Preliminary results of a study are reported here
investigating mesoscopic tunnel junctions irradiated with coherent
low-intensity (-50 to -10dB) pulsed microwave RF fields at moderately low (LN2)
temperatures. Quantum tunneling of electrons was observed through fabricated
mesoscale gap junctions as a result of
coherent irradiating fields at low temperatures around 77-100K. The tunneling current was seen as a result of applied microwave fields
across the junctions, distinguishable from shot noise and resistance effects.
The form of tunneling behavior does not lead to any conductance quantization
effects which could manifest the junction as a Quantum Point Contact (QPC),
hence it is surmised that the phenomenon is purely low intensity RF
field-induced tunneling of electrons across the mesoscale junctions at low
temperatures.
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