Aharonov-Casher Effect for Plasmons in a Ring of Josephson Junctions

Abstract

Phase slips in a one-dimensional closed array of Josephson junctions hybridize the persistent current states (PCS) and plasmon branches of excitations. The interference between phase slips passing through different junctions of the array makes the hybridization sensitive to the charges of the superconducting islands comprising the array. This in turn results in the Aharonov-Casher effect for plasmons, which in absence of phase slips are insensitive to island charges.