Observation of the Temporal Decoupling Effect on the Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling of a Josephson Junction

Abstract

We have measured the Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling (M.Q.T.) rate out of the zero voltage state of a Josephson junction shunted by a delay line terminated by a resistor. As the length of the line is increased in situ, thereby increasing the delay with which the resistor damps the junction, the M.Q.T. rate increases until it almost recovers its value in the absence of damping: This constitutes the temporal decoupling effect. We compare our results to the theoretical predictions.