We demonstrate theoretically that microwave radiation applied to superconducting proximity structures controls the minigap and other spectral features in the density of states of normal and magnetic metals, respectively. Considering both a bilayer and Josephson junction geometry, we show that microwaves with frequency ω qualitatively alters the spectral properties of the system: inducing a series of resonances, controlling the minigap size E, and even replacing the minigap with a strong peak of quasiparticle accumulation at zero energy when ω = E. The interaction between light and Cooper pairs may thus open a route to active control of quantum coherent phenomena in superconducting proximity structures.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5159843PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep38739DOI Listing

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