Spatially resolved detection of phase locking in Josephson junction arrays

Two-dimensional arrays of shunted Nb/AlOx/Nb Josephson junctions have been investigated. Shapiro steps in the current–voltage (I–V) curve of an on-chip detector junction can be used to sense mutual phase locking of the array junctions. By scanning the array with a low-power electron beam, the phase locked junctions remain locked, whereas the unlocked junctions generate a beam-induced additional voltage drop along the array. In regions of the array’s bias current where pronounced Shapiro steps occur in the detector’s I–V curve, practically no array junction generates a beam-induced voltage signal, thus indicating complete mutual locking. For other bias currents of the array with less than maximum detected power, some of the junctions generate beam-induced signals, and can be identified as being non-locked. Our investigations allow a detailed and spatially resolved analysis of mutual phase locking in arrays of Josephson junctions. Moreover, the results obtained with autonomous arrays are compared to experiments performed with injection locked arrays.