Shapiro Step Response of Intrinsic Josephson Junctions of (Bi1-xPbx)2Sr2CaCu2Oy at Elevated Temperatures

We have studied the response of stacks of intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) of (Bi1-xPbx)2Sr2CaCu2Oy (x = 0.15) to injection of microwave of frequencies frf of 2-20 GHz at 4.2 K and higher temperatures. Clear constant voltage steps, which are considered Shapiro steps, are successfully observed on the current-voltage characteristic of an IJJ with a resistivity of Josephson-vortex flow Rfl in any stack under the injection of microwave. The step of the eighth order, which is the highest in this study, is observed from the largest IJJ under injection of microwave of 10 GHz at 4.2 K. But, as the temperature increases, the number of steps decreases, and finally the steps disappear at ∼45 K due to large self-heating. In this IJJ a low Rfl plays an important role in appearance of the steps of the high order. The typical behavior of the steps at 4.2 K is well reproduced by numerical simulations on that of Shapiro steps of a JJ with the shunt resistivity equal to Rfl at the temperature.