- Physical Review Journals
All JournalsPhysics Magazine

Physical Review Applied

Reuse & Permissions

It is not necessary to obtain permission to reuse this article or its components as it is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI are maintained. Please note that some figures may have been included with permission from other third parties. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permission from the rights holder directly for these figures.

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Open Access

Highly linear proximity-based double-loop SQUID operating above 4 K

G. Trupiano1,*, E. Riccardi1, C. Puglia2, M. Kiczynski3, A. Gardin3, G. De Simoni1,†, G. C. Tettamanzi3,‡, and F. Giazotto1,§

  • *Contact author: giacomo.trupiano@sns.it
  • †Contact author: giorgio.desimoni@nano.cnr.it
  • ‡Contact author: giuseppe.tettamanzi@adelaide.edu.au
  • §Contact author: francesco.giazotto@sns.it
PDF

Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 054019 – Published 7 May, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/m4wn-d31t

Abstract

We demonstrate a highly linear superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) interferometer based on a double-loop (Bi-SQUID) architecture incorporating three superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (S-N-S) junctions. Fabricated using niobium-gold technology, the device exhibits robust operation at liquid helium temperatures, with a superconducting transition temperature of 8.5 K. The dc flux-to-voltage transfer function demonstrates sharp, symmetric, and highly linear behavior at temperatures up to 5 K. Bi-SQUIDs featuring our single-element S-N-S design represent an interesting and original approach to this field, as they exhibit a numerically estimated spurious-free dynamic range linearity exceeding 60 dB, achieved in a single element, simplifying the requirements in terms of arrays containing hundreds of junctions. These results highlight the potential of proximity-based Bi-SQUIDs for compact and highly linear cryogenic interferometric devices, motivating future investigations of their dynamic and noise performance for applied implementations such as quantum sensing, magnetometry, and biomedical diagnostics.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

References (34)

  1. A. Barone and G. Paterno, Physics and Applications of the Josephson Effect, A Wiley-Interscience Publication (Wiley, New York, 1982).
  2. J. Clarke and A. Braginski, The SQUID Handbook: Applications of Squids and SQUID Systems (Wiley, Weinheim, 2006).
  3. K. Sternickel and A. I. Braginski, Biomagnetism using SQUIDs: Status and perspectives, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 19, S160 (2006).
  4. M. Mück and J. Clarke, Harmonic distortion and intermodulation products in the microstrip amplifier based on a superconducting quantum interference device, Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 3666 (2001).
  5. V. K. Kornev, I. I. Soloviev, N. V. Klenov, and O. A. Mukhanov, Bi-SQUID: A novel linearization method for dc SQUID voltage response, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 22, 114011 (2009).
  6. V. K. Kornev, A. V. Sharafiev, I. I. Soloviev, and O. A. Mukhanov, Signal and noise characteristics of bi-SQUID, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 27, 115009 (2014).
  7. V. K. Kornev, N. V. Kolotinskiy, D. E. Bazulin, and O. A. Mukhanov, High-inductance Bi-SQUID, IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 27, 1 (2017).
  8. V. K. Kornev, N. V. Kolotinskiy, D. E. Bazulin, and O. A. Mukhanov, High-linearity Bi-SQUID: Design map, IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 28, 1 (2018).
  9. V. K. Kornev, N. V. Kolotinskiy, and O. A. Mukhanov, Bi-SQUID: Design for applications, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 33, 113001 (2020).
  10. G. S. Krivoy and V. A. Komashko, A new type of SQUID, Physica B 165–166, 83 (1990).
  11. B. Chesca, On the theory of the RF pumped double SQUID, Physica C 244, 25 (1995).
  12. V. K. Kornev, I. I. Soloviev, N. V. Klenov, A. V. Sharafiev, and O. A. Mukhanov, Linear bi-squid arrays for electrically small antennas, IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 21, 713 (2011).
  13. G. De Simoni, L. Cassola, N. Ligato, G. C. Tettamanzi, and F. Giazotto, Ultrahigh linearity of the magnetic-flux-to-voltage response of proximity-based mesoscopic bi-SQUIDs, Phys. Rev. Appl. 18, 014073 (2022).
  14. H. Ohta, M. Matsuo, Y. Sakai, M. Tokuda, K. Shimano, T. Yuyama, H. Nakamura, N. Fujimaki, and H. Hayakawa, Mesoscopic SNS junctions and their application to SQUIDs and millimeter-wave detectors, Physica C 317-318, 659 (1999).
  15. K. D. Usadel, Generalized diffusion equation for superconducting alloys, Phys. Rev. Lett. 25, 507 (1970).
  16. K. K. Likharev, Superconducting weak links, Rev. Mod. Phys. 51, 101 (1979).
  17. A. A. Golubov, M. Yu. Kupriyanov, and E. Il’ichev, The current-phase relation in Josephson junctions, Rev. Mod. Phys. 76, 411 (2004).
  18. P. Dubos, H. Courtois, B. Pannetier, F. K. Wilhelm, A. D. Zaikin, and G. Schön, Josephson critical current in a long mesoscopic S-N-S junction, Phys. Rev. B 63, 064502 (2001).
  19. H. Courtois, M. Meschke, J. T. Peltonen, and J. P. Pekola, Origin of hysteresis in a proximity Josephson junction, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 067002 (2008).
  20. L. Angers, F. Chiodi, G. Montambaux, M. Ferrier, S. Guéron, H. Bouchiat, and J. C. Cuevas, Proximity dc squids in the long-junction limit, Phys. Rev. B 77, 165408 (2008).
  21. T. X. Kong, J. Cruddas, J. Marenkovic, W. Tang, G. De Simoni, F. Giazotto, and G. C. Tettamanzi, Circuit-theoretic phenomenological model of an electrostatic gate-controlled bi-SQUID, Supercond. Sci. Technol. 37, 115014 (2024).
  22. L. Ruf, C. Puglia, T. Elalaily, G. De Simoni, F. Joint, M. Berke, J. Koch, A. Iorio, S. Khorshidian, P. Makk et al., Gate control of superconducting current: Mechanisms, parameters, and technological potential, Appl. Phys. Rev. 11, 041314 (2024).
  23. G. De Simoni, F. Paolucci, C. Puglia, and F. Giazotto, Josephson field-effect transistors based on all-metallic Al/Cu/Al proximity nanojunctions, ACS Nano 13, 7871 (2019).
  24. G. De Simoni, S. Battisti, N. Ligato, M. T. Mercaldo, M. Cuoco, and F. Giazotto, Gate control of the current–flux relation of a Josephson quantum interferometer based on proximitized metallic nanojunctions, ACS Appl. Electron. Mater. 3, 3927 (2021).
  25. L. Bours, M. T. Mercaldo, M. Cuoco, E. Strambini, and F. Giazotto, Unveiling mechanisms of electric field effects on superconductors by a magnetic field response, Phys. Rev. Res. 2, 033353 (2020).
  26. A. N. McCaughan and K. K. Berggren, A superconducting-nanowire three-terminal electrothermal device, Nano Lett. 14, 5748 (2014).
  27. R. Baghdadi, J. P. Allmaras, B. A. Butters, A. E. Dane, S. Iqbal, A. N. McCaughan, E. A. Toomey, Q.-Y. Zhao, A. G. Kozorezov, and K. K. Berggren, Multilayered heater nanocryotron: A superconducting-nanowire-based thermal switch, Phys. Rev. Appl. 14, 054011 (2020).
  28. A. Buzzi, M. Castellani, R. A. Foster, O. Medeiros, M. Colangelo, and K. K. Berggren, A nanocryotron memory and logic family, Appl. Phys. Lett. 122, 142601 (2023).
  29. A. Savin, J. P. Pekola, J. Flyktman, A. Anthore, and F. Giazotto, Cold electron Josephson transistor, Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 4179 (2004).
  30. G. Trupiano, G. De Simoni, and F. Giazotto, Quasiparticle-injection superconducting microwave relaxation oscillator, Phys. Rev. Appl. 23, 014046 (2025).
  31. S. Tirelli, A. M. Savin, C. P. Garcia, J. P. Pekola, F. Beltram, and F. Giazotto, Manipulation and generation of supercurrent in out-of-equilibrium Josephson tunnel nanojunctions, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 077004 (2008).
  32. G. Trupiano, G. De Simoni, and F. Giazotto, Thermally modulated SINIS transconductance amplifier, Phys. Rev. Appl. 25, 034087 (2026).
  33. A. Ronzani, M. Baillergeau, C. Altimiras, and F. Giazotto, Micro-superconducting quantum interference devices based on V/Cu/V Josephson nanojunctions, Appl. Phys. Lett. 103, 052603 (2013).
  34. G. Trupiano, E. Riccardi, C. Puglia, M. Kiczynski, A. Gardin, G. De Simoni, G. C. Tettamanzi, and F. Giazotto, Raw data of “Highly-Linear Proximity-Based Bi-SQUID Operating above 4 K, Zenodo, 2026, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18413459.

Outline

Information

Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 054019– Published 7 May, 2026
  • Received 6 October 2025
  • Revised 29 January 2026
  • Accepted 16 April 2026
Crossmark - Check for updates button
Creative Commons Logo

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation