Switching current distributions in InAs nanowire Josephson junctions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the switching current distributions in InAs nanowire Josephson junctions, demonstrating how temperature and gate voltage influence phase escape mechanisms, with implications for tunable superconducting qubits.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of switching current distributions in InAs nanowire Josephson junctions and shows how gate voltage tuning affects phase escape processes.

Findings

Switching current distributions follow macroscopic quantum tunneling, thermal activation, and phase diffusion models.

Gate voltage tuning adjusts the effective temperature for phase escape.

Results suggest potential for gate-tunable superconducting phase qubits.

Abstract

We report on the switching current distributions in nano-hybrid Josephson junctions made of InAs semiconductor nanowires. Temperature dependence of the switching current distribution can be understood by motion of Josephson phase particle escaping from a tilted washboard potential, fitted well to the macroscopic quantum tunneling, thermal activation and phase diffusion models, depending on temperature. Application of gate voltage to tune the Josephson coupling strength enables us to adjust the effective temperature for the escaping process, which would be promising for developing gate-tunable superconducting phase qubits.