arXiv subjects

Alexey Bezryadin

Publications and source records attributed to Alexey Bezryadin.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Dynamics of superconducting nanowires shunted with an external resistor

We present the first study of superconducting nanowires shunted with an external resistor, geared towards understanding and controlling coherence and dissipation in nanowires. The dynamics is probed by measuring the evolution of the V-I characteristics and the distributions of switching and retrapping currents upon varying the shunt resistor and temperature. Theoretical analysis of the experiments indicates that as the value of the shunt resistance is decreased, the dynamics turns more coherent presumably due to stabilization of phase-slip centers in the wire and furthermore the switching current approaches the Bardeen's prediction for equilibrium depairing current. By a detailed comparison between theory and experimental, we make headway into identifying regimes in which the quasi-one-dimensional wire can effectively be described by a zero-dimensional circuit model analogous to the RCSJ (resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction) model of Stewart and McCumber. Besides its fundamental significance, our study has implications for a range of promising technological applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Precise in-situ tuning of a superconducting nanowire's critical current using high bias voltage pulses

We present a method for in-situ tuning the critical current (or switching current) and critical temperature of a superconducting nanowire using high bias voltage pulses. Our main finding is that as the pulse voltage is increased, the nanowires demonstrate a reduction, a minimum and then an enhancement of the switching current and critical temperature. Using controlled pulsing, the switching current of a superconducting nanowire can be set exactly to a desired value. These results correlate with in-situ transmission electron microscope imaging where an initially amorphous nanowire transforms into a single crystal nanowire by high bias voltage pulses.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Cratered Lorentzian response of driven microwave superconducting nanowire-bridged resonators: oscillatory and magnetic-field induced stochastic states

Microwave Fabry-Perot resonators containing nonlinear mesoscopic elements (such as superconducting nanowires) can be used to explore many-body circuit QED. Here, we report on observations of a superconductor-normal pulsing regime in microwave (GHz) coplanar waveguide resonators consisting of superconducting MoGe films interrupted by a gap that is bridged by one or more suspended superconducting nanowires. This regime, which involve MHz-frequency oscillations in the amplitude of the supercurrent in the resonator, are achieved when the steady-state amplitude of the current in the driven resonator exceeds the critical current of the nanowires. Thus we are able to determine the temperature dependence of the critical current, which agrees well with the corresponding Bardeen formula. The pulsing regime manifests itself as an apparent "crater" on top of the fundamental Lorentzian peak of the resonator. Once the pulsing regime is achieved at a fixed drive power, however, it remains stable for a range of drive frequencies corresponding to subcritical steady state currents in the resonator. We develop a phenomenological model of resonator-nanowire systems, from which we are able to obtain a quantitative description of the amplitude oscillations and also, inter alia, to investigate thermal relaxation processes in superconducting nanowires. For the case of resonators comprising two parallel nanowires and subject to an external magnetic field, we find field-driven oscillations of the onset power for the amplitude oscillations, as well as the occurrence (for values of the magnetic field that strongly frustrate the nanowires) of a distinct steady state in which the pulsing is replaced by stochastic amplitude-fluctuations. We conclude by giving a brief discussion of how circuit-QED-based systems have the potential to facilitate understanding of quantum phase-slips in superconducting nanowires.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2010

Negative and Positive Magnetoresistance in Bilayer Graphene: Effects of Weak Localization and Charge Inhomogeneity

We report measurements of magnetoresistance in bilayer graphene as a function of gate voltage (carrier density) and temperature. We examine multiple contributions to the magnetoresistance, including those of weak localization (WL), universal conductance fluctuations (UCF), and inhomogeneous charge transport. A clear WL signal is evident at all measured gate voltages (in the hole doped regime) and temperature ranges (from 0.25 K to 4.3 K), and the phase coherence length extracted from WL data does not saturate at low temperatures. The WL data is fit to demonstrate that electron-electron Nyquist scattering is the major source of phase decoherence. A decrease in UCF amplitude with increasing gate voltage and temperature is shown to be consistent with a corresponding decrease in the phase coherence length. In addition, a weak positive magnetoresistance at higher magnetic fields is observed, and attributed to inhomogeneous charge transport.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Magnetoresistance in Single Layer Graphene: Weak Localization and Universal Conductance Fluctuation Studies

We report measurements of magnetoresistance in single-layer graphene as a function of gate voltage (carrier density) at 250 mK. By examining signatures of weak localization (WL) and universal conductance fluctuations (UCF), we find a consistent picture of phase coherence loss due to electron-electron interactions. The gate-dependence of the elastic scattering terms suggests that the effect of trigonal warping, i.e., the non-linearity of the dispersion curves, may be strong at high carrier densities, while intra-valley scattering may dominate close to the Dirac point. In addition, a decrease in UCF amplitude with decreasing carrier density can be explained by a corresponding loss of phase coherence.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Superconducting Nanowires as Nonlinear Inductive Elements for Qubits

We report microwave transmission measurements of superconducting Fabry-Perot resonators (SFPR), having a superconducting nanowire placed at a supercurrent antinode. As the plasma oscillation is excited, the supercurrent is forced to flow through the nanowire. The microwave transmission of the resonator-nanowire device shows a nonlinear resonance behavior, significantly dependent on the amplitude of the supercurrent oscillation. We show that such amplitude-dependent response is due to the nonlinearity of the current-phase relationship (CPR) of the nanowire. The results are explained within a nonlinear oscillator model of the Duffing oscillator, in which the nanowire acts as a purely inductive element, in the limit of low temperatures and low amplitudes. The low quality factor sample exhibits a "crater" at the resonance peak at higher driving power, which is due to dissipation. We observe a hysteretic bifurcation behavior of the transmission response to frequency sweep in a sample with a higher quality factor. The Duffing model is used to explain the Duffing bistability diagram. We also propose a concept of a nanowire-based qubit that relies on the current dependence of the kinetic inductance of a superconducting nanowire.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Current-phase Relationship, Thermal and Quantum Phase Slips in Superconducting Nanowires made on Scaffold Created using Adhesive Tape

Quantum phase slippage (QPS) in a superconducting nanowire is a new candidate for developing a quantum bit. It has also been theoretically predicted that the occurrence of QPS significantly changes the current-phase relationship (CPR) of the wire due to the tunneling between topologically different metastable states. We present studies on the microwave response of the superconducting nanowires to reveal their CPRs. First, we demonstrate a simple nanowire fabrication technique, based on commercially available adhesive tapes, which allows making thin superconducting wire from different metals. We compare the resistance vs. temperature curves of Mo$_{76}$Ge$_{24}$ and Al nanowires to the classical and quantum models of phase slips. In order to describe the experimentally observed microwave responses of these nanowires, we use the McCumber-Stewart model, which is generalized to include either classical or quantum CPR.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Stochastic dynamics of phase-slip trains and superconductive-resistive switching in current-biased nanowires

Superconducting nanowires fabricated via carbon-nanotube-templating can be used to realize and study quasi-one-dimensional superconductors. However, measurement of the linear resistance of these nanowires have been inconclusive in determining the low-temperature behavior of phase-slip fluctuations, both quantal and thermal. Thus, we are motivated to study the nonlinear current-voltage characteristics in current-biased nanowires and the stochastic dynamics of superconductive-resistive switching, as a way of probing phase-slip events. In particular, we address the question: Can a single phase-slip event occurring somewhere along the wire--during which the order-parameter fluctuates to zero--induce switching, via the local heating it causes? We explore this and related issues by constructing a stochastic model for the time-evolution of the temperature in a nanowire whose ends are maintained at a fixed temperature. We derive the corresponding master equation as tool for evaluating and analyzing the mean switching time at a given value of current. The model indicates that although, in general, several phase-slip events are necessary to induce switching via a thermal runaway, there is indeed a regime of temperatures and currents in which a single event is sufficient. We carry out a detailed comparison of the results of the model with experimental measurements of the distribution of switching currents, and provide an explanation for the counter-intuitive broadening of the distribution width that is observed upon lowering the temperature. Moreover, we identify a regime in which the experiments are probing individual phase-slip events, and thus offer a way for exploring the physics of nanoscale quantum tunneling of the superconducting order parameter.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Fractional Order Shapiro Steps in Superconducting Nanowires

We expose superconducting nanowires to microwave radiation in order to study phase lock-in effects in quasi one dimensional superconductors. For sufficiently high microwave powers a resistive branch with Shapiro steps appears in the voltage-current characteristics. At frequencies in the range of 0.9-4 GHz these steps are of integer order only. At higher frequencies steps of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and even 1/6 order appear. We numerically model this behavior using a multi-valued current-phase relationship (CPR) for nanowires.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Probing individual topological tunnelling events of a quantum field via their macroscopic consequences

Phase slips are topological fluctuation events that carry the superconducting order-parameter field between distinct current carrying states. Owing to these phase slips low-dimensional superconductors acquire electrical resistance. In quasi-one-dimensional nanowires it is well known that at higher temperatures phase slips occur via the process of thermal barrier-crossing by the order-parameter field. At low temperatures, the general expectation is that phase slips should proceed via quantum tunnelling events, which are known as quantum phase slips (QPS). Here we report strong evidence for individual quantum tunnelling events undergone by the superconducting order-parameter field in homogeneous nanowires.We accomplish this via measurements of the distribution of switching currents-the high-bias currents at which superconductivity gives way to resistive behaviour-whose width exhibits a rather counter-intuitive, monotonic increase with decreasing temperature. We outline a stochastic model of phase slip kinetics which relates the basic phase slip rates to switching rates. Comparison with this model indicates that the phase predominantly slips via thermal activation at high temperatures but at sufficiently low temperatures switching is caused by individual topological tunnelling events of the order-parameter field, i.e., QPS. Importantly, measurements on several wires show that quantum fluctuations tend to dominate over thermal fluctuations at larger temperatures in wires having larger critical currents. This fact provides strong supports the view that the anomalously high switching rates observed at low temperatures are indeed due to QPS, and not consequences of extraneous noise or hidden inhomogeneity of the wire.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Local superfluid densities probed via current-induced superconducting phase gradients

We have developed a superconducting phase gradiometer consisting of two parallel DNA-templated nanowires connecting two thin-film leads. We have ramped the cross current flowing perpendicular to the nanowires, and observed oscillations in the lead-to-lead resistance due to cross-current-induced phase differences. By using this gradiometer we have measured the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the superfluid density and observed an amplification of phase gradients caused by elastic vortex displacements. We examine our data in light of Miller-Bardeen theory of dirty superconductors and a microscale version of Campbell's model of field penetration.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2005

Enhancing superconductivity: Magnetic impurities and their quenching by magnetic fields

Magnetic fields and magnetic impurities are each known to suppress superconductivity. However, as the field quenches (i.e. polarizes) the impurities, rich consequences, including field-enhanced superconductivity, can emerge when both effects are present. For the case of superconducting wires and thin films, this field-spin interplay is investigated via the Eilenberger-Usadel scheme. Non-monotonic dependence of the critical current on the field (and therefore field-enhanced superconductivity) is found to be possible, even in parameter regimes in which the critical temperature decreases monotonically with increasing field. The present work complements that of Kharitonov and Feigel'man, which predicts non-monotonic behavior of the critical temperature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2005

Operation of a superconducting nanowire quantum interference device with mesoscopic leads

A theory describing the operation of a superconducting nanowire quantum interference device (NQUID) is presented. The device consists of a pair of thin-film superconducting leads connected by a pair of topologically parallel ultra-narrow superconducting wires. It exhibits intrinsic electrical resistance, due to thermally-activated dissipative fluctuations of the superconducting order parameter. Attention is given to the dependence of this resistance on the strength of an externally applied magnetic field aligned perpendicular to the leads, for lead dimensions such that there is essentially complete and uniform penetration of the leads by the magnetic field. This regime, in which at least one of the lead dimensions lies between the superconducting coherence and penetration lengths, is referred to as the mesoscopic regime. The magnetic field causes a pronounced oscillation of the device resistance, with a period not dominated by the Aharonov-Bohm effect through the area enclosed by the wires and the film edges but, rather, in terms of the geometry of the leads, in contrast to the well-known Little-Parks resistance of thin-walled superconducting cylinders. A theory, encompassing this phenomenology, is developed through extensions, to the setting of parallel superconducting wires, of the Ivanchenko-Zil'berman-Ambegaokar-Halperin theory for the case of short wires and the Langer-Ambegaokar-McCumber-Halperin theory for the case of longer wires. It is demonstrated that the NQUID acts as a probe of spatial variations in the superconducting order parameter.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2005

Quasi-ballistic electron transport in as-produced and annealed multiwall carbon nanotubes

The electronic properties of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have attracted much attention because they could lead to nano-sized electronic devices. Using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), MWNTs are produced in large quantities at a low cost. CVD-produced MWNTs, however, generally contain a considerable amount of structural defects due to their low temperature synthesis. Since these defects act as scattering centers in electron transport and thus limit the electronic mean free path (EMFP), high-temperature annealing should lengthen the EMFP. This is based on the previous experiments in which annealing eliminated structural defects in various carbon materials including nanotubes. In this study, we investigate how high-temperature annealing affects the transport properties, especially EMFP, of CVD-grown MWNTs. To measure the EMFP of a nanotube, we submerged samples into liquid mercury (Hg) and measured the variation in conductance. We found that the EMFP is much longer in nanotubes annealed at 2700oC compared with that of as-produced ones. The annealed nanotubes show quasi-ballistic electronic transport with the EMFP reaching a few microns, even at room temperature.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2004

Quasi-ballistic electron transport in double-wall carbon nanotubes

Room-temperature quasi-ballistic electron transport in double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWNT) is demonstrated. Conductance dependence on the length was measured by submerging DWNTs into liquid mercury. The conductance plots show plateaus, indicating weak dependence of the electrode-tube-electrode electrical resistance on the length of the connecting nanotube. We infer a mean free path between 0.6 and 10 micron meters for around 80% of the DWNTs, which is in good agreement with calculations based on the electron scattering by acoustic phonons and by disorder.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2003

Superconducting properties of polycrystalline Nb nanowires templated by carbon nanotubes

Continuous Nb wires, 7-15 nm in diameter, have been fabricated by sputter-coating single fluorinated carbon nanotubes. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the wires are polycrystalline, having grain sizes of about 5 nm. The critical current of wires thicker than ~12 nm is very high (10^7 A/cm^2) and comparable to the expected depairing current. The resistance versus temperature curves measured down to 0.3 K are well described by the Langer-Ambegaokar-McCumber-Halperin (LAMH) theory of thermally activated phase slips. Quantum phase slips are suppressed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗