arXiv subjects

G. A. Ummarino

Publications and source records attributed to G. A. Ummarino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Directional Andreev-Reflection Signatures of Inter-Orbital Pairing in Sr$_2$RuO$_4$

Unconventional superconductivity in quasi--two-dimensional systems is commonly identified through the emergence of Andreev bound states (ABS) at in-plane edges, while surfaces perpendicular to out-of-plane direction remain fully gapped due to weak interlayer coherence. This directional anisotropy has long served as a key paradigm for constraining pairing symmetries. Here, we show that Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ exhibits a striking reversal of this behavior. Using edge- and surface-sensitive spectroscopy, we observe pronounced in-gap ABS at surfaces perpendicular to the out-of-plane direction, whereas in-plane edges exhibit a reduced intensity of the in-gap spectral features. We show that this anomalous anisotropy can arise from the inter-orbital character of the superconducting pairing. Both even- and odd-parity inter-orbital pairing channels naturally generate robust surface ABS while suppressing planar edge modes and can also provide a mechanism for the appearance of a horizontal line node. Supported by \textit{ab initio} and model calculations, including Sr$_2$RuO$_4$/Ag interface reconstructions, our results highlight the possible role of inter-orbital correlations in shaping the spectroscopic response and provide constraints on the structure of the superconducting order parameter in Sr$_2$RuO$_4$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Upper critical magnetic field and multiband superconductivity in artificial high-Tc superlattices of nano quantum wells

Artificial high-Tc superlattices (AHTS) composed of quantum building blocks with tunable superconducting critical temperature have been synthesized by engineering their nanoscale geometry using the Bianconi-Perali-Valletta (BPV) two gaps superconductivity theory. These quantum heterostructures consist of quantum wells made of superconducting, modulation-doped Mott insulators (S), confined by a metallic (N) potential barrier. The lattice geometry has been carefully engineered to induce the predicted Fano-Feshbach shape resonance between the gaps, near a topological Lifshitz transition. Here, we validate the BPV theory by providing compelling experimental evidence that AHTS samples, at the peak of the superconducting dome, exhibit resonant two-band, two-gap superconductivity. This is demonstrated by measuring the temperature dependence of the upper critical magnetic field,Bc2, in samples with superlattice periods 3.3<d<5.28 nm and L/d ratios close to the magic value 2/3 (where L is the thickness of the superconducting La2CuO4 layer and d is the superlattice period). The data reveal the predicted upward concavity in Hc2(T) and a characteristic kink in the coherence length as a function of temperature, confirming the predicted two-band superconductivity with Fermi velocity ratio 0.25 and significant pair exchange term among the two condensates.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Multiband superconductivity in high pressure sulfur hydrides

The temperature dependence of the two superconducting gaps in pressurised H_3S at 155 GPa with a critical temperature of 203 K has been determined by data analysis of the experimental curve of the upper critical magnetic field as a function of temperature in the framework of the two bands s-wave Eliashberg theory, with two different phonon mediated intra-band Cooper pairing channels in a regime of moderate strong couplings with the key role of the pair exchange interaction between the two gaps giving the two non-diagonal terms of the coupling tensor which are missing in the single band s wave Eliashberg theory. The results provide the prediction of the different temperature dependence of the small and large gaps as a function of temperature which provide evidence of multi-gap superconductivity in H_3S.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Strong-coupling Behaviour of Critical Temperature of Pb/Ag, Pb/Cu and Pb/Al Nanocomposites Explained by Proximity Eliashberg Theory

The experimental critical temperature of systems of nanoparticles superconducting (Pb) and normal (Ag, Cu and Al) with a random distribution and sizes less than their respective coherence lengths, is governed by proximity effect as the experimental data shown. At first glance the behaviour of the variation of the critical temperature in function of the ratio of the volume fractions of the superconducting and the normal metal components seems to suggest a weak coupling behaviour for the superconductor. In reality, upon a more careful analysis using Eliashberg's theory for the proximity effect, the system instead shows a strong coupling nature. The most interesting thing is that the theory has no free parameters and perfectly explains the behavior of the experimental data just with the assumption, in the cases of nanoparticles of $Ag$ and $Cu$, that the value of the density of states at the Fermi level of silver and copper is equal to value of lead.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Mathematical and Physical Properties of Three-Band s+- Eliashberg Theory for Iron Pnictides

The phenomenology of the iron pnictide superconductor can be described by the threeband s+- Eliashberg theory in which the mechanism of superconducting coupling is mediated by antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations and whose characteristic energy W0 scales with Tc according to the empirical law W0 = 4.65kBTc. This model presents the universal characteristics that are independent of the critical temperature, such as the link between the two free parameters l13 and l23 and the ratio Di/kBTc.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

S+-+d Wave Multiband Eliashberg Theory For The Iron Pnictides

We calculated the critical temperature in the framework of s+-+d-wave multiband Eliashberg theory. We have solved these equations numerically to see at what values of the input parameters there is a solution with a non-zero critical temperature and what is the symmetry of the order parameter of this solution. For our model we consider the pnictide case with simplifications that allow us to obtain the most general possible information. For selected and representative cases in which the order parameter has s+-+d symmetry, we calculated the superconducting density of states, the temperature dependence of the gaps, and the superfluid density so that comparison with experimental data can be made. Finally, we show that such a system has only a twofold in-plane symmetry and undergoes a transition from nodal to fully gapped with increasing temperature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Possible alterations of local gravitational field inside a superconductor

We calculate the possible interaction between a superconductor and the static Earth's gravitational fields, making use of the gravito-Maxwell formalism combined with the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory. We try to estimate which are the most favourable conditions to enhance the effect, optimizing the superconductor parameters characterizing the chosen sample. We also give a qualitative comparison of the behaviour of high-$T_\text{c}$ and classical low-$T_\text{c}$ superconductors with respect to the gravity/superfluid interplay.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Standard behaviour of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d overdoped

I calculated the critical temperature and superconducting gap in the framework of one band d wave Eliashberg's theory with only one free parameter in order to reproduce the experimental data relative to Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d (BSCCO) in the overdoped regime. The theoretical calculations are in excellent agreement with the experimental data and indicate that the cuprates in the overdoped regime are well described by standard d-wave Eliashberg theory with antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Optical and Hidden Transport Properties of BaFe$_{1.91}$Ni$_{0.09}$As$_{2}$ Film

Optical spectroscopy was used to study the electrodynamics and hidden transport properties of a BaFe$_{1.91}$Ni$_{0.09}$As$_{2}$ thin superconducting film. We analyzed the normal state data using a Drude-Lorentz model with two Drude components: one narrow ($D_1$) and another broad one ($D_2$). In the superconducting state, two gaps with $2Δ_{0}^{(2)}/k_BT_c=1.9$--2.0 and $2Δ_{0}^{(1)}/k_BT_c=4.0$--4.3 are formed from the narrow component $D_1$ while the broad component $D_2$ remains ungapped. The calculated total DC resistivity of the film and the low-temperature scattering rate for the narrow Drude component show a hidden Fermi-liquid behavior. The change of total electron-boson coupling ($λ_{tot}$) and representative energy ($Ω_{0}$) in the normal state with respect to the superconducting state is typical of other iron-based materials as well as high-temperature superconducting (HTSC) cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Superconductivity of underdoped PrFeAs(O,F) investigated via point-contact spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance

Underdoped PrFeAs(O,F), one of the less known members of the 1111 family of iron-based superconductors, was investigated in detail by means of transport, SQUID magnetometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements and point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy (PCARS). PCARS measurements on single crystals evidence the multigap nature of PrFeAs(O,F) superconductivity, shown to host at least two isotropic gaps, clearly discernible in the spectra, irrespective of the direction of current injection (i.e., along the ab planes or along the c axis). Additional features at higher energy can be interpreted as signatures of a strong electron-boson coupling, as demonstrated by a model which combines Andreev reflection with the Eliashberg theory. Magnetic resonance measurements in the normal phase indicate the lack of a magnetic order in underdoped PrFeAs(O,F), while $^{75}$As NMR spin-lattice relaxation results suggest the presence of significant electronic spin fluctuations, peaking above $T_{c}$ and expected to mediate the superconducting pairing.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

THz electrodynamics of BaFe$_{1.91}$Ni$_{0.09}$As$_{2}$ film analyzed in the framework of multiband Eliashberg theory

The temperature dependences of the plasma frequency, superfluid density and London penetration depth were determined from terahertz spectra of conductivity and dielectric permittivity of BaFe$_{1.91}$Ni$_{0.09}$As$_{2}$ film with critical temperature $T_c=19.6$~K. Part of experimental data were analyzed within a simple three-band Eliashberg model where the mechanism of superconducting coupling is mediated by antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations, whose characteristic energy $Ω_{0}$ scales with $T_{c}$ according to the empirical law $Ω_{0} = 4.65k_{B}T_{c}$, and with a total electron-boson coupling strength $λ_{tot} = 2.17$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Superconductive critical temperature of Pb/Ag heterostructures

Recent experimental data (H. Nam et al., Phys. Rev. B 100, 094512 (2019)) of critical temperature and gaps measured on superconductor/normal metal heterostructure Pb/Ag, epitaxially grown, shown a interesting not usual behaviour. The critical temperature decreases strongly but, despite the large differences in the lattice constants and electronic densities of states in the separate components, this heterostructure shows a spatially constant superconducting gap. In the paper it is demonstrated that the proximity Eliashberg equations, whit no free parameters, cannot explain the dependence of critical temperature from the rate $d_{Pb}/d_{Ag}$. However it is sufficient to assume that the density of states at the Fermi level of silver is equal to that of lead in a layer adjacent to the separation interface, presumably of a thickness less than the coherence length of the lead, to perfectly explain the decrease in the critical temperature and the gap value in function of the rate $d_{Pb}/d_{Ag}$ always without free parameters.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Analysis of the London penetration depth in Ni-doped CaKFe4As4

We report combined experimental and theoretical analysis of superconductivity in CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Ni$_x$)$_4$As$_4$ (CaK1144) for $x=$0, 0.017 and 0.034. To obtain the superfluid density, $ρ=\left(1+Δλ_L(T)/λ_L(0) \right)^{-2}$, the temperature dependence of the London penetration depth, $Δλ_L (T)$, was measured by using tunnel-diode resonator (TDR) and the results agreed with the microwave coplanar resonator (MWR) with the small differences accounted for by considering a three orders of magnitude higher frequency of MWR. The absolute value of $λ_L (T \ll T_c) \approx λ_L(0)$ was measured by using MWR, $λ_L (\mathrm{5~K}) \approx 170 \pm 20$ nm, which agreed well with the NV-centers in diamond optical magnetometry that gave $λ_L (\mathrm{5~K}) \approx 196 \pm 12$ nm. The experimental results are analyzed within the Eliashberg theory, showing that the superconductivity of CaK1144 is well described by the nodeless s$_{\pm}$ order parameter and that upon Ni doping the interband interaction increases.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Comprehensive Eliashberg analysis of microwave conductivity and penetration depth of K-, Co-, and P-substituted BaFe2As2

We report on the combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the microwave-frequency electromagnetic response of BaFe2As2 single crystals with different substitutions: K in the Ba site (hole doping), Co in the Fe site (electron doping), and P in the As site (isovalent substitution). Measurements using a coplanar resonator technique lead to the experimental determination of the penetration depth and microwave conductivity as a function of temperature. The whole set of data is analyzed within a self-consistent three-band $s_{\pm}$-wave Eliashberg approach, able to account for all the main observed features in the different properties. Besides the validation of the model itself, the comparison between experiment and theory allows discussing the possible role of the Fe-As planes in defining the superconducting properties of these compounds, the relevance of coherence effects, and the presence of nodes in the superconducting order parameter.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Proximity Eliashberg theory of electrostatic field-effect-doping in superconducting films

We calculate the effect of a static electric field on the critical temperature of a s-wave one band superconductor in the framework of proximity effect Eliashberg theory. In the weak electrostatic field limit the theory has no free parameters while, in general, the only free parameter is the thickness of the surface layer where the electric field acts. We conclude that the best situation for increasing the critical temperature is to have a very thin film of a superconducting material with a strong increase of electron-phonon (boson) constant upon charging.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Control of bulk superconductivity in a BCS superconductor by surface charge doping via electrochemical gating

The electrochemical gating technique is a powerful tool to tune the \textit{surface} electronic conduction properties of various materials by means of pure charge doping, but its efficiency is thought to be hampered in materials with a good electronic screening. We show that, if applied to a metallic superconductor (NbN thin films), this approach allows observing reversible enhancements or suppressions of the \emph{bulk} superconducting transition temperature, which vary with the thickness of the films. These results are interpreted in terms of proximity effect, and indicate that the effective screening length depends on the induced charge density, becoming much larger than that predicted by standard screening theory at very high electric fields.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Fermi-surface topological phase transition and horizontal order-parameter nodes in CaFe$_2$As$_2$ under pressure

Iron-based compounds (IBS) display a surprising variety of superconducting properties that seems to arise from the strong sensitivity of these systems to tiny details of the lattice structure. In this respect, systems that become superconducting under pressure, like CaFe$_2$As$_2$, are of particular interest. Here we report on the first directional point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy (PCARS) measurements on CaFe$_2$As$_2$ crystals under quasi-hydrostatic pressure, and on the interpretation of the results using a 3D model for Andreev reflection combined with ab-initio calculations of the Fermi surface (within the density functional theory) and of the order parameter symmetry (within a random-phase-approximation approach in a ten-orbital model). The almost perfect agreement between PCARS results at different pressures and theoretical predictions highlights the intimate connection between the changes in the lattice structure, a topological transition in the hole-like Fermi surface sheet, and the emergence on the same sheet of an order parameter with a horizontal node line.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy in Fe(Te,Se) films: multiband superconductivity and electron-boson coupling

We report on a study of the superconducting order parameter in Fe(Te$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$) thin films (with different Se contents: x=0.3, 0.4, 0.5) by means of point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy (PCARS). The PCARS spectra show reproducible evidence of multiple structures, namely two clear conductance maxima associated to a superconducting gap of amplitude $Δ_E \simeq 2.75 k_B T_c$ and additional shoulders at higher energy that, as we show, are the signature of the strong interaction of charge carriers with a bosonic mode whose characteristic energy coincides with the spin-resonance energy. The details of some PCARS spectra at low energy suggest the presence of a smaller and not easily discernible gap of amplitude $Δ_H \simeq 1.75 k_B T_c$. The existence of this gap and its amplitude are confirmed by PCARS measurements in Fe(Te$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$) single crystals. The values of the two gaps $Δ_E$ and $Δ_H$, once plotted as a function of the local critical temperature $T_c^A$, turn out to be in perfect agreement with the results obtained by various experimental techniques reported in literature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗