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Josephson weak links in thin films of YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 7 minus x induced by electrical pulses

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.103245· OSTI ID:6818032
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA (USA) Center for Advanced Materials, Materials and Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720 (USA)

A method is described for fabricating superconducting weak links in thin films of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{ital x}} grown {ital in} {ital situ} by laser deposition. Carefully controlled electrical pulses applied to patterned bridges at 77 K are shown to reduce the critical current from initial values of typically 10 mA to values as low as 20 {mu}A. The current-voltage characteristics of the Josephson weak links so formed exhibit constant-voltage current steps that oscillate in amplitude as the applied microwave power is increased, implying that the current-phase relation is periodic but not necessarily sinusoidal.

DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
6818032
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters; (USA), Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters; (USA) Vol. 56:22; ISSN APPLA; ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English