Subterahertz Josephson plasma emission in layered high-TC superconducting tunnel junctions

• Published in: Journal of applied physics 2008-04, Vol.103 (7)
• Main Authors: Alvarez, G. A., Puzzer, T., Wang, X. L., Lewis, R. A., Freeth, C., Dou, S. X.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.2840019

We investigated the emission of subterahertz frequency electromagnetic radiation from high-TC superconducting c-axis NdBa2Cu3O7−δ∕PrBa2Cu3O7−δ∕NdBa2Cu3O7−δ trilayer thin film tunneling junctions when external electric and magnetic fields are applied. The current-voltage characteristics under applied ab-plane magnetic fields H (up 8T) exhibit well defined steps, Vn, such that eVn≈hωp∕(2nπ), where the plasma frequency ωp≈0.4 THz and n=1,2,3,….. These steps may be interpreted using Josephson plasma dynamics. The applied voltage creates oscillating currents via the Josephson coupling energy EJ (EJ=hIJ∕4πe, where IJ is the Josephson current and h is Planck’s constant) and the charge energy EC (EC=e2∕2C, where C is the junction capacitance). Thus the Josephson plasma becomes excited by the tunneling current, with some of the energy being emitted as subterahertz frequency radiation. Our results provide a new insight into a solid-state quantum system with considerable potential for new solid-state terahertz emission sources.