We propose a mechanism of coherent emission from driven vortices in stacked intrinsic Josephson junctions. In contrast to super-radiance, which occurs only for highly ordered vortex lattices, we predict resonant radiation emission from weakly correlated vortex arrays. Our analytical results for the THz wave intensity, resonance frequencies, and the dependence of THz emission power on dissipation are in good agreement with the ones obtained by recent simulations.
We comment on the work by Moler, et al., [Science 279, 1193 (1998)] concerning determination of the c-axis penetration depth in the single-layer compound Tl-2201 through measuring the magnetic flux due to isolated interlayer Josephson vortices.
Josephson vortices are imaged magneto-optically due to their decoration with pancake vortices in $Bi_{2}Sr_{2}CaCu_{2}O_{8+d}$ single crystals. Peculiarities of interaction between the pancake and Josephson vortices (JV) depending on the values of crossing fields and temperature are studied based on the observations of these decoration patterns. Evidences of the period-doubling in the decoration patterns compared to the JV stack period, migration of JV lines between neighboring stacks, and transitions between different JV configurations are reported. Imaging of the pancake/Josephson vortex dec…
We report numerical simulations of magnetic flux patterns in asymmetric 45$^{\circ}$ [001]-tilt grain boundaries in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$ superconducting films. The grain boundaries are treated as Josephson junctions with the critical current density $j_c(x)$ alternating along the junctions. We demonstrate the existence of Josephson vortices with fractional flux quanta for both periodic and random $j_c(x)$. A method is proposed to extract fractional vortices from experimental flux patterns.
The dynamic interactions between Josephson and pancake vortices in highly anisotropic superconductors are probed by shaking the former vortices with an ac magnetic field and measuring the second harmonic Hall response of the latter vortices with the sensor positioned above the sample. We demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed measurement method that aims to probe the coupling between the two vortex species. New experimental data obtained on Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystals reveal interesting features and the possibility to determine the phase diagram of vortex matter in such superconductors.
Light scattering by Josephson vortices is theoretically predicted. An experimental set-up for the observation of the effect is proposed. The magnetic field should be parallel to the CuO_2 layers and the crystal surface. The falling light should be at grazing angles, and the Bragg scattering must be almost backscattering. The distance between the columns of the Josephson vortices must be slightly smaller than the light-wavelength. The surface should be very clean and flat in order light scattering by surface terraces and surface roughness to give the relatively small background.
We present a detailed study of the dynamic interactions between Josephson vortices and stacks of pancake vortices in a Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystal, obtained by measuring the effect of applied inplane magnetic field pulses on the c-axis magnetisation. The predominant interaction is to relax the system towards equilibrium. However, using a highly sensitive AC technique we are able to measure also the forces acting to drive the system away from equilibrium, consistent with the existence of dragging interactions between the Josephson and pancake systems. Such forces were discussed recently as the…
We consider a 1D chain of fractional vortices in a long Josephson junction with alternating $\pmκ$ phase discontinuities. Since each vortex has its own eigenfrequency, the inter-vortex coupling results in eigenmode splitting and in the formation of an oscillatory energy band for plasma waves. The band structure can be controlled at the design time by choosing the distance between vortices or \emph{during experiment} by varying the topological charge of vortices or the bias current. Thus one can construct an artificial vortex crystal with controllable energy bands for plasmons.
We study a current-biased 0-π-0 Josephson junction made by high-T_c superconductors, theoretically. When a length of the πjunction is large enough, this junction contains a vortex-antivortex pair at both ends of the πjunction. Magnetic flux carried by the vortices is calculated using the sine-Gordon equation. The result shows that the magnetic flux of the vortices is suppressed to zero as the distance between the vortices is reduced. By applying an external current, the orientation of the vortices is reversed, and a voltage pulse is generated. The current needed for this transition and generat…
We observed splitting of the low-bias vortex-flow branch in a dense-Josephson-vortex state into multiple sub-branches in current-voltage characteristics of intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) of Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+x}$ single crystals in the long-junction limit. Each sub-branch corresponds to a plasma mode in serially coupled Josephson junctions. Splitting into low-bias linear sub-branches with a spread in the slopes and the inter-sub-branch mode-switching character are in good quantitative agreement with the prediction of the weak but finite inter-junction capacitive-coupling mod…
The response of YBCO bicrystal grain-boundary junctions to small dc magnetic fields (0 - 10 Oe) has been probed with a low-power microwave (rf) signal of 4.4 GHz in a microwave-resonator setup. Peaks in the microwave loss at certain dc magnetic fields are observed that result from individual Josephson vortices penetrating into the grain-boundary junctions under study. The system is modeled as a long Josephson junction described by the sine-Gordon equation with the appropriate boundary conditions. Excellent quantitative agreement between the experimental data and the model has been obtained. Hy…
We consider the one-dimensional (1D) topological superconductor that may form in a planar superconductor-metal-superconductor Josephson junction in which the metal is is subjected to spin orbit coupling and to an in-plane magnetic field. This 1D topological superconductor has been the subject of recent theoretical and experimental attention. We examine the effect of perpendicular magnetic field and a supercurrent driven across the junction on the position and structure of the Majorana zero modes that are associated with the topological superconductor. In particular, we show that under certain …
We present an exact mathematical description of Josephson vortices and of the Meissner effect in periodic thin-layer superconductor/insulator structures with an arbitrary number of identical junctions N-1 (N is the number of superconducting layers) in terms of localized solutions to a system of differential equations for phase differences. We establish a general criterion of the existence of localized solutions. We show that Meissner solutions are characterized by several Josephson lengths [N/2 lengths for even N, and (N-1)/2 lengths for odd N]. We derive an exact expression for the superheati…
We present theoretical and numerical investigations of vortices driven by strong dc and ac currents in long Josephson junctions described by a nonlinear integro-differential equation which takes into account nonlocal electrodynamics of films, vortex bremsstrahlung and Cherenkov radiation amplified by the attraction of vortices to the edges of the junction. The work focuses on the dynamics of vortices in Josephson junctions in thin films where the effects of Josephson nonlocality dominate but London screening is negligible. We obtained an exact solution for a vortex driven by an arbitrary time-…
Half integer Josephson vortices in 0-$π$-junctions, discussed theoretically and observed experimentally, spontaneously appear at the point where the Josephson phase is $π$-discontinuous. The creation of \emph{arbitrary} discontinuities of the Josephson phase has been demonstrated recently. Here we study fractional vortices formed at an arbitrary $κ$-discontinuity, discuss their stability and possible ground states. The two stable states are not mirror symmetric. Furthermore, the possible ground states formed at two $κ$-discontinuities separated by a distance $a$ are investigated, and the energ…
The first penetration field H_{J}(T) of Josephson vortices is measured through the onset of microwave absorption in the locked state, in slightly overdoped $\rm{Bi_{2}Sr_{2}CaCu_{2}O_{8+δ}}$ single crystals (T_{c} ~ 84 K). The magnitude of H_{J}(T) is too large to be accounted for by the first thermodynamic critical field H_{c1}(T). We discuss the possibility of a Bean-Livingston barrier, also supported by irreversible behavior upon flux exit, and the role of defects, which relates H_{J}(T) to the c-axis penetration depth $λ_{c}(T)$. The temperature dependence of the latter, determined by a ca…
In the frame of an exactly solvable model we calculate electric and magnetic fields created by uniformly moving lattice of Josephson vortices driven by the transport current in the magnetic field parallel to conducting layers. The distribution of fields and currents is strongly modified at large velocities of the vortex lattice, plasma oscillations of superconducting electrons being excited by flux flow at low temperatures. This modifies the flux flow resistivity and results in interference features in I-V curves, thus regions of negative differential conductivity appear in which the uniform m…
It is shown that a vortex trapped in one of the banks of a planar edge-type Josephson junction in a narrow thin-film superconducting strip can change drastically the field dependence of the junction critical current $I_c(H)$. When the vortex is trapped at certain positions in the strip middle, the pattern $I_c(H)$ has zero at $H=0$ instead of the traditional maximum of '0-type' junctions. The number of these positions is equal to the number of vortices trapped at the same location. When the junction-vortex separation exceeds approximately $2W$, $I_c(H)$ is no longer sensitive to the vortex pre…
We study long Josephson junctions with the critical current density alternating along the junction. New equilibrium states, which we call the field synchronized or FS states, are shown to exist if the applied field is from narrow intervals centered around equidistant series of resonant fields, $H_m$. The values of $H_m$ are much higher than the flux penetration field, $H_s$. The flux per period of the alternating critical current density, $ϕ_i$, is fixed for each of the FS states. In the $m$-th FS state the value of $ϕ_i$ is equal to an integer amount of flux quanta, $ϕ_i =mϕ_0$. Two types of …
The sin-Gordon equation for Josephson junctions with arbitrary misaligned anisotropic banks is derived. As an application, the problem of Josephson vortices at twin planes of a YBCO-like material is considered. It is shown that for an arbitrary orientation of these vortices relative to the crystal axes of the banks, the junctions should experience a mechanical torque which is evaluated. This torque and its angular dependence may, in principle, be measured in small fields, since the flux penetration into twinned crystals begins with nucleation of Josephson vortices at twin planes.
In order to clarify the ``superradiant'' conditions for the moving Josephson vortices to excite in-phase AC electromagnetic fields over all junctions, we perform large scale simulations of realistic dimensions for intrinsic Josephson junctions under the layer parallel magnetic field. Three clear step-like structures in the I-V curve are observed above a certain high field ($H > 1T$ in the present simulations), at which we find structural transitions in the moving flux-line lattice. The Josephson vortex flow states are accordingly classified into four regions (region I $\sim $ IV with increasin…
When a soliton propagates in a discrete lattice it excites small-amplitude linear waves in its wake. In a dc current-biased Josephson-junction (JJ) array these manifest as electromagnetic (EM) waves excited by a (magnetic field induced) chain of propagating magnetic vortices. When the vortex velocity and the phase velocity of one of the excited EM waves match, phase-locking occurs. This produces resonant steps in the current-voltage characteristics where amplification of EM radiation occurs. We report the first observation of phase-locking-induced amplification of EM radiation at 77K and above…
Current - voltage characteristics in magnetic field for layered superconductor with intrinsic pinning of Josephson vortices
M.N. Mikheev Institute of Metal Physics, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences（俄罗斯科学院乌拉尔分校 M.N. 米凯耶夫金属物理研究所）；National Research Nuclear University MEPhI（国立核研究大学莫斯科工程物理学院）
In this paper I show how to calculate the effect of a nearby Pearl vortex or antivortex upon the critical current $I_c(B)$ when a perpendicular magnetic induction $B$ is applied to a planar Josephson junction in a long, thin superconducting strip of width $W$ much less than the Pearl length $Λ= 2λ^2/d$, where $λ$ is the London penetration depth and $d$ is the thickness ($d < λ$). The theoretical results provide a qualitative explanation of unusual features recently observed experimentally by Golod {\it et al.}\cite{Golod10} in a device with a similar geometry.
We report experimental and numerical study of microwave-induced flow of vortices in long Josephson junctions at zero dc magnetic field. Our intriguing observation is that applying an ac-bias of a small frequency $f \ll f_p $ and sufficiently large amplitude changes the current-voltage characteristics ($I$-$V$ curve) of the junction in a way similar to the effect of dc magnetic field, well known as the flux-flow behavior. The characteristic voltage $V$ of this low voltage branch increases with the power $P$ of microwave radiation as $V_{s}\propto P^α$ with the index $α\simeq 0.5 $. Experiments …
We present detailed numerical simulations of Josephson vortices in a long Josephson junction perpendicular to a thin film screen under strong dc and ac magnetic fields. By solving the sine-Gordon equation, we calculated the threshold magnetic field for penetration of fluxons as a function of frequency, and the power dissipated by oscillating fluxons as functions of the ac field amplitude and frequency. We considered the effects of superimposed ac and dc fields, and a bi-harmonic magnetic field resulting in a vortex ratchet dynamics. The results were used to evaluate the contribution of weak-li…
We investigate theoretically the eigenmodes and the stability of one and two arbitrary fractional vortices pinned at one and two $κ$-phase discontinuities in a long Josephson junction. In the particular case of a single $κ$-discontinuity, a vortex is spontaneously created and pinned at the boundary between the 0 and $κ$-regions. In this work we show that only two of four possible vortices are stable. A single vortex has an oscillatory eigenmode with a frequency within the plasma gap. We calculate this eigenfrequency as a function of the fractional flux carried by a vortex. For the case of two …
We consider the structure of Josephson vortices approaching the junction boundary with vacuum in large area Josephson junctions with the Josephson length $λ_J$ large relative to the London penetration depth $λ_L$. Using the stability argument for one-dimentional solitons with respect to 2D perturbations, it is shown that on the scale $λ_J$ the Josephson vortices do not spread near the boundary in the direction of the junction. %, which is in a striking difference with behavior of Abrikosov vortices exiting superconductors. The field distribution in vacuum due to the Josephson vortex is evaluat…
Many practical applications of high T$_c$ superconductors involve layered materials and magnetic fields applied on an arbitrary direction with respect to the layers. When the anisotropy is very large, Cooper pair currents can circulate either within or perpendicular to the layers. Thus, tilted magnetic fields lead to intertwined lattices of Josephson and Abrikosov vortices, with quantized circulation across and within layers, respectively. Transport in such intertwined lattices has been studied in detail, but direct observation and manipulation of vortices remains challenging. Here we present …
To study the Josephson-vortex system in the intrinsic Josephson junctions, we have measured the flow resistance as a function of magnetic field parallel to the $ab$ plane in Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8+y}$ single crystals. Although it was known that the flow resistance increases smoothly with increasing field, we have found novel oscillations of vortex flow resistance in the small current regime. The period of the oscillations corresponds to the field which is needed to add ``{\it one}'' vortex quantum per ``{\it two}'' Josephson junctions. Commensurability between the lattice spacing of…
We investigate the influence of Pearl vortices in the vicinity of an edge-type Josephson junction for a superconducting thin-film loop in the form of an annulus, under uniform magnetic field. Specifically, we obtain the exact analytic formulation that allows to describe the circulating current density and the gauge invariant phase increment $Δϕ$ across the junction. The main properties of $Δϕ$ and their influence on the critical current pattern $I_c(B)$ are described quantitatively in terms of the loop's width to radius ratio $W/R$ and of the vortex position within the loop ${\bf r}_v$. It is …
We have studied the superconducting-insulating phase transition in a disordered two-dimensional Josephson junction array, using quantum Monte Carlo techniques. We consider disorder in both the capacitive energies and in the values of the offset charges. The calculated phase diagram shows that the lobe structure of the phase diagram disappears for sufficiently strong disorder in the offset charge. Our results agree quite well with previous calculations carried out using a mean-field approximation.
We consider a fractional Josephson vortex in a long 0-kappa Josephson junction. A uniformly applied bias current exerts a Lorentz force on the vortex. If the bias current exceeds the critical current, an integer fluxon is torn off the kappa-vortex and the junction switches to the voltage state. In the presence of thermal fluctuations the escape process takes place with finite probability already at subcritical values of the bias current. We experimentally investigate the thermally induced escape of a fractional vortex by high resolution measurements of the critical current as a function of the…
The electronic structure of a vortex line trapped by a planar defect in a type-II superconductor is analyzed within the Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory. The normal reflection of electrons and holes at the defect plane results in the topological transition in the spectrum and formation of a new type of quasiparticle states skipping or gliding along the defect. This topological transition appears to be a hallmark of the initial stage of the crossover from the Abrikosov to the Josephson vortex type revealing in the specific behavior of the quantized quasiparticle levels and density of states. The inc…
We show that low-angle grain boundaries (GB) in high-temperature superconductors exhibit intermediate Abrikosov vortices with Josephson cores, whose length $l$ along GB is smaller that the London penetration depth, but larger than the coherence length. We found an exact solution for a periodic vortex structure moving along GB in a magnetic field $H$ and calculated the flux flow resistivity $R_F(H)$, and the nonlinear voltage-current characteristics. The predicted $R_F(H)$ dependence describes well our experimental data on $7^{\circ}$ unirradiated and irradiated $YBa_2Cu_3O_7$ bicrystals, from …
A numerical simulation is carried out for static vortices in a long Josephson junction with an exponentially varying width. At specified values of the parameters the corresponding boundary-value problem admits more than one solution. Each solution (distribution of the magnetic flux in the junction) is associated to a Sturm--Liouville problem, the smallest eigenvalue of which can be used, in a first approximation, to assess the stability of the vortex against relatively small spatiotemporal perturbations. The change in width of the junction leads to a renormalization of the magnetic flux in com…
We report on the influence a preferential magnetic vortices motion has on the magnitude of the inverse ac Josephson effect (the appearance of dc current Shapiro steps) and the coherent operation of asymmetrical parallel arrays of YBaCuO Josephson junctions (JJ) irradiated with microwave (MW) radiation in the presence of an applied magnetic field B. The preferential direction of motion of the Josephson vortices is due to the asymmetry-induced ratchet effect and has a dramatic impact: for a particular positive dc bias current I when the flux-flow is robust multiple pronounced Shapiro-steps are o…
We present a theoretical and experimental study of the Fiske resonances in the current-voltage characteristics of "small" Josephson junctions with randomly distributed misaligned Abrikosov vortices. We obtained that in the presence of Abrikosov vortices the resonant interaction of electromagnetic waves, excited inside a junction, with the ac Josephson current manifests itself by Fiske steps in a current-voltage characteristics even in the absence of external magnetic field. We found that the voltage positions of the Fiske steps are determined by a junction size, but the Fiske step magnitudes d…
By employing mutual-inductance technique and using a high-sensitive bridge, we have thoroughly investigated (both experimentally and theoretically) the temperature and magnetic field dependence of complex AC susceptibility of artificially prepared highly ordered (periodic) two-dimensional Josephson junction arrays (2D-JJA) of both shunted and unshunted Nb-based tunnel junctions as well as disordered three-dimensional arrays (3D-JJA). This paper reviews some of our latest results regarding the influence of non-uniform critical current density profile on magnetic field behavior of AC susceptibil…
The superconducting transition of a two-dimensional (2D) Josephson junction array exposed to weak magnetic fields has been studied experimentally. Resistance measurements reveal a superconducting-resistive phase boundary in serious disagreement with the theoretical and numerical expectations. Critical scaling analyses of the $IV$ characteristics indicate contrary to the expectations that the superconducting-to-resistive transition in weak magnetic fields is associated with a melting transition of magnetic-field-induced vortices directly from a pinned-solid phase to a liquid phase. The expected…
I describe the magnetic-field and current-density distributions generated by two-dimensional (2D) pancake vortices in infinite, semi-infinite, and finite-thickness stacks of Josephson-decoupled superconducting layers. Arrays of such vortices have been used to model the magnetic structure in highly anisotropic layered cuprate high-temperature superconductors. I show how the electromagnetic forces between pancake vortices can be calculatated, and I briefly discuss the effects of interlayer Josephson coupling.
We study theoretically and experimentally influence of pancake vortices on motion of the Josephson vortex lattice in layered high-temperature superconductors. Mobility of the Josephson vortices in layered superconductors is strongly suppressed by small amount of pancake-vortex stacks. Moving Josephson vortex lattice forces oscillating zigzag deformation of the pancake-vortex stacks contributing to damping. The salient feature of this contribution is its nonmonotonic dependence on the lattice velocity and the corresponding voltage. Maximum pancake effect is realized when the Josephson frequency…
We report numerical simulations of the nonlinear dynamics of Josephson vortices driven by strong dc currents in layered superconductors. Dynamic equations for interlayer phase differences in a stack of coupled superconducting layers were solved to calculate a drag coefficient $η(J)$ of the vortex as a function of the perpendicular dc current density $J$. It is shown that Cherenkov radiation produced by a moving vortex causes significant radiation drag increasing $η(v)$ at high vortex velocities $v$ and striking instabilities of driven Josephson vortices moving faster than a terminal velocity $…
We investigate the influence of quantum fluctuations and weak disorder on the vortex dynamics in a two-dimensional superconducting Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless system. The temperature below which quantum fluctuations dominate the vortex creep is determined, and the transport in this quantum regime is described. The crossover from quantum to classical regime is discussed and the quantum correction to the classical current-voltage relation is determined. It is found that weak disorder can effectively reduce the critical current as compared to that in the clean system.
In long Josephson junctions with multiple discontinuities of the Josephson phase, fractional vortex molecules are spontaneously formed. At each discontinuity point a fractional Josephson vortex carrying a magnetic flux $|Φ|<Φ_0$, $Φ_0\approx 2.07\times 10^{-15}$ Wb being the magnetic flux quantum, is pinned. Each vortex has an oscillatory eigenmode with a frequency that depends on $Φ/Φ_0$ and lies inside the plasma gap. We experimentally investigate the dependence of the eigenfrequencies of a two-vortex molecule on the distance between the vortices, on their topological charge $\wp=2πΦ/Φ_0$ an…
The Josephson plasma resonance has been investigated in Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+δ}$ single crystals in parallel magnetic fields to the $ab$-plane. We found two resonance modes; one appears at higher frequency in high fields above the plasma frequency $ω_p$ at zero field and absolute zero, and the other lies below $ω_p$ and is observed only in magnetic fields without considerable field dependence. Two resonance lines were also found in numerical simulations in a single junction model with randomness of the critical current. The higher frequency mode is attributed to the Josephson plasma mode …
We study the phase diagram of vortex matter in disordered type-II superconductors. We performed numerical simulations in the London Langevin approximation, using a new realistic representation of the disorder. At low magnetic fields we find a disentangled and dislocation free Bragg-glass regime. Increasing the field introduces disorder-driven entanglement in a discontinuous manner, leading to a vortex-glass phase, which subsequently melts into the vortex liquid. The obtained phase boundaries are in quantitative agreement with the experimental data.
We calculate current-phase relation (CPR) of a SN-S-SN Josephson junction based on a variable thickness SN bilayer composed of highly disordered superconductor (S) and low-resistive normal metal (N) with proximity induced superconductivity. In case when the thickness of S,N layers and length of S constriction is about of superconducting coherence length the CPR is single-valued, could be close to sinusoidal one and the product $I_cR_n$ can reach $Δ(0)/2|e|$ ($I_c$ is the critical current of the junction, $R_n$ is its normal-state resistance, $Δ(0)$ is the superconductor gap of single S layer a…
Fractional Josephson vortices carry a magnetic flux Phi, which is a fraction of the magnetic flux quantum Phi_0 ~ 2.07x10^{-15} Wb. Their properties are very different from the properties of the usual integer fluxons. In particular, fractional vortices are pinned and have an oscillation eigenfrequency which is expected to be within the Josephson plasma gap. Using microwave spectroscopy, we investigate the dependence of the eigenfrequency of a fractional Josephson vortex on its magnetic flux $Φ$ and on the bias current. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical predict…
In strongly anisotropic layered superconductors in tilted magnetic fields the Josephson vortex lattice coexists with the lattice of pancake vortices. Due to the interaction between them, the dissipation of the Josephson-vortex lattice occurs to be very sensitive to the presence of the pancake vortices. If the c-axis magnetic field is smaller then the corresponding lower critical field, the pancake stacks are not formed but the individual pancakes may exist in the fluctuational regime either near surface in large-size samples or in the central region for small-size mesas. We calculate the contr…
We experimentally studied the effect of positional disorder on a Josephson junction array with $f = n$, ${1/2} + n$, or ${2/5} + n$ flux quanta per unit cell for integral $n$. This system provides an experimental realization of a two-dimensional XY model with random phase shifts. Contrary to many earlier numerical and analytical investigations, our results suggest that low-temperature superconductivity is never destroyed by positional disorder. As the disorder strength increased, the Kosterltz-Thouless (KT) type order in the $f = 0$ and 1/2 systems changed to a non-KT type order with a long-ra…
The local effect of the Josephson vortices on the vortex lattice melting process in \BSCCO crystals in the presence of an in-plane field $H_{ab}$ is studied by differential magneto-optical imaging. The melting process is found to commence along the Josephson vortex stacks, forming a mesomorphic phase of periodic liquid and solid lamellas, the direction and spacing of which are controlled by $H_{ab}$. The reduction of the local melting field $H_m$ along the Josephson vortex stacks is more than an order of magnitude larger than the reduction of the average bulk $H_m$ by $H_{ab}$.
We propose how to control the THz radiation generated by fast moving Josephson vortices in spatially modulated (either along the c-axis or the ab-plane) samples of Bi-2212 and related superconducting compounds. We show that the JVs moving in a subset of weaker junctions can generate out-of-ab-plane and outside-the-cone Cherenkov radiation. The ab-plane modulation of superconducting properties (achieved, for instance, by ion irradiation lithography) can result in transition radiation within certain frequency windows, i.e., allowing the design of tunable THz emitters and THz photonic crystals.
We examine the depinning transitions and the temperature versus driving force phase diagram for magnetically interacting pancake vortices in layered superconductors. For strong disorder the initial depinning is plastic followed by a sharp hysteretic transition to a 3D ordered state for increasing driving force. Our results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions for driven anisotropic charge density wave systems. We also show that a temperature induced peak effect in the critical current occurs due to the onset of plasticity between the layers.
We study the Josephson effect between weakly coupled d-wave superconductors within the quasiclassical theory, in particular, the influence of interface roughness on the current-phase relation and the critical current of mirror junctions and $45^\circ$ asymmetric junctions. For mirror junctions the temperature dependence of the critical current is non-monotonic in the limit of low roughness, but monotonic for very rough interfaces. For $45^\circ$ asymmetric junctions with a linear dimension much larger than the superconducting coherence length we find a $\sin(2ϕ)$-like current-phase relation, w…
The Josephson junction of a strong spin-orbit material under a magnetic field is a promising Majorana fermion candidate. Supercurrent enhancement by a magnetic field has been observed in the InAs nanowire Josephson junctions and assigned to a topological transition. In this work we observe a similar phenomenon but discuss the non-topological origin by considering trapping of quasiparticles by vortices that penetrate the superconductor under a finite magnetic field. This assignment is supported by the observed hysteresis of the switching current when sweeping up and down the magnetic field. Our…
Topological defects such as vortices, dislocations or domain walls define many important effects in superconductivity, superfluidity, magnetism, liquid crystals, and plasticity of solids. Here we address the breakdown of the topologically-protected stability of such defects driven by strong external forces. We focus on Josephson vortices that appear at planar weak links of suppressed superconductivity which have attracted much attention for electronic applications, new sources of THz radiation, and low-dissipative computing. Our numerical simulations show that a rapidly moving vortex driven by…
