Nucleation and motion of an isolated Abrikosov vortex

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.43.12843· OSTI ID:5625228

Li, Q; Clem, J R; Finnemore, D K ^[1]

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1. Ames Laboratory and Department of Physics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 (USA)

A new family of superconductor--normal-metal--insulator--superconductor ({ital S}/{ital I}/{ital N}/{ital S}) Josephson junctions have been developed in which a single Abrikosov vortex can be nucleated and systematically moved to selected positions. The location of the vortex within the junction is determined from the shape of the diffraction patterns. Methods have been developed to push the vortex to most any desired location within the junction by applying currents in either or both of the cross-strip legs of the junction. The elementary pinning force for a vortex in a pure Pb film was measured and found to be much smaller than for a Pb-Bi film. In addition, the vortex moves in much smaller steps for the Pb film than was found for the Pb-Bi films. For {ital S}/{ital I}/{ital N}/{ital S} junctions, the voltages and currents are in the microvolt and milliamp range; so very conventional detection can be used if a device is to be built based on the motion of a single Abrikosov vortex.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 5625228
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (USA), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (USA) Vol. 43:16; ISSN 0163-1829; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
ABRIKOSOV THEORY
BISMUTH
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
JUNCTIONS
LEAD
MAGNETIC FLUX
METALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SUPERCONDUCTING FILMS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
VORTICES