Photoexcitation of Quasiparticles in Nonequilibrium Superconductors

Abstract

We report measurements on superconducting tunnel junctions illuminated with optical radiation, which confirm the model of nonequilibrium superconductors proposed by Owen and Scalapino. Measurements of the chemical potential ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{*}$ for quasiparticle excitations and of the temperature dependence of the quasiparticle recombination time are presented.