Point-contact investigations of challenging superconductors: two-band MgB2, antiferromagnetic HoNi2B2C, heavy fermion UPd2Al3, paramagnetic MgCNi3

An overview on recent efforts in point-contact (PC) spectroscopy of title superconductors is given. Distinct phonon features and crystalline-electric-field effects are observed in PC spectra of HoNi2B2C. Results of study of superconducting (SC) gap and excess current versus temperature and magnetic field reflecting specific multi-band electronic structure in MgB2 are presented. The nature of the extremely nonlinear I(V) curves in the antiferromagnetic (AF) and SC state are elucidated for UPd2Al3 break-junctions and MgCNi3 point contacts.Comment: 2 pages, 4 figs., presented on SCES`04 (26-30 July, Karlsruhe, Germany), accepted for publicatio

Excess current in point contacts on two-band superconductor MgB2_2 in magnetic field

Series of $I(V)$ characteristic and bias-dependent differential resistance $dV/dI(V)$ for point-contacts on the single crystals of two-band superconductor MgB$_2$ were measured in magnetic field up to 9 T. We have obtained magnetic field dependences of the excess current on the $I(V)$ curves and analyzed them using Koshelev and Golubov (Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 90}, 177002 (2003)) theoretical results for the mixed state of a dirty two-band superconductor. Introducing a simple model for the excess current in the point contact in the mixed state our data can be qualitatively described utilizing theoretical magnetic filed behavior of the $\sigma$ and $\pi$-band superconducting order parameters and the corresponding averaged electronic density of states in MgB$_2$.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figs, RevTex4; V2: plain text improved, BTK fit is added to insets of Fig.

Superconducting gap and pair breaking in CeRu2 studied by point contacts

The superconducting gap in a CeRu$_{2}$ single crystal is investigated by point contacts. BCS-like behavior of the gap $\Delta$ in the temperature range below T$_{c}^{*}<$T$_{c}$, where T$_{c}$ is the critical temperature, is established, indicating the presence of a gapless superconductivity region (between T$_{c}^{*}$ and T$_{c}$). The pair-breaking effect of paramagnetic impurities, supposedly Ce ions, is taken into consideration using the Scalski-Betbeder-Matibet-Weiss approach based on Abrikosov-Gorkov theory. It allows us to recalculate the superconducting order parameter $\Delta ^{\alpha}$ (in the presence of paramagnetic impurities) and the gap $\Delta ^{P}$ (in the pure case) for the single crystal and for the previously studied polycrystalline CeRu$_{2}$. The value 2$\Delta^{P}$(0)$\approx$2 meV, with 2$\Delta ^{P}$(0)$/$k$_{B}$T$_{c} \approx$3.75, is found in both cases, indicating that CeRu$_{2}$ is a ``moderate'' strong-coupling superconductor.Comment: 4 pages incl. 3 figs., publ. in Fiz. Nizk. Temp. (http://fnte.ilt.kharkov.ua/list.html

Vortex-like state observed in ferromagnetic contacts

Point-contacts (PC) offer a simple way to create high current densities, 10^9 A/cm^2 and beyond, without substantial Joule heating. We have shown recently (Nano Letters, 7 (2007) 927) that conductivity of nanosized PCs between a normal and ferromagnetic metals exhibits bi-stable hysteretic states versus both bias current and external magnetic field - the effect typical for spin-valve structures. Here we report that apart from the bi-stable state a third intermediate-resistance state is occasionally observed. We interpret this state as due to a spin-vortex in the PC, nucleated either by Oersted field of the bias current and/or by the circular geometry of PC. The observed three-level-states in the PC conductivity testify that the interface spins are both weakly coupled to the spins in the bulk and have depressed exchange interaction within the surface layer.Comment: 4 pgs., 4 figs. submitted to ICM-09 (July 26-21, Karlsruhe) V2: corrected typos, accepted for publication in J. Phys.: Conf. Serie

Comment on "Experimental determination of superconducting parameters for the intermetallic perovskite superconductor MgCNi3_3"

In a recent paper (Phys. Rev. {\bf B 67}, 094502 (2003)) Mao et al. investigated the bias-dependent conductance of mechanical junctions between superconducting MgCNi$_3$ and a sharp W tip. They interpreted their results in terms of 'single-particle tunneling'. We show it is more likely that current transport through those junctions is determined by thermal effects due to the huge normal-state resistivity of MgCNi$_3$. Therefore no conclusion can be drawn about the possible unconventional pairing or strong-coupling superconductivity in MgCNi$_3$.Comment: 2 pages, 1 Fig. Comment on Z. Q. Mao et al. (Phys. Rev. {\bf B 67}, 094502 (2003)

Break-junction experiments on the zero-bias anomaly of non-magnetic and ferromagnetically ordered metals

We have investigated break junctions of normal non-magnetic metals as well as ferromagnets at low temperatures. The point contacts with radii 0.15 - 15 nm showed zero-bias anomalies which can be attributed to Kondo scattering at a single Kondo impurity at the contact or to the switching of a single conducting channel. The Kondo temperatures derived from the width of the anomalies varied between 10 and 1000 K. These results agree well with literature data on atomic-size contacts of the ferromagnets as well as with spear-anvil type contacts on a wide variety of metals.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Proceedings of the 26th Conference on Low Temperature Physic

Point-contact study of ReFeAs(1-x)Fx (Re=La, Sm) superconducting films

Point-contact (PC) Andreev-reflection (AR) measurements of the superconducting gap in iron-oxipnictide ReFeAsO_{1-x}F_x (Re=La, Sm) films have been carried out. The value of the gap is distributed in the range 2\Delta \simeq 5-10 meV (for Re=Sm) with a maximum in the distribution around 6 meV. Temperature dependence of the gap \Delta(T) can be fitted well by BCS curve giving reduced gap ratio 2\Delta /kT_c^*\simeq 3.5 (here T_c^* is the critical temperature from the BCS fit). At the same time, an expected second larger gap feature was difficult to resolve distinctly on the AR spectra making determination reliability of the second gap detection questionable. Possible reasons for this and the origin of other features like clear-cut asymmetry in the AR spectra and current regime in PCs are discussed.Comment: 6 two-column pages, 6 figs., 26 Refs., to be published in Superconductor Science and Technolog

Systematic study of the two band/two gap superconductivity in carbon-substituted MgB2 by point-contact spectroscopy

Point-contact measurements on the carbon-substituted Mg(B$_{1-x}$C$_x$)$_2$ filament/powder samples directly reveal a retention of the two superconducting energy gaps in the whole doping range from $x = 0$ to $x \approx 0.1$. The large gap on the $\sigma$-band is decreased in an essentially linear fashion with increasing the carbon concentrations. The changes in the the small gap $\Delta_{\pi}$ up to 3.8 % C are proportionally smaller and are more difficult to detect but for the heavily doped sample with $x \approx 0.1$ and $T_c = 22$ K both gaps are still present, and significantly reduced, consistent with a strong essentially linear, reduction of each gap with the transition temperature.Comment: 5 eps figure