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Electron-hole imbalance in superconductor-normal metal mesoscopic structures

V. R. Kogan·V. V. Pavlovskii·A. F. Volkov
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Abstract

We analysed the electron-hole or, in another words, branch imbalance (BI) and the related electric potential $V_{imb}$ which may arise in a mesoscopic superconductor/normal metal (S/N) structure under non-equilibrium conditions in the presence of a supercurrent. Non-equilibrium conditions can be created in different ways: a) a quasiparticle current flowing between the N reservoirs; b) a temperature gradient between the N reservoirs and no quasiparticle current. It is shown that the voltage $V_{imb}$ oscillates with the phase difference $ϕ$. In a cross-geometry structure the voltage $V_{imb}$ arises in the vertical branch and affects the conditions for a transition into the $π$-state.

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V. R. Kogan, V. V. Pavlovskii, A. F. Volkov. 2002-07-03. Electron-hole imbalance in superconductor-normal metal mesoscopic structures. https://doi.org/10.1209/epl%2Fi2002-00124-7

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