Buzdin, Shapiro, and chimera steps in φ0 Josephson junctions

Abstract

The unique resonance and locking phenomena in the superconductor-ferromagnet-superconductor φ0 Josephson junction under external electromagnetic radiation are demonstrated when not just the electric but also the magnetic component of external radiation is taken into account. Due to the coupling of superconductivity and magnetism in this system, the magnetic moment precession of the ferromagnetic layer caused by the magnetic component of external radiation can lock the Josephson oscillations, which results in the appearance of a particular type of step in the current-voltage characteristics, completely different from the well-known Shapiro steps. We call these steps the Buzdin steps in the case when the system is driven only by the magnetic component and the chimera steps in the case when both magnetic and electric components are present. Unlike the Shapiro steps where the magnetic moment remains constant along the step, here it changes though the system is locked. The spin-orbit coupling substantially contributes to the amplitude, i.e., the size of these steps. Dramatic changes in their amplitudes are also observed at frequencies near the ferromagnetic resonance. Combinations of the Josephson and Kittel ferromagnetic resonances together with different types of locking pronounced in dynamics and current-voltage characteristics make the physics of this system very interesting and open up a series of new applications.

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