Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Fractional Shapiro steps in ladder Josephson arrays

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)

We study the response of Josephson ladder arrays (1{times}{ital N} plaquettes) to a combined ac and dc current. For {ital N}{ge}1, the arrays are predicted to exhibit Shapiro steps at voltages {l angle}{ital V}{r angle}={ital nN}{h bar}{omega}/(2{ital e}) for {ital n}=1/2,1,3/2, . . ., over a broad range of fields {ital f}={Phi}/{Phi}{sub 0} ({Phi}=flux per plaquette, {Phi}{sub 0}={ital hc}/2{ital e}). The calculated half-steps persist even in single-plaquette arrays'' at all fields {ital f}{ne}0, and, when the critical currents parallel to the applied current are sufficiently unequal, even at {ital f}=0. Measurements of the step widths {Delta}{ital I}{sub 1/2}({ital f}) and {Delta}{ital I}{sub 1}({ital f}) for 1{times}600 ladder arrays of Nb-Au-Nb junctions are in good agreement with the calculations.

DOE Contract Number:
FG02-90ER45427
OSTI ID:
7111270
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 45:21; ISSN 0163-1829; ISSN PRBMD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English