Fluxon-semifluxon interaction in an annular long Josephson 0-pi-junction

Abstract

We investigate theoretically the interaction between integer and half-integer Josephson vortices (fluxons and semifluxons) in an annular Josephson junction. Semifluxons usually appear at the 0-$\pi$-boundary where there is a $\pi$-discontinuity of the Josephson phase. We study the simplest, but the most interesting case of one $\pi$-discontinuity in a loop, which can be created only artificially. We show that measuring the current-voltage characteristic after injection of an integer fluxon, one can determine the polarity of a semifluxon. Depending on the relative polarity of fluxon and semifluxon the static configuration may be stable or unstable, but in the dynamic state both configurations are stable. We also calculate the depinning current of $N$ fluxons pinned by an arbitrary fractional vortex.

arXiv comment8pages, 6 figures, submitted to PRB

References in corpus (11)

• Coupling of two superconductors through a ferromagnet : evidence for a pi-junction
• Oscillations of the superconducting critical current in Nb-Cu-Ni-Cu-Nb junctions
• Periodic alternating $0,\pi$-junction structures as realization of $\varphi$-Josephson junctions
• Dynamics of semifluxons in Nb long Josephson 0-pi junctions
• Spontaneous Flux and Magnetic Interference Patterns in 0-pi Josephson Junctions
• Semi-fluxons in long Josephson 0-pi-junctions
• Ground state and bias current induced rearrangement of semifluxons in 0-pi long Josephson junctions
• Creation of classical and quantum fluxons by a current dipole in a long Josephson junction
• Analytical analysis of ground states on 0-$\pi$ long Josephson junctions
• Vortices and Quantum tunneling in Current-Biased 0-π-0 Josephson Junctions of d-wave Superconductors
• Cherenkov radiation from fluxon in a stack of coupled long Josephson junctions

Cited by in corpus (19)

• 0-pi Josephson tunnel junctions with ferromagnetic barrier
• Static and dynamic properties of 0, pi, and 0-pi ferromagnetic tunnel Josephson Junctions
• Quantum tunneling of semifluxons
• Anti-ferromagnetic ordering in arrays of superconducting pi-rings
• Visualizing supercurrents in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions with various arrangements of 0 and πsegments
• Spectroscopy of the fractional vortex eigenfrequency in a long Josephson 0-kappa junction
• Non-ideal artificial phase discontinuity in long Josephson 0-kappa-junctions
• Oscillatory eigenmodes and stability of one and two arbitrary fractional vortices in long Josephson 0-kappa-junctions
• Semifluxon molecule under control
• Vortex qubit based on an annular Josephson junction containing a microshort
• Josephson vortex coupled to a flux qubit
• Theory of fractional vortex escape in a 0-kappa long Josephson junction
• Semifluxons in Superconductivity and Cold Atomic Gases
• Thermal escape of fractional vortices in long Josephson junctions
• Spectroscopy of a fractional Josephson vortex molecule
• $\delta$-biased Josephson tunnel junctions
• Quantum tunneling of a single semifluxon in a 0-pi Josephson junction
• Fractional vortex in asymmetric 0-$\pi$ long Josephson junctions
• A tunable macroscopic quantum system based on two fractional vortices