Limitations in the microwave stimulation of superconductivity
Abstract
A limitation of the stimulation of superconductivity is observed in measurements of critical current as a function of the incident microwave power in narrow long films of tin, with a sudden fall of the critical current to zero at a certain critical radiation power. This limitation is due to the occurrence of a spatially nonuniform state, the existence of which in the film is confirmed by the form of the current-voltage characteristics. A numerical calculation carried out using Eliashberg’s theory, taking into account the heating due to the microwave field, does not agree with the thermal mechanism of the limitation of stimulation.