Flux Quantization and Aharonov-Bohm Effect in Superconducting Rings

Journal Article · Tue May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2018 · Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/S10948-017-4369-X· OSTI ID:22771302

Kenawy, Ahmed ^[1]; Magnus, Wim; Sorée, Bart ^[2]

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1. Institute for Theoretical Physics, KU Leuven (Belgium)
2. IMEC, Physics Modeling and Simulation (MSP) (Belgium)

Superconductivity is a macroscopic coherent state exhibiting various quantum phenomena such as magnetic flux quantization. When a superconducting ring is placed in a magnetic field, a current flows to expel the field from the ring and to ensure that the enclosed flux is an integer multiple of h/(2|e|). Although the quantization of magnetic flux in ring structures is extensively studied in literature, the applied magnetic field is typically assumed to be homogeneous, implicitly implying an interplay between field expulsion and flux quantization. Here, we propose to decouple these two effects by employing an Aharonov-Bohm-like structure where the superconducting ring is threaded by a magnetic core (to which the applied field is confined). Although the magnetic field vanishes inside the ring, the formation of vortices takes place, corresponding to a change in the flux state of the ring. The time evolution of the density of superconducting electrons is studied using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations.

• OSTI ID: 22771302
• Journal Information: Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism, Journal Name: Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 31; ISSN 1557-1939
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AHARONOV-BOHM EFFECT
ANNIHILATION OPERATORS
EIGENSTATES
ELECTRON DENSITY
FLUX QUANTIZATION
GINZBURG-LANDAU THEORY
MAGNETIC CORES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TIME DEPENDENCE
VORTICES