Non-collective Josephson-Vortex Motion Induced by Pancake-Vortex Pinning in Stacked Josephson Junctions

Abstract

We experimentally studied the dynamic-state characteristics of Josephson vortices (JVs) and influence of pancake vortices (PVs) on the JV dynamics in a stack of inductively coupled Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCuO(8+delta) intrinsic Josephson junctions. In a few-tesla magnetic field range, we observed Josephson-vortex-flow branches (JVFBs) in the current-voltage characteristics. We show that the JVFBs are generated by the non-collective pinning (depinning) of Josephson vortices in individual junctions by (from) pancake vortices. Results of our study suggest a convenient means of controlling JVs for quantum-electronics applications utilizing stacked Josephson junctions.