3,203 research outputs found
NanoSQUID magnetometry of individual cobalt nanoparticles grown by focused electron beam induced deposition
We demonstrate the operation of low-noise nano superconducting quantum
interference devices (SQUIDs) based on the high critical field and high
critical temperature superconductor YBaCuO (YBCO) as
ultra-sensitive magnetometers for single magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The
nanoSQUIDs exploit the Josephson behavior of YBCO grain boundaries and have
been patterned by focused ion beam milling. This allows to precisely define the
lateral dimensions of the SQUIDs so as to achieve large magnetic coupling
between the nanoloop and individual MNPs. By means of focused electron beam
induced deposition, cobalt MNPs with typical size of several tens of nm have
been grown directly on the surface of the sensors with nanometric spatial
resolution. Remarkably, the nanoSQUIDs are operative over extremely broad
ranges of applied magnetic field (-1 T 1 T) and temperature (0.3
K 80 K). All these features together have allowed us to perform
magnetization measurements under different ambient conditions and to detect the
magnetization reversal of individual Co MNPs with magnetic moments (1 - 30)
. Depending on the dimensions and shape of the
particles we have distinguished between two different magnetic states yielding
different reversal mechanisms. The magnetization reversal is thermally
activated over an energy barrier, which has been quantified for the (quasi)
single-domain particles. Our measurements serve to show not only the high
sensitivity achievable with YBCO nanoSQUIDs, but also demonstrate that these
sensors are exceptional magnetometers for the investigation of the properties
of individual nanomagnets
Voltage-flux-characteristics of asymmetric dc SQUIDs
We present a detailed analysis of voltage-flux V(Phi)-characteristics for
asymmetric dc SQUIDs with various kinds of asymmetries. For finite asymmetry
alpha_I in the critical currents of the two Josephson junctions, the minima in
the V(Phi)-characteristics for bias currents of opposite polarity are shifted
along the flux axis by Delta_Phi = (alpha_I)*(beta_L) relative to each other;
beta_L is the screening parameter. This simple relation allows the
determination of alpha_I in our experiments on YBa_2Cu_3O_(7-x} dc SQUIDs and
comparison with theory. Extensive numerical simulations within a wide range of
beta_L and noise parameter Gamma reveal a systematic dependence of the transfer
function V_Phi on alpha_I and alpha_R (junction resistance asymmetry). As for
the symmetric dc SQUID, V_Phi factorizes into
g(Gamma*beta_L)*f(alpha_I,beta_L), where now f also depends on alpha_I. For
\beta_L below five we find mostly a decrease of V_Phi with increasing alpha_I,
which however can only partially account for the frequently observed
discrepancy in V_Phi between theory and experiment for high-T_c dc SQUIDs.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figures, Applied Superconductivity Conference 2000, to be
published in IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercon
Fluxon-semifluxon interaction in an annular long Josephson 0-pi-junction
We investigate theoretically the interaction between integer and half-integer
Josephson vortices (fluxons and semifluxons) in an annular Josephson junction.
Semifluxons usually appear at the 0--boundary where there is a
-discontinuity of the Josephson phase. We study the simplest, but the most
interesting case of one -discontinuity in a loop, which can be created
only artificially. We show that measuring the current-voltage characteristic
after injection of an integer fluxon, one can determine the polarity of a
semifluxon. Depending on the relative polarity of fluxon and semifluxon the
static configuration may be stable or unstable, but in the dynamic state both
configurations are stable. We also calculate the depinning current of
fluxons pinned by an arbitrary fractional vortex.Comment: 8pages, 6 figures, submitted to PR
Ground states of one and two fractional vortices in long Josephson 0-kappa-junctions
Half integer Josephson vortices in 0--junctions, discussed theoretically
and observed experimentally, spontaneously appear at the point where the
Josephson phase is -discontinuous. The creation of \emph{arbitrary}
discontinuities of the Josephson phase has been demonstrated recently. Here we
study fractional vortices formed at an arbitrary -discontinuity,
discuss their stability and possible ground states. The two stable states are
not mirror symmetric. Furthermore, the possible ground states formed at two
-discontinuities separated by a distance are investigated, and the
energy and the regions of stability of each ground state are calculated. We
also show that the ground states may strongly depend on the distance
between the discontinuities. There is a crossover distance such that for
the ground states may be qualitatively different.Comment: 7 figures, submitted to PRB In v.2 one figure is added, and refs are
updated In v.3 major revision, many issues fixe
Direct current superconducting quantum interferometers with asymmetric shunt resistors
We have investigated asymmetrically shunted Nb/Al-AlO/Nb direct current
(dc) superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). While keeping the
total resistance identical to a comparable symmetric SQUID with , we shunted only one of the two Josephson junctions with
. Simulations predict that the optimum energy resolution
and thus also the noise performance of such an asymmetric SQUID can
be 3--4 times better than that of its symmetric counterpart. Experiments at a
temperature of 4.2\,K yielded for an asymmetric
SQUID with an inductance of . For a comparable symmetric device
was achieved, confirming our simulation results.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Coupling between phonons and intrinsic Josephson oscillations in cuprate superconductors
The recently reported subgap structures observed in the current-voltage
characteristic of intrinsic Josephson junctions in the high-T_c superconductors
Tl_2Ba_2Ca_2Cu_3O_{10+\delta} and Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta} are explained by
the coupling between c-axis phonons and Josephson oscillations. A model is
developed where c-axis lattice vibrations between adjacent superconducting
multilayers are excited by the Josephson oscillations in a resistive junction.
The voltages of the lowest structures correspond well to the frequencies of
longitudinal c-axis phonons with large oscillator strength in the two
materials, providing a new measurement technique for this quantity.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revtex, aps, epsf, psfig. submitted to Physical
Review Letters, second version improved in detai
Diffraction of a Bose-Einstein condensate from a Magnetic Lattice on a Micro Chip
We experimentally study the diffraction of a Bose-Einstein condensate from a
magnetic lattice, realized by a set of 372 parallel gold conductors which are
micro fabricated on a silicon substrate. The conductors generate a periodic
potential for the atoms with a lattice constant of 4 microns. After exposing
the condensate to the lattice for several milliseconds we observe diffraction
up to 5th order by standard time of flight imaging techniques. The experimental
data can be quantitatively interpreted with a simple phase imprinting model.
The demonstrated diffraction grating offers promising perspectives for the
construction of an integrated atom interferometer.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Cold atoms near superconductors: Atomic spin coherence beyond the Johnson noise limit
We report on the measurement of atomic spin coherence near the surface of a
superconducting niobium wire. As compared to normal conducting metal surfaces,
the atomic spin coherence is maintained for time periods beyond the Johnson
noise limit. The result provides experimental evidence that magnetic near field
noise near the superconductor is strongly suppressed. Such long atomic spin
coherence times near superconductors open the way towards the development of
coherently coupled cold atom / solid state hybrid quantum systems with
potential applications in quantum information processing and precision force
sensing.Comment: Major revisions of the text for submission to New Journal of Physics
8 pages, 4 figure
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