Detailed solutions for non-equilibrium superconductivity

Using a tailored quadrature method to solve the kinetic equation for a non-equilibrium superconductor perturbed by SIS tunnelling, the possibility of multiple gap states is explored. It is found that above a threshold bias voltage two locally stable gaps appear, the competition between which can give rise to a first-order phase transition. As the voltage is increased still further the normal state becomes the stable state. The results show a slight disagreement with the earlier work of Schon and Tremblay. (author)