Quasiparticle relaxation rates in Nb/AlO{sub x}/Nb tunnel junctions due to Abrikosov vortices
- Lehrstuhl Experimentalphysik II, University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 14, 72076 Tuebingen (Germany)
- University of Twente, Faculty of Applied Physics, Low Temperature Group, P.O. Box 217,7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)
Superconducting tunnel junctions are promising detector elements in next generation x-ray, UV, and optical detectors. Quasiparticles which approach the neighborhood of the normal core may scatter and emit a phonon, thus being trapped in the Abrikosov vortex (AV). In this way the existence of AVs reduces the lifetime of quasiparticles. In this experiment excess quasiparticles in a Nb/AlO{sub x}/Nb junction are created by means of a low temperature scanning electron microscope. The trapping rate of quasiparticles into AVs is determined by measuring the quasiparticle lifetime as a function of the AV concentration. This results in an effective trapping radius of the AV of 14.8{plus_minus}1.4nm, which is slightly less than theoretical expectations. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 503598
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 81; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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