192 research outputs found
Double Gate Bias Dependency of Low Temperature Conductivity of SiO2-Si-SiO2 Quantum Wells
The gate bias dependency of conductivity is examined in two Si quantum wells
with well thickness tw = 7 nm and tw = 14 nm. The conductivity of the thinner
device behaves smoothly whereas the thicker device shows strong non-monotonic
features as a function of gate voltages. We show that a strong minimum in
conductivity occurs close to the threshold of second sub-band. Another minimum
is seen at high electron density at symmetric well potential. This feature is
addressed to sub-band wave function delocalization in the quantization
direction.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of ICPS28th (Vienna, Austria, July
24-28, 2006
Turnstile behaviour of the Cooper-pair pump
We have experimentally studied the behaviour of the so-called Cooper pair
pump (CPP) with three Josephson junctions, in the limit of small Josephson
coupling EJ < EC. These experiments show that the CPP can be operated as a
traditional turnstile device yielding a gate-induced current 2ef in the
direction of the bias voltage, by applying an RF-signal with frequency f to the
two gates in phase, while residing at the degeneracy node of the gate plane.
Accuracy of the CPP during this kind of operation was about 3% and the
fundamental Landau-Zener limit was observed to lie above 20 MHz. We have also
measured the current pumped through the array by rotating around the degeneracy
node in the gate plane. We show that this reproduces the turnstile-kind of
behavior. To overcome the contradiction between the obtained e-periodic
DC-modulation and a pure 2e-behaviour in the RF-measurements, we base our
observations on a general principle that the system always minimises its
energy. It suggests that if the excess quasiparticles in the system have a
freedom to tunnel, they will organize themselves to the configuration yielding
the highest current.Comment: 29 pages, 16 figures, uses REVTeX and graphicx-packag
Ex-situ Tunnel Junction Process Technique Characterized by Coulomb Blockade Thermometry
We investigate a wafer scale tunnel junction fabrication method, where a
plasma etched via through a dielectric layer covering bottom Al electrode
defines the tunnel junction area. The ex-situ tunnel barrier is formed by
oxidation of the bottom electrode in the junction area. Room temperature
resistance mapping over a 150 mm wafer give local deviation values of the
tunnel junction resistance that fall below 7.5 % with an average of 1.3 %. The
deviation is further investigated by sub-1 K measurements of a device, which
has one tunnel junction connected to four arrays consisting of N junctions (N =
41, junction diameter 700 nm). The differential conductance is measured in
single-junction and array Coulomb blockade thermometer operation modes. By
fitting the experimental data to the theoretical models we found an upper limit
for the local tunnel junction resistance deviation of ~5 % for the array of
2N+1 junctions. This value is of the same order as the minimum detectable
deviation defined by the accuracy of our experimental setup
Observation of transition from escape dynamics to underdamped phase diffusion in a Josephson junction
We have investigated the dynamics of underdamped Josephson junctions. In
addition to the usual crossover between macroscopic quantum tunnelling and
thermally activated (TA) behaviour we observe in our samples with relatively
small Josephson coupling E_J, for the first time, the transition from TA
behaviour to underdamped phase diffusion. Above the crossover temperature the
threshold for switching into the finite voltage state becomes extremely sharp.
We propose a (T,E_J) phase-diagram with various regimes and show that for a
proper description of it dissipation and level quantization in a metastable
well are crucial.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Shot-noise-driven escape in hysteretic Josephson junctions
We have measured the influence of shot noise on hysteretic Josephson
junctions initially in macroscopic quantum tunnelling (MQT) regime. Escape
threshold current into the resistive state decreases monotonically with
increasing average current through the scattering conductor, which is another
tunnel junction. Escape is predominantly determined by excitation due to the
wide-band shot noise. This process is equivalent to thermal activation (TA)
over the barrier at temperatures up to about four times above the critical
temperature of the superconductor. The presented TA model is in excellent
agreement with the experimental results
Electrons and holes in Si quantum well: a room-temperature transport and drag resistance study
We investigate carrier transport in a single 22 nm-thick double-gated Si
quantum well device, which has independent contacts to electrons and holes.
Conductance, Hall density and Hall mobility are mapped in a broad double-gate
voltage window. When the gate voltage asymmetry is not too large only either
electrons or holes occupy the Si well and the Hall mobility shows the
fingerprints of volume inversion/accumulation. At strongly asymmetric
double-gate voltage an electric field induced electron-hole (EH) bi-layer is
formed inside the well. The EH drag resistance R_{he} is explored at balanced
carrier densities: R_{he} decreases monotonically from 860 to 37 Ohms when the
electron and hole density is varied between ~0.4-1.7x10^{16} m^{-2}
Weak coupling Josephson junction as a current probe: effect of dissipation on escape dynamics
We have studied the temperature dependence of escape phenomena in various underdamped Josephson junctions (JJs). The junctions had different Josephson coupling energies EJ which were relatively small, but larger than the charging energy EC. Upon increasing the temperature T, we first observe the usual cross-over between macroscopic quantum tunnelling and thermally activated (TA) behaviour at temperatures kBT ~ planckωp, where ωp is the plasma frequency of the junction. Increasing T further, the width of the switching current distribution has, counterintuitively, a non-monotonic temperature dependence. This can be explained by the novel cross-over from TA behaviour to underdamped phase diffusion. We show that this cross-over is expected to occur at temperatures such that kBT ~ EJ(1 − 4/πQ)3/2, where Q is the quality factor of the junction at the plasma frequency, in agreement with experiment. Our findings can be compared with detailed model calculations which take into account dissipation and level quantization in a metastable well.
Particular attention is paid to the sample with the smallest EJ, which shows extensive phase diffusion even at the lowest temperatures. This sample consists of a dc-SQUID and a single JJ close to each other, such that the SQUID acts as a tunable inductive protection for the single junction from fluctuations of a dissipative environment. By varying the flux through the dc-SQUID, we present, for the first time, experimental evidence of the escape of a JJ from the phase diffusion regime to the free running state in a tunable environment. We also show that in the zero voltage state the losses mainly occur at frequencies near the plasmaPeer reviewe
Capacitively Enhanced Thermal Escape in Underdamped Josephson Junctions
We have studied experimentally the escape dynamics in underdamped
capacitively shunted and unshunted Josephson junctions with submicroampere
critical currents below 0.5 K temperatures. In the shunted junctions, thermal
activation process was preserved up to the highest temperature where the escape
in the unshunted junctions exhibits the phase diffusion. Our observations in
the shunted junctions are in good agreement with the standard thermal
activation escape, unlike the results in the unshunted junctions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Maintaining a balance: a focus group study on living and coping with chronic whiplash-associated disorder
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is little qualitative insight into how persons with chronic Whiplash-Associated Disorder cope on a day to day basis. This study seeks to identify the symptoms persons with Whiplash-Associated Disorder describe as dominating and explore their self-initiated coping strategies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Qualitative study using focus groups interviews. Fourteen Norwegian men and women with Whiplash-Associated Disorder (I or II) were recruited to participate in two focus groups. Data were analyzed according to a phenomenological approach, and discussed within the model of Cognitive Activation Theory of Stress (CATS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Participants reported neck and head pain, sensory hypersensitivity, and cognitive dysfunction following their whiplash injury. Based on the intensity of symptoms, participants divided everyday life into good and bad periods. In good periods the symptoms were perceived as manageable. In bad periods the symptoms intensified and took control of the individual. Participants expressed a constant notion of trying to balance their three main coping strategies; rest, exercise, and social withdrawal. In good periods participants experienced coping by expecting good results from the strategies they used. In bad periods they experienced no or negative relationships between their behavioral strategies and their complaints.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Neck and head pain, sensory hypersensitivity, and cognitive dysfunction were reported as participants' main complaints. A constant notion of balancing between their three main coping strategies; rest, exercise, and social withdrawal, was described.</p
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