Asymmetric noise probed with a Josephson junction

Q. Le Masne, H. Pothier, Norman O. Birge, C. Urbina, D. Esteve

Published 2009-01-16Version 1

Fluctuations of the current through a tunnel junction are measured using a Josephson junction. The current noise adds to the bias current of the Josephson junction and affects its switching out of the supercurrent branch. The experiment is carried out in a regime where switching is determined by thermal activation. The variance of the noise results in an elevated effective temperature, whereas the third cumulant, related to its asymmetric character, leads to a difference in the switching rates observed for opposite signs of the current through the tunnel junction. Measurements are compared quantitatively with recent theoretical predictions.