Transmission formalism for supercurrent flow in multiprobe superconductor-semiconductor-superconductor devices

Abstract

A theoretical study is given of supercurrent flow in a one-dimensional semiconductor channel coupled to superconductors at both ends. In addition, the channel is coupled to a semiconductor reservoir by means of a junction with variable coupling strength ɛ. The supercurrent I(cphi) is calculated from the phase-coherent propagation of electronlike and holelike excitations emitted by the superconductor reservoirs, together with electron and hole excitations from the semiconductor reservoir. The effect of temperature and ɛ on I(cphi) is studied. It is shown that a voltage applied between the semiconductor reservoir and the superconductors modifies the I(cphi) relation, even in the limit ɛ→0.