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Magnetic field dependence of the critical current in YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-δ}/Au/Nb ramp-zigzag Josephson junctions

We study the critical current I_c dependence on applied magnetic field H for multifacet YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-δ}-Au-Nb ramp-type zigzag Josephson junctions. For many experiments one would like to apply a homogeneous field in the junction plane. However, even tiny misalignments can cause drastic deviations from homogeneity. We show this explicitly by measuring and analyzing I_c vs. H for an 8 facet junction, forming an array of 4\times(0-π)-segments. The ramp angle is θ_r=8^\circ. The facet width is 10\,\mum. H is applied under different angles θrelative to the substrate plane and different angles ϕrelative to the in-plane orientation of the zigzags. We find that a homogeneous flux distribution is only achieved for an angle θ_h\approx 1^\circ - 2^\circ and that even a small misalignment \sim 0.1^\circ relative to θ_h can cause a substantial inhomogeneity of the flux density inside the junction, drastically altering its I_c vs. H interference pattern. We also show, that there is a dead angle θ^*_d relative to θ_h of similar magnitude, where the average flux density completely vanishes.