Electron-Phonon Decoupling in Disordered Insulators

The current-voltage characteristics measured in the insulating state terminating the superconducting phase in disordered superconductors exhibit sharp threshold voltages, where the current abruptly changes by as much as 5 orders of magnitude. We analyze the current-voltage characteristics of an amorphous indium oxide film in the field-tuned insulating state, and show that they are consistent with a bistability of the electron temperature, and with a significant overheating of the electron system above the lattice temperature. An analysis of these current jumps indicates that, in the insulating state, the electrons are thermally decoupled from the phonon bath.