Critical voltage of a mesoscopic superconductor

R. S. Keizer; M. G. Flokstra; J. Aarts; T. M. Klapwijk

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.96.147002

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Critical voltage of a mesoscopic superconductor

R. S. Keizer·M. G. Flokstra·J. Aarts·T. M. Klapwijk

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Abstract

We study the role of the quasiparticle distribution function f on the properties of a superconducting nanowire. We employ a numerical calculation based upon the Usadel equation. Going beyond linear response, we find a non-thermal distribution for f caused by an applied bias voltage. We demonstrate that the even part of f (the energy mode f_L) drives a first order transition from the superconducting state to the normal state irrespective of the current.

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R. S. Keizer, M. G. Flokstra, J. Aarts, T. M. Klapwijk. 2005-02-18. Critical voltage of a mesoscopic superconductor. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.96.147002

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