Quantum detector of noise based on a system of asymmetric Al superconducting rings

TL;DR

This paper proposes a highly sensitive noise detector based on asymmetric superconducting loops exploiting quantum rectification effects, capable of detecting extremely weak noise signals near the superconducting transition temperature.

Contribution

It introduces a novel noise detection method utilizing quantum oscillations in asymmetric superconducting rings, enhancing sensitivity to weak noise signals.

Findings

Quantum rectification effect enables noise detection near Tc.

Weak noise induces measurable dc voltage oscillations.

Large arrays amplify output power from weak noise signals.

Abstract

The quantum rectification effect observed on asymmetric superconducting loops is proposed to use as a basic of a noise detector with maximum sensitivity. The measurements show that a critical amplitude of noise or ac current decreases down to zero near superconducting transition, Tc, just as superconducting critical current. Therefore any how weak noise, right down to the equilibrium one, can induce the quantum oscillations of the dc voltage near Tc. The transformation of the power of random noise into the dc power observed on asymmetric superconducting loops gives very important advantage: even very weak noise can give enough high output power in a system with large number of loops.