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Insulating Josephson Junction Chains as Pinned Luttinger Liquids
Karin Cedergren1, Roger Ackroyd1, Sergey Kafanov1
1Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQuS), School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Physical Review Letters
|November 4, 2017
Summary
Disordered Josephson junction chains realize a Bose glass state, validating quantum many-body theory. This finding impacts the development of novel quantum devices and a fundamental current standard.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Quantum physics
Background:
- One-dimensional quantum systems exhibit rich physics, often described by Luttinger liquid theory.
- Theoretical proposals for Josephson junction chains exist, but experimental realization is limited, especially concerning disorder effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the role of disorder in linear chains of Josephson junctions.
- To establish the nature of the insulating state in these systems and its theoretical underpinnings.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication and characterization of submicron Josephson junction chains.
- Experimental measurement of the insulating state properties.
Main Results:
- The insulating state is identified as a Luttinger liquid pinned by random offset charges.
- This system serves as a one-dimensional implementation of the Bose glass.
- The results validate quantum many-body theory for disordered one-dimensional systems.
Conclusions:
- Disorder in Josephson junction chains leads to a Bose glass state, confirming theoretical predictions.
- This understanding is crucial for advancing quantum phase slip-based current standards and novel quantum devices.
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