TY - JOUR
T1 - Thin spectrum states in bulk superconductors and superconducting grains
AU - van Wezel, Jasper
PY - 2008/4/8
Y1 - 2008/4/8
N2 - We show how a local pairing model for superconductivity can be used to describe the symmetry breaking mechanism in exact analogy to the cases of quantum crystals and antiferromagnets. We find that there are low energy states associated with the symmetry breaking process which are not influenced by the Anderson–Higgs mechanism. The presence of these ‘thin spectrum’ states in qubits based on superconducting material leads to a maximum time for which such qubits can remain quantum coherent. We also show how the charging energy of superconducting quantum dots may give the thin spectrum states a finite energy gap, impeding the spontaneous breaking of phase symmetry.
AB - We show how a local pairing model for superconductivity can be used to describe the symmetry breaking mechanism in exact analogy to the cases of quantum crystals and antiferromagnets. We find that there are low energy states associated with the symmetry breaking process which are not influenced by the Anderson–Higgs mechanism. The presence of these ‘thin spectrum’ states in qubits based on superconducting material leads to a maximum time for which such qubits can remain quantum coherent. We also show how the charging energy of superconducting quantum dots may give the thin spectrum states a finite energy gap, impeding the spontaneous breaking of phase symmetry.
U2 - 10.1016/j.physb.2008.04.020
DO - 10.1016/j.physb.2008.04.020
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
SN - 0921-4526
VL - 403
SP - 3206
EP - 3210
JO - Physica B: Condensed Matter
JF - Physica B: Condensed Matter
ER -