Quasiparticle diffusion based heating in superconductor tunneling micro-coolers

TL;DR

This paper presents an analytic model for quasiparticle diffusion in superconductor tunnel junctions, showing how quasiparticle accumulation near the interface reduces cooling efficiency, with implications for superconducting devices.

Contribution

It introduces a simple, analytic diffusion model for excess quasiparticles in superconductors with trap junctions, enhancing understanding of device efficiency limitations.

Findings

Quasiparticle accumulation impairs cooling efficiency.

Analytic solution depends on accessible experimental parameters.

Model applicable to superconducting detectors and micro-coolers.

Abstract

In a hybrid Superconductor - Insulator - Normal metal tunnel junction biased just below the gap, the extraction of hot electrons out of the normal metal results in electronic cooling effect. The quasiparticles injected in the superconductor accumulate near the tunnel interface, thus increasing the effective superconductor temperature. We propose a simple model for the diffusion of excess quasiparticles in a superconducting strip with an additional trap junction. This diffusion model has a complete analytic solution, which depends on experimentally accessible parameters. We find that the accumulated quasiparticles near the junction reduce the efficiency of the device. This study is also relevant to more general situations making use of superconducting tunnel junctions, as low temperature detectors.