Observation of Coherent Charge-State Mixing in Asymmetric Bloch Transistors

The reduced switching current of an excited energy-band in a Bloch transistor can be used to detect microwave-induced interband transitions. Spectroscopic measurements of the band-gap are performed by mapping the frequency dependence of the excitation threshold where the microwave photon energy and band-gap are equal. This excitation threshold also provides a probe of charge-state mixing on the island of the transistor. Any asymmetry in the junctions of the transistor makes the coherent mixing of charge-states appear as a finite gap-splitting at the electrostatic degeneracy point between states differing by one excess Cooper-pair on the island. The measured gap-splitting in an asymmetric transistor clearly demonstrates the effect.