Electron Transport in High-Tc Superconducting Grain Boundary Junctions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the electrical and microwave properties of YBCO high-Tc superconductor grain boundary junctions, revealing tunnel conductivity and interface transparency effects consistent with theoretical models involving Andreev bound states.

Contribution

It provides detailed measurements and analysis of current transport mechanisms in high-Tc grain boundary junctions considering d-wave symmetry, advancing understanding of their microwave dynamics.

Findings

Microwave dynamics fit sin j relation within 5%.

Critical current density scales with square root of interface transparency.

Junctions exhibit low resistance and stable properties suitable for microwave circuits.

Abstract

The results of dc, microwave and magnetic measurements of YBCO bicrystal junctions on r-cut sapphire are presented. The junctions with high resistance 10-20 W and IcRN= 1-2 mV and tolerance of RNS around 30% on chip allow to create microwave circuits with low integration (up to 10 junctions on chip). The microwave dynamics of the junction with superconducting current-phase relation fits with sin j relation better than 5%, that clear indicates on tunnel conductivity between two YBCO electrodes. It was found that critical current density depends as square root on the interface transparency in accordance with prediction of superconducting current transport via Andreev's bound surface states. The specific properties of current transport in high-Tc grain boundary junctions with taking into account d-wave type of gap order in high-Tc superconductor are discussed.