Phase-Slip Statistics of a Single Isolated Flux-Biased Superconducting Ring

Area of Science:

• Condensed matter physics
• Quantum mechanics

Background:

• Superconducting rings exhibit unique quantum phenomena.
• Understanding fluxoid state transitions is crucial for quantum device development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally measure thermally activated transitions between fluxoid states in a single superconducting ring.
• To compare experimental data with theoretical predictions using independently characterized parameters.
• To investigate discrepancies between theory and experiment, particularly concerning superconducting order parameter damping.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication and characterization of a single isolated superconducting ring.
• Measurement of thermally activated transitions between fluxoid states.
• Comparison of experimental results with a theoretical model without free parameters.

Main Results:

• Qualitative agreement was observed between experimental measurements and theoretical predictions across a range of temperatures.
• The study identified remaining discrepancies between the data and the theoretical model.
• The choice of model for superconducting order parameter damping was highlighted as a potential source of these discrepancies.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a no-free-parameters comparison of experimental and theoretical results for superconducting ring transitions.
• Further refinement of theoretical models, specifically regarding order parameter damping, is needed for precise agreement.
• This work contributes to the fundamental understanding of quantum phenomena in superconducting circuits.