Evaluating the critical current magnitude and distribution width of tridimensional Josephson junction arrays

In this contribution we present a simple and effective procedure to determine the average critical current of a tridimensional disordered Josephson junction array (3DDJJA). Using a contactless configuration we evaluate the average critical current and the typical width of the distribution through the analysis of the isothermal susceptibility response to the excitation field amplitude, χAC(h). A 3D-DJJA fabricated from granular Nb is used to illustrate the method. *Corresponding Author: [email protected] The low-frequency magnetic response of Nb-AlOx-Nb Josephson junction arrays (JJA) has been investigated by Araujo-Moreira and coworkers , through the temperature (T ) and excitation field (h) dependence of the AC magnetic susceptibility, χAC . Based on simulations of a single-plaquette model, they have successfully explained the dynamic reentrance presented by χAC(T ) for certain values of h, as well as the isothermal susceptibility χAC(h). Simulated magnetization versus applied field curves for the single-plaquette model, predict that a certain class of arrays would exhibit, upon excitation by a field, a remanent moment in a limited interval of temperatures, depending on the critical current, Ic, and other modeling parameters of the junctions. As a matter of fact, the McCumber parameter, βL is the