Recombination of localized quasiparticles in disordered superconductors

TL;DR

This paper investigates how disorder in superconductors affects quasiparticle relaxation, revealing that localized quasiparticles recombine faster via phonon scattering, which is crucial for quantum device performance.

Contribution

It demonstrates that quasiparticle recombination in disordered superconductors is governed by phonon scattering time, indicating a universal behavior linked to disorder.

Findings

Quasiparticle recombination is faster in disordered superconductors.

Recombination is governed by phonon scattering time.

Localization of quasiparticles affects relaxation dynamics.

Abstract

Disordered superconductors offer new impedance regimes for quantum circuits, enable a pathway to protected qubits, and can improve superconducting detectors due to their high kinetic inductance and sheet resistance. The performance of these devices can be limited, however, by quasiparticles - the fundamental excitations of a superconductor. While experiments have shown that disorder affects the relaxation of quasiparticles drastically, the microscopic mechanisms are still not understood. We address this issue by measuring quasiparticle relaxation in a disordered $\beta$-Ta film, which we pattern as the inductor of a microwave resonator. We observe that quasiparticle recombination is governed by the phonon scattering time, which is faster than conventional recombination in ordered superconductors. We interpret the results as recombination of localized quasiparticles, induced by disorder, which first delocalize via phonon absorption. We analyze quasiparticle relaxation measurements on superconductors with different degrees of disorder and conclude that this phenomenon is inherent to disordered superconductors.