Low-temperature contribution to the resonant tunneling conductance of a disordered N–I–N junction

Abstract

A formula for the contribution ΔG^res(T) to the resonant tunneling conductance of the N–I–N junction (where N is a normal metal and I is an insulator) with a weak (low impurity concentrations) structural disorder in the I layer from the low-temperature “smearing” electron Fermi surfaces in its N shores is obtained. It is shown that the temperature dependence ΔG^res(T) in such a “dirty” junction qualitatively differs from the corresponding dependence ΔG₀(T) in a “pure” (without resonant impurities in the I layer) junction: ΔG^res(T) < 0, d(ΔG^res)/dT < 0; ΔG₀(T) > 0, d(ΔG₀)/dT > 0, which can serve as an experimental test of the presence of impurity tunneling resonances in the disordered I layer.