Effects of the phase periodicity on the quantum dynamics of a resistively shunted Josephson junction

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.34.6518· OSTI ID:5227301

Zwerger, W; Dorsey, A T; Fisher, M P.A.

A phenomenological model is introduced for the dissipative quantum dynamics of the phase phi across a current-biased Josephson junction. The model is invariant under phi..-->..phi+2..pi... This enables us to restrict phi to the interval 0 to 2..pi.., equating phi+2..pi.. with phi, and study the role played by the resulting nontrivial topology. Using Feynman's influence functional theory it is shown that the dissipation suppresses interference between paths with different winding numbers. For Ohmic dissipation this interference is completely destroyed, and phi can effectively be treated as an extended coordinate. This justifies the use of the usual washboard potential description of a current-biased junction even in the quantum case, provided an Ohmic dissipation mechanism is present.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801
• OSTI ID: 5227301
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 34:9; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COOPER PAIRS
DAMPING
DISSIPATION FACTOR
DYNAMICS
FEYNMAN PATH INTEGRAL
FUNCTIONALS
FUNCTIONS
INTEGRALS
JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS
JUNCTIONS
MATHEMATICS
MECHANICS
PHASE STUDIES
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
TOPOLOGY
VARIATIONS