| Macroscopic quantum tunneling and quasiparticle-tunneling blockade effect in s-wave/d-wave hybrid junctions (2007) | |||||||||||
Abstract | |||||||||||
| We have theoretically investigated macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) and the influence of nodal quasiparticles and zero energy bound states (ZESs) on MQT in s-wave/d-wave hybrid Josephson junctions. In contrast to d-wave/d-wave junctions, the low-energy quasiparticle dissipation resulting from nodal quasiparticles and ZESs is suppressed due to a quasiparticle-tunneling blockade effect in an isotropic s-wave superconductor. Therefore, the inherent dissipation in these junctions is found to be weak. We have also investigated MQT in a realistic s-wave/d-wave (Nb/Au/YBCO) junction in which Ohmic dissipation in a shunt resistance is stronger than the inherent dissipation and find that MQT is observable within the current experimental technology. This result suggests the high potential of s-wave/d-wave hybrid junctions for applications in quantum information devices. | |||||||||||
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