Quantum oscillations of the rectified voltage and the critical current of asymmetric mesoscopic superconducting loops

TL;DR

This paper investigates quantum oscillations in the rectified voltage and critical current of asymmetric mesoscopic superconducting loops, revealing how magnetic field influences asymmetry and explaining previous observations as rectification effects.

Contribution

It demonstrates the magnetic field dependence of asymmetry in current-voltage characteristics and explains quantum oscillations as rectification of ac current or noise.

Findings

Asymmetry of I-V curves varies periodically with magnetic field.

Quantum oscillations of dc voltage are explained by rectification effects.

Sign and magnitude of asymmetry depend on magnetic flux.

Abstract

The current-voltage curves and magnetic dependence of the critical current of asymmetric superconducting loops are measured. It was found that sign and value of the asymmetry of the current-voltage curves changes with value of magnetic field, periodically for single loop and system of identical loops. The obtained results allow to explain the quantum oscillation of the dc voltage, observed below superconducting transition in the previous works, as rectification of ac current or noise.