354 research outputs found
Tail States below the Thouless Gap in SNS junctions: Classical Fluctuations
We study the tails of the density of states (DOS) in a diffusive
superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) junction below the Thouless
gap. We show that long-wave fluctuations of the concentration of impurities in
the normal layer lead to the formation of subgap quasiparticle states, and
calculate the associated subgap DOS in all effective dimensionalities. We
compare the resulting tails with those arising from mesoscopic gap
fluctuations, and determine the dimensionless parameters controlling which
contribution dominates the subgap DOS. We observe that the two contributions
are formally related to each other by a dimensional reduction.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur
Commensurability effects in Andreev antidot billiards
An Andreev billiard was realized in an array of niobium filled antidots in a
high-mobility InAs/AlGaSb heterostructure. Below the critical temperature T_C
of the Nb dots we observe a strong reduction of the resistance around B=0 and a
suppression of the commensurability peaks, which are usually found in antidot
lattices. Both effects can be explained in a classical Kubo approach by
considering the trajectories of charge carriers in the semiconductor, when
Andreev reflection at the semiconductor-superconductor interface is included.
For perfect Andreev reflection, we expect a complete suppression of the
commensurability features, even though motion at finite B is chaotic.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Andreev Conductance of Chaotic and Integrable Quantum Dots
We examine the voltage V and magnetic field B dependent Andreev conductance
of a chaotic quantum dot coupled via point contacts to a normal metal and a
superconductor. In the case where the contact to the superconductor dominates,
we find that the conductance is consistent with the dot itself behaving as a
superconductor-- it appears as though Andreev reflections are occurring locally
at the interface between the normal lead and the dot. This is contrasted
against the behaviour of an integrable dot, where for a similar strong coupling
to the superconductor, no such effect is seen. The voltage dependence of the
Andreev conductance thus provides an extremely pronounced quantum signature of
the nature of the dot's classical dynamics. For the chaotic dot, we also study
non-monotonic re-entrance effects which occur in both V and B.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
Universal gap fluctuations in the superconductor proximity effect
Random-matrix theory is used to study the mesoscopic fluctuations of the
excitation gap in a metal grain or quantum dot induced by the proximity to a
superconductor. We propose that the probability distribution of the gap is a
universal function in rescaled units. Our analytical prediction for the gap
distribution agrees well with exact diagonalization of a model Hamiltonian
Conductance Fluctuations in a Disordered Double-Barrier Junction
We consider the effect of disorder on coherent tunneling through two barriers
in series, in the regime of overlapping transmission resonances. We present
analytical calculations (using random-matrix theory) and numerical simulations
(on a lattice) to show that strong mode-mixing in the inter-barrier region
induces mesoscopic fluctuations in the conductance of universal magnitude
for a symmetric junction. For an asymmetric junction, the
root-mean-square fluctuations depend on the ratio of the two tunnel
resistances according to ,
where in the presence (absence) of time-reversal symmetry.Comment: 12 pages, REVTeX-3.0, 2 figures, submitted to Physical Review
Quantum interference and the formation of the proximity effect in chaotic normal-metal/superconducting structures
We discuss a number of basic physical mechanisms relevant to the formation of
the proximity effect in superconductor/normal metal (SN) systems. Specifically,
we review why the proximity effect sharply discriminates between systems with
integrable and chaotic dynamics, respectively, and how this feature can be
incorporated into theories of SN systems. Turning to less well investigated
terrain, we discuss the impact of quantum diffractive scattering on the
structure of the density of states in the normal region. We consider ballistic
systems weakly disordered by pointlike impurities as a test case and
demonstrate that diffractive processes akin to normal metal weak localization
lead to the formation of a hard spectral gap -- a hallmark of SN systems with
chaotic dynamics. Turning to the more difficult case of clean systems with
chaotic boundary scattering, we argue that semiclassical approaches, based on
classifications in terms of classical trajectories, cannot explain the gap
phenomenon. Employing an alternative formalism based on elements of
quasiclassics and the ballistic -model, we demonstrate that the inverse
of the so-called Ehrenfest time is the relevant energy scale in this context.
We discuss some fundamental difficulties related to the formulation of low
energy theories of mesoscopic chaotic systems in general and how they prevent
us from analysing the gap structure in a rigorous manner. Given these
difficulties, we argue that the proximity effect represents a basic and
challenging test phenomenon for theories of quantum chaotic systems.Comment: 21 pages (two-column), 6 figures; references adde
Scaling Theory of Conduction Through a Normal-Superconductor Microbridge
The length dependence is computed of the resistance of a disordered
normal-metal wire attached to a superconductor. The scaling of the transmission
eigenvalue distribution with length is obtained exactly in the metallic limit,
by a transformation onto the isobaric flow of a two-dimensional ideal fluid.
The resistance has a minimum for lengths near l/Gamma, with l the mean free
path and Gamma the transmittance of the superconductor interface.Comment: 8 pages, REVTeX-3.0, 3 postscript figures appended as self-extracting
archive, INLO-PUB-94031
Giant Backscattering Peak in Angle-Resolved Andreev Reflection
It is shown analytically and by numerical simulation that the angular
distribution of Andreev reflection by a disordered normal-metal --
superconductor junction has a narrow peak at the angle of incidence. The peak
is higher than the well-known coherent backscattering peak in the normal state,
by a large factor G/G_0 (where G is the conductance of the junction and
G_0=2e^2/h). The enhanced backscattering can be detected by means of ballistic
point contacts.Comment: Instituut-Lorentz, Leiden, The Netherlands, 4 pages, REVTeX-3.0, 3
figure
Mapping (dis)agreement in hydrologic projections
Hydrologic projections are of vital socio-economic importance. However, they are also prone to uncertainty. In order to establish a meaningful range of storylines to support water managers in decision making, we need to reveal the relevant sources of uncertainty. Here, we systematically and extensively investigate uncertainty in hydrologic projections for 605 basins throughout the contiguous US. We show that in the majority of the basins, the sign of change in average annual runoff and discharge timing for the period 2070–2100 compared to 1985–2008 differs among combinations of climate models, hydrologic models, and parameters. Mapping the results revealed that different sources of uncertainty dominate in different regions. Hydrologic model induced uncertainty in the sign of change in mean runoff was related to snow processes and aridity, whereas uncertainty in both mean runoff and discharge timing induced by the climate models was related to disagreement among the models regarding the change in precipitation. Overall, disagreement on the sign of change was more widespread for the mean runoff than for the discharge timing. The results demonstrate the need to define a wide range of quantitative hydrologic storylines, including parameter, hydrologic model, and climate model forcing uncertainty, to support water resource planning
Andreev Bound States and Self-Consistent Gap Functions for SNS and SNSNS Systems
Andreev bound states in clean, ballistic SNS and SNSNS junctions are
calculated exactly and by using the Andreev approximation (AA). The AA appears
to break down for junctions with transverse dimensions chosen such that the
motion in the longitudinal direction is very slow. The doubly degenerate states
typical for the traveling waves found in the AA are replaced by two standing
waves in the exact treatment and the degeneracy is lifted.
A multiple-scattering Green's function formalism is used, from which the
states are found through the local density of states. The scattering by the
interfaces in any layered system of ballistic normal metals and clean
superconducting materials is taken into account exactly. The formalism allows,
in addition, for a self-consistent determination of the gap function. In the
numerical calculations the pairing coupling constant for aluminum is used.
Various features of the proximity effect are shown
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