Intense quasiparticle tunnel injection along a one-dimensional superconductor: nonequilibrium phenomena and device applications
Effects of high current density quasiparticle injection along a one-dimensional superconducting film are investigated. The primary experimental tool used was a unique double edge geometry, three terminal superconducting device developed during the course of this research. The basic device structure consists of dual small area tunnel junctions formed on the aligned edges of two overlapping thin films separated by a thin insulating layer, with a common electrode shared by the two junctions. Using electron beam lithography and reactive ion beam oxidation, double edge devices were produced with junction current densities on the order of 10/sup 5/ A/cm/sup 2/ with both Nb and Al base electrodes, and PbBi and PbIn counterelectrodes. Examination of single-junction IV characteristics revealed a number of resistance jumps which were interpreted as a series of normal state transitions along discrete lengths of the counterelectrode neck. The double edge configuration also allowed one junction to be used as a probe of the neck response under heavy quasiparticle injection from the second junction. Strong evidence for time-dependent transition behavior was provided by the observation of ac Josephson steps around the first transition under 10 GHz microwave irradiation. In some cases detector junction IV current steps were seen at voltages equal to the injector voltage.
- Research Organization:
- Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5319238
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
TUNNEL EFFECT
SUPERCONDUCTORS
BEAM INJECTION
CURRENT DENSITY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
QUASI PARTICLES
TIME DEPENDENCE
JUNCTIONS
420201* - Engineering- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
360104 - Metals & Alloys- Physical Properties