Spin-dependent electron tunneling in superconducting vanadium and vanadium-titanium thin films

The tunneling conductance dI/dV of junctions between A1 films and thin superconducting films of V or VTi alloys has been measured in magnetic fields up to 6 T applied parallel to the films. The films have small spin-orbit scattering and show Zeeman splitting of the quasi-particle density of states.     

Zeeman splitting of the density of states of superconducting Ga thin films

The tunneling conductance $\text{d}\text{I}\text{d}\text{V}$ of Al-Al₂O₃-Ga junctions in a parallel magnetic field reveals Zeeman splitting of the superconducting quasiparticle density of states of the Ga. The magnitude of the splitting implies an unexpectedly small spin-orbit parameter b=0.6.     

Inelastic resonance tunneling in S-Sm-S tunnel structures

Inelastic resonance tunneling through junctions with an amorphous interlayer and superconducting electrodes is studied. The form of the current-voltage characteristic I(V) at low temperature and the temperature dependence of the conductance G(0) at low bias are calculated and are found to be much different from the analogous dependences of structures with normal electrodes. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 2, 159–163 (25 January 1997)     

Space charge enhanced tunneling currents in manganites

Current-voltage characteristics I(V) with a tunneling character have been observed in selected (“electroresistive”) ceramic manganites R_1−xA_xMnO₃ (R=La, Y; A=Ca, Ba). In this contribution, an I(V) model calculation based on spin-dependent transfer and a bipolar serial array of grains containing deGennes magnetic states are presented. The basic elements of the characteristic are so recovered, including its magnetic field (H) dependence, which in turn allows one to identify this array with a series of spin-dependent tunneling diodes connected in opposition. Besides, we find that the tunneling currents are only significant under space charge bending of the bands near the boundaries, that the electrochemical potential becomes H-field sensitive because of the spin-dependent electron state bandwidth b cos(q(H)/2) and that any slight randomness in the magnetic system will lead to hysteresis effects in the tunneling characteristic.     

Effect of charge density waves on the tunnel spectra of the Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ superconductor

The differential tunnel conductance G _S of the junction between a normal metal and a superconductor with a charge density wave (CDW) is calculated as a function of the voltage V across the junction. The results are averaged over the spread of superconducting and CDW energy gaps in the nanoscale-inhomogeneous superconductor. It is shown that, if both order parameters are nonzero, a dip-hump structure is formed beyond the superconducting gap of G _S (V). If the phase of the CDW order parameter is not equal to π/2, a dip-hump structure will appear solely or mainly for one sign of the bias polarity. The results agree with the experimental data for Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ and other high-temperature oxides     

Spin-polarized current generated by magneto-electrical gating

We theoretically study spin-polarized current through a single electron tunneling transistor (SETT), in which a quantum dot (QD) is coupled to non-magnetic source and drain electrodes via tunnel junctions, and gated by a ferromagnetic (FM) electrode. The I–V characteristics of the device are investigated for both spin and charge currents, based on the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. The FM electrode generates a magnetic field, which causes a Zeeman spin-splitting of the energy levels in the QD. By tuning the size of the Zeeman splitting and the source–drain bias, a fully spin-polarized current is generated. Additionally, by modulating the electrical gate bias, one can effect a complete switch of the polarization of the tunneling current from spin-up to spin-down current, or vice versa.     

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy and break junction spectroscopy on iron-oxypnictide superconductor NdFeAs(O0.9F0.1)

Iron-oxypnictide superconductor NdFeAs(O_0.9F_0.1) was studied using both low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and tunnel break junction (BJ) methods. STM topography showed granular and spot structures with a typical size of several nanometers, most probably governed by fluorine atom distribution. The majority of STS conductance, G, versus voltage, V, curves revealed V-shaped structures, whereas some of G(V) dependences possessed coherent gap peaks or kinks at gap energies. At the same time, G(V) dependences obtained by the BJ technique showed clear-cut coherence peaks with peak-to-peak distances V_pp = 4Δ/e ∼ 25 mV at 4.2 K, where Δ is the superconducting energy gap, e > 0 is the elementary charge. This yields Δ(0) = 6–7 meV, so that the ratio 2Δ(0)/k_BT_c is about 3–4, k_B being the Boltzmann constant. This value is consistent with the conventional weak-coupling s-wave Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory.     

Zeeman effects on d-wave superconductor and the coherent tunneling spectrum in normal-metal/d-wave superconductor/normal-metal tunnel junctions

We solve a self-consistent equation for the d-wave superconducting gap and the magnetization in the mean-field approximation, study the Zeeman effects on the thermodynamic potential of d-wave superconductor (S) and coherent quantum transport in normal-metal (N)/d-wave S/N double tunnel junctions. Taking simultaneously into account the electron-injected current from one N electrode and the hole-injected current from the other N electrode, we derive a general formula for the differential conductance in a N/d-wave S/N system under a Zeeman magnetic field on the d-wave S. It is found that oscillations of all quasiparticle transport coefficients and differential conductance with the bias voltage and the thickness of the d-wave S depend to a great extent on the crystal orientation of the d-wave S. In the N/d-wave S/N junctions, the Zeeman magnetic field can lead to the Zeeman splitting of conductance peaks, and the temperature can reduce the coherent effect.     

Conductance of SIN and SIS junctions with chiral superconductors

Low-temperature conductance peaks due to the surface Andreev bound states in SIN and SIS junctions with chiral superconductors are considered. It is shown that, in SIN junctions, the conductance as a function of voltage, G(V), is highly sensitive to the dependence of the barrier transparency on the direction of the quasiparticle momentum. A weak magnetic field applied to the junction shifts the conductance peaks. In symmetric SIS junctions, the presence of chiral levels of Andreev bound states on both sides of the barrier gives rise to a conductance peak at V=0.     

Magnetic and superconducting phase diagrams in ErNi2B2C

We present measurements of the superconducting upper critical field H_c2(T) and the magnetic phase diagram of the superconductor ErNi₂B₂C made with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The magnetic field was applied in the basal plane of the tetragonal crystal structure. We have found large gapless regions in the superconducting phase diagram of ErNi₂B₂C, extending between different magnetic transitions. A close correlation between magnetic transitions and H_c2(T) is found, showing that superconductivity is strongly linked to magnetism.     

塞曼效应对正常金属/d波超导结中微分电导的影响

通过外加塞曼磁场在d波超导中,研究磁场对d波超导及其正常金属/d波超导结中隧道谱的影响。研究表明(1)塞曼磁场能使能隙变小,且随着磁场变大,超导态会变为正常态,产生一级相变;(2)塞曼磁场可导致零偏压电导峰劈裂,劈裂宽度为2h0(h0为塞曼能)。     

Resistance oscillations in junctions of superconductor–magnetic system

Resistance oscillations as a function of magnetic field were observed in superconductor–magnetic tunnel junctions of Nb–Fe–FeO_x–SiO₂–Au–Nb. Junctions involving superconductor–magnetic layer superconductor system are exciting because for certain regime of ferromagnetic layer thickness, a Josephson coupling with an intrinsic phase difference of π might be stabilized. For fabrication of the tunnel junctions the thin films were deposited by RF/DC magnetron sputtering. Using photolithography and reactive ion etching, square junctions of size varying from 50 μm to 250 μm were defined. I–V characteristics and R vs. H characteristics were studied at 4.2 K. When the magnetic field is applied parallel to the junction plane, measurements of the junction resistance as a function of magnetic field at a fixed temperature show resistance peaks whenever the total magnetic flux through the junction equals an integral multiple of flux quantum. The penetration depth of the superconducting electrodes was estimated from the positions of the resistance peaks.     

The effect of superconducting fluctuations on the resistance of tunneling junction: The existence of ultrathin surface layer in NbN films

The effect of superconducting fluctuations on quasi-particle current of tunneling junction is discussed. The anomalous contribution in tunneling current from interacting across the barrier fluctuations is found. It gives rise to pseudogap minimum in R_d(V). Similar dependence is observed experimentally in NbN-I-Pb junctions. Reasons are given to suggest that there is some ultrathin layer on the surface of NbN films whose properties drastically differ from the bulk one.     

Tunneling conductance study of a metal-superconductor junction in the presence of Rashba spin orbit coupling

The tunneling conductance for a junction device consisting of a normal metal and a singlet superconductor is studied with Rashba spin orbit coupling (RSOC) being present in the metallic lead and the interface separating the two regions via an extended Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK) formalism. Interesting interplay between the RSOC and a number of parameters that have experimental significance, and characterize either the junction or the superconducting leads, such as the barrier transparency, quasiparticle lifetime, Fermi wavevector mismatch, an in-plane magnetic field and their effects on the tunneling conductance are investigated in details for both a s-wave and a d-wave superconductor. In an opaque barrier, in presence of a quasiparticle lifetime, a Fermi wavevector mismatch or an external in-plane magnetic field, RSOC enhances the conductance corresponding to low biasing energies, that is, at energies lesser than the superconducting gap, while the reverse is noted for energies exceeding the magnitude of the gap. Further, there are exciting anomalies noted in the conductance spectrum for the d-wave gap which can be understood by incorporating the interplay between the superconducting gap and the angle of incident of the charge carriers.     

Superconducting energy gap in Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+δ (Bi2223) single crystals

Current-voltage characteristics of S-I-S tunnel break junctions fabricated from pure undoped Bi2223 single crystals (T _c =110 K) were measured. High quality of the crystals enabled production of good tunnel junctions with a low or almost zero leakage current and well developed gap structure in the tunneling spectra. The peak-to-peak energy gap values 2Δ_p-p in different crystals and the tunnel junctions ranged from 80 to 105 meV. The tunneling conductance in the superconducting state was normalized to that in the normal state and compared to a smeared BCS density of states. A simple fit of the data gave the average value of Δ=38.5 meV and reduced gap 2Δ/kT _c ?8, consistent with a very strong coupling mechanism.     

Conductance in normal metal/insulator/ferromagnetic superconductor tunnel junctions

In this paper, the superconducting order parameter and the energy spectrum of the Bogoliubov excitations are obtained from the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation for a ferromagnetic superconductor (FS). In the framework of the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model, we present the differential conductance of the normal metal/insulator/FS junctions. It is shown that the exchange energy h in the FS can lead to the Zeeman splitting of the conductance peaks and the energy difference between the two splitting peaks is equal to 2h. The observation of such Zeeman splitting in the conductance spectrum can be taken as evidence for the coexistence between superconductivity and ferromagnetism.     

Excess current in point contacts on two-band superconductor MgB2 in magnetic field

A series of I(V) characteristics and bias-dependent differential resistance dV/dI(V) curves of point contacts made between a single crystal of two-band superconductor MgB₂ and Cu were measured in magnetic fields up to 9 T. The magnetic field dependences of the excess current in the I(V) curves were obtained and analyzed using Koshelev and Golubov's [Phys. Rev. Lett. 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 using the theoretical magnetic field dependence of the superconducting order parameter of the σ and π-bands and the averaged electronic density of states in MgB₂.     

Asymmetric electron tunneling into an amorphous chalcogenide semiconductor

Electron tunneling into the amorphous chalcogenide alloy Tl₂SeAs₂Te₃ was found to occur with a higher conductance G for electrons tunneling out of the semiconductor compared to the opposite polarity. G(V) has a minimum at V=0.070 V with respect to the metal electrode. It rises by a factor 10⁵ as the bias is increased to V=±1 V. This tunnelling asymmetry, which is absent in the case of tetrahedrally bonded semiconductors, may be related to a suggestion by Mott of detecting polaron effects by tunneling.     

Magnetic gap effect on the tunneling conductance in a topological insulator ferromagnet/superconductor junction

The tunneling conductance on the surface of a topological-insulator-based ferromagnet/superconductor (F/S) structure is studied where S is an s-wave superconductor with superconducting order parameter ∼Δ. The conductance is calculated based on the BTK formalism. The magnetization in F is applied along the z-direction () in order to induce the energy-mass gaps (m) for the Dirac electrons in the F-region. In this work, the influence of energy gap due to the magnetic field in the F-region on the conductance is emphasized. The Fermi energy mismatch between F (EFF=EF) and S (EFS=EF+U), where the gate potential U is applied to the electrode on top of S, is also considered. As a result, a biased voltage V can cause the conductance switch at eV=Δ, depending on the value of the magnetic field. The conductance is found to be linearly dependent on either m or U. The slope of the curve can also be adjusted. This linear behavior in a topological-insulator-based F/S structure may be valuable for electronic applications of the linear-control-current devices. The tunneling conductances of the quasi-Dirac-particle in a topological-insulator-based F/S junction are quite different from those of a graphene-based F/S junction.     

Superconductive tunneling into Nb3(Al0.75Ge0.25)

Current and conductance characteristics have been obtained for Nb₃(Al_0.75Ge_0.25)-barrier-Pb_0.7Bi_0.3 superconducting tunneling junctions prepared on Nb₃(Al_0.75Ge_0.25) ribbon substrates. Thermal oxide, anodized, and amorphous carbon tunneling barriers were used. These junctions are relatively fragile: they deteriorate under temperature recycling or sustained bias. Typical junction resistances are of the order of 50Ω, and 2Δ(0) of Nb₃(Al_0.75Ge_0.25) is ～1.3 meV.