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Non-equilibrium Dynamics in Zeeman-Limited Superconducting Al Films

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Abstract

We report non-equilibrium dynamics in the tunneling density of states of ultra-thin Al films in high Zeeman fields. We have measured the transport and tunneling density of states of the films through the first-order Zeeman critical field transition. Films with sheet resistances of a few hundred ohms exhibit slow, non-exponential relaxation in the hysteretic critical field region. The relaxation traces are interspersed with abrupt avalanche-like collapses of the condensate on the superheating branch of the critical field hysteresis loop but not on the supercooling branch. We believe that film dynamics reflects an inhomogeneous order parameter that emerges in the critical field region.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, under Award No. DE-FG02-07ER46420.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    J. C. Prestigiacomo & P. W. Adams

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  1. J. C. Prestigiacomo
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  2. P. W. Adams
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Correspondence to P. W. Adams.

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Prestigiacomo, J.C., Adams, P.W. Non-equilibrium Dynamics in Zeeman-Limited Superconducting Al Films. J Low Temp Phys 183, 238–244 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-016-1514-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-016-1514-z

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