Current - voltage characteristics of break junctions of high-$T_c$ superconductors

Abstract

The current-voltage ($I$-$V$) characteristics of break junctions of polycrystalline La$_{1.85}$Sr$_{0.15}$CuO$_4$, Y$_{0.75}$Lu$_{0.25}$Ba$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$, Bi$_{1.8}$Pb$_{0.3}$Sr$_{1.9}$Ca$_2$Cu$_3$O$_x$ and composite YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ + Ag are investigated. The experimental $I$-$V$ curves exhibit the specific peculiarities of superconductor/normal-metal/superconductor junctions. The relation between an $I$-$V$ characteristic of network of weak links and $I$-$V$ dependencies of typical weak links is suggested to describe the experimental data. The $I$-$V$ curves of typical weak links are calculated by the K\"{u}mmel - Gunsenheimer - Nicolsky model considering the multiple Andreev reflections.