Theory of the effect of supercurrents on the low-voltage resistance of superconductor--insulator--normal-metal tunnel junctions

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.35.6670· OSTI ID:6088856

Lemberger, T R; Yen, Y; Lee, S

The theory of charge imbalance in tunnel junctions is adapted to describe the low-voltage resistance R/sub j/(T) of low-resistance superconductor--insulator--normal-metal (SIN) tunnel junctions. R/sub j/ is shown to be very sensitive to the pair-breaking effect of supercurrents. Numerical calculations for hypothetical SIN junctions illustrate how one can obtain information about the magnitude and temperature dependence of electron scattering rates, coherence factors, and the density of superconducting electrons from measurements of R/sub j/ in the presence of supercurrents either applied directly with a current supply or induced with a magnetic field applied parallel to the superconducting film. Such measurements should yield information similar to that obtained from other nonequilibrium techniques like NMR and ultrasonic attenuation.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
• OSTI ID: 6088856
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Vol. 35:13
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
METALS
QUASI PARTICLES
SUPERCONDUCTING FILMS
TUNNEL EFFECT
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
JUNCTIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
420201* - Engineering- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
656100 - Condensed Matter Physics- Superconductivity