No Arabic abstract
Fractional Josephson vortices carry a magnetic flux Phi, which is a fraction of the magnetic flux quantum Phi_0 ~ 2.07x10^{-15} Wb. Their properties are very different from the properties of the usual integer fluxons. In particular, fractional vortices are pinned and have an oscillation eigenfrequency which is expected to be within the Josephson plasma gap. Using microwave spectroscopy, we investigate the dependence of the eigenfrequency of a fractional Josephson vortex on its magnetic flux $Phi$ and on the bias current. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.
In long Josephson junctions with multiple discontinuities of the Josephson phase, fractional vortex molecules are spontaneously formed. At each discontinuity point a fractional Josephson vortex carrying a magnetic flux $|Phi|<Phi_0$, $Phi_0approx 2.07times 10^{-15}$ Wb being the magnetic flux quantum, is pinned. Each vortex has an oscillatory eigenmode with a frequency that depends on $Phi/Phi_0$ and lies inside the plasma gap. We experimentally investigate the dependence of the eigenfrequencies of a two-vortex molecule on the distance between the vortices, on their topological charge $wp=2piPhi/Phi_0$ and on the bias current $gamma$ applied to the Josephson junction. We find that with decreasing distance between vortices, a splitting of the eigenfrequencies occurs, that corresponds to the emergence of collective oscillatory modes of both vortices. We use a resonant microwave spectroscopy technique and find good agreement between experimental results and theoretical predictions.
We investigate the creation of an arbitrary $kappa$-discontinuity of the Josephson phase in a long Nb-AlO_x-Nb Josephson junction (LJJ) using a pair of tiny current injectors, and study the formation of fractional vortices formed at this discontinuity. The current I_inj, flowing from one injector to the other, creates a phase discontinuity kappa ~ I_inj. The calibration of injectors is discussed in detail. The small but finite size of injectors leads to some deviations of the properties of such a 0-kappa-LJJ from the properties of a LJJ with an ideal kappa-discontinuity. These experimentally observed deviations in the dependence of the critical current on I_inj$ and magnetic field can be well reproduced by numerical simulation assuming a finite injector size. The physical origin of these deviations is discussed.
Nonreciprocal microwave transmission through a long Josephson junction in the flux-flow regime is studied analytically and numerically within the framework of the perturbed sine-Gordon model. We demonstrate that the maximum attenuation of the transmitted power occurs when the direction of the flux flow is opposite to the direction of the microwave propagation. This attenuation is nonreciprocal with respect to the flux-flow direction and can be enhanced by increasing the system length and proper impedance matching of the junction ends to external transmission line.
We consider a fractional Josephson vortex in a long 0-kappa Josephson junction. A uniformly applied bias current exerts a Lorentz force on the vortex. If the bias current exceeds the critical current, an integer fluxon is torn off the kappa-vortex and the junction switches to the voltage state. In the presence of thermal fluctuations the escape process takes place with finite probability already at subcritical values of the bias current. We experimentally investigate the thermally induced escape of a fractional vortex by high resolution measurements of the critical current as a function of the topological charge kappa of the vortex and compare the results to numerical simulations for finite junction lengths and to theoretical predictions for infinite junction lengths. To study the effect caused by the junction geometry we compare the vortex escape in annular and linear junctions.
The computer simulations of fluctuational dynamics of the long overlap Josephson junction in the frame of the sine-Gordon model with a white noise source have been performed. It has been demonstrated that for the case of constant critical current density the mean life time (MLT) of superconductive state increases with increasing the junctions length and for homogeneous bias current distribution MLT tends to a constant, while for inhomogeneous current distribution MLT quickly decreases after approaching of a few Josephson lengths. The mean voltage versus junction length behaves inversely in comparison with MLT.