Nonlocal Long-Range Synchronization of Planar Josephson-Junction Arrays
Sergey Grebenchuk, Roger Cattaneo, V. M. Krasnov
Abstract
We study arrays of planar $\mathrm{Nb}$ Josephson junctions with contacts to intermediate electrodes, which allow measurements of individual junctions and, thus, provide an insight into intricate array dynamics. We observe strong indications for array phase locking, despite a significant interjunction separation. Several unusual phenomena are reported, such as a bistable critical current with reentrant superconductivity upon switching of nearby junctions; and ``incorrect'' Shapiro steps, occurring at mixing frequencies between the external rf radiation and the internal Josephson frequency in nearby junctions. Our results reveal a surprisingly strong and long-range interjunction interaction, which is attributed to nonlocality of planar-junction electrodynamics, caused by the long-range spreading of stray electromagnetic fields. The nonlocality greatly enhances the high-frequency interjunction coupling and enables large-scale synchronization. Therefore, we conclude that planar geometry is advantageous for the realization of coherent Josephson electronics.