Multiple-retrapping processes in the phase-diffusion regime of high-Tc intrinsic Josephson junctions

We report measurements of switching current distribution (SWCD) from a phase-diffusion branch (PDB) to a quasiparticle-tunneling branch (QTB) as a function of temperature in a cuprate-based intrinsic Josephson junction. Contrary to the thermal-activation model, the width of the SWCD increases and the corresponding switching rate shows a nonlinear behavior with a negative curvature in a semilogarithmic scale with decreasing temperature down to 1.5 K. Based on the multiple-retrapping model, we quantitatively demonstrate that the frequency-dependent junction quality factor, representing the energy dissipation in a phase-diffusion regime, determines the observed temperature dependence of the SWCD and the switching rate. We also show that a retrapping process from the QTB to the PDB is related to the low-frequency limit damping.