Self-consistent current-voltage characteristics of superconducting nano-structures

Abstract

By solving the Bogoliubov - de Gennes equation self-consistently in the presence of a non-equilibrium quasi-particle distribution, we compute the current-voltage characteristic of a phase coherent superconducting island with a tunnel barrier at one end. The results show significant structure, arising from the competition between scattering processes at the boundaries of the island and modification of the order parameter by quasi-particles and superflow. This structure is not present in non self-consistent descriptions of normal-superconducting nano-structures.