Quasiparticle dynamics in ballistic weak links under weak voltage bias: an elementary treatment

A simple one-dimensional model for SNS weak links in the ballistic limit is presented. In the presence of a bias voltage, the quasiparticle state at any given instant of time is described as a superposition of that particular set of phase-dependent Andreev bound states that belongs to the specific phase difference present at that instant between the superconducting banks. The treatment-basically a form of adiabatic perturbation theory-has a strong formal similarity to the treatment of the k-space dynamics of an electron in a periodic potential under perturbation by an external electric field, sufficiently strong to cause transitions across the energy gaps between bands (Zener tunneling). It is shown that the quasiparticle wavefunction retains its phase information during analogous transitions between Andreev bands. The experimental observation of Shapiro steps at one-half the canonical voltage follows naturally from the model, along with some of the experimental properties of these steps, especially their much weaker temperature dependence, compared to the canonical steps. (C) 1999 Academic Press.