Microwaves-induced oscillations in Andreev tunneling

A. Vaknin; Z. Ovadyahu

doi:doi:10.1209/epl/i1999-00433-3

DOI: 10.1209/epl/i1999-00433-3

Europhys. Lett, 47 (5), pp. 615-620 (1999)

Microwaves-induced oscillations in Andreev tunneling

A. Vaknin and Z. Ovadyahu

The Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University - Jerusalem 91904, Israel

(received 18 May 1999; accepted 8 July 1999)

PACS. 73.40Gk - Tunneling.
PACS. 72.80Ng - Disordered solids.
PACS. 74.80Fp - Point contacts; SN and SNS junctions.

Abstract:

In the presence of a microwave field the current-voltage characteristics of
${\rm Au}/ {\rm InO}_x/{\rm Pb}$ tunnel junctions acquire an oscillatory component that shows up as peaks in the ${\rm d}V/{\rm d}I$ vs. V plots. We show that this phenomenon is qualitatively different than the previously reported microwave-induced structure in superconducting devices. While some aspects of the phenomenon resemble photon-assisted tunneling processes, the detailed behavior suggests that it involves destruction of Andreev tunneling.

***