Laguerre-Gaussian light induction of orbital currents and Kapitza stabilization in superconducting circuits

TL;DR

This paper explores how Laguerre-Gaussian beams influence superconducting circuits, inducing currents and stabilizing specific quantum phases through light-matter interactions, with potential applications in quantum device control.

Contribution

It demonstrates the effect of LG beams on superconducting states, showing how vortex angular momentum can induce currents and stabilize pi phases in SQUIDs via Kapitza stabilization.

Findings

LG beams induce currents in superconducting circuits.

Coupling LG beams to SQUIDs stabilizes pi phase states.

Kapitza mechanism enables phase stabilization in superconducting devices.

Abstract

We investigate the effects of a Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beam on the superconducting state. We show that the vortex angular momentum of a LG beam affects the superconducting state and induces currents. The induction of the current by light is illustrated on a Josephson loop and SQUID devices. In particular, we establish that coupling a dc SQUID to the AC magnetic flux of a LG beam can stabilize pi phase in the SQUID. This can happen via developing a global or local minimum in the effective potential at pi. In the latter case, this happens via the Kapitza mechanism.