This paper investigates possible effects of alpha particle and ion beam
irradiation on the properties of the superinsulating phase, recently observed
in titanium nitride films, by using numerical simulation of particle
transport. Unique physical properties of the superinsulating state are
considered by relying on a two-dimensional Josephson junction array as a
model of material structure. It is suggested that radiation-induced change of
the Josephson junction charging energy would not affect the current-voltage
characteristics of the superinsulating film significantly. However, it is
theorized that a relapse to an insulating state with thermally activated
resistance is possible, due to radiation-induced disruption of the fine-tuned
granular structure. The breaking of Cooper pairs caused by incident and
displaced ions may also destroy the conditions for a superinsulating phase to
exist. Finally, even the energy loss to phonons can influence the
superinsulating state, by increasing the effective temperature of the phonon
thermostat, thereby reestablishing means for an energy exchange that can
support Cooper pair tunneling.
Circuit-QED-based measurement of vortex lattice order in a Josephson junction array
