Apparent Destruction of Superconductivity in the Disordered One-Dimensional Limit

Abstract

We present the results of a model-system study of the competition between superconductivity and disorder in narrow superconducting wires. As one moves from the two-dimensional regime toward the one-dimensional limit, large and systematic reductions in the superconducting transition temperature are obtained. The observed behavior extrapolates to the total destruction of superconductivity in the disordered one-dimensional limit. Our findings are in clear disagreement with a recent theoretical treatment. In addition, the superconducting fluctuations appear to be modified by disorder for the narrowest samples.