The Superconductor-Insulator Transition in a Tunable Dissipative Environment

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a controllable dissipative environment affects the superconductor-insulator transition in Josephson junction arrays, combining experimental setup and theoretical analysis to understand phase behavior and conductivity.

Contribution

It introduces a tunable dissipative environment using a 2D electron gas coupled capacitively, enabling controlled studies of dissipation effects on the transition.

Findings

Phase diagram of the system mapped out.

Conductivity dependence on temperature and dissipation characterized.

Good agreement with recent experimental data achieved.

Abstract

We study the influence of a tunable dissipative environment on the dynamics of Josephson junction arrays near the superconductor-insulator transition. The experimental realization of the environment is a two dimensional electron gas coupled capacitively to the array. This setup allows for the well-controlled tuning of the dissipation by changing the resistance of the two dimensional electron gas. The capacitive coupling cuts off the dissipation at low frequencies. We determine the phase diagram and calculate the temperature and dissipation dependence of the array conductivity. We find good agreement with recent experimental results.