Quantum Fluctuations and Resistivity of Thin Superconducting Wires

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum fluctuations affect the resistivity of thin superconducting wires, revealing a new metallic phase at very low temperatures due to quantum phase slips.

Contribution

It provides a microscopic analysis of quantum phase slips in thin wires and predicts a novel metallic phase below a critical thickness.

Findings

Quantum phase slips determine the wire's resistance.

A new metallic phase exists below a critical thickness.

Quantum fluctuations significantly influence superconductivity in nanowires.

Abstract

We present a microscopic study of the quantum fluctuations of the superconducting order parameter in thin homogeneous superconducting wires at all temperatures below $T_C$. The rate of quantum phase slip processes determines the resistance $R(T)$ of the wire, which is observable in very thin wires, even at low temperature. Furthermore, we predict a new low temperature metallic phase below a critical wire-thickness in the 10nm range, in which quantum phase slips proliferate.