Odd-frequency pairing state in superconducting junctions

Using a quasiclassical Green’s function formalism, we show that odd-frequency pairing state can be ubiquitously induced in the superconducting junctions. In ballistic normal metal–superconductor (N/S) junctions where a superconductor has even-frequency symmetry in the bulk, we show that odd-frequency pairing state can be induced at the interface. Even in the s-wave superconductor junction, the amplitude of the odd-frequency component is enhanced in the normal metal. The appearance of the midgap Andreev resonant states due to the sign change of the anisotropic pair potential at the interface is reinterpreted in terms of the generation of the odd-frequency pair amplitude

Manifestation of percolation in high temperature superconductivity

Emergent advanced electronic and magnetic functionalities in novel materials appear in systems with a complex lattice structure. The key point is understanding the intrinsic effect of lattice fluctuations on the relevant electronic features in the range of 10–100 meV near the Fermi level in new materials which is needed to develop advanced quantum nano-devices. This requires the control of structural inhomogeneity at multiple scales. Here we report some of the known advances in the field of percolative superconductivity. The necessity of the review is based on the growing consensus that the lack of an understanding of high temperature superconductivity is due to the few information on lattice fluctuations. In particular they could control the pseudo-gap phase, the electronic duality of holes in Fermi arcs and electrons in small Fermi pockets, multiple condensates in different points of the k-space. Moreover the emerging lattice granularity in cuprates shifts the search for the superconducting mechanism from a homogeneous superconductivity to a percolative superconductivity, therefore it is the scope of this review to provide further data to this kind of research

Macroscopic quantum tunneling in Josephson π junctions with insulating ferromagnets and its application to phase qubits

We theoretically investigate macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) in a current-biased π junction with a superconductor (S) and an insulating ferromagnet (IF). By using the functional integral method and the instanton approximation, the influence of the quasiparticle dissipation on MQT is found to be very weak. This feature makes it possible to realize a quantum information devices with high coherency. We also discuss how to make use of S–IF–S π junctions in the construction of a phase qubit

Ramp Type HTS Josephson Junctions with PrBaCuGaO Barriers

Ramp type Josephson junctions have been fabricated using DyBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// as electrode material and PrBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3-x/Ga/sub x/O/sub 7-/spl delta// with x=0, 0.10 and 0.40 as junction barriers. Barrier thickness lie between 6-30 nm. Several junctions without barrier were made in order to find ways to minimize the damage of the ramp interface. In total about 40 chips were fabricated each containing several junctions and their I-V characteristics measured for various temperatures down to 4.2 K. Only those junctions showing clear RSJ-like curves were selected to be analyzed. In some cases we also measured I/sub c/ as a function of a small applied field and obtained a clear Fraunhofer pattern, but there is a tendency to flux trapping as evidenced by LTSEM. It was found at 4.2 K that the critical current density J/sub c/ scales with the specific resistance R/sub n/A as J/sub c/=C/sub bar/(R/sub n/A)/sup -m/ (m=1.8/spl plusmn/0.5). The barrier material dependent constant C/sub bar/ increases with x, whereas, for a given d, J/sub c/ is constant and R/sub n/A increase

Josephson current between p-wave superconductors

Josephson current in p-wave superconductor/diffusive normal metal (DN)/p-wave superconductor junctions is calculated by solving the Usadel equation under the Nazarov’s boundary condition extended to unconventional superconductors by changing the heights of the insulating barriers at the interfaces, the magnitudes of the resistance in DN, and the angles between the normal to the interface and the lobe directions of p-wave pair potentials. It is shown that the magnitude of the Josephson current strongly depends on the lobe directions of the p-wave pair potentials and the resulting magnitude of the Josephson current is large compared to that in the s-wave superconducting junctions due to the formation of the resonant states peculiar to p-wave superconductors.\ud \u

Macroscopic quantum dynamics of pi-junctions with ferromagnetic insulators

We theoretically investigate the macroscopic quantum dynamics of a pi junction with a superconductor (S) and a multiferroic material or a ferromagnetic insulator (FI). By deriving the effective action from a microscopic Hamiltonian, a pi-junction qubit (a S-FI-S superconducting quantum interference device ring) is proposed. In this qubit, a quantum two-level system is spontaneously generated and the effect of the quasiparticle dissipation is found to be very weak. These features make it possible to realize a quiet qubit with high coherency. We also investigate macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) in current-biased S-FI-S pi junctions and show that the influence of the quasiparticle dissipation on MQT is negligibly small.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Theory of Josephson effect in Sr2RuO4/diffusive normal metal/Sr2RuO4 junctions

We derive a generalized Nazarov’s boundary condition for diffusive normal metal (DN)/chiral p-wave superconductor (CP) interface including the macroscopic phase of the superconductor. The Josephson effect is studied in CP/DN/CP junctions solving the Usadel equations under the above boundary condition. We find that, enhancement of a critical current at low temperature is small compared with that in px-wave /DN/px-wave junctions. As a result, temperature dependence of the critical current in these junctions is similar to that in conventional junctions. The result is consistent with the experiment in Sr2RuO4–Sr3RuO7 eutectic junctions. Similar feature is also found in current–phase relation

Meissner effect in diffusive normal metal/superconductor junctions

Meissner effect in the diffusive normal metal/insulator/s-wave superconductor junctions is studied in the presence of the magnetic impurities for various situations, where we have used the Usadel equation with Nazarov’s generalized boundary condition. It is shown that the susceptibility of the diffusive normal metal for s-wave superconductor is almost independent of the height of the insulating barrier at the interface

Quasiparticle energy relaxation in superconducting tunnel junctions used as photon detectors

We exploit the results of recent work (Poelaert, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Twente, 1999) showing that energetic quasiparticles in a superconductor relax to an energy, called balance energy, larger than the superconducting energy gap, despite of the large density of states available at the gap. This feature may have a major impact on the performance of superconducting tunnel junctions used as photon detectors. We show how the balance energy and the parameters for photon detection are sensitive to the superconducting proximity effect. In particular, we show that the balance energy also exists for non-proximized structures, obeying the BCS theory