Pinhole junctions in d-wave superconductors

Abstract

We present a self consistent treatment of pinhole junctions in $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconductors. The current-phase relation $j_s(\chi )$ is studied at different temperatures and at different angles $\alpha$ between the crystal $\hat{a}$-axis and the junction (surface) normal. We show that the critical current of a junction can be reduced by pair-breaking effects at the separation. We also study the Josephson energy of a pinhole as a function of the phase difference across the junction. In particular are mapped the positions of the energy minima ${\chi }_{min}$ at different temperatures as functions of (${\alpha }_L,{\alpha }_R$), the crystal orientations of the left and right superconductors. With decreasing temperature there is an increasing range of crystal orientations where ${\chi }_{min}$ varies continuously from 0 to $\pi$.

14 pages, RevTeX, 11 PostScript figures, accepted for publication in Physica C

References in corpus (1)

• Tunneling into Current-Carrying Surface States of High T${}_c$ Superconductors

Cited by in corpus (12)

• Andreev bound states in high-$T_c$ superconducting junctions
• DC Josephson Effect in SNS Junctions of Anisotropic Superconductors
• Disappearance of Ensemble-Averaged Josephson Current in Dirty SNS Junctions of d-wave Superconductors
• Influences of broken time-reversal symmetry on the d.c. Josephson effects in d-wave superconductors
• Broadening of Andreev-Bound States in d_{x^2-y^2} superconductors
• Time-reversal symmetry breaking at Josephson tunnel junctions of purely d-wave superconductors
• Time Reversal Symmetry Breaking States Near Grain Boundaries Between d-wave Superconductors
• Josephson effect in point contacts between ''f-wave'' superconductors
• Spontaneous Currents in Josephson Devices
• Landau Ginzburg theory of the d-wave Josephson junction
• Effect of point-contact transparency on coherent mixing of Josephson and transport supercurrents
• Effect of Transparency on the D-wave Josephson Junction