29 research outputs found
Broadening of Andreev-Bound States in d_{x^2-y^2} superconductors
We investigate the broadening of the bound states at an interface of an
unconventional superconductor by bulk impurity scattering. We use the
quasiclassical theory and include impurity scattering in the Born and in the
unitarity limit. The broadening of bound states due to unitary scatterers is
shown to be substantially weaker than in the Born limit. We study various model
geometries and calculate the temperature dependence of the Josephson critical
current in the presence of these impurity-broadened bound states.Comment: 6 page including 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Subharmonic gap structure in d-wave superconductors
We present a self-consistent theory of current-voltage characteristics of
d-wave/d-wave contacts at arbitrary transparency. In particular, we address the
open problem of the observation of subharmonic gap structure (SGS) in cuprate
junctions. Our analysis shows that: (i) the SGS is possible in d-wave
superconductors, (ii) the existence of bound states within the gap results in
an even-odd effect in the SGS, (iii) elastic scattering mechanisms, like
impurities or surface roughness, may suppress the SGS, and (iv) in the presence
of a magnetic field the Doppler shift of the Andreev bound states leads to a
very peculiar splitting of the SGS, which is an unambiguous fingerprint of
d-wave superconductivity.Comment: Revtex4, 4 pages, 5 figure
Two regimes for effects of surface disorder on the zero-bias conductance peak of tunnel junctions involving d-wave superconductors
Impurity-induced quasiparticle bound states on a pair-breaking surface of a
d-wave superconductor are theoretically described, taking into account
hybridization of impurity- and surface-induced Andreev states. Further a theory
for effects of surface disorder (of thin impurity surface layer) on the
low-bias conductance of tunnel junctions is developed. We find a threshold
for surface impurity concentration , which separates the two regimes
for surface impurity effects on the zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP). Below
the threshold, surface impurities do not broaden the ZBCP, but effectively
reduce its weight and generate impurity bands. For low impurity bands can
be, in principle, resolved experimentally, being centered at energies of bound
states induced by an isolated impurity on the surface. For larger
impurity bands are distorted, move to lower energies and, beginning with the
threshold concentration , become centered at zero energy. With
increasing above the threshold, the ZBCP is quickly destroyed in the case
of strong scatterers, while it is gradually suppressed and broaden in the
presence of weak impurity potentials. More realistic cases, taking into account
additional broadening, not related to the surface disorder, are also
considered.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure
Shot noise in normal metal-d-wave superconducting junctions
We present theoretical calculations and predictions for the shot noise in
voltage biased junctions of superconductors and normal metal
counter-electrodes. In the clean limit for the d-wave superconductor the shot
noise vanishes at zero voltage because of resonant Andreev reflection by
zero-energy surface bound states. We examine the sensitivity of this resonance
to impurity scattering. We report theoretical results for the magnetic field
dependence of the shot noise, as well the fingerprints of subdominant - and
pairing channels.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures and 3 tables embedde
Andreev reflection in layered structures: implications for high T_c grain boundary Josephson junctions
Andreev reflection is investigated in layered anisotropic normal metal /
superconductor (N/S) systems in the case of an energy gap \Delta in S not
negligible with respect to the Fermi energy E_F, as it probably occurs with
high critical temperature superconductors (HTS). We find that in these limits
retro-reflectivity, which is a fundamental feature of Andreev reflection, is
broken modifying sensitively transport across S/N interfaces. We discuss the
consequences for supercurrents in HTS Josephson junctions and for the midgap
states in S-N contactsComment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.
D-Wave Superconductors near Surfaces and Interfaces: A Scattering Matrix Approach within the Quasiclassical Technique
A recently developed method [A. Shelankov and M. Ozana, Phys. Rev. B 61, 7077
(2000)] is applied to investigate d-wave superconductors in the vicinity of
(rough) surfaces. While this method allows the incorporation of arbitrary
interfaces into the quasiclassical technique, we discuss, as examples,
diffusive surfaces and boundaries with small tilted mirrors (facets). The
properties of the surface enter via the scattering matrix in the boundary
condition for the quasiclassical Green's function. The diffusive surface is
described by an ensemble of random scattering matrices. We find that the
fluctuations of the density of states around the average are small; the zero
bias conductance peak broadens with increasing disorder. The faceted surface is
described in the model where the scattering matrix couples m in- and m
out-trajectories (m>=2). No zero bias conductance peak is found for [100]
surfaces; the relation to the model of Fogelstrom et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 79,
281 (1997)] is discussed.Comment: RevTeX, 19 pages, 18 figure
Quasiparticle Interface States in Junctions Involving d-Wave Superconductors
Influence of surface pair breaking, barrier transmission and phase difference
on quasiparticle bound states in junctions with d-wave superconductors is
examined. Based on the quasiclassical theory of superconductivity, an approach
is developed to handle interface bound states. It is shown in SIS' junctions
that low energy bound states get their energies reduced by surface pair
breaking, which can be taken into account by introducing an effective order
parameter for each superconductor at the junction barrier. More interestingly,
for the interface bound states near the continuous spectrum the effect of
surface pair breaking may result in a splitting of the bound states. In the
tunneling limit this can lead to a square root dependence of a nonequilibrium
Josephson current on the barrier transmision, which means an enhancement as
compared to the conventional critical current linear in the transmission.
Reduced broadening of bound states in NIS junctions due to surface pair
breaking is found.Comment: 27 pages, Latex fil
Disordered Josephson Junctions of d-Wave Superconductors
We study the Josephson effect between weakly coupled d-wave superconductors
within the quasiclassical theory, in particular, the influence of interface
roughness on the current-phase relation and the critical current of mirror
junctions and asymmetric junctions. For mirror junctions the
temperature dependence of the critical current is non-monotonic in the limit of
low roughness, but monotonic for very rough interfaces. For
asymmetric junctions with a linear dimension much larger than the
superconducting coherence length we find a -like current-phase
relation, whereas for contacts on the scale of the coherence length or smaller
the usual -like behavior is observed. Our results compare well with
recent experimental observations.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Josephson currents through spin-active interfaces
The Josephson coupling of two isotropic s-wave superconductors through a
small, magnetically active junction is studied. This is done as a function of
junction transparency and of the degree of spin-mixing occurring in the
barrier. In the tunneling limit, the critical current shows an anomalous 1/T
temperature dependence at low temperatures and for certain magnetic
realizations of the junction. The behavior of the Josephson current is governed
by Andreev bound states appearing within the superconducting gap and the
position of these states in energy is tunable with the magnetic properties of
the barrier. This study is done using the equilibrium part of the
quasiclassical Zaitsev-Millis-Rainer-Sauls boundary condition for spin-active
interfaces and a general solution of the boundary condition is found. This
solution is a generalization of the one recently presented by Eschrig [M.
Eschrig, Phys. Rev B 61, 9061 (2000)] for spin-conserving interfaces and allows
an effective treatment of the problem of a superconductor in proximity to a
magnetically active material.Comment: 8 pages + 3 eps figure
Quasiclassical description of transport through superconducting contacts
We present a theoretical study of transport properties through
superconducting contacts based on a new formulation of boundary conditions that
mimics interfaces for the quasiclassical theory of superconductivity. These
boundary conditions are based on a description of an interface in terms of a
simple Hamiltonian. We show how this Hamiltonian description is incorporated
into quasiclassical theory via a T-matrix equation by integrating out
irrelevant energy scales right at the onset. The resulting boundary conditions
reproduce results obtained by conventional quasiclassical boundary conditions,
or by boundary conditions based on the scattering approach. This formalism is
well suited for the analysis of magnetically active interfaces as well as for
calculating time-dependent properties such as the current-voltage
characteristics or as current fluctuations in junctions with arbitrary
transmission and bias voltage. This approach is illustrated with the
calculation of Josephson currents through a variety of superconducting
junctions ranging from conventional to d-wave superconductors, and to the
analysis of supercurrent through a ferromagnetic nanoparticle. The calculation
of the current-voltage characteristics and of noise is applied to the case of a
contact between two d-wave superconductors. In particular, we discuss the use
of shot noise for the measurement of charge transferred in a multiple Andreev
reflection in d-wave superconductors