arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D. V. Averin.
The concept of quantum nondemolition (QND) measurement is extended to coherent oscillations in an individual two-state system. Such a measurement enables direct observation of intrinsic spectrum of these oscillations avoiding the detector-induced dephasing that affects the standard (non-QND) measurements. The suggested scheme can be realized in Josephson-junction qubits which combine flux and charge dynamics.
We propose an approach that enables implementation of anyonic quantum computation in systems of antidots in the two-dimensional electron liquid in the FQHE regime. The approach is based on the adiabatic transfer of FQHE quasiparticles in the antidot systems, and uses their fractional statistics to perform quantum logic. Advantages of our scheme over other semiconductor-based proposals of quantum computation include the energy gap in the FQHE liquid that suppresses decoherence, and the topological nature of quasiparticle statistics that makes it possible to entangle two quasiparticles without their direct dynamic interaction.
We suggest a system in which the amplitude of macroscopic flux tunneling can be modulated via the Aharonov-Casher effect. The system is an rf-SQUID with the Josephson junction replaced by a Bloch transistor -- two junctions separated by a small superconducting island on which the charge can be induced by an external gate voltage. When the Josephson coupling energies of the junctions are equal and the induced charge is q=e, destructive interference between tunneling paths brings the flux tunneling rate to zero. The device may also be useful as a qubit for quantum computation.
Zero-frequency spectral densities of current noise, charge noise, and their cross-correlation are calculated for the SET transistor in the co-tunneling regime. The current noise has a form expected for the uncorrelated co-tunneling events. Charge noise is created by the co-tunneling and also by the second-order transitions in a single junction. Calculated spectral densities determine transistor characteristics as quantum detector.
We report the observation of the universal distribution of transparencies, predicted by Schep and Bauer [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 78}, 3015 (1997)] for dirty sharp interfaces, in uniform Nb/AlO$_x$/Nb junctions with high specific conductance ($10^8$ Ohm$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$). Experiments used the BCS density of states in superconducting niobium for transparency distribution probing. Experimental results for both the dc $I-V$ curves at magnetic-field-suppressed supercurrent and the Josephson critical current in zero magnetic field coincide remarkably well with calculations based on the multimode theory of multiple Andreev reflections and the Schep-Bauer distribution.
Recent experimental demonstrations of quantum coherence of the charge and flux states of Josephson junctions show that the quantum Josephson dynamics can be used to develop scalable quantum logic circuits. In this work, I review the basic concepts of Josephson tunneling and Josephson-junction qubits, and discuss two problems of this tunneling motivated by quantum computing applications. One is the theory of photon-assisted resonant flux tunneling in SQUID systems used to demonstrate quantum coherence of flux. Another is the problem of quantum measurement of charge with the SET electrometer. It is shown that the SET electrometer at the Coulomb blockade threshold is the quantum-limited detector with energy sensitivity reaching $\hbar/\sqrt{3}$ in the resonant-tunneling regime.
We have developed a quantitative theory of resonant tunneling of magnetic flux between discrete macroscopically distinct quantum states in SQUID systems. The theory is based on the standard density-matrix approach. Its new elements include the discussion of the two different relaxation mechanisms that exist for the double-well potential, and description of the ``photon-assisted'' tunneling driven by external rf radiation. It is shown that in the case of coherent flux dynamics, rf radiation should lead to splitting of the peaks of resonant flux tunneling, indicating that the resonant tunneling is a convenient tool for studying macroscopic quantum coherence of flux.
The problem of continuous quantum measurement of coherent oscillations in an individual quantum two-state system is studied for a generic model of the measuring device. It is shown that for a symmetric detector, the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement, defined as the ratio of the amplitude of the oscillation line in the output spectrum to background noise, is independent of the coupling strength between oscillations and the detector, and is equal to $(\hbar/ε)^2$, where $ε$ is the detector energy sensitivity. The fundamental quantum limit of 4 imposed by this result on the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement with an ``ideal'' quantum-limited detector reflects the general tendency of a quantum measurement to localize the system in one of the eigenstates of the measured observable. These results are applied to specific measurements of the quantum oscillations of magnetic flux with a dc SQUID, and oscillations of charge measured with a Cooper-pair electrometer. They are also used to calculate the energy sensitivity of a quantum point contact as detector.
Quasiclassical Green's functions of a short superconductor/normal metal/superconductor (SNS) junction are calculated for multi-mode junction with arbitrary electron transmission properties. They provide the basis for description of all of the junction transport characteristics, and are used to calculate the equilibrium spectral density of supercurrent fluctuations.
We consider the problem of continuous quantum measurement of coherent oscillations between two quantum states of an individual two-state system. It is shown that the interplay between the information acquisition and the backaction dephasing of the oscillations by the detector imposes a fundamental limit, equal to 4, on the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement. The limit is universal, e.g., independent of the coupling strength between the detector and system, and results from the tendency of quantum measurement to localize the system in one of the measured eigenstates.
We have developed a quantitative theory of Cooper pair pumping in gated one-dimensional arrays of Josephson junctions. The pumping accuracy is limited by quantum tunneling of Cooper pairs out of the propagating potential well and by direct supercurrent flow through the array. Both corrections decrease exponentially with the number N of junctions in the array, but give a serious limitation of accuracy for any practical array. The supercurrent at resonant gate voltages decreases with N only as sin(v/N)/N, where v is the Josephson phase difference across the array.
Current noise in superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) junctions is calculated within the scattering theory of multiple Andreev reflections (MAR). It is shown that the noise exhibits subharmonic gap singularities at $eV=2Δ/n$, $n=1,2,... $ both in single-mode junctions with arbitrary transparency $D$ and in multi-mode disordered junctions. The subharmonic structure is superimposed with monotonic increase of the effective transferred charge $q^*=S_I(0)/2I$ with decreasing bias voltage. Other features of the noise include a step-like increase of $q^*$ in junctions with small $D$, and a divergence $S_I(0) \propto V^{-1/2}$ at small voltages and excess noise $S_{ex} = 2eI_{ex}$, where $I_{ex}$ is the excess current, at large voltages, in junctions with diffusive transport.
Amplitude of the Coulomb blockade oscillations is calculated for a single-mode Josephson junction with arbitrary electron transparency $D$. It is shown that the Coulomb blockade is suppressed in ballistic junctions with $D\to 1$. The suppression is described quantitatively as the Landau-Zener transition in imaginary time.
We report measurements of the Coulomb-blockade current in resistively isolated (R_{Isol} >> h/e^{2}) tunnel junctions for the temperature range 60mK $We report measurements of the Coulomb-blockade current in resistively isolated ($R_{Isol}\gg h/e^{2})$ tunnel junctions for the temperature range 60mK < T < 230mK where the charging energy E_{c} is much greater than the thermal energy. A zero-bias resistance R_{0} of up to 10^{4}R_{T} (the tunnel resistance of the bare junction) is obtained. For eV << E_{c}, the I-V curves for a given R_{Isol} scale as a function of V/T, with I \propto V^{α(R_{Isol})} over a range of V. The data agree well with numerical calculations of the tunneling rate that include environmental effects.
Using the 'drift-diffusion-Langevin' equation, we have quantitatively analyzed the effects of electron energy relaxation via their interaction with phonons, generally in presence of electron-electron interaction, on shot noise in diffusive conductors. We have found that the noise power $ S_I(ω)$ (both at low and high observation frequencies $ω$) drops to half of its 'mesoscopic' value only at $β\gtrsim 100,$ where $β$ is the ratio of the sample length $L$ to the energy relaxation length $l_{% {\rm ph}}$ (the latter may be much larger then the dephasing length). It means in particular that at low temperatures the shot noise may be substantial even when $L\sim 10^{-2}$ -- $10^{-1}$ cm, and the conductor is 'macroscopic' in any other respect.
The manuscript presents an overview of recent developments in theory of multiple Andreev reflections in Josephson junctions with arbitrary transparency and arbitrary quasiparticle dispersion in the electrodes.
A theory of non-equilibrium (``shot'') noise and high frequency conductance in diffusive mesoscopic conductors with screening is presented. Detailed results are obtained for two simple geometries, for both large and short electron-electron scattering length $l_{ee}$, at frequencies of the order of the inverse Thouless time $1/τ_T$. The conductance and the noise are found to exhibit significant frequency dependence. For $L \ll l_{ee}$, the high-frequency ($ωτ_T \gg 1$) shot noise spectral density $S_I(ω)$ approaches a finite value between $2eI/3$ and $2eI$, depending on the screening properties of the system, with temperature corrections to $S_I(ω)$ being linear in $T$. However, when $L \gg l_{ee}$, $S_I(ω)$ grows as $ω^{1/4}$ (at T=0), is not upper-bound by $2eI$, and has a temperature-dependent component quadratic in $T$. As a result, measurements of $S_I(ω, T)$ can be utilized as a probe of the strength of electron-electron scattering.
Shot noise in diffusive mesoscopic conductors, at finite observation frequencies $ω$ (comparable to the reciprocal Thouless time $τ_T^{-1}$), is analyzed with an account of screening. At low frequencies, the well-known result $S_I(ω)=2eI/3$ is recovered. This result is valid at arbitrary $ωτ_T$ for wide conductors longer than the screening length. However, at least for two very different systems, namely, wide and short conductors, and thin conductors over a close ground plane, noise approaches a different fundamental level, $S_I(ω) = eI$, at $ωτ_T\gg 1$.