC phase with a “BCS” spectral function that shows a gap minimum on the underlying Fermi surface to a conducting phase of pairs but with a “BEC” spectral function with a gap minimum at k = 0. Tunneling and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on Bose-Fermi mixtures in cold atomic systems and superconducting islands on graphene are some of the promising experimental platforms to test our predictions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Atomic-scale frustrated Josephson coupling and multicondensate visualization in FeSe

In a Josephson junction involving multiband superconductors, competition between interband and interjunction Josephson couplings gives rise to frustration and spatial disjunction of superfluid densities among superconducting condensates. Such frustrated coupling manifests as the quantum interference of Josephson currents from different tunnelling channels and becomes tunable if channel transparency can be varied. To explore these unconventional effects in the prototypical s ± -wave superconductor FeSe, we use atomic-resolution scanned Josephson tunnelling microscopy for condensate-resolved imaging and junction tuning—capabilities unattainable in macroscopic Josephson devices with fixed characteristics. We quantitatively demonstrate frustrated Josephson tunnelling by examining two tunnelling inequalities. The relative transparency of two parallel tunnelling pathways is found tunable, revealing a tendency towards a 0–π transition with decreasing scanned Josephson tunnelling microscopy junction resistance. Here, the simultaneous visualization of both superconducting condensates reveals anticorrelated superfluid modulations, highlighting the role of interband scattering. Our study establishes scanned Josephson tunnelling microscopy as a powerful tool enabling new research frontiers of multicondensate superconductivity.

Scanning probe microscopy↗
DOE OSTI2021

Enhanced Coherence in Superconducting Circuits via Band Engineering

In superconducting circuits interrupted by Josephson junctions, the dependence of the energy spectrum on offset charges on different islands is 2e periodic through the Aharonov-Casher effect and resembles a crystal band structure that reflects the symmetries of the Josephson potential. We show that higher-harmonic Josephson elements described by a cos(2φ) energy-phase relation provide an increased freedom to tailor the shape of the Josephson potential and design spectra featuring multiplets of flat bands and Dirac points in the charge Brillouin zone. Flat bands provide noise-insensitive energy levels, and consequently, engineering band pairs with flat spectral gaps can help improve the coherence of the system. We discuss a modified version of a flux qubit that achieves, in principle, no decoherence from charge noise and introduce a flux qutrit that shows a spin-1 Dirac spectrum and is simultaneously quite robust to both charge and flux noise.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effect of granularity and annealing conditions on the magneto-resistance of the electron doped superconductor Nd{sub 1.85}Ce{sub 0.15}CuO{sub 4}

A single phase polycrystalline sample of Nd{sub 1.85}Ce{sub 0.15}CuO{sub 4} has been synthesized and well characterized. Detailed studies on electrical resistivity behavior of this system as a function of temperature and magnetic field reveal interesting features attributable to the granularity effects. These features have been qualitatively understood based on the interplay of Josephson junction coupling and quasi particle tunneling which dictates the evolution of the observed temperature and field dependent resistivity behavior of Nd{sub 1.85}Ce{sub 0.15}CuO{sub 4} system. The studies also reveal significant changes with respect to annealing conditions, indicating that such compounds are very sensitive to annealing conditions. It has been observed that prolonged annealing in Argon atmosphere leads to a decrease in normal state resistivity. This is associated with a decrease in the S-I-S type Josephson tunnel junctions perhaps due to improved inter-granular coupling, nevertheless they could not be completely eliminated.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Disordered Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition and superinsulation

Here, we investigate the critical Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) behavior of disordered two-dimensional Josephson-junction arrays (JJA) on the insulating side of the superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) taking into account the effect of hitherto ignored residual random dipole moments of the superconducting grains. We show that for weak Josephson coupling the model is equivalent to a Coulomb gas subjected to a disorder potential with logarithmic correlations. We demonstrate that strong enough disorder transforms the BKT divergence of the correlation length, ξ BKT ∝ exp (const / √T-T BKT ), characterizing the average distance between the unbound topological excitations of the opposite signs, into a more singular Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman (VFT) behavior, ξ VFT ∝ exp [const / (T-T VFT )] , which is viewed as a hallmark of glass transitions in glass-forming materials. We further show that the VFT criticality is a precursor of the transition into a nonergodic superinsulating state, while the BKT critical behavior implies freezing into an ergodic confined BKT state. Finally, our finding sheds light on the yet unresolved problem of the origin of the VFT criticality.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1972

Applied Superconductivity Conference, 5th, Annapolis, Md., May 1-3, 1972, Proceedings.

Recently developed practical applications of superconductivity are described in papers dealing with transportation and propulsion, power generation, power transmission, special-purpose magnets, superconducting materials, Josephson junctions, and microwave systems. Important topics considered include tracked magnetic-cushion vehicles, electrical machines, cryogenic underground power transmission systems, magnets for fusion reactors and particle accelerators, thin-film superconductors, effects of the structural characteristics of materials on transition temperatures, frequency measurement with Josephson devices, and superconducting scientific instruments. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2015

Superconducting transport in single and parallel double InAs quantum dot Josephson junctions with Nb-based superconducting electrodes

We report conductance and supercurrent measurements for InAs single and parallel double quantum dot Josephson junctions contacted with Nb or NbTiN superconducting electrodes. Large superconducting gap energy, high critical field, and large switching current are observed, all reflecting the features of Nb-based electrodes. For the parallel double dots, we observe an enhanced supercurrent when both dots are on resonance, which may reflect split Cooper pair tunneling.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Observation of a Two-Mode Resonant State in a Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub 8+{delta}} Mesa Device for Terahertz Emission.

Using low-temperature scanning laser microscopy (LTSLM), we have studied the cavity resonance behavior of a rectangular Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta mesa THz device containing N = 640 stacked intrinsic Josephson junctions. Our results show that this microscopy technique is an effective means of mapping electromagnetic resonances in this type of device, and we present a detailed analysis of the mechanisms underlying contrast formation in scanning laser microscopy. The LTSLM images reveal that the THz excitation of the stacked junctions contains more than one mode with components along both the long and short axes of the mesa. Thermoluminescent mapping of the same device shows that the mesa temperature is uniform demonstrating that the features seen in LTSLM are electromagnetic in origin, not thermal. Our results also imply that for the purposes of maximizing the THz emission power from Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta mesas, it is important to design devices that are capable of being excited in a single, purely transverse mode.

Benseman, T. M.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Light-induced new collective modes in the superconductor La 1.905 Ba 0.095 CuO 4

Here, we report near and midinfrared pump, c-axis terahertz probe measurements on a superconducting single crystal La 1.905 Ba 0.095 CuO 4 with T c = 32 K. The measurements reveal that the pump-induced change occurs predominantly at the Josephson plasma edge position below T c . Upon excitation by strong near-infrared pulses, the superconducting state is severely disturbed and incoherent quasiparticle excitations develop in the frequency regime above the static plasma edge. However, within a very short time delay (~ 1.5 ps) we observe the reappearance of a very sharp Josephson plasma edge at a frequency lower than the static Josephson plasma edge and the emergence of a new light-induced edge at a higher energy. The results imply that the light can induce new Josephson plasmon modes with different coupling strengths. A similar but weaker effect is observed for the midinfrared pump. No pump-induced effect is detected above T c .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Influence of topological edge states on the properties of Al/Bi 2 Se 3 / Al hybrid Josephson devices

In superconductor-topological insulator-superconductor hybrid junctions, the barrier edge states are expected to be protected against backscattering, to generate unconventional proximity effects, and, possibly, to signal the presence of Majorana fermions. The standards of proximity modes for these types of structures have to be settled for a neat identification of possible new entities. Through a systematic and complete set of measurements of the Josephson properties we find evidence of ballistic transport in coplanar Al-Bi 2 Se 3 -Al junctions that we attribute to a coherent transport through the topological edge state. The shunting effect of the bulk only influences the normal transport. This behavior, which can be considered to some extent universal, is fairly independent of the specific features of superconducting electrodes. A comparative study of Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations and scanning tunneling spectroscopy gave an experimental signature compatible with a two-dimensional electron transport channel with a Dirac dispersion relation. In conclusion, a reduction of the size of the Bi 2 Se 3 flakes to the nanoscale is an unavoidable step to drive Josephson junctions in the proper regime to detect possible distinctive features of Majorana fermions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Flux Rule, U(1) Instanton, and Superconductivity

We examine some consequences of the duality that a U(1) phase factor added on a wave function describes a whole system motion and also plays the role of a U(1) gauge potential. First, we show that the duality solves a long-standing puzzling problem that the ‘flux rule’ (the Faraday’s induction formula) and the Lorentz force calculation for an emf emerging in an electron system moving in a magnetic field give the same result (Feynman et al. 1963). Next, we examine a U(1) phase factor induced on the wave function for an electron system due to the single-valuedness requirement of the wave function with respect to the electron coordinates, and its consequential appearance of a U(1) instanton. This instanton explains the Meissner effect, supercurrent generation, flux quantization in the units of (h/(2e)), and the voltage quantization in the units of ((hf)/(2e)) across the Josephson junction in the presence of a radiation field with frequency f. In the experiment, a radiation field must be present to have a finite voltage across the Josephson junction; but a clear explanation for it has been lacking. The present work provides an explanation for it, and also explains the high precision of the quantized voltage as due to a topological effect.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

The study of contact properties in edge-contacted graphene–aluminum Josephson junctions

Transparent contact interfaces in superconductor–graphene hybrid systems are critical for realizing superconducting quantum applications. Here, we examine the effect of the edge contact fabrication process on the transparency of the superconducting aluminum–graphene junction. We show significant improvement in the transparency of our superconductor–graphene junctions by promoting the chemical component of the edge contact etch process. Our results compare favorably with state-of-the-art graphene Josephson junctions. The findings of our study contribute to advancing the fabrication knowledge of edge-contacted superconductor–graphene junctions.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2009

Longitudinal Proximity Effects in Superconducting Transition-Edge Sensors

We have found experimentally that the critical current of a square superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) depends exponentially upon the side length L and the square root of the temperature T. As a consequence, the effective transition temperature T(sub c) of the TES is current-dependent and at fixed current scales as 1/L(sup 2). We also have found that the critical current can show clear Fraunhofer-like oscillations in an applied magnetic field, similar to those found in Josephson junctions. The observed behavior has a natural theoretical explanation in terms of longitudinal proximity effects if the TES is regarded as a weak link between superconducting leads. We have observed the proximity effect in these devices over extraordinarily long lengths exceeding 100 microns.

Sadleir, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A thin polymer insulator for Josephson tunneling applications

The progress made towards forming thin organic layers on superconductors and how these layers effect the transition temperature is discussed. The work was primarily directed towards 1) synthesis of the organics, 2) deposition of organics, and 3) setting up to make transition temperature measurements. The greatest effort was placed on synthesis, and most of the synthesis procedures are now perfected.

Wilmsen, C. W.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Encapsulating High–Temperature Superconducting Twisted van der Waals Heterostructures Blocks Detrimental Effects of Disorder

High-temperature cuprate superconductors based van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures hold high technological promise. One of the obstacles hindering their progress is the detrimental effect of disorder on the properties of the vdW-devices-based Josephson junctions (JJs). Here, a new method of fabricating twisted vdW heterostructures made of Bi 2 Sr 2 CuCa 2 O 8+δ , crucially improving the JJ characteristics and pushing them up to those of the intrinsic JJs in bulk samples, is reported. The method combines cryogenic stacking using a solvent-free stencil mask technique and covering the interface by insulating hexagonal boron nitride crystals. Despite the high-vacuum condition down to 10 –6 mbar in the evaporation chamber, the interface appears to be protected from water molecules during the in situ metal deposition only when fully encapsulated. Comparing the current-voltage curves of encapsulated and unencapsulated interfaces, it is revealed that the encapsulated interfaces' characteristics are crucially improved, so that the corresponding JJs demonstrate high critical currents and sharpness of the superconducting transition comparable to those of the intrinsic JJs. Finally, it is shown that the encapsulated heterostructures are more stable over time.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2018

Magnetic-Field Tuning of Light-Induced Superconductivity in Striped La 2 – x Ba x CuO 4 [Magnetic-Field Tuning of Photo-Induced Superconductivity in Striped La 2 – x Ba x CuO 4 ]

Optical excitation of stripe-ordered La 2–x Ba x CuO 4 has been shown to transiently enhance superconducting tunneling between the CuO 2 planes. This effect was revealed by a blueshift, or by the appearance of a Josephson plasma resonance in the terahertz-frequency optical properties. Here, we show that this photoinduced state can be strengthened by the application of high external magnetic fields oriented along the c axis. For a 7 T field, we observe up to a tenfold enhancement in the transient interlayer phase correlation length, accompanied by a twofold increase in the relaxation time of the photoinduced state. These observations are highly surprising, since static magnetic fields suppress interlayer Josephson tunneling and stabilize stripe order at equilibrium. We interpret our data as an indication that optically enhanced interlayer coupling in La 2–x Ba x CuO 4 does not originate from a simple optical melting of stripes, as previously hypothesized. Furthermore, we speculate that the photoinduced state may emerge from activated tunneling between optically excited stripes in adjacent planes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗