Persistent current in a 2D Josephson junction array wrapped around a cylinder

Abstract

We study persistent currents in a Josephson junction array wrapped around a cylinder. The T = 0 quantum statistical mechanics of the array is equivalent to the statistical mechanics of a classical xy spin system in 2+1 dimensions at the effective temperature T * = √ 2JU , with J being the Josephson energy of the junction and U being the charging energy of the superconducting island. It is investigated analytically and numerically on lattices containing over one million sites. For weak disorder and T * J the dependence of the persistent current on disorder and T * computed numerically agrees quantitatively with the analytical result derived within the spin-wave approximation. The high-T * and/or strong-disorder behavior is dominated by instantons corresponding to the vortex loops in 2+1 dimensions. The current becomes destroyed completely at the quantum phase transition into the Cooper-pair insulating phase.