Temperature Elevation of Current-Driven Phase-Slip Centers in YBa₂Cu₃O₇ Strips

We have studied the destruction of the superconductivity in narrow YBCO strips at different temperatures caused by an electrical current pulse. Different dissipative regimes can be distinguished, and phase slip center (PSC) are more likely to appear for an overcritical current and close to the transition temperature T _c. However, far below T _c, the dissipation generates a hotspot (HS). Temperatures reached in these modes were calculated based on the Joule effect. The results of these computations are consistent with all the specific cases, PSCs and HSs, measured experimentally. One of the most attractive applications of the superconductivity at non-equilibrium regime is the single photon detection. Its principle relies on the hotspot phenomena and mainly the heat evacuation, which can determine the reset time of the photon detection.