Current-flux characteristics in mesoscopic nonsuperconducting rings

We propose four different mechanisms responsible for paramagnetic or diamagnetic persistent currents in normal metal rings and determine the circumstances for change of the current from paramagnetic to diamagnetic ones and {\it vice versa}. It might qualitatively reproduce the experimental results of Bluhm et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 136802 (2009)).Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Two coupled Josephson junctions: dc voltage controlled by biharmonic current

We study transport properties of two Josephson junctions coupled by an external shunt resistance. One of the junction (say, the first) is driven by an unbiased ac current consisting of two harmonics. The device can rectify the ac current yielding a dc voltage across the first junction. For some values of coupling strength, controlled by an external shunt resistance, a dc voltage across the second junction can be generated. By variation of system parameters like the relative phase or frequency of two harmonics, one can conveniently manipulate both voltages with high efficiency, e.g., changing the dc voltages across the first and second junctions from positive to negative values and vice versa.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, to appear in J. Phys. Condens. Matter (2012

Frequency Windows of Absolute Negative Conductance in Josephson Junctions

We report on anomalous conductance in a resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction which is simultaneously driven by ac and dc currents. The dependence of the voltage across the junction on the frequency of the ac current shows windows of absolute negative conductance regimes, i.e. for a positive (negative) dc current, the voltage is negative (positive).Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Negative conductances of Josephson junctions: Voltage fluctuations and energetics

We study a resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction, which is driven by a combination of time-periodic and constant currents. Our investigations concern three main problems: (A) The voltage fluctuations across the junction; (B) The quality of transport expressed in terms of the P\'eclet number; (C) The efficiency of energy transduction from external currents. These issues are discussed in different parameter regimes that lead to: (i) absolute negative conductance; (ii) negative differential conductance, and (iii) normal, Ohmic-like conductance. Conditions for optimal operation of the system are studied.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, Presented at the "Frontiers of Quantum and Mesoscopic Thermodynamics", 28 July - 2 August 2008, Prague, Czech Republi

Absolute negative mobility induced by thermal equilibrium fluctuations

A novel transport phenomenon is identified that is induced by inertial Brownian particles which move in simple one-dimensional, symmetric periodic potentials under the influence of both a time periodic and a constant, biasing driving force. Within tailored parameter regimes, thermal equilibrium fluctuations induce the phenomenon of absolute negative mobility (ANM), which means that the particle noisily moves {\it backwards} against a small constant bias. When no thermal fluctuations act, the transport vanishes identically in these tailored regimes. There also exist parameter regimes, where ANM can occur in absence of fluctuations on grounds which are rooted solely in the complex, inertial deterministic dynamics. The experimental verification of this new transport scheme is elucidated for the archetype symmetric physical system: a convenient setup consisting of a resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction device.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press

"Law is an Odd Thing" - Liberalism and Law in the TV-series "The Good Wife"

The public also receives information on law and the legal professions from fictional entertainment, which has become part of every-day discourse on crime. The American high-gloss television series The Good Wife since 2009 not only dramatizes work and private lives of lawyers but also responds to recent events and debates. With its overall message, The Good Wife joins the liberal camp in the legalpolitical debate

Anomalous transport in biased ac-driven Josephson junctions: Negative conductances

We investigate classical anomalous electrical transport in a driven, resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction device. Novel transport phenomena are identified in chaotic regimes when the junction is subjected to both, a time periodic (ac) and a constant, biasing (dc) current. The dependence of the voltage across the junction on the dc-current exhibits a rich diversity of anomalous transport characteristics: In particular, depending on the chosen parameter regime we can identify so termed absolute negative conductance around zero dc-bias, the occurrence of negative differential conductance and, after crossing a zero conductance, the emergence of a negative nonlinear conductance in the non-equilibrium response regime remote from zero dc-bias.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure