Josephson junction transmission lines as tunable artificial crystals

Abstract

We investigate one-dimensional Josephson junction arrays with generalized unit cells as a circuit approach to engineer microwave band gaps. An array described by a lattice with a basis can be designed to have a gap in the electromagnetic spectrum, in full analogy to electronic band gaps in diatomic or many-atomic crystals. We derive the dependence of this gap on the array parameters in the linear regime and suggest experimentally feasible designs to bring the gap below the single-junction plasma frequency. The gap can be tuned in a wide frequency range by applying external flux, and it persists in the presence of small imperfections.