  We study transport in an asymmetric SQUID which is composed of a loop with
three capacitively and resistively shunted Josephson junctions: two in series
in one arm and the remaining one in the other arm. The loop is threaded by an
external magnetic flux and the system is subjected to both a time-periodic and
a constant current. We formulate the deterministic and, as well, the stochastic
dynamics of the SQUID in terms of the Stewart-McCumber model and derive an
equation for the phase difference across one arm, in which an effective
periodic potential is of the ratchet type, i.e. its reflection symmetry is
broken. In doing so, we extend and generalize earlier study by Zapata et al.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2292 (1996)] and analyze directed transport in wide
parameter regimes: covering the over-damped to moderate damping regime up to
its fully under-damped regime. As a result we detect the intriguing features of
a negative (differential) conductance, repeated voltage reversals, noise
induced voltage reversals and solely thermal noise-induced ratchet currents. We
identify a set of parameters for which the ratchet effect is most pronounced
and show how the direction of transport can be controlled by tailoring the
external magnetic flux.
