2005/08/31 by A. T. Bollinger, A. Rogachev, Andrey Rogachev +2
Physics and Astronomy · #Condensed matter physics #Coulomb #Coulomb blockade #Electron #Materials science #Mesoscopic physics #Nanotechnology #Nanowire #Phase (matter) #Phase transition #Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Quantum critical point #Quantum mechanics #Quantum phase transition #Superconductivity #Superconductivity in MgB2 and Alloys #Transition temperature #Voltage #cond-mat.mes-hall #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1209/epl/i2006-10275-5
published as A.T. Bollinger, A. Rogachev, and A. Bezryadin, Europhys. Lett. 76, 505 (2006) · 7 pages, 4 figures; published in Europhysics Letters; revised title, text, and figures reflecting changes made during review process
openalex publication_date 2006/09/26 · arxiv created 2006/11/27 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Quasi-one-dimensional superconductors or nanowires exhibit a transition into a nonsuperconducting regime, as their diameter shrinks. We present measurements on ultrashort nanowires ( 40–190 nm long) in the vicinity of this quantum transition. Properties of all wires in the superconducting phase, even those close to the transition, can be explained in terms of thermally activated phase slips. The behavior of nanowires in the nonsuperconducting phase agrees with the theories of the Coulomb blockade of coherent transport through mesoscopic normal metal conductors. Thus it is concluded that the quantum transition occurs between two phases: a “true superconducting phase" and an “insulating phase". No intermediate, “metallic" phase was found.