[en] Superconducting nanowires currently attract great interest due to their application in
single-photon detectors and quantum-computing circuits. In this context, it is of fundamental
importance to understand the detrimental fluctuations of the superconducting order
parameter as the wire width shrinks. In this paper, we use controlled electromigration to
narrow down aluminium nanoconstrictions. We demonstrate that a transition from thermally
assisted phase slips to quantum phase slips takes place when the cross section becomes less
than 150 nm2 . In the regime dominated by quantum phase slips the nanowire loses its
capacity to carry current without dissipation, even at the lowest possible temperature. We
also show that the constrictions exhibit a negative magnetoresistance at low-magnetic fields,
which can be attributed to the suppression of superconductivity in the contact leads. These
findings reveal perspectives of the proposed fabrication method for exploring various
fascinating superconducting phenomena in atomic-size contacts.
Disciplines :
Physics
Author, co-author :
Baumans, Xavier ; Université de Liège > Département de physique > Physique expérimentale des matériaux nanostructurés
Cerbu, Dorin; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry
Adami, Obaïd-Allah ; Université de Liège > Département de physique > Physique expérimentale des matériaux nanostructurés
Zharinov, Vyacheslav; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry
Verellen, Niels; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry
Papari, Gianpaolo; University Federico II of Naples > Physics
Scheerder, Jeroen; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry
Zhang, Gufei; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry
Moshchalkov, Victor; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry
Silhanek, Alejandro ; Université de Liège > Département de physique > Physique expérimentale des matériaux nanostructurés
Van de Vondel, Joris; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - KUL > Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Nanoscale Physics and Chemistry
Language :
English
Title :
Thermal and quantum depletion of superconductivity in narrow junctions created by controlled electromigration
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE] ULiège - Université de Liège [BE] Methusalem Funding of the Flemish Government FWO - Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen [BE] NanoSC - COST Action MP1201 Mandat d’Impulsion Scientifique (MIS F.4527.13)
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