Eck peak in underdamped discrete superconducting vortex flow devices

We have measured vortex motion in a long one-dimensional array of small underdamped niobium tunnel junctions which are coupled in parallel by superconducting wires. In the current-voltage characteristic, a resonant step occurs similar to the Eck peak in long continuous junctions. Due to the discrete nature of our samples, the voltage of this resonant step follows a sinusoidal dependence on the magnetic field rather than the linear dependence found in long continuous junctions. With a control current applied parallel to the array of junctions, the device can be operated as a vortex-flow transistor or as a tunable vortex-flow oscillator. Compared to long continuous junctions, the performance of discrete transistors is better with regard to the threshold current and transresistance, but worse with regard to the output resistance. Discrete oscillators have the advantage over their continuous counterparts in that the output impedance is of the order of 10 Ω. Numerical simulations indicate power levels around 0.5 μW and frequencies above 500 GHz.