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A New Superconducting State

Journal Article · · Physica Status Solidi B. Basic Solid State Physics
In long one-dimensional superconductors, such as whiskers and thin wires, new current-carrying states above the critical current were found that are due to spatially periodic solutions of the modulus of the order parameter and spatially periodic super and normal transport currents in parallel. The order parameter is zero at certain points in the whisker, thereby permitting the phase of the order parameter to slip in time of one singly-connected superconducting region with respect to the adjacent, the consequence of which is a dc potential difference between the separate singlycornected superconducting regions. In this model, the modulus of the order parameter is time-independent, the phase is time-dependent, and the difference of the pair electrochemical potentials between adjacent singly connected superconducting regions is an integer fraction of the total voltage difference across the whisker. These solutions lead to voltage steps in the dc voltagecurrent characteristic of thin whiskers. The upper critical current is derived at which the superconductor becomes completely noranal conducting. This current is much larger than the current at which the first voltage step occurs. Agreement with experiments is good.
Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Davis
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-29-014037
OSTI ID:
4375876
Journal Information:
Physica Status Solidi B. Basic Solid State Physics, Journal Name: Physica Status Solidi B. Basic Solid State Physics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 60; ISSN 0370-1972
Publisher:
Wiley-Blackwell
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English