2017/09/19 by Emily Toomey, Qingyuan Zhao, Qing-Yuan Zhao +2
Physics and Astronomy · #Acoustics #Condensed matter physics #Josephson effect #Materials science #Microwave #Mixing (physics) #Modulation (music) #Nanowire #Nonlinear system #Optoelectronics #Parametric statistics #Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Quantum mechanics #Relaxation (psychology) #Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Devices #Superconductivity #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevapplied.9.064021
published as Phys. Rev. Applied 9, 064021 (2018)
arxiv created 2017/09/19 · openalex publication_date 2018/06/14 · arxiv updated 2018/06/20 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The electromagnetic response of a superconducting nanowire exhibits relaxation oscillations, due to strong electrothermal nonlinearity. Resultant technology has been limited, though, by a lack of understanding of how the nonlinear behavior can be externally modulated. This study of electrothermal oscillations in superconducting nanowires uses microwave modulation to show that the oscillations mix with an external microwave drive, and lock to its frequency. This interaction is reminiscent of the ac Josephson effect, despite its thermal origin. Nanowire devices based on these phenomena could see use in microwave applications like frequency mixing and parametric amplification.