Destruction of superconductivity in indium and thallium wires by a current

Abstract

Several theoretical models have been put forward for the destruction of type-I superconductivity in a wire by the passage of a large enough current through it. In an attempt to discriminate between the various models, an experimental investigation has been carried out of the transition in one thallium wire and in a series of indium wires of different diameters and purity. The return of resistance in pure, thick thallium and indium wires is found to agree well with the predictions of the Baird-Mukherjee model. In thin wires the resistance increases with decreasing wire diameter, and the present experimental results are in reasonable agreement with the predictions made by Baird and Mukherjee who, following Kuper, have attributed the increase in resistance to the reflection of electrons at superconducting-normal interfaces.