Abstract
We have operated a Cooper pair pump, a linear array of superconducting tunnel junctions in which single Cooper pairs are moved under the influence of ac signals applied to two gate electrodes. The pump is based on the Coulomb blockade of charge tunneling. Because of the small junction capacitance precisely one Cooper pair is transferred per ac cycle. The current-voltage characteristics of this device show current plateaus close to 2ef, wheref is the frequency of the ac voltages. Deviations are explained in terms of Zener tunneling, Cooper pair co-tunneling, and sporadic quasiparticle tunneling.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Geerligs, L.J., Anderegg, V.F., Holweg, P.A.M., Mooij, J.E., Pothier, H., Estève, D., Urbina, C., Devoret, M.H.: Phys. Rev. Lett.64, 2691 (1990)
Pothier, H., Lafarge, P., Orfila, P.F., Urbina, C., Estève, D., Devoret, M.H.: Physica B169, 573 (1991)
See, e.g., the review papers in: Grabert, H., Devoret M.H. (eds.): Proceedings of the NATO ASI onSingle Charge Tunneling, Les Houches, March 1991. New York: Plenum Press 1992; Averin, D.V., Likharev, K.K.: In: Mesoscopic phenomena in solids. Altshuler, B.L., Lee, P.A., Webb, R.A. (eds.). Chap. 6, p. 167. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1991
Fulton, T.A., Dolan, G.J.: Phys. Rev. Lett.59, 109 (1987)
This threshold voltage, characteristic for Coulomb blockade effects, is inversely proportional to the junction capacitance. See, e.g., D. Estève, in Ref. 3,, or Ref. 10 Geerligs, L.J.: Classical and quantum charge dynamics in small tunnel junctions. Thesis, Delft University of Technology (1990)
Fulton, T.A., et al.: Phy. Rev. Lett.63, 1307 (1989)
Landau, L.D.: Phys. Z. Sowjetunion1, 89 (1932); Zener, C.: Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. A137, 696 (1932)
Mullen, K., Ben-Jacob, E., Schuss, Z.: Phys. Rev. Lett.60, 1097 (1988)
See, e.g., Bol, D.W., Scheffer, J.J.F., Giele, W.T., de Bruyn Ouboter, R.: Physica B133, 196 (1985)
Geerligs, L.J.: Classical and quantum charge dynamics in small tunnel junctions. Thesis, Delft University of Technology (1990)
Geerligs, L.J., Anderegg, V.F., Romijn, J., Mooij, J.E.: Phys. Rev. Lett.65, 377 (1990)
Lafarge, P., Pothier, H., Williams, E.R., Estève, D., Urbina, C., Devoret, M.H.: Z. Phys. B — Condensed Matter85, 327 (1991)
Josephson, B.D.: Phys. Lett.1, 215 (1962)
Averin, D.V., Odintsov, A.A.: Phys. Lett. A140, 251 (1989); Geerligs, L.J., Averin, D.V., Mooij, J.E.: Phys. Rev. Lett.65, 3037 (1990)
Maassen van den Brink, A., Schön, G., Geerligs, L.J.: Phys. Rev. Lett. (submitted for publication)
Averin, D.V., Nazarov, Yu.V., Odintsov, A.A.: Physica B165&166, 945 (1990)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geerligs, L.J., Verbrugh, S.M., Hadley, P. et al. Single Cooper pair pump. Z. Physik B - Condensed Matter 85, 349–355 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01307630
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01307630