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Flux Quantization and Aharonov-Bohm Effect in Superconducting Rings

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Abstract

Superconductivity is a macroscopic coherent state exhibiting various quantum phenomena such as magnetic flux quantization. When a superconducting ring is placed in a magnetic field, a current flows to expel the field from the ring and to ensure that the enclosed flux is an integer multiple of h/(2|e|). Although the quantization of magnetic flux in ring structures is extensively studied in literature, the applied magnetic field is typically assumed to be homogeneous, implicitly implying an interplay between field expulsion and flux quantization. Here, we propose to decouple these two effects by employing an Aharonov-Bohm-like structure where the superconducting ring is threaded by a magnetic core (to which the applied field is confined). Although the magnetic field vanishes inside the ring, the formation of vortices takes place, corresponding to a change in the flux state of the ring. The time evolution of the density of superconducting electrons is studied using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. KU Leuven, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Ahmed Kenawy

  2. Physics Modeling and Simulation (MSP), IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Ahmed Kenawy, Wim Magnus & Bart Sorée

  3. Physics Department, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium

    Wim Magnus & Bart Sorée

  4. Department of Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Bart Sorée

Authors
  1. Ahmed Kenawy
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  2. Wim Magnus
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  3. Bart Sorée
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Correspondence to Ahmed Kenawy.

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Kenawy, A., Magnus, W. & Sorée, B. Flux Quantization and Aharonov-Bohm Effect in Superconducting Rings. J Supercond Nov Magn 31, 1351–1357 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-017-4369-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-017-4369-x

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