B. Pannetier, H. Courtois
Published 1999-12-02, updated 1999-12-23Version 2
The Andreev Reflection is the key mechanism for the superconducting proximity effect. It provides phase correlations in a system of non-interacting electrons at mesoscopic scales, i.e. over distances much larger than the microscopic lengths : Fermi wavelength and elastic electron mean free path. This field of research has attracted an increasing interest in the recent years in part because of the tremendous development of nanofabrication technologies, and also because of the richness of the involved quantum effects. In this paper we review some recently achieved advances. We also discuss new open questions, in particular non-equilibrium effects and proximity effect in systems with ferromagnetic elements.
Comments: 17 pages, no figure, to appear in J. of Low Temp. Phys., proceeding of the LT satellite conference "Electron Transport in Mesoscopic Systems", reference list corrected
Journal: J. of Low Temp. Phys. 118, 599 (2000)
Quantum plateau of Andreev reflection induced by spin-orbit coupling
Quantum effects in graphitic materials: Colossal magnetoresistance, Andreev reflections, Little-Parks effect, ferromagnetism, and granular superconductivity
Correspondence between Andreev reflection and Klein tunneling in bipolar graphene
