The possibility of critical current enhancement at far-infrared-irradiated high-T/sub c/ superconducting weak links

The possibility of enhancing critical current in a grain boundary superconducting weak link by irradiating with far-infrared light is investigated theoretically. This method is based on the effect that the critical current in a Josephson junction can be enlarged when irradiated by electromagnetic waves having frequency corresponding to the energy gap of electrode superconductors and power in a certain range. In a high critical temperature, T/sub c/, case, critical current is enhanced severalfold. A high-T/sub c/ superconducting switching device whose ON and OFF states are switched by the electromagnetic wave irradiation is proposed.<
>