Abstract
We study the microwave-induced phase switches from the finite voltage state for the underdamped intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) made of Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy (Bi2212). We observe the resonant double-peak structure in the switching current distribution at low temperatures. This feature is successfully explained by a quantum mechanical model where the strong microwave field effectively suppresses the potential barrier for the phase escape from a potential well and the macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) is resonantly enhanced. The detailed analyses considering the effects of multiple phase retrapping processes after the phase escape strongly suggest that the intense microwave field suppresses the energy-level spacing in the potential well, by effectively decreasing the fluctuation-free critical current and the Josephson plasma frequency. This effect also reduces the number of photons required for the multiphoton transition between the ground and the first excited states, making it possible to observe the energy level quantization in the MQT state. The temperature dependence of the resonance peak emerging in the switching rate clearly demonstrates that the quantized energy state can be survived up to ~10 K, which is much higher than a crossover temperature predicted by the conventional Caldeira-Leggett theory.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.