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Tunneling and Magnetic Characteristics of Superconducting ZrB$_{12}$ Single Crystals

M. I. Tsindlekht·G. I. Leviev·I. Asulin·A. Sharoni·O. Millo·I. Felner·Yu. B. Paderno·V. B. Filippov·M. A. Belogolovskii
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Abstract

Bulk and surface properties of high-quality single crystals of zirconium dodecaboride have been studied in the temperature range from 4.5 K up to the superconducting transition temperature which is found to be nearly 6.06 K. Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy data, together with dc and ac magnetization measurements, are consistent with the conventional s-wave pairing scenario, whereas they disagree in estimates of the electron-phonon coupling strength. We explain the divergence, supposing a great difference between the surface and bulk superconducting characteristics of the compound. This assertion is supported by our findings of a non-linear magnetic response to an amplitude-modulated alternating magnetic field, testifying to the presence of surface superconductivity in the ZrB$_{12}$ samples at dc fields exceeding the thermodynamic critical field.

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M. I. Tsindlekht, G. I. Leviev, I. Asulin, A. Sharoni, O. Millo, I. Felner, Yu. B. Paderno, V. B. Filippov, M. A. Belogolovskii. 2004-05-05. Tunneling and Magnetic Characteristics of Superconducting ZrB$_{12}$ Single Crystals. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.69.212508

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