Samuel P. Benz

A PULSE-DRIVEN PROGRAMMABLE JOSEPHSON VOLTAGE STANDARD

A voltage standard based on a series array of pulse‐biased, nonhysteretic Josephson junctions is proposed. The output voltage can be rapidly and continuously programmed over a wide range by changing the pulse repetition frequency. Simulations relate the circuit margins to pulse height, width, and frequency. Experimental results on a prototype circuit confirm the expected behavior.

Stable 1 volt programmable voltage standard

Several fully functional programmable voltage standard chips, each having a total of 32 768 Nb–PdAu–Nb Josephson junctions, have been fabricated and tested. The chips are based on a new design that provides fast programmability (1 μs) between voltages and stable voltage operation from −1 to +1 V. A comparison of the new standard with a conventional Josephson voltage standard is in agreement to 0.5±1.1 parts in 109. We demonstrate the utility of this standard by measuring the linearity of a digital voltmeter.

Superconductor-Normal-Superconductor Junctions for Programmable Voltage Standards

Series arrays of Nb–PdAu–Nb Josephson junctions were fabricated with characteristics ideally suited for application in programmable voltage standards and D/A converters with fundamental accuracy. Large arrays of junctions with applied microwave power showed constant voltage steps with current amplitudes as large as 7 mA. A novel coplanar waveguide design enabled uniform microwave power coupling to a five‐segment array of 8192 junctions, so each segment had constant voltage steps over the same bias range. The 8192‐junction device generated 1.1 mA steps at 186 mV with 11 GHz power and a maximum constant voltage step of 260 mV at 15.34 GHz.

Coherent emission from two-dimensional Josephson junction arrays

Coherent emission has been generated by two‐dimensional arrays of SIS Josephson junctions and detected in a junction coupled to the array through a dc‐blocking capacitor. The detector junction exhibits Shapiro steps at frequencies corresponding to the voltage across single array junctions and ranging from 60 to 210 GHz. The maximum power coupled to the detector junction occurs at 150 GHz and is estimated to be 0.9 μW, based on simulations of the detector circuit. Possible mechanisms for coherent emission from two‐dimensional arrays are discussed.

1 V and 10 V SNS Programmable Voltage Standards for 70 GHz

Programmable Josephson voltage standards (PJVSs) in combination with fast switchable DC current sources have opened up new applications in the field of low-frequency AC metrology. The growing interest in output voltages of up to plusmn10 V initiated efforts by several National Metrological Institutes to realize 10 V PJVSs. Presently, only 10 V PJVSs from PTB based on SINIS junctions have been successfully incorporated into existing setups for AC metrology. However, the fabrication of 10 V SINIS arrays that are driven at 70 GHz suffers from very low yield. The recent technological progress made at NIST enabled the drop-in replacement of the low-yield SINIS arrays by more robust SNS arrays. The N-material is an amorphous NbxSi1-x alloy near the metal-insulator transition and is deposited by co-sputtering. For the first time, fully operational 1 V and 10 V PJVSs with SNS junctions that are suitable for a 70 GHz drive have been fabricated and tested. This work was done in close cooperation between NIST and PTB.

Precision Differential Sampling Measurements of Low-Frequency Synthesized Sine Waves With an AC Programmable Josephson Voltage Standard

We have developed a precision technique to measure sine-wave sources with the use of a quantum-accurate AC programmable Josephson voltage standard. This paper describes a differential method that uses an integrating sampling voltmeter to precisely determine the amplitude and phase of high-purity and low-frequency (a few hundred hertz or less) sine-wave voltages. We have performed a variety of measurements to evaluate this differential technique. After averaging, the uncertainty obtained in the determination of the amplitude of a 1.2 V sine wave at 50 Hz is 0.3 muV/V (type A). Finally, we propose a dual-waveform approach for measuring two precision sine waves with the use of a single Josephson system. Currently, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing a new calibration system for electrical power measurements based on this technique.

Hybrid superconducting-magnetic memory device using competing order parameters

In a hybrid superconducting-magnetic device, two order parameters compete, with one type of order suppressing the other. Recent interest in ultra-low-power, high-density cryogenic memories has spurred new efforts to simultaneously exploit superconducting and magnetic properties so as to create novel switching elements having these two competing orders. Here we describe a reconfigurable two-layer magnetic spin valve integrated within a Josephson junction. Our measurements separate the suppression in the superconducting coupling due to the exchange field in the magnetic layers, which causes depairing of the supercurrent, from the suppression due to the stray magnetic field. The exchange field suppression of the superconducting order parameter is a tunable and switchable behaviour that is also scalable to nanometer device dimensions. These devices demonstrate non-volatile, size-independent switching of Josephson coupling, in magnitude as well as phase, and they may enable practical nanoscale superconducting memory devices.

10V programmable Josephson voltage standard circuits using NbN∕TiNx∕NbN∕TiNx∕NbN double-junction stacks

Using NbN∕TiNx∕NbN∕TiNx∕NbN double-junction stack technology we have demonstrated a programmable Josephson voltage standard chip that operates up to 10.16V output voltage cooled with a two-stage Gifford–McMahon cryocooler. The circuit uses double-junction stacks, where two junctions are fabricated in each stack, in order to integrate 327 680 junctions into a 15.3mm×15.3mm chip. A 1-to-32 microwave distribution circuit is also integrated on the chip. The chip is divided into 22 cells, which perform as an 11-bit digital-to-analog converter. The 21 working cells include 307 200 junctions biased with 16GHz microwaves at 10.2K that generated flat voltage steps with current margins greater than 1mA, which indicates good uniformity of the stacked junctions.

AC coupling technique for Josephson waveform synthesis

We demonstrate a new bias technique that uses low-pass and high-pass filters to separate the current paths of the sampling and signal frequencies in a Josephson waveform synthesizer. This technique enables the output voltage of the array to be directly grounded by removing the low-frequency common mode signal that previously prevented direct measurement of the array voltage with low-impedance instruments. We directly measure the harmonic spectra of 1 kHz and 50 kHz synthesized sine waves. We also use a thermal transfer standard to compare the rms voltages of synthesized sine waves at frequencies from 1 kHz to 50 kHz. Finally, we describe a new circuit that should enable a significant increase in output voltage by allowing several distributed arrays to be biased in parallel at high frequency, while combining their low frequency output voltages in series.

Systematic error analysis of stepwise approximated AC waveforms generated by a Programmable Josephson Voltage Standard

We have measured stepwise-approximated sine waves generated by a programmable Josephson voltage standard (PJVS) with several different output configurations. These data are analyzed to characterize the dominant error mechanisms for RMS applications, such as AC-DC difference measurements of thermal voltage converters (TVCs). We present detailed explanations of the fundamental causes and consequences of systematic errors that arise from transitions and consider the overall uncertainties for PJVS ac metrology using this synthesis method. We show that timing-related errors are sufficient to make this waveform synthesis approach impractical for RMS audio-frequency applications. The implications of providing the load current required by devices of low input impedance, such as TVCs, are also discussed.