Nonequilibrium quasiparticle distributions from superconducting tunneling measurements

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.31.7042· OSTI ID:5792498

Miller, N D; Rutledge, J E

We have measured the I-V characteristics of superconducting tin tunnel junctions driven from thermal equilibrium by optical photons and by near-ambient phonons from a resistive heater. Both measurements were done on the same junction so that the phonon escape rates were identical in both experiments. We have also calculated the I-V curve from the linearized kinetic equations as developed by Chang and Scalapino. We find good agreement between the measurements and the calculations for the optical case but poor agreement for the heater phonons. The calculation overestimates the contribution to the tunneling current from quasiparticles produced by phonons injected just above the energy gap, 2..delta... A possible qualitative explanation for this discrepancy is discussed.

• Research Organization: Physics Department, University of California, Irvine, California 92717
• OSTI ID: 5792498
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 31:11; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
656102 -- Solid State Physics-- Superconductivity-- Acoustic
Electronic
Magnetic
Optical
& Thermal Phenomena-- (-1987)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
DATA
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EQUATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FUNCTIONS
INFORMATION
JUNCTIONS
KINETIC EQUATIONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHONONS
PHOTONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUASI PARTICLES
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TIN
TUNNEL EFFECT