Theory of Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling in High-T_c c-Axis Josephson Junctions

Abstract

We study macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) in c-axis twist Josephson junctions made of high-T_c superconductors in order to clarify the influence of the anisotropic order parameter symmetry (OPS) on MQT. The dependence of the MQT rate on the twist angle $\gamma$ about the c-axis is calculated by using the functional integral and the bounce method. Due to the d-wave OPS, the $\gamma$ dependence of standard deviation of the switching current distribution and the crossover temperature from thermal activation to MQT are found to be given by $\cos 2\gamma$ and $\sqrt{\cos 2\gamma }$, respectively. We also show that a dissipative effect resulting from the nodal quasiparticle excitation on MQT is negligibly small, which is consistent with recent MQT experiments using Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8+\delta }$ intrinsic junctions. These results indicate that MQT in c-axis twist junctions becomes a useful experimental tool for testing the OPS of high-T_c materials at low temperature, and suggest high potential of such junctions for qubit applications.

15 pages, 8 figures, 1 table

References in corpus (7)

• Macroscopic quantum tunneling in a d-wave high-Tc superconductor
• Enhanced Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling in Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8+\delta }$ Intrinsic Josephson Junction Stacks
• The c-axis transport in naturally-grown Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8+\delta }$ cross-whisker junctions
• Decoherence due to nodal quasiparticles in d-wave qubits
• Macroscopic quantum dynamics of pi-junctions with ferromagnetic insulators
• A single intrinsic Josephson junction with double-sided fabrication technique
• Angular dependence of Josephson currents in unconventional superconducting junctions

Cited by in corpus (7)

• High-temperature topological superconductivity in twisted double layer copper oxides
• Persistent Josephson tunneling between Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8+x}$ flakes twisted by 45${}^{\circ }$ across the superconducting dome
• Prominent Josephson tunneling between twisted single copper oxide planes of Bi${}_2$Sr${}_{2-x}$LaxCuO${}_{6+y}$
• Intergrain Josephson Currents in Multigap Superconductors: Microscopic Origin of Low Intergrain Critical Current and Its Recovery Potential in Iron-Pnictide Materials
• Cuprate Twistronics for Quantum Hardware
• Josephson coupling in Lanthanum-based cuprates superlattices
• Numerical study of pi-junction using spin filtering barriers