Collective responses of Bi-2212 stacked junction to 100 GHz microwave radiation under magnetic field oriented along the c-axis

We studied a response of Bi-2212 mesa type structures to 100 GHz microwave radiation. We found that applying magnetic field of about 0.1 T across the layers enables to observe collective Shapiro step response corresponding to a synchronization of all 50 intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJ) of the mesa. At high microwave power we observed up to 10th harmonics of the fundamental Shapiro step. Besides, we found microwave induced flux-flow step position of which is proportional to the square root of microwave power and that can exceed at high enough powers 1 THz operating frequency of IJJ oscillations.Comment: 11 pages including 5 figures, accepted for publication in JETP Letter

Controlling high-frequency collective electron dynamics via single-particle complexity

We demonstrate, through experiment and theory, enhanced high-frequency current oscillations due to magnetically-induced conduction resonances in superlattices. Strong increase in the ac power originates from complex single-electron dynamics, characterized by abrupt resonant transitions between unbound and localized trajectories, which trigger and shape propagating charge domains. Our data demonstrate that external fields can tune the collective behavior of quantum particles by imprinting configurable patterns in the single-particle classical phase space.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Vortex fluctuations in underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d crystals

Vortex thermal fluctuations in heavily underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d (Tc=69.4 K) are studied using Josephson plasma resonance (JPR). From the data in zero magnetic field, we obtain the penetration depth along the c-axis, lambda_{L,c}(0) = 229 micrometers and the anisotropy ratio gamma(0) = 600. The low plasma frequency allows us to study phase correlations over the whole vortex solid (Bragg-glass) state. The JPR results yield a wandering length r_{w} of vortex pancakes. The temperature dependence of r_{w} as well as its increase with applied dc magnetic field can only be explained by the renormalization of the tilt modulus by thermal fluctuations, and suggest the latter is responsible for the dissociation of the vortices at the first order transition.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Modeling a Superconducting Triplet Spin Valve with Several Layers of a Superconductor

A matrix solution to Usadel linearized equations is used to obtain the critical temperature and distribution of singlet pairing components of a superconductor/ferromagnetic/superconductor/ferromagnetic structure with nonideal boundaries. There is a transition from the π- to the 0-phase state between the superconductor layers upon varying the angle between the magnetizations of ferromagnetic layers in such a structure.</p

Abrupt Change of Josephson Plasma Frequency at the Phase Boundary of the Bragg Glass in Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta}

We report the first detailed and quantitative study of the Josephson coupling energy in the vortex liquid, Bragg glass and vortex glass phases of Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta} by the Josephson plasma resonance. The measurements revealed distinct features in the T- and H-dependencies of the plasma frequency $\omega_{pl}$ for each of these three vortex phases. When going across either the Bragg-to-vortex glass or the Bragg-to-liquid transition line, $\omega_{pl}$ shows a dramatic change. We provide a quantitative discussion on the properties of these phase transitions, including the first order nature of the Bragg-to-vortex glass transition.Comment: 5pages, 4figure

Josephson Coupling, Phase Correlations, and Josephson Plasma Resonance in Vortex Liquid Phase

Josephson plasma resonance has been introduced recently as a powerful tool to probe interlayer Josephson coupling in different regions of the vortex phase diagram in layered superconductors. In the liquid phase, the high temperature expansion with respect to the Josephson coupling connects the Josephson plasma frequency with the phase correlation function. This function, in turn, is directly related to the pair distribution function of the liquid. We develop a recipe to extract the phase and density correlation functions from the dependencies of the plasma resonance frequency $\omega_p({\bf B})$ and the $c$ axis conductivity $\sigma_c({\bf B})$ on the {\it ab}-component of the magnetic field at fixed {\it c} -component. Using Langevin dynamic simulations of two-dimensional vortex arrays we calculate density and phase correlation functions at different temperatures. Calculated phase correlations describe very well the experimental angular dependence of the plasma resonance field. We also demonstrate that in the case of weak damping in the liquid phase, broadening of the JPR line is caused mainly by random Josephson coupling arising from the density fluctuations of pancake vortices. In this case the JPR line has a universal shape, which is determined only by parameters of the superconductors and temperature.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. B, December

Quasiparticle and Cooper Pair Tunneling in the Vortex State of Bi-2212

From measurements of the c-axis I-V characteristics of intrinsic Josephson junctions in Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+delta} (Bi-2212) mesas we obtain the field dependence (H || c) of the quasiparticle (QP) conductivity, sigma_q(H,T), and of the Josephson critical current density, J_c(H,T). The quasiparticle conductivity sigma_q(H) increases sharply with H and reaches a plateau at 0.05 T <H< 0.3 T. We explain such behavior by the dual effect of supercurrents around vortices. First, they enhance the QP DOS, leading to an increase of sigma_q with H at low H and, second, they enhance the scattering rate for specular tunneling as pancakes become disordered along the c-axis at higher H, leading to a plateau at moderate H.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Effects of an in-plane magnetic field on c-axis sum rule and superfluid density in high-TcT_{c} cuprates

In layered cuprates, the application of an in-plane magnetic field $({\bf H})$ changes the c-axis optical sum rule and superfluid density $\rho_{s}$. For pure incoherent c-axis coupling, ${\bf H}$ has no effect on either quantities but it does if an additional coherent component is present. For the coherent contribution, different characteristic variations on ${\bf H}$ and on temperature result from the constant part $(t_{\perp})$ of the hopping matrix element and from the part $(t_{\phi})$ which has zero on the diagonal of the Brillouin zone. Only the constant part $(t_{\perp})$ leads to a dependence on the direction of ${\bf H}$ as well as on its magnitude.Comment: 3 figure

Evidence for LineLike Vortex Liquid Phase in Tl2_2Ba2_2CaCu2_2O8_8 Probed by the Josephson Plasma Resonance

We measured the Josephson plasma resonance (JPR) in optimally doped Tl$_2$Ba$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ thin films using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy in transmission. The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the JPR frequency shows that the c-axis correlations of pancake vortices remain intact at the transition from the vortex solid to the liquid phase. In this respect Tl$_2$Ba$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ films, withanisotropy parameter $\gamma\approx 150$, are similar to the less anisotropic YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ $(\gamma\approx 8)$ rather than to the most anisotropic Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ single crystals $\gamma\geq 500$).Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Asymmetric Field Profile in Bose Glass Phase of Irradiated YBa2Cu3O7-d: Loss of Interlayer Coherence around 1/3 of Matching Field

Magneto-optical imaging in YBa2Cu3O7-d with tilted columnar defects (CD's) shows an asymmetric critical-state field profile. The observed hysteretic shift of the profile ridge (trough) from the center of the sample is explained by in-plane magnetization originated from vortex alignment along CD's. The extracted ratio of the in-plane to out-of-plane magnetization component has a maximum at 1/5 of matching field ($B_\Phi$) and disappears above $B_\Phi/3$, suggesting a reduction of interlayer coherence well bellow $B_\Phi$ in the Bose glass phase. Implications are discussed in comparison with the vortex liquid recoupling observed in irradiated Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y.Comment: Revtex, 4 pages, 5 figures, also see a movie at (http://www.ap6.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/kitaka/Research/d-line/index_e.htm). This manuscript will appear in Phys. Rev. Let