Aharonov-Bohm oscillations with period hc /4 e and negative magnetoresistance in dirty superconductors

Journal Article · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.45.10490· OSTI ID:7285657

Kivelson, S A ^[1]; Spivak, B Z ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024 (United States)
2. Physics Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 (United States)

We show that in a disordered superconductor near the superconductor-to-insulator transition the local superfluid density {ital N}{sub {ital s}} fluctuates from point to point in sign as well as magnitude. We demonstrate this explicitly with a simple model in which correlation effects produce a negative Josephson coupling between two superconducting grains. We argue more generally that correlation effects and resistance fluctuations produce random signs of {ital N}{sub {ital s}}. This implies that the superconductor-to-insulator transition may not be in the same universality class as the Bose-superfluid--to--insulator transition. It also results in a {ital hc}/4{ital e} period of Aharonov-Bohm oscillations and a negative magnetoresistance; both occur for {ital T}{gt}{ital T}{sub {ital c}} in superconducting samples and at low temperatures in insulating samples.

• OSTI ID: 7285657
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 45:18; ISSN PRBMD; ISSN 0163-1829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665411* -- Basic Superconductivity Studies-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AHARONOV-BOHM EFFECT
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EQUIPMENT
JOSEPHSON EFFECT
MAGNETORESISTANCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUCLEAR MODELS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RELAXATION
SCALING LAWS
SUPERCONDUCTORS
SUPERFLUID MODEL