Switching Times of the Current-Induced, Superconducting-to-Normal Transition in Filaments of Tin and Indium

The superconducting-to-normal switching time has been measured by comparing the electrical pulse incident on a filamentary superconductor with the pulse transmitted by it. The switching time was found to vary inversely with the excess of the current pulse over the critical current. In the limit of large current pulses, the switching time became less than about 5×${10}^{-11\mathrm{}}$ sec.