Quantum charge diffusion in underdamped Josephson junctions and superconducting nanowires

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum fluctuations influence the current-voltage behavior of underdamped Josephson junctions and superconducting nanowires, revealing transitions and modifications in the presence of resistive environments.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of quantum fluctuation effects on current-voltage characteristics, including phase-charge duality implications for different damping regimes.

Findings

Quantum fluctuations cause transitions between Coulomb blockade and supercurrent states.

Current-voltage characteristics are significantly altered in highly resistive environments.

Results are extendable to the overdamped limit via phase-charge duality.

Abstract

The effect of quantum fluctuations on the current-voltage characteristics of Josephson junctions and superconducting nanowires is studied in the underdamped limit. Quantum fluctuations induce transitions between a Coulomb--blockade and a supercurrent branch, and can significantly modify the shape of current-voltage characteristics in the case of a highly resistive environment. Owing to the phase-charge duality, our results can be directly extended to the opposite overdamped limit.