The origin of flux-flow resistance oscillations in BiSrCaCuO: Fiske steps in a single junction?

TL;DR

This paper challenges previous interpretations of flux-flow resistance oscillations in BiSrCaCuO, proposing that both types of oscillations can occur within a single Josephson junction, questioning the association with vortex lattice modes.

Contribution

It introduces an alternative explanation that both oscillation periods can originate from a single junction, contradicting prior lattice mode interpretations.

Findings

Both oscillation types can occur in a single junction

Previous lattice mode interpretations are inconsistent

Proposes a unified explanation for flux-flow oscillations

Abstract

We propose an alternative explanation to the oscillations of the flux-flow resistance found in several previously published experiments with BiSrCaCuO stacks. It has been argued by the previous authors that the period of the oscillations corresponding to the field needed to add one vortex per two intrinsic Josephson junctions is associated with a moving triangular lattice of vortices (out-of-phase mode), while the period corresponding to one vortex per one junction is due to the square lattice (in-phase mode). In contrast, we show that both type of oscillations may occur in a single-layer Josephson junction and thus the above interpretation is inconsistent.