Mass Oscillations in Superconducting Junctions for Gravitational Wave Emission and Detection

Abstract

We revisit the nonlinear superconducting junction dynamics in order to provide evidence that the time-dependent current density in the junction is related to an oscillating charge and mass density in addition to a variable velocity. As a result, the superconducting tunnel junction emerges as a solid state device capable of producing rapid charge and mass oscillations inaccessible in classical contexts. Rapidity is required for gravitational wave emission when small masses are involved in the emission process. We provide designs for an emitting and a detecting device based on generating and capturing mass oscillations with a non-zero quadrupole moment component. Finally, we suggest that the smallness of the Einstein gravitational coupling constant can be fully compensated by the largeness of the quantum mechanical term $e^4 \hbar^{-6}$ manifested in the suggested set ups.