Tunneling as a Probe of Nonequilibrium Superconducting States

Abstract

The $I\left(V\right)\mathrm{}$ characteristic of a superconductor-insulator-superconductor tunneling junction in which both of the superconductors are driven out of equilibrium is investigated. We show that the steady-state quasiparticle distribution function is related to the $I\left(V\right)\mathrm{}$ characteristic by a linear integral equation. Modifications of the $I\left(V\right)\mathrm{}$ characteristic due to nonequilibrium distributions produced by phonon and microwave irradiations are discussed.