Electromigration in the dissipative state of high-temperature superconducting bridges

The current stimulated atomic diffusion in YBa₂Cu₃O_7–δ superconducting bridges is investigated. A superconductor to insulator transition can be induced by the current controlled electromigration process, whereas the partial recovery of the superconducting state can be achieved by inverting the polarity of the bias. Interestingly, the temperature dependence of the current density J_EM(T), above which atomic migration takes place, intersects the critical current density J_c(T) at certain temperature T*. Therefore, for T < T*, the current-induced dissipative state cannot be accessed without leading to irreversible modifications of the material properties. This phenomenon could also lead to the local deterioration of high critical temperature superconducting films abruptly penetrated by thermomagnetic instabilities.