Abstract
An heterodyne detection of the Josephson current in the gap region is performed using the oscillator-mixer mode of operation in a superconducting point contact. The direct observation of the Riedel peak in a Josephson device is realized. The measured peak height (∼3.5) in superconducting point contacts is of the same order of magnitude as for oxide barrier tunnel junctions. Consequently, strong similarities exist in the physical processes which occur in these two types of junctions and pair tunneling is believed to be a dominant mechanism in a point contact with Josephson behavior.