arXiv subjects

Gerd Schön

Publications and source records attributed to Gerd Schön.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Superconductor-insulator transition in nanowires and nanowire arrays

Superconducting nanowires are the dual elements to Josephson junctions, with quantum phase-slip processes replacing the tunneling of Cooper pairs. When the quantum phase-slip amplitude ES is much smaller than the inductive energy EL, the nanowire responds as a superconducting inductor. When the inductive energy is small, the response is capacitive. The crossover at low temperatures as a function of ES/EL is discussed and compared with earlier experimental results. For one-dimensional and two-dimensional arrays of nanowires quantum phase transitions are expected as a function of ES/EL. They can be tuned by a homogeneous magnetic frustration.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Majorana fermions from Shiba states in an antiferromagnetic chain on top of a superconductor

We propose a new mechanism for topological superconductivity based on an antiferromagnetically ordered chain of magnetic atoms on the surface of a conventional superconductor. In a weak Zeeman field, a supercurrent in the substrate generates a staggered spin-current, which converts the preexisting topologically-unprotected Shiba states into Majorana fermions (MFs). The two experimental knobs can be finely tuned providing a platform with enhanced functionality for applications. Remarkably, the electronic spin-polarization of the arising edge MF wavefunctions depends solely on the parity of the number of magnetic moments, which can serve as a distinctive signature of the MFs. We introduce the basic concepts within a minimal model and make contact with experiments by a microscopic analysis based on the Shiba states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Flux $1/f^α$ noise in 2D Heisenberg spin glasses: effects of weak anisotropic interactions

We study the dynamics of a two-dimensional ensemble of randomly distributed classical Heisenberg spins with isotropic RKKY and weaker anisotropic dipole-dipole couplings. Such ensembles may give rise to the flux noise observed in SQUIDs with a $1/f^α$ power spectrum ($α\lesssim 1$). We solve numerically the Landau-Lifshiftz-Gilbert equations of motion in the dissipationless limit. We find that Ising type fluctuators, which arise from spin clustering close to a spin-glass critical behavior with $T_c =0$, give rise to $1/f^α$ noise. Even weak anisotropic interactions lead to a crossover from the Heisenberg-type criticality to the much stronger Ising-type criticality. The temperature dependent exponent $α(T) \lesssim 1$ grows and approaches unity when the temperature is lowered. This mechanism acts in parallel to the spin diffusion mechanism. Whereas the latter is sensitive to the device geometry, the spin-clustering mechanism is largely geometry independent.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Nonequilibrium Spin Noise and Noise of Susceptibility

We analyze out-of-equilibrium fluctuations in a driven spin system and relate them to the noise of spin susceptibility. In the spirit of the linear response theory we further relate the noise of susceptibility to a $4$-spin correlation function in equilibrium. We show that, in contrast to the second noise (noise of noise), the noise of susceptibility is a direct measure of non-Gaussian fluctuations in the system. We develop a general framework for calculating the noise of susceptibility using the Majorana representation of spin-1/2 operators. We illustrate our approach by a simple example of non-interacting spins coupled to a dissipative (Ohmic) bath.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Electroluminescence and multi-photon effects in a resonator driven by a tunnel junction

We consider a transmission line resonator which is driven by electrons tunneling through a voltage-biased tunnel junction. Using the Born-Markovian quantum master equation in the polaron basis we investigate the nonequilibrium photon state and emission spectrum of the resonator as well as properties of the transport current across the tunnel junction and its noise spectrum. The electroluminescence is optimized, with maximum peak height and narrow linewidth, when the back-action of the tunnel junction on the resonator and the decay rate of the resonator are similar in strength. For strong coupling between the resonator and tunnel junction, multi-photon effects show up in the noise spectrum of the transport current.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Tunneling and Relaxation of Single Quasiparticles in a Normal-Superconductor-Normal Single Electron Transistor

We investigate the properties of a hybrid single electron transistor, involving a small superconducting island sandwiched between normal metal leads, which is driven by dc plus ac voltages. In order to describe its properties we derive from the microscopic theory a set of coupled equations. They consist of a master equation for the probability to find excess charges on the island, with rates depending on the distribution of non-equilibrium quasiparticles. Their dynamics follows from a kinetic equation which accounts for the excitation by single-electron tunneling as well as the relaxation and eventual recombination due to the interaction with phonons. Our low-temperature results compare well with recent experimental findings obtained for ac-driven hybrid single-electron turnstiles.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Phase Space Crystals: A New Way to Create a Quasienergy Band Structure

A novel way to create a band structure of the quasienergy spectrum for driven systems is proposed based on the discrete symmetry in phase space. The system, e.g., an ion or ultracold atom trapped in a potential, shows no spatial periodicity, but it is driven by a time-dependent field coupling highly nonlinearly to one of its degrees of freedom (e.g., ~ q^n). The band structure in quasienergy arises as a consequence of the n-fold discrete periodicity in phase space induced by this driving field. We propose an explicit model to realize such a phase space crystal and analyze its band structure in the frame of a tight-binding approximation. The phase space crystal opens new ways to engineer energy band structures, with the added advantage that its properties can be changed in situ by tuning the driving field's parameters.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2013

Influence of vibrations on electron transport through nanoscale contacts

In this article we present a novel semi-analytical approach to calculate first-order electron-vibration coupling constants within the framework of density functional theory. It combines analytical expressions for the first-order derivative of the Kohn-Sham operator with respect to nuclear displacements with coupled-perturbed Kohn-Sham theory to determine the derivative of the electronic density matrix. This allows us to efficiently compute accurate electron-vibration coupling constants. We apply our approach to describe inelastic electron tunneling spectra of metallic and molecular junctions. A gold junction bridged by an atomic chain is used to validate the developed method, reproducing established experimental and theoretical results. For octane-dithiol and octane-diamine single-molecule junctions we discuss the influence of the anchoring group and mechanical stretching on the inelastic electron tunneling spectra.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Lasing and transport in a coupled quantum dot-resonator system

We investigate a double quantum dot coupled to a transmission line resonator. By driving a current through the double dot, a population inversion between the dot levels can be created, and a lasing state of the radiation field is generated within a sharp resonance window. The transport current correlates with the lasing state. The sharp resonance condition allows for resolving small differences in the dot properties. Dissipative processes in the quantum dots and their effect on the lasing and transport behavior are investigated.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Implementation of a Quantum Metamaterial

Manipulating the propagation of electromagnetic waves through sub-wavelength sized artificial structures is the core function of metamaterials. Resonant structures, such as split ring resonators, play the role of artificial "atoms" and shape the magnetic response. Superconducting metamaterials moved into the spotlight for their very low ohmic losses and the possibility to tune their resonance frequency by exploiting the Josephson inductance. Moreover, the nonlinear nature of the Josephson inductance enables the fabrication of truly artificial atoms. Arrays of such superconducting quantum two-level systems (qubits) can be used for the implementation of a quantum metamaterial. Here, we perform an experiment in which 20 superconducting flux qubits are embedded into a single microwave resonator. The phase of the signal transmitted through the resonator reveals the collective resonant coupling of up to 8 qubits. Quantum circuits of many artificial atoms based on this proof-of-principle experiment offer a wide range of prospects, from detecting single microwave photons to phase switching, quantum birefringence and superradiant phase transitions.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Noise spectrum of a quantum dot-resonator lasing circuit

Single-electron tunneling processes through a double quantum dot can induce a lasing state in an electromagnetic resonator which is coupled coherently to the dot system. Here we study the noise properties of the transport current in the lasing regime, i.e., both the zero-frequency shot noise as well as the noise spectrum. The former shows a remarkable super-Poissonian behavior when the system approaches the lasing transition, but sub-Poissonian behavior deep in the lasing state. The noise spectrum contains information about the coherent dynamics of the coupled dot-resonator system. It shows pronounced structure at a frequency matching that of the resonator due to the excitation of photons. For strong interdot Coulomb interaction we find asymmetries in the auto-correlation noise spectra of the left and right junctions, which we trace back to asymmetries in the incoherent tunneling channels.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Engineering and manipulating topological qubits in 1D quantum wires

We investigate the Josephson effect in TNT and NTN junctions, consisting of topological (T) and normal (N) phases of semiconductor-superconductor 1D heterostructures in the presence of a Zeeman field. A key feature of our setup is that, in addition to the variation of the phase of the superconducting order parameter, we allow the orientation of the magnetic field to change along the junction. We find a novel magnetic contribution to the Majorana Josephson coupling that permits the Josephson current to be tuned by changing the orientation of the magnetic field along the junction. We also predict that a spin current can be generated by a finite superconducting phase difference, rendering these materials potential candidates for spintronic applications. Finally, this new type of coupling not only constitutes a unique fingerprint for the existence of Majorana bound states but also provides an alternative pathway for manipulating and braiding topological qubits in networks of wires.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Strong coupling of spin qubits to a transmission line resonator

We propose a mechanism for coupling spin qubits formed in double quantum dots to a superconducting transmission line resonator. Coupling the resonator to the gate controlling the interdot tunneling creates a strong spin qubit--resonator interaction with strength of tens of MHz. This mechanism allows operating the system at a point of degeneracy where dephasing is minimized. The transmission line can serve as a shuttle allowing for two-qubit operations, including fast generation of qubit-qubit entanglement and the implementation of a controlled-phase gate.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Influence of two-level fluctuators on adiabatic passage techniques

We study the process of Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP) under the influence of a non-trivial solid-state environment, particularly the effect of two-level fluctuators (TLFs) as they are frequently present in solid-state devices. When the amplitudes of the driving-pulses used in STIRAP are in resonance with the level spacing of the fluctuators the quality of the protocol, i.e., the transferred population decreases sharply. In general the effect can not be reduced by speeding up the STIRAP process. We also discuss the effect of a structured noise environment on the process of Coherent Tunneling by Adiabatic Passage (CTAP). The effect of a weakly structured environment or TLFs with short coherence times on STIRAP and CTAP can be described by the Bloch-Redfield theory. For a strongly structured environment a higher-dimensional approach must be used, where the TLFs are treated as part of the system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Emission spectrum of the driven nonlinear oscillator

Motivated by recent "circuit QED" experiments we investigate the noise properties of coherently driven nonlinear resonators. By using Josephson junctions in superconducting circuits, strong nonlinearities can be engineered, which lead to the appearance of pronounced effects already for a low number of photons in the resonator. Based on a master equation approach we determine the emission spectrum and observe for typical circuit QED parameters, in addition to the primary Raman-type peaks, second-order peaks. These peaks describe higher harmonics in the slow noise-induced fluctuations of the oscillation amplitude of the resonator and provide a clear signature of the nonlinear nature of the system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Pure dephasing in flux qubits due to flux noise with spectral density scaling as $1/ f^α$

For many types of superconducting qubits, magnetic flux noise is a source of pure dephasing. Measurements on a representative dc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) over a range of temperatures show that $S_Φ(f) = A^2/(f/1 \hbox{Hz})^α$, where $S_Φ$ is the flux noise spectral density, $A$ is of the order of 1 $μΦ_0 \, \hbox{Hz}^{-1/2}$ and $0.61 \leq α\leq 0.95$; $Φ_{0}$ is the flux quantum. For a qubit with an energy level splitting linearly coupled to the applied flux, calculations of the dependence of the pure dephasing time $τ_ϕ$ of Ramsey and echo pulse sequences on $α$ for fixed $A$ show that $τ_ϕ$ decreases rapidly as $α$ is reduced. We find that $τ_ϕ$ is relatively insensitive to the noise bandwidth, $f_1 \leq f \leq f_2$, for all $α$ provided the ultraviolet cutoff frequency $f_2 > 1/τ_ϕ$. We calculate the ratio $τ_{ϕ,E} / τ_{ϕ,R}$ of the echo ($E$) and Ramsey ($R$) sequences, and the dependence of the decay function on $α$ and $f_2$. We investigate the case in which $S_Φ(f_0)$ is fixed at the "pivot frequency" $f_0 \neq 1$ Hz while $α$ is varied, and find that the choice of $f_0$ can greatly influence the sensitivity of $τ_{ϕ,E}$ and $τ_{ϕ,R}$ to the value of $α$. Finally, we present calculated values of $τ_ϕ$ in a qubit corresponding to the values of $A$ and $α$ measured in our SQUID.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Dual-probe decoherence microscopy: Probing pockets of coherence in a decohering environment

We study the use of a pair of qubits as a decoherence probe of a non-trivial environment. This dual-probe configuration is modelled by three two-level-systems which are coupled in a chain in which the middle system represents an environmental two-level-system (TLS). This TLS resides within the environment of the qubits and therefore its coupling to perturbing fluctuations (i.e. its decoherence) is assumed much stronger than the decoherence acting on the probe qubits. We study the evolution of such a tripartite system including the appearance of a decoherence-free state (dark state) and non-Markovian behaviour. We find that all parameters of this TLS can be obtained from measurements of one of the probe qubits. Furthermore we show the advantages of two qubits in probing environments and the new dynamics imposed by a TLS which couples to two qubits at once.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Work fluctuation theorem for a classical circuit coupled to a quantum conductor

We propose a setup for a quantitative test of the quantum fluctuation theorem. It consists of a quantum conductor, driven by an external voltage source, and a classical inductor-capacitor circuit. The work done on the system by the voltage source can be expressed by the classical degrees of freedom of the LC circuit, which are measurable by conventional techniques. In this way the circuit acts as a classical detector to perform measurements of the quantum conductor. We prove that this definition is consistent with the work fluctuation theorem. The system under consideration is effectively described by a Langevin equation with non-Gaussian white noise. Our analysis extends the proof of the fluctuation theorem to this situation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗