Terahertz field control of interlayer transport modes in cuprate superconductors

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates theoretically how terahertz pulses can control and switch between different transport states in layered cuprate superconductors by destabilizing Josephson phase excitations.

Contribution

It introduces a model showing how terahertz pulses can deterministically switch transport modes in layered superconductors, revealing a new control mechanism.

Findings

Terahertz pulses can switch superconducting, resistive, and solitonic states.

The switching mechanism involves destabilizing Josephson phase excitations.

A simple model explains the nonlinear light-matter interaction leading to mode switching.

Abstract

We theoretically show that terahertz pulses with controlled amplitude and frequency can be used to switch between stable transport modes in layered superconductors, modelled as stacks of Josephson junctions. We find pulse shapes that deterministically switch the transport mode between superconducting, resistive and solitonic states. We develop a simple model that explains the switching mechanism as a destablization of the centre of mass excitation of the Josephson phase, made possible by the highly non-linear nature of the light-matter coupling.