arXiv subjects

F. W. J. Hekking

Publications and source records attributed to F. W. J. Hekking.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Brownian refrigeration by hybrid tunnel junctions

Voltage fluctuations generated in a hot resistor can cause extraction of heat from a colder normal metal electrode of a hybrid tunnel junction between a normal metal and a superconductor. We extend the analysis presented in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 210604 (2007)] of this heat rectifying system, bearing resemblance to a Maxwell's demon. Explicit analytic calculations show that the entropy of the total system is always increasing. We then consider a single electron transistor configuration with two hybrid junctions in series, and show how the cooling is influenced by charging effects. We analyze also the cooling effect from nonequilibrium fluctuations instead of thermal noise, focusing on the shot noise generated in another tunnel junction. We conclude by discussing limitations for an experimental observation of the effect.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Circuit approach to photonic heat transport

We discuss the heat transfer by photons between two metals coupled by a linear element with a reactive impedance. Using a simple circuit approach, we calculate the spectral power transmitted from one resistor to the other and find that it is determined by the photon transmission coefficient, which depends on the impedances of the metals and the coupling element. We study the total photonic power flow for different coupling impedances, both in the linear regime, where the temperature difference between the metals is small, and in the non-linear regime of large temperature differences.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Quantum dynamics of a driven three-level Josephson-atom maser

Recently, a lasing effect has been observed in a superconducting nano-circuit where a Cooper pair box, acting as an artificial three-level atom, was coupled to a resonator. Motivated by this experiment, we analyze the quantum dynamics of a three-level atom coupled to a quantum-mechanical resonator in the presence of a driving on the cavity within the framework of the Lindblad master equation. As a result, we have access to the dynamics of the atomic level populations and the photon number in the cavity as well as to the output spectrum. The results of our quantum approach agree with the experimental findings. The presence of a fluctuator in the circuit is also analyzed. Finally, we compare our results with those obtained within a semiclassical approximation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Quantum dynamics of a dc-SQUID coupled to an asymmetric Cooper pair transistor

We present a theoretical analysis of the quantum dynamics of a superconducting circuit based on a highly asymmetric Cooper pair transistor (ACPT) in parallel to a dc-SQUID. Starting from the full Hamiltonian we show that the circuit can be modeled as a charge qubit (ACPT) coupled to an anharmonic oscillator (dc-SQUID). Depending on the anharmonicity of the SQUID, the Hamiltonian can be reduced either to one that describes two coupled qubits or to the Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian. Here the dc-SQUID can be viewed as a tunable micron-size resonator. The coupling term, which is a combination of a capacitive and a Josephson coupling between the two qubits, can be tuned from the very strong- to the zero-coupling regimes. It describes very precisely the tunable coupling strength measured in this circuit and explains the 'quantronium' as well as the adiabatic quantum transfer read-out.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Noise in Bose Josephson junctions: Decoherence and phase relaxation

Squeezed states and macroscopic superpositions of coherent states have been predicted to be generated dynamically in Bose Josephson junctions. We solve exactly the quantum dynamics of such a junction in the presence of a classical noise coupled to the population-imbalance number operator (phase noise), accounting for, for example, the experimentally relevant fluctuations of the magnetic field. We calculate the correction to the decay of the visibility induced by the noise in the non-Markovian regime. Furthermore, we predict that such a noise induces an anomalous rate of decoherence among the components of the macroscopic superpositions, which is independent of the total number of atoms, leading to potential interferometric applications.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

Dissipative current in SIFS Josephson junctions

We investigate superconductor/insulator/ferromagnet/superconductor (SIFS) tunnel Josephson junctions in the dirty limit, using the quasiclassical theory. We consider the case of a strong tunnel barrier such that the left S layer and the right FS bilayer are decoupled. We calculate quantitatively the density of states (DOS) in the FS bilayer for arbitrary length of the ferromagnetic layer, using a self-consistent numerical method. We compare these results with a known analytical DOS approximation, which is valid when the ferromagnetic layer is long enough. Finally we calculate quantitatively the current-voltage characteristics of a SIFS junction.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Electron cooling by diffusive normal metal - superconductor tunnel junctions

We investigate heat and charge transport in NN'IS tunnel junctions in the diffusive limit. Here N and S are massive normal and superconducting electrodes (reservoirs), N' is a normal metal strip, and I is an insulator. The flow of electric current in such structures at subgap bias is accompanied by heat transfer from the normal metal into the superconductor, which enables refrigeration of electrons in the normal metal. We show that the two-particle current due to Andreev reflection generates Joule heating, which is deposited in the N electrode and dominates over the single-particle cooling at low enough temperatures. This results in the existence of a limiting temperature for refrigeration. We consider different geometries of the contact: one-dimensional and planar, which is commonly used in the experiments. We also discuss the applicability of our results to a double-barrier SINIS microcooler.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Phase-charge duality in Josephson junction circuits: Role of inertia and effect of microwave irradiation

We investigate the physics of coherent quantum phase slips in two distinct circuits containing small Josephson junctions: (i) a single junction embedded in an inductive environment and (ii) a long chain of junctions. Starting from the standard Josephson Hamiltonian, the single junction circuit can be analyzed using quasi-classical methods; we formulate the conditions under which the resulting quasi-charge dynamics is exactly dual to the usual phase dynamics associated with Josephson tunneling. For the chain we use the fact that its collective behavior can be characterized by one variable: the number $m$ of quantum phase slips present on it. We conclude that the dynamics of the conjugate quasi-charge is again exactly dual to the standard phase dynamics of a single Josephson junction. In both cases we elucidate the role of the inductance, essential to obtain exact duality. These conclusions have profound consequences for the behavior of single junctions and chains under microwave irradiation. Since both systems are governed by a model exactly dual to the standard resistively and capacitively shunted junction model, we expect the appearance of current-Shapiro steps. We numerically calculate the corresponding current-voltage characteristics in a wide range of parameters. Our results are of interest in view of a metrological current standard.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Generalized harmonic-fluid approach for the off-diagonal correlations of a one-dimensional interacting Bose gas

We develop a generalized harmonic-fluid approach, based on a regularization of the effective low-energy Luttinger-liquid Hamiltonian, for a one-dimensional Bose gas with repulsive contact interactions. The method enables us to compute the complete series corresponding to the large-distance, off-diagonal behavior of the one-body density matrix for any value of the Luttinger parameter K. We compare our results with the exact ones known in the Tonks-Girardeau limit of infinitely large interactions (corresponding to K=1) and, different from the usual harmonic-fluid approach, we recover the full structure of the series. The structure is conserved for arbitrary values of the interaction strength, with power laws fixed by the universal parameter K and a sequence of subleading corrections.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2009

Optimal Control of Superconducting N-level quantum systems

We consider a current-biased dc SQUID in the presence of an applied time-dependent bias current or magnetic flux. The phase dynamics of such a Josephson device is equivalent to that of a quantum particle trapped in a $1-$D anharmonic potential, subject to external time-dependent control fields, {\it i.e.} a driven multilevel quantum system. The problem of finding the required time-dependent control field that will steer the system from a given initial state to a desired final state at a specified final time is formulated in the framework of optimal control theory. Using the spectral filter technique, we show that the selected optimal field which induces a coherent population transfer between quantum states is represented by a carrier signal having a constant frequency but which is time-varied both in amplitude and phase. The sensitivity of the optimal solution to parameter perturbations is also addressed.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Quantum fluctuations of a Bose-Josephson junction in a quasi-one-dimensional ring trap

Using a Luttinger-liquid approach we study the quantum fluctuations of a Bose-Josephson junction, consisting of a Bose gas confined to a quasi one-dimensional ring trap which contains a localized repulsive potential barrier. For an infinite barrier we study the one-particle and two-particle static correlation functions. For the one-body density-matrix we obtain different power-law decays depending on the location of the probe points with respect to the position of the barrier. This quasi-long range order can be experimentally probed in principle using an interference measurement. The corresponding momentum distribution at small momenta is also shown to be affected by the presence of the barrier and to display the universal power-law behavior expected for an interacting 1D fluid. We also evaluate the particle density profile, and by comparing with the exact results in the Tonks-Girardeau limit we fix the nonuniversal parameters of the Luttinger-liquid theory. Once the parameters are determined from one-body properties, we evaluate the density-density correlation function, finding a remarkable agreement between the Luttinger liquid predictions and the exact result in the Tonks-Girardeau limit, even at the length scale of the Friedel-like oscillations which characterize the behavior of the density-density correlation function at intermediate distance. Finally, for a large but finite barrier we use the one-body correlation function to estimate the effect of quantum fluctuations on the renormalization of the barrier height, finding a reduction of the effective Josephson coupling energy, which depends on the length of the ring and on the interaction strength.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Competition between electronic cooling and Andreev dissipation in a superconducting micro-cooler

We discuss very low temperature experiments on superconducting micro-coolers made of a double Normal metal - Insulator - Superconductor junction. We investigate with a high resolution the differential conductance of the micro-cooler as well as of additional probe junctions. There is an explicit crossover between the single quasi-particle current and the phase-coherent Andreev current. We establish a thermal model by considering the thermal contribution due to the Andreev current. The related increase of the electron temperature is discussed, including the influence of several parameters like the phase-coherence length or the tunnel junction transparency.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Quantum stirring as a sensitive probe of 1D superfluidity

We propose quantum stirring with a laser beam as a probe of superfluid behavior for a strongly interacting one-dimensional Bose gas confined to a ring. Within the Luttinger liquid theory framework, we calculate the fraction of stirred particles per period as a function of the stirring velocity, the interaction strength and the coupling between the stirring beam and the bosons. The fraction of stirred particles allows to probe superfluidity of the system. We find that it crosses over at a critical velocity, lower than the sound one, from a characteristic power law at high velocities to a constant at low velocities. Some experimental issues on quantum stirring in ring-trapped condensates are discussed.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Nonequilibrium electron cooling by NIS tunnel junctions

We discuss the theoretical framework to describe quasiparticle electric and heat currents in NIS tunnel junctions in the dirty limit. The approach is based on quasiclassical Keldysh-Usadel equations. We apply this theory to diffusive NIS'S tunnel junctions. Here N and S are respectively normal metal and superconductor reservoirs, I is an insulator layer and S' is a nonequilibrium superconducting lead. We calculate the quasiparticle electric and heat currents in such structures and consider the effect of inelastic relaxation in the S' lead. We find that in the absence of strong relaxation the electric current and the cooling power for voltages $eV < Δ$ are suppressed. The value of this suppression scales with the diffusive transparency parameter. We ascribe this suppression to the effect of backtunneling of nonequilibrium quasiparticles into the normal metal.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Quantum dynamics in a camel-back potential of a dc SQUID

We investigate the quantum dynamics of a quadratic-quartic anharmonic oscillator formed by a potential well between two potential barriers. We realize this novel potential shape with a superconducting circuit comprised of a loop interrupted by two Josephson junctions, with near-zero current bias and flux bias near half a flux quantum. We investigate escape out of the central well, which can occur via tunneling through either of the two barriers, and find good agreement with a generalized double-path macroscopic quantum tunneling theory. We also demonstrate that this system exhibits an "optimal line" in current and flux bias space along which the oscillator, which can be operated as a phase qubit, is insensitive to decoherence due to low-frequency current fluctuations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Quantum charge diffusion in underdamped Josephson junctions and superconducting nanowires

The effect of quantum fluctuations on the current-voltage characteristics of Josephson junctions and superconducting nanowires is studied in the underdamped limit. Quantum fluctuations induce transitions between a Coulomb--blockade and a supercurrent branch, and can significantly modify the shape of current-voltage characteristics in the case of a highly resistive environment. Owing to the phase-charge duality, our results can be directly extended to the opposite overdamped limit.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2008

Andreev Current-Induced Dissipation in a Hybrid Superconducting Tunnel Junction

We have studied hybrid superconducting micro-coolers made of a double Superconductor-Insulator-Normal metal tunnel junction. Under subgap conditions, the Andreev current is found to dominate the single-particle tunnel current. We show that the Andreev current introduces additional dissipation in the normal metal equivalent to Joule heating. By analyzing quantitatively the heat balance in the system, we provide a full description of the evolution of the electronic temperature with the voltage. The dissipation induced by the Andreev current is found to dominate the quasiparticle tunneling-based cooling over a large bias range.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Non-abelian superconducting pumps

Cooper pair pumping is a coherent process. We derive a general expression for the adiabatic pumped charge in superconducting nanocircuits in the presence of level degeneracy and relate it to non-Abelian holonomies of Wilczek and Zee. We discuss an experimental system where the non-Abelian structure of the adiabatic evolution manifests in the pumped charge.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗