Multiband superconductivity and penetration depth in PrOs4Sb12

D. E. MacLaughlin; Lei Shu; R. H. Heffner; J. E. Sonier; F. D. Callaghan; G. D. Morris; O. O. Bernal; W. M. Yuhasz; N. A. Frederick; M. B. Maple

doi:10.1016/j.physb.2007.10.329

arXiv · 0706.0439

Multiband superconductivity and penetration depth in PrOs4Sb12

D. E. MacLaughlin·Lei Shu·R. H. Heffner·J. E. Sonier·F. D. Callaghan·G. D. Morris·O. O. Bernal·W. M. Yuhasz·N. A. Frederick·M. B. Maple

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Abstract

The effective superconducting penetration depth measured in the vortex state of PrOs4Sb12 using transverse-field muon spin rotation (TF-muSR) exhibits an activated temperature dependence at low temperatures, consistent with a nonzero gap for quasiparticle excitations. In contrast, Meissner-state radiofrequency (rf) inductive measurements of the penetration depth yield a T^2 temperature dependence, suggestive of point nodes in the gap. A scenario based on the recent discovery of extreme two-band superconductivity in PrOs4Sb12 is proposed to resolve this difference. In this picture a large difference between large- and small-gap coherence lengths renders the field distribution in the vortex state controlled mainly by supercurrents from a fully-gapped large-gap band. In zero field all bands contribute, yielding a stronger temperature dependence to the rf inductive measurements.

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D. E. MacLaughlin, Lei Shu, R. H. Heffner, J. E. Sonier, F. D. Callaghan, G. D. Morris, O. O. Bernal, W. M. Yuhasz, N. A. Frederick, M. B. Maple. 2007-06-04. Multiband superconductivity and penetration depth in PrOs4Sb12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2007.10.329

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