Macroscopic quantum tunneling in a dc SQUID

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685404· OSTI ID:7150337

Chen, Y C

The theory of macroscopic quantum tunneling is applied to a current-biased dc SQUID whose dynamics can be described by a two-dimensional mechanical system with a dissipative environment. Based on the phenomenological model proposed by Caldeira and Leggett, the dissipative environment is represented by a set of harmonic oscillators coupling to the system. After integrating out the environmental degrees of freedom, an effective Euclidean action is found for the two-dimensional system. The action is used to provide the quantum tunneling rate formalism for the dc SQUID. Under certain conditions, the tunneling rate reduces to that of a single current-biased Josephson junction with an adjustable effective critical current.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign, IL
• OSTI ID: 7150337
• Journal Information: J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 65:1/2; ISSN JLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CORRECTIONS
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENTS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DIRECT CURRENT
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
EQUIPMENT
FLUXMETERS
HARMONIC OSCILLATOR MODELS
JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS
JUNCTIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MECHANICS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SQUID DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TUNNEL EFFECT
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS