Dynamics of superconductors and minimum entropy production

A simple model of the resistive state in a superconducting channel with a periodic array of inhomogeneities is considered. It is shown that the dynamic equations for the resistive state in this channel do not, in principle, determine a unique value of the Josephson oscillation period in the resistive state, i.e., a unique value of the electric field in the channel at a given current. Such an ambiguity appears to be characteristic for the resistive state in narrow superconducting channels also in a quite general situation not restricted to any particular model. In the simplest case considered here it is shown, however, that fluctuation effects lead to relaxation of the system to the state that corresponds to the minimum possible electric field at a given current, i.e., to the state with the minimum entropy production. © 1983 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

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