Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting Films
We review the topological gauge theory of Josephson junction arrays and thin film superconductors, stressing the role of the usually forgotten quantum phase slips, and we derive their quantum phase structure. A quantum phase transition from a superconducting to the dual, superinsulating phase with i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Condensed Matter |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3896/8/3/85 |
| _version_ | 1827726684893216768 |
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| author | Carlo A. Trugenberger |
| author_facet | Carlo A. Trugenberger |
| author_sort | Carlo A. Trugenberger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We review the topological gauge theory of Josephson junction arrays and thin film superconductors, stressing the role of the usually forgotten quantum phase slips, and we derive their quantum phase structure. A quantum phase transition from a superconducting to the dual, superinsulating phase with infinite resistance (even at finite temperatures) is either direct or goes through an intermediate bosonic topological insulator phase, which is typically also called Bose metal. We show how, contrary to a widely held opinion, disorder is not relevant for the electric response in these quantum phases because excitations in the spectrum are either symmetry-protected or neutral due to confinement. The quantum phase transitions are driven only by the electric interaction growing ever stronger. First, this prevents Bose condensation, upon which out-of-condensate charges and vortices form a topological quantum state owing to mutual statistics interactions. Then, at even stronger couplings, an electric flux tube dual to Abrikosov vortices induces a linearly confining potential between charges, giving rise to superinsulation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:54:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87332a4f991c44f0908c6045f4a4788a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-3896 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:54:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Condensed Matter |
| spelling | doaj.art-87332a4f991c44f0908c6045f4a4788a2023-11-19T10:08:02ZengMDPI AGCondensed Matter2410-38962023-09-01838510.3390/condmat8030085Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting FilmsCarlo A. Trugenberger0SwissScientific Technologies S.A., Rue du Rhone 4, CH-1204 Geneva, SwitzerlandWe review the topological gauge theory of Josephson junction arrays and thin film superconductors, stressing the role of the usually forgotten quantum phase slips, and we derive their quantum phase structure. A quantum phase transition from a superconducting to the dual, superinsulating phase with infinite resistance (even at finite temperatures) is either direct or goes through an intermediate bosonic topological insulator phase, which is typically also called Bose metal. We show how, contrary to a widely held opinion, disorder is not relevant for the electric response in these quantum phases because excitations in the spectrum are either symmetry-protected or neutral due to confinement. The quantum phase transitions are driven only by the electric interaction growing ever stronger. First, this prevents Bose condensation, upon which out-of-condensate charges and vortices form a topological quantum state owing to mutual statistics interactions. Then, at even stronger couplings, an electric flux tube dual to Abrikosov vortices induces a linearly confining potential between charges, giving rise to superinsulation.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3896/8/3/85Josephson junction arraysthin film superconductorssuperinsulationconfinementBose metalsbosonic topological insulators |
| spellingShingle | Carlo A. Trugenberger Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting Films Condensed Matter Josephson junction arrays thin film superconductors superinsulation confinement Bose metals bosonic topological insulators |
| title | Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting Films |
| title_full | Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting Films |
| title_fullStr | Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting Films |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting Films |
| title_short | Gauge Theories of Josephson Junction Arrays: Why Disorder Is Irrelevant for the Electric Response of Disordered Superconducting Films |
| title_sort | gauge theories of josephson junction arrays why disorder is irrelevant for the electric response of disordered superconducting films |
| topic | Josephson junction arrays thin film superconductors superinsulation confinement Bose metals bosonic topological insulators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3896/8/3/85 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carloatrugenberger gaugetheoriesofjosephsonjunctionarrayswhydisorderisirrelevantfortheelectricresponseofdisorderedsuperconductingfilms |