Gapless Excitations in Strongly Fluctuating Superconducting Wires

Dganit Meidan, Bernd Rosenow, Yuval Oreg, and Gil Refael
Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 227004 – Published 22 November 2011

Abstract

We study the low-temperature tunneling density of states of thin wires where superconductivity is destroyed through quantum phase-slip proliferation. Although this regime is believed to behave as an insulator, we show that for a large temperature range this phase is characterized by a conductivity falling off at most linearly with temperature, and has a gapless excitation spectrum. This novel conducting phase results from electron-electron interaction induced pair breaking. Also, it may help clarify the low-temperature metallic features found in films and wires whose bulk realization is superconducting.

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  • Received 8 August 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.227004

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Dganit Meidan1, Bernd Rosenow2, Yuval Oreg3, and Gil Refael4

  • 1Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems and Institut für Theoretische Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
  • 2Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Leipzig, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
  • 3Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 Israel
  • 4Department of Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA

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Issue

Vol. 107, Iss. 22 — 25 November 2011

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