Calibration of quantum detector of noise based on a system of asymmetric superconducting loops

Abstract

The quantum oscillations of the dc voltage are induced on segments of asymmetric superconducting loops by an external ac current or noise. The dependencies of the amplitude of the quantum oscillations on amplitude of inducing ac current are measured at different temperatures below superconducting transition Tc on aluminum asymmetric loops and systems of the loops connected in series. The measured values of the maximum amplitude of the quantum oscillations, the amplitude of the ac current inducing this maximum dc voltage and the critical amplitude of the ac current decrease with temperature increase to Tc. The extrapolation of these measured dependencies to the region near superconducting transition allows to make a calibration of asymmetric superconducting loops as quantum detector of noise. The calibration restores an amplitude profile of the noise pulses from a measured temperature dependence of an amplitude of the quantum oscillations induced by this noise. It is found that rectification efficiency, determined as relation of the maximum amplitude of the quantum oscillations to the ac current amplitude inducing it, decreases near superconducting transition Tc. High efficiency of rectification observed below Tc is consequence of irreversibility of the current-voltage curves. Increase of the rectification efficiency is achieved in multiple series connected loop structures.