Dynamical Coulomb blockade of multiple Andreev reflections

We analyze the dynamical Coulomb blockade of multiple Andreev reflections (MAR) in a superconducting quantum point contact coupled to a macroscopic impedance. We find that at very low transmission the blockade scales as $n^2$ with $n = {Int}(2\Delta/eV)$, where $V$ is the bias voltage and $\Delta$ is the superconducting gap, as it would correspond to the occurrence of "shots" of charge $ne$. For higher transmission the blockade is reduced both due to Pauli principle and to elastic renormalization of the MAR probability, and for certain voltage regions it may even become an "antiblockade", i.e. the current is enhanced due to the coupling with the electromagnetic environment.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

A one-channel conductor in an ohmic environment: mapping to a TLL and full counting statistics

It is shown that a one-channel mesoscopic conductor in an ohmic environment can be mapped to the problem of a backscattering impurity in a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL). This allows to determine non perturbatively the effect of the environment on $I-V$ curves, and to find an exact relationship between dynamic Coulomb blockade and shot noise. We investigate critically how this relationship compares to recent proposals in the literature. The full counting statistics is determined at zero temperature.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, shortened version for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Transport properties of single atoms

We present a systematic study of the ballistic electron conductance through sp and 3d transition metal atoms attached to copper and palladium crystalline electrodes. We employ the 'ab initio' screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker Green's function method to calculate the electronic structure of nanocontacts while the ballistic transmission and conductance eigenchannels were obtained by means of the Kubo approach as formulated by Baranger and Stone. We demonstrate that the conductance of the systems is mainly determined by the electronic properties of the atom bridging the macroscopic leads. We classify the conducting eigenchannels according to the atomic orbitals of the contact atom and the irreducible representations of the symmetry point group of the system that leads to the microscopic understanding of the conductance. We show that if impurity resonances in the density of states of the contact atom appear at the Fermi energy, additional channels of appropriate symmetry could open. On the other hand the transmission of the existing channels could be blocked by impurity scattering.Comment: RevTEX4, 9 pages, 9 figure

Experimental Test of the Dynamical Coulomb Blockade Theory for Short Coherent Conductors

We observed the recently predicted quantum suppression of dynamical Coulomb blockade on short coherent conductors by measuring the conductance of a quantum point contact embedded in a tunable on-chip circuit. Taking advantage of the circuit modularity we measured most parameters used by the theory. This allowed us to perform a reliable and quantitative experimental test of the theory. Dynamical Coulomb blockade corrections, probed up to the second conductance plateau of the quantum point contact, are found to be accurately normalized by the same Fano factor as quantum shot noise, in excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Inelastic Interaction Corrections and Universal Relations for Full Counting Statistics

We analyze in detail the interaction correction to Full Counting Statistics (FCS) of electron transfer in a quantum contact originating from the electromagnetic environment surrounding the contact. The correction can be presented as a sum of two terms, corresponding to elastic/inelastic electron transfer. Here we primarily focus on the inelastic correction. For our analysis, it is important to understand more general -- universal -- relations imposed on FCS only by quantum mechanics and statistics with no regard for a concrete realization of a contact. So we derive and analyze these relations. We reveal that for FCS the universal relations can be presented in a form of detailed balance. We also present several useful formulas for the cumulants. To facilitate the experimental observation of the effect, we evaluate cumulants of FCS at finite voltage and temperature. Several analytical results obtained are supplemented by numerical calculations for the first three cumulants at various transmission eigenvalues.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

An Assessment of the Human Papillomavirus Immunization Knowledge, Practices, and Prevention Among a Cohort of Urban College Students

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease, yet little is known about the college-age knowledge and prevention practices related to HPV. Although sample vaccination rates mirrored national known vaccination rates, a majority of participants did not complete the three dose vaccine schedule. HPV knowledge was similar between males and females while males were more likely to engage in preventative practices. This information can help healthcare providers reinforce vaccination schedule and prevention practices

Subharmonic Shapiro steps and assisted tunneling in superconducting point contacts

We analyze the current in a superconducting point contact of arbitrary transmission in the presence of a microwave radiation. The interplay between the ac Josephson current and the microwave signal gives rise to Shapiro steps at voltages V = (m/n) \hbar \omega_r/2e, where n,m are integer numbers and \omega_r is the radiation frequency. The subharmonic steps (n different from 1) are a consequence of the ocurrence of multiple Andreev reflections (MAR) and provide an unambiguous signature of the peculiar ac Josephson effect at high transmission. Moreover, the dc current exhibits a rich subgap structure due to photon-assisted MARs.Comment: Revtex, 4 pages, 4 figure

ac Josephson effect in the resonant tunneling through mesoscopic superconducting junctions

We investigate ac Josephson effect in the resonant tunneling through mesoscopic superconducting junctions. In the presence of microwave irradiation, we show that the trajectory of multiple Andreev reflections can be closed by emitting or absorbing photons. Consequently, photon-assisted Andreev states are formed and play the role of carrying supercurrent. On the Shapiro steps, dc component appears when the resonant level is near a series of positions with spacing of half of the microwave frequency. Analytical result is derived in the limit of infinite superconducting gap, based on which new features of ac Josephson effect are revealed.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Direct link between Coulomb blockade and shot noise in a quantum coherent structure

We analyze the current-voltage characteristic of a quantum conduction channel coupled to an electromagnetic environment of arbitrary frequency-dependent impedance. In the weak blockade regime the correction to the ohmic behavior is directly related to the channel current fluctuations vanishing at perfect transmission in the same way as shot noise. This relation can be generalized to describe the environmental Coulomb blockade in a generic mesoscopic conductor coupled to an external impedance, as the response of the latter to the current fluctuations in the former.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let