Boundary field theory approach to the renormalization of SQUID devices

Abstract

We show that the quantum properties of some Josephson SQUID devices are described by a boundary sine-Gordon model. Our approach naturally describes multi-junction SQUID devices and, when applied to a single junction SQUID (the rf-SQUID), it reproduces the known results of Glazman and Hekking. We provide a detailed analysis of the regimes accessible to an rf-SQUID and to a two-Josephson junction SQUID device (the dc-SQUID). We then compute the normal component of the current-response of a SQUID device to an externally applied voltage and show that the equation describing the current-voltage characteristic function reduces to well-known results when the infrared cutoff is suitably chosen. Our approach helps in establishing new and interesting connections between superconducting devices, quantum Brownian motion, fermionic quantum wires and, more generally, quantum impurity problems.