Gap suppression by self-injection of quasiparticles in tin--tin-oxide--tin tunnel junctions

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978 · Phys. Rev., B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.17.4303· OSTI ID:6776033

Yeh, J T.C.; Langenberg, D N

A decrease of the superconducting energy gap has been observed in high-current-density tin--tin-oxide--tin tunnel junctions. This effect cannot be adequately accounted for by simple heating and is attributed to the presence of a nonequilibrium excess quasiparticle population created by the tunnel current. Analysis using a phenomenological model of the nonequilibrium superconductor yields a determination of the phonon-trapped quasiparticle recombination lifetime in tin in good agreement with the results of other experiments. A size-dependent enhancement of the phonon-emission efficiency of very narrow tunnel junctions is also observed and explained.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
• OSTI ID: 6776033
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., B; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., B; (United States) Vol. 17:11; ISSN PLRBA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

656101* -- Solid State Physics-- Superconductivity-- General Theory-- (-1987)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ENERGY GAP
JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHONONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUASI PARTICLES
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
TIN COMPOUNDS
TIN OXIDES
TUNNEL EFFECT