Even and odd subharmonic frequencies and chaos in Josephson junctions: Impact on parametric amplifiers

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.331259· OSTI ID:5190110

Levinsen, M T

The Stewart-McCumber model of a Josephson junction has been shown to exhibit period-doubling bifurcation cascades, as described by the Feigenbaum bifurcation theory. Chaotic states, sometimes associated with the bifurcations, are also prevalent. The present paper deals with the questions of subharmonic generation and chaotic states in the aforementioned model, and in addition with the problem of the ubiquitous noise rise found in Josephson junction parametric amplifiers. The bifurcation is first discussed by drawing on analytical results on the Duffing equation which is an approximation to the complete ac-driven Stewart-McCumber model. The complete model is then solved on an analog computer. Thereafter it is shown that besides the even subharmonics predicted by the bifurcation theory, the natural subharmonic to expect at small dc currents is the odd. This may then have associated its own bifurcation tree. The role of spontaneous symmetry breaking will be discussed. This reconciles the earlier treatment of the 3-photon amplifier with the Feigenbaum scheme. Finally, analog calculations on a model of an externally pumped Josephson junction parametric amplifier will be discussed. The conclusion seems to be that chaotic noise cannot account for the noise rise.

• Research Organization: Physics Laboratory I, H. C. Orsted Institute, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen 0, Denmark
• OSTI ID: 5190110
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 53:6; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALTERNATING CURRENT
AMPLIFIERS
ANALOG COMPUTERS
COMPUTERS
CURRENTS
DATA
DIRECT CURRENT
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUIPMENT
HARMONICS
INFORMATION
JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS
JUNCTIONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NOISE
NUMERICAL DATA
OSCILLATIONS
PARAMETRIC AMPLIFIERS
PHOTONS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SYMMETRY BREAKING
THEORETICAL DATA