Direct Measurement of the Josephson Supercurrent in an Ultrasmall Josephson Junction

Abstract

We have measured the supercurrent flowing through a nonhysteretic, ultrasmall, voltage-biased Josephson junction. In contrast with experiments performed so far on hysteretic Josephson junctions, we find a supercurrent peak whose maximum I(s max) increases as the temperature T decreases. The asymptotic T = 0 value of I(s max) agrees with the junction Ambegaokar-Baratoff critical current, as predicted by theory.