title: Ratchet effect: demonstration of a relativistic fluxon diode.
abstract: We report the observation of the ratchet effect for a relativistic flux quantum trapped in an annular Josephson junction embedded in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. In such a solid state system, mechanical quantities are proportional to electrical quantities, so that the ratchet effect represents the realization of a relativistic-flux-quantum-based diode. Mean static voltage response, equivalent to directed fluxon motion, is experimentally demonstrated in such a diode for deterministic as well as stochastic oscillating current forcing.
authors.affiliation: INFM Research Unit and Department of Physics, University of Salerno, I-84081 Baronissi, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carapella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costabile