1998/07/13 by G. B. Lesovik, Gordey B. Lesovik, G. Blatter +1
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Andreev reflection #Band gap #Bistability #Condensed matter physics #Electron #Fermi energy #Hysteresis #Materials science #Molecular Junctions and Nanostructures #Nonlinear system #Optoelectronics #Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Quantum mechanics #Saturation (graph theory) #Superconductivity #Thermal conduction #cond-mat.mes-hall #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1134/1.567914
4 pages, RevTeX, three postscript figures
arxiv created 1998/07/13 · openalex publication_date 1998/10/01 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We investigate a normal-metal-superconductor (point) contact in the limit where the number of conducting channels in the metallic wire is reduced to few channels. As the effective Fermi energy drops below the gap energy, a conducting band with a width twice the Fermi energy is formed. Depending on the mode of operation, the conduction band can be further squeezed, leading to various nonlinear effects in the current-voltage characteristics such as current saturation, a N-shaped negative differential resistance, bistability, and hysteresis.