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Resonance phenomena in a model of intrinsic Josephson junctions shunted by LC-elements (L-inductance, C-capacitance) are studied. The phase dynamics and IV-characteristics are investigated in detail when the Josephson frequency approaches the frequency of the resonance circuit. A realization of parametric resonance through the excitation of a longitudinal plasma wave, within the bias current interval corresponding to the resonance circuit branch, is demonstrated. It is found that the temporal dependence of the total voltage of the stack, and the voltage measured across the shunt capacitor, reflect the charging of superconducting layers, a phenomenon which might be useful as a means of detecting such charging experimentally. Thus, based on the voltage dynamics, a novel method for the determination of charging in the superconducting layers of coupled Josephson junctions is proposed. A demonstration and discussion of the influence of external electromagnetic radiation on the IV-characteristics and charge-time dependence is given. Over certain parameter ranges the radiation causes an interesting new type of temporal splitting in the charge-time oscillations within the superconducting layers.

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Two parallel stacks of coupled Josephson junctions (JJs) are investigated to clarify the physics of transitions between the rotating and oscillating states and their effect on the IV-characteristics of the system. The detailed study of phase dynamics and bias dependence of the superconducting and diffusion currents allows one to explain all features of simulated IV-characteristics and demonstrate the correspondence in their behavior. The coupling between JJ in the stacks leads to the branching of IV-characteristics and a decrease in the hysteretic region. The crucial role of the diffusion current in the formation of the IV-characteristic of the parallel stacks of coupled JJs is demonstrated. We discuss the effect of symmetry in a number of junctions in the stacks and show a decrease of the branching in the symmetrical stacks. The observed effects might be useful for development of superconducting electronic devices based on intrinsic JJs.

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The possibility or even necessity of revising definitions of some of the base units of the present SI has been discussed over the past 15 years. The last General Conference of Weights and Measures (2007) recommended to redefine the kilogram, the ampere, the kelvin, and the mole using fixed values of the fundamental constants by the time of the next General Conference in 2011. This paper is a review of proposals of new definitions of units of mentioned quantities and arguments voting for particular variants of definitions. Most relevant papers for this review have been published by Metrologia, the international journal appointed at the BIPM, and many other useful pieces of information are available on www pages of the BIPM. The author notes that not only new definitions have been discussed but as well as the set of the base units of the SI. It means a replacement of the ampere by the volt or the kelvin by the joule. Decisions concerning new definitions are not made and the discussions are still open.

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