Elimination of thermal hysteresis with large V-$\Phi$ transduction in $\mu$-SQUIDs by inductive shunt

8 pages, 9 figuresMicron-size superconducting quantum interference devices ($\mu$-SQUIDs) are highly-sensitive magnetic flux sensors where the critical current or the voltage is modulated by the magnetic flux. The so-called voltage read-out mode is nevertheless often hindered by thermal hysteresis. $\mu$-SQUIDs with improved thermal evacuation and small critical current can feature a phase-dynamic regime over a narrow bias-current and temperature range. Guided by a dynamic thermal model, we could widen these current and temperature ranges by using a shunt resistor. A significant increase in these ranges and, more strikingly, in the voltage oscillations magnitude is observed when the shunt is made of an adequate inductance in series with the resistor. An increase in inductance above a threshold value leads to relaxation oscillations in voltage. The large voltage modulation thus obtained offers an improved flux resolution in the voltage read-out mode down to 1.3 K