  We report the observation of the ratchet effect for a relativistic flux
quantum trapped in an annular Josephson junction embedded in an inhomogeneous
magnetic field. In such a solid state system mechanical quantities are
proportional to electrical quantities, so that the ratchet effect represents
the realization of a relativistic-flux-quantum-based diode. Mean static voltage
response, equivalent to directed fluxon motion, is experimentally demonstrated
in such a diode for deterministic current forcing both in the overdamped and in
the underdamped dynamical regime. In the underdamped regime, the recently
predicted phenomenon of current reversal is also recovered in our fluxon
ratchet.
