Theory of thermal and charge transport in diffusive normal metal/superconductor junctions

T. Yokoyama; Y. Tanaka; A. A. Golubov; Y. Asano

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.72.214513

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Theory of thermal and charge transport in diffusive normal metal/superconductor junctions

T. Yokoyama, Y. Tanaka, A. A. Golubov, Y. Asano

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.72.214513 · Physical Review B

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Abstract

Thermal and charge transport in diffusive normal metal (DN)/insulator/s-, d-, and p-wave superconductor junctions are studied based on the Usadel equation with the Nazarov’s generalized boundary condition. We derive a general expression of the thermal conductance in unconventional superconducting junctions. Thermal conductance, electric conductance of junctions and their Lorentz ratio are calculated as a function of resistance in DN, the Thouless energy, magnetic scattering rate in DN and transparency of the insulating barrier. We also discuss transport properties for various orientation angles between the normal to the interface and the crystal axis of superconductors. It is demonstrated that the proximity effect does not influence the thermal conductance while the midgap Andreev resonant states suppress it. Dependencies of the electrical and thermal conductance on temperature are sensitive to pairing symmetries and orientation angles. The results imply a possibility to distinguish one pairing symmetry from another based on the results of experimental observations.