Theory of the photonic Joule effect in superconducting circuits

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Cailleaux, Samuel, Ficheux, Quentin, Roch, Nicolas, Basko, Denis M.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Cailleaux, Samuel
Ficheux, Quentin
Roch, Nicolas
Basko, Denis M.
author_facet Cailleaux, Samuel
Ficheux, Quentin
Roch, Nicolas
Basko, Denis M.
contents When a small system is coupled to a bath, it is generally assumed that the state of the bath remains unaffected by the system due to the bath's large number of degrees of freedom. Here we show theoretically that this assumption can be easily violated for photonic baths typically used in experiments involving superconducting circuits. We analyze the dynamics of a voltage-biased Josephson junction coupled to a photonic bath, represented as a long Josephson junction chain. Our findings show that the system can reach a non-equilibrium steady state where the photonic degrees of freedom become significantly overheated, leading to a qualitative change in the current-voltage $I-V$ curve. This phenomenon is analogous to the Joule effect observed in electrical conductors, where flowing current can substantially heat up electrons. Recognizing this effect is crucial for the many applications of high-impedance environments in quantum technologies.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_19912
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Theory of the photonic Joule effect in superconducting circuits
Cailleaux, Samuel
Ficheux, Quentin
Roch, Nicolas
Basko, Denis M.
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Superconductivity
Quantum Physics
When a small system is coupled to a bath, it is generally assumed that the state of the bath remains unaffected by the system due to the bath's large number of degrees of freedom. Here we show theoretically that this assumption can be easily violated for photonic baths typically used in experiments involving superconducting circuits. We analyze the dynamics of a voltage-biased Josephson junction coupled to a photonic bath, represented as a long Josephson junction chain. Our findings show that the system can reach a non-equilibrium steady state where the photonic degrees of freedom become significantly overheated, leading to a qualitative change in the current-voltage $I-V$ curve. This phenomenon is analogous to the Joule effect observed in electrical conductors, where flowing current can substantially heat up electrons. Recognizing this effect is crucial for the many applications of high-impedance environments in quantum technologies.
title Theory of the photonic Joule effect in superconducting circuits
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Superconductivity
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.19912