Josephson Junctions to Understanding & References

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on understanding Josephson Junctions, with participants seeking references and resources for both foundational and advanced knowledge in the context of device physics and applications, including spintronics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests direct references for understanding Josephson Junctions, expressing dissatisfaction with common sources like Google Books and Wikipedia.
  • Another participant recommends starting with Feynman's lectures on quantum mechanics, specifically the last chapter, as a foundational resource.
  • A different participant agrees on Feynman's lectures but suggests Tinkham's book for more detailed physics and mentions that Feynman's work may not cover the latest experimental data.
  • This participant also recommends Kadin's "Introduction to Superconducting Circuits" as a reasonably up-to-date reference.
  • It is noted that understanding the microscopic theory of Josephson Junctions is not necessary for grasping device physics, as the Josephson equations and basic circuit theory suffice for applications like SQUIDs and superconducting qubits.
  • A link to an arXiv paper is provided, although one participant critiques it as not suitable for basic understanding, indicating it focuses on more exotic regimes relevant to phase qubits.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of starting with the RCSJ model for a solid grasp of device physics.
  • A participant mentions starting a new project that combines Josephson Junctions with spintronics, indicating ongoing interest in the topic.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the suitability of certain references for foundational understanding, indicating that no consensus exists on the best starting point for learning about Josephson Junctions.

Contextual Notes

Some references suggested may not cover the latest developments in the field, and there is a distinction between basic understanding and more advanced applications, which could affect the choice of resources.

sokrates
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Hello people,

I need to understand Josephson Junctions more seriously and I am looking for a direct, bottom-line description, could some of the experienced people point me to good references?

Google books, wiki, or amazon does not seem to quench my thirst.

Thanks a bunch in advance,,
 
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I would suggest to begin with Feynman's lectures on quantum mechanics, last chapter.
 
The lectures is a good start (I actually used a generalized version of Feynman's derivation in my thesis) but it might also be a good idea to look in one of the "usual" references, such as Tinkham's book. Partly because they will describe the physics in more detail, but also because Feynman wrote his lectures when the field was just starting to take off meaning it covers only the most basics (and the experimental data shown isn't exactly state-of-the-art to put it mildly).
Another good reference would be Kadin's "Introduction to Superconducting Circuits" which is reasonably up to to date.

It is perhaps worth pointing out that there is really no need to understand the microscopic theory(which is still an active area of research in many types of junctions) if you are interested in the device physics; the Josephson equations (in combination with some basic circuit theory) is all you need in order to understand how not only the junctions themselves work but also devices based on junctions: SQUIDS, RFSQ, Superconducting qubits etc
 
That is not a very good reference for the basics of Josephson junctions; it does describe some of the physics (phase qubits are essentially just single Josephson junctions) but since it deals with qubits the regimes that are used are a bit "exotic" (small tunnel junctions etc); it is a good reference (especially since it refers to a couple of papers I've co-authored:-p) but not for "basic" Josephsonics.
In order to undstand the basics of the device physics you are better off with a reference that starts by describing the RCSJ model etc.
 
Thank you very much for the suggestions.

We are starting off a new project based on josephson + spintronics... There has been a couple of ideas,

I'll bug you guys more in the future..
Thanks
 

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