Temperature dependence of the resistance of a phase-slip line in a thin superconducting film

TL;DR

This study experimentally examines how the resistance of a phase-slip line in a thin superconducting tin film varies with temperature, confirming theoretical models and elucidating the behavior of nonequilibrium electric fields near the critical temperature.

Contribution

It provides experimental validation that a phase-slip line acts as a two-dimensional analog of a phase-slip center, supporting existing theoretical frameworks.

Findings

Good agreement with theory when electron-hole mixing is governed by elastic scattering

Determined the penetration depth of electric fields near critical temperature

Confirmed phase-slip line as a two-dimensional analog of phase-slip center

Abstract

An experimental investigation was made of the temperature dependence of the first step of a phase-slip line in a thin superconducting tin film. The depth of penetration of a nonequilibrium longitudinal electric field into the superconductor was determined near the critical temperature. A comparison was made with theoretical investigations of one-dimensional structures containing phase-slip centers. The experimental results were found to be in good agreement with the theory when the mechanism of mixing of electron-like and hole-like branches of the quasiparticle spectrum was governed by the elastic scattering of the excitations. This was one more experimental confirmation that a phase-slip line is a two-dimensional analog of a phase-slip center.