Supercurrent-induced temperature gradient across a nonequilibrium SNS Josephson junction

Phys Rev Lett. 2006 Apr 28;96(16):167004. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.167004. Epub 2006 Apr 26.

Abstract

Using tunneling spectroscopy, we have measured the local electron energy distribution function in the normal part of a superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) Josephson junction containing an extra lead to a normal reservoir. In the presence of simultaneous supercurrent and injected quasiparticle current, the distribution function exhibits a sharp feature at very low energy. The feature is odd in energy and odd under reversal of either the supercurrent or the quasiparticle current direction. The feature represents an effective temperature gradient across the SNS Josephson junction that is controllable by the supercurrent.