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Published February 15, 2008 | public
Journal Article

Sharp superconductor–insulator transition in short wires

Abstract

Recent experiments on short MoGe nanowires show a sharp superconductor–insulator transition tuned by the normal state resistance of the wire, with a critical resistance of R_c ≈ R_Q = h/(4e^2). These results are at odds with a broad range of theoretical work on Josephson-like systems that predicts a smooth transition, tuned by the value of the resistance that shunts the junction. We develop a self-consistent renormalization group treatment of interacting phase-slips and their dual counterparts, correlated cooper pair tunneling, beyond the dilute approximation. This analysis leads to a very sharp transition with a critical resistance of R_Q. The addition of the quasi-particles' resistance at finite temperature leads to a quantitative agreement with the experimental results. This self-consistent renormalization group method should also be applicable to other physical systems that can be mapped onto similar sine-Gordon models, in the previously inaccessible intermediate-coupling regime.

Additional Information

© 2007 Elsevier. Accepted 17 September 2007; Available online 6 November 2007. We thank E. Demler and P. Werner. Special thanks to A. Bezryadin for making his data available to us. This study was supported by a DIP grant and by an ISF grant.

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 20, 2023