Optical conductivity in non-equilibrium d-wave superconductors

Abstract

We consider the optical conductivity of a d-wave BCS superconductor in the presence of a non-equilibrium distribution of excess quasiparticles. Two different simplified models used in the past for the s-wave case are considered and results compared. In the $T^\ast$-model of Parker the excess quasiparticles are assumed to be in a thermal distribution at some temperature $T^\ast$ larger than the equilibrium sample temperature. In the $μ^\ast$- model of Owen and Scalapino a chemical potential is introduced to accommodate the excess quasiparticles. Some of the results obtained are specific to the model, most are qualitatively similar in both.