We measure the lifetime (T₁) and coherence (T₂) of two-level defect states (TLSs) in the insulating barrier of a Josephson phase qubit and compare to the interaction strength between the two systems. We find for the average decay times a power-law dependence on the corresponding interaction strengths, whereas for the average coherence times we find an optimum at intermediate coupling strengths. We explain both the lifetime and the coherence results using the standard TLS model, including dipole radiation by phonons and anticorrelated dependence of the energy parameters on environmental fluctuations.
The superconducting critical temperature, T(C), of thin Nb films is significantly modified when gold nanoparticles (NPs) are chemically linked to the Nb film, with a consistent enhancement when using 3 nm long disilane linker molecules. The T(C) increases by up to 10% for certain linker length and NP size. No change is observed when the nanoparticles are physisorbed with nonlinking molecules. Electron tunneling spectra acquired on the linked NPs below T(C) typically exhibit zero-bias peaks. We attribute these results to a pairing mechanism coupling electrons in the Nb and the NPs, mediated by the organic linkers.
We report the results of an experimental study of the dc and ac magnetic properties of superconducting Nb thin-walled cylinders in parallel to the axis magnetic fields. The magnetization curves at various temperatures are measured. Surprisingly, at 4.5 K, for magnetic fields much lower than H c1 , avalanchelike jumps of the magnetization are observed. The position of the jumps is not reproducible and changes from one experiment to another, resembling vortex lattice instabilities usually observed for magnetic fields larger than H c1. At temperatures larger than 6.5 K, the measured magnetization curves become smooth. ac response is measured in constant and swept dc magnetic fields. A phenomenological model that describes the ac response of the surface superconducting states is proposed. This model assumes that the observed ac response in dc fields larger than H c2 is due to the relaxation of surface superconducting states with nonzero current in the walls to the state with zero current, and the existence of a critical current below which this relaxation is absent.
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