Phonon Feedback Effects on Dynamics of Phase Slip Centers in Finite Gap Superconductors

TL;DR

This paper investigates how nonequilibrium phonons influence phase-slip centers in finite-gap superconductors, revealing effects on their location and oscillation frequency, with implications for experimental detection and device applications.

Contribution

It introduces a finite-gap formulation of TDGL equations to study phonon effects on phase-slip centers, extending previous gapless models.

Findings

Phonons can shift phase-slip locations.

Phonons affect phase-slip oscillation frequency.

Effects are experimentally detectable.

Abstract

The results on the behavior of phase-slip centers in thin superconducting wires based on finite-element modeling and time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) equations are discussed. For closer relationship with experiments, we used finite-gap formulation of the TDGL system. Both the dynamic equation for the Cooper-pair condensate wave-function and the expression for the electric current are more complex than in the gapless case. On this basis, the influence of nonequilibrium phonons is explored. These phonons can essentially change the location of geometrical points in which the phase slippage takes place. They also affect the frequency of phase-slip oscillations. The reported effects are experimentally detectable and can be used in practical devices.