Supercurrent Quantization in Narrow Channel SNS Junctions

We determine the quasi-particle excitation spectrum in the normal region of a narrow ballistic superconductor–normal-metal–superconductor (SNS) Josephson contact. Increasing the effective chemical potential in the contact converts the electronic levels into Andreev-levels carrying supercurrent. The opening of these superchannels leads to a supercurrent quantization which exhibits a non-universal behavior in general and we discuss its dependence on the junction parameters.