arXiv subjects

K. Gloos

Publications and source records attributed to K. Gloos.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

Anatomy of point-contact Andreev reflection spectroscopy from the experimental point of view (review)

We review application of point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy to study elemental superconductors, where theoretical conditions for the smallness of the point-contact size with respect to the characteristic lengths in the superconductor can be satisfied. We discuss existing theoretical models and identify new issues that have to be solved, especially when applying this method to investigate more complex superconductors. We will also demonstrate that some aspects of point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy still need to be addressed even when investigating ordinary metals.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Mechanisms of normal reflection at metal interfaces studied by Andreev-reflection spectroscopy

Andreev-reflection spectroscopy of elemental superconductors in contact with non-magnetic normal metals reveals that the strength of normal-reflection varies only slightly. This observation imposes strong constrictions on the three possible normal-reflection mechanisms: tunneling through a dielectric barrier, reflection due to the different electronic properties of the two electrodes, and diffusive transport caused by elastic scattering in the contact region. We discuss in detail the role played by Fermi-surface mismatch, represented by the different Fermi velocities on both sides of the contact interface. We find that it is at least not the dominant mechanism and possibly completely absent in the Andreev-reflection process.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2006

Single-electron transport driven by surface acoustic waves: moving quantum dots versus short barriers

We have investigated the response of the acoustoelectric current driven by a surface-acoustic wave through a quantum point contact in the closed-channel regime. Under proper conditions, the current develops plateaus at integer multiples of ef when the frequency f of the surface-acoustic wave or the gate voltage Vg of the point contact is varied. A pronounced 1.1 MHz beat period of the current indicates that the interference of the surface-acoustic wave with reflected waves matters. This is supported by the results obtained after a second independent beam of surface-acoustic wave was added, traveling in opposite direction. We have found that two sub-intervals can be distinguished within the 1.1 MHz modulation period, where two different sets of plateaus dominate the acoustoelectric-current versus gate-voltage characteristics. In some cases, both types of quantized steps appeared simultaneously, though at different current values, as if they were superposed on each other. Their presence could result from two independent quantization mechanisms for the acoustoelectric current. We point out that short potential barriers determining the properties of our nominally long constrictions could lead to an additional quantization mechanism, independent from those described in the standard model of 'moving quantum dots'.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2006

Different quantization mechanisms in single-electron pumps driven by surface acoustic waves

We have studied the acoustoelectric current in single-electron pumps driven by surface acoustic waves. We have found that in certain parameter ranges two different sets of quantized steps dominate the acoustoelectric current versus gate-voltage characteristics. In some cases, both types of quantized steps appear simultaneously though at different current values, as if they were superposed on each other. This could indicate two independent quantization mechanisms for the acoustoelectric current.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2005

On a cryogenic noble gas ion catcher

In-situ purification of the gas used as stopping medium in a noble gas ion catcher by operating the device at low temperatures of 60 to 150 K was investigated. Alpha-decay recoil ions from a 223Ra source served as energetic probes. The combined ion survival and transport efficiencies for 219Rn ions saturated below about 90 K, reaching 28.7(17) % in helium, 22.1(13) % in neon, and 17.0(10) % in argon. These values may well reflect the charge exchange and stripping cross sections during the slowing down of the ions, and thus represent a fundamental upper limit for the efficiency of noble gas ion catcher devices. We suggest the cryogenic noble gas ion catcher as a technically simpler alternative to the ultra-high purity noble gas ion catcher operating at room temperature.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2004

Realization of an N-shaped IVC of nanoscale metallic junctions using the antiferromagnetic transition

We have observed at low temperatures (<8K) hysteretic I(V) characteristics for sub-mkm (~200nm) metallic break-junctions based on the heavy-fermion compound UPd2Al3. Degrading the quality of the contacts by in situ increasing the local residual resistivity or temperature rise reduces the hysteresis. We demonstrate that those hysteretic I(V) curves can be reproduced theoretically by assuming the constriction to be in the thermal regime. Our calculations show that such anomalous I(V) curves are due to the sharp increase of ρ(T) of UPd2Al3 near the Neel temperature T_N ~ 14K. From this point of view each metal with similar ρ(T) should produce similar hysteretic I(V) curves. As example we show calculations for the rare-earth manganite La{0.75}Sr{0.25}MnO3, a system with colossal magnetoresistance. In this way we demonstrate that nano-sized point contacts can be non-linear devices with N-shaped I(V) characteristics, i. e. with negative differential resistance, that could serve like Esaki tunnel diodes or Gunn diodes as amplifiers, generators, and switching units. Their characteristic response time is estimated to be less than 1ns for the investigated contacts.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2004

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2004

The antiferromagnetic transition of UPd2Al3 break-junctions: A new realization of N-shaped current-voltage characteristics

We have investigated metallic break junctions of the heavy-fermion compound UPd2Al3 at low temperatures between 0.1K and 9K and in magnetic fields up to 8T. Both the current-voltage I(V) characteristics and the dV/dI (V) spectra clearly showed the superconducting ($T_{\rm c}\simeq$ 1.8K) as well as the antiferromagnetic ($T_{\rm N}\simeq$14K) transition at low temperatures when the bias voltage is raised. The junctions with lateral size of order 200nm had huge critical current densities around $5\times 10^{10} A/m^2 at the antiferromagnetic transition and hysteretic I(V) characteristics. Degrading the quality of the contacts by in situ increasing the local residual resistivity reduced the hysteresis. We show that those hysteretic I(V) curves can be reproduced theoretically by assuming the constriction to be in the thermal regime. It turns out that these point contacts represent non-linear devices with N-shaped I(V) characteristics that have a negative differential resistance like an Esaki tunnel diode.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

An improved 2.5 GHz electron pump: single-electron transport through shallow-etched point contacts driven by surface acoustic waves

We present an experimental study of a 2.5 GHz electron pump based on the quantized acoustoelectric current driven by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) through a shallow-etched point contact in a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure. At low temperatures and with an additional counter-propagating SAW beam, up to n = 20 current plateaus at I=nef could be resolved, where n is an integer, e the electron charge, and f the SAW frequency. In the best case the accuracy of the first plateau at 0.40 nA was estimated to be dI/I = +/- 25 ppm over 0.25 mV in gate voltage, which is better than previous results.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

The energy gap of intermediate-valent SmB6 studied by point-contact spectroscopy

We have investigated the intermediate valence narrow-gap semiconductor SmB6 at low temperatures using both conventional spear-anvil type point contacts as well as mechanically controllable break junctions. The zero-bias conductance varied between less than 0.01 mikrosiemens and up to 1 mS. The position of the spectral anomalies, which are related to the different activation energies and band gaps of SmB6, did not depend on the the contact size. Two different regimes of charge transport could be distinguished: Contacts with large zero - bias conductance are in the diffusive Maxwell regime. They had spectra with only small non-linearities. Contacts with small zero - bias conductance are in the tunnelling regime. They had larger anomalies, but still indicating a finite 45 % residual quasiparticle density of states at the Fermi level at low temperatures of T = 0.1 K. The density of states derived from the tunelling spectra can be decomposed into two energy-dependent parts with Eg = 21 meV and Ed = 4.5 meV wide gaps, respectively.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2001

Discrete saturation thickness and anomalous potential height of native ultrathin aluminum oxide tunnel barriers

We have investigated planar metal - insulator - metal tunnel junctions with aluminum oxide as dielectricum. These oxide barriers were grown on an aluminum electrode in pure oxygen at room temperature till saturation. We observed discrete barrier widths separated by Δs \approx 0.38 nm, corresponding to the addition of one layer of oxygen atoms. The minimum thickness of s_0 \approx 0.54 nm is due to a double layer of oxygen. We found a strong and systematic dependence of the barrier height Φ_0 on the thickness s like Φ_0 \approx 2.5 eV / s^2(nm), which nearly coincides with the kinetic electron energy E = h^2/2ms^2 for which the deBroglie wavelength matches the width of the barrier.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

Is CeNiSn the Kondo semiconductor?: break-junction data

IVC characteristics as well as their derivatives were recorded for contacts on the base of CeNiSn, known as Kondo semiconductor, in the metallic and the tunnelling regime at temperatures between 0.1-8 K and in magnetic fields up to 8 T using mechanically controllable break junctions (MCBJ). It was found that CeNiSn behaves like a compound with typical metallic properties instead of the expected semiconducting behaviour. The main spectral feature is a pronounced zero-bias conductance minimum of about 10 meV width both for metallic and tunnel regime, which appears to be of magnetic nature. The experiments provide no clear-cut evidence for an energy (pseudo)gap in this compound.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Andreev reflection at point contacts with heavy-fermion UBe13 ?

We comment on a recent Letter by Waelti et al. (PRL 84, 5616 (2000)) on 'Spectroscopic evidence for unconventional superconductivity in UBe13'. We show - by using the basic Wexler formula - that it is unlikely to observe Andreev reflection at point contacts between UBe13 and a normal metal. The large superconducting anomalies usually found for those contacts are mainly due to the resistive Maxwell resistance vanishing below Tc of UBe13.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Electronic correlation effects and the Coulomb gap at finite temperature

We have investigated the effect of the long-range Coulomb interaction on the one-particle excitation spectrum of n-type Germanium, using tunneling spectroscopy on mechanically controllable break junctions. The tunnel conductance was measured as a function of energy and temperature. At low temperatures, the spectra reveal a minimum at zero bias voltage due to the Coulomb gap. In the temperature range above 1 K the Coulomb gap is filled by thermal excitations. This behavior is reflected in the temperature dependence of the variable-range hopping resitivity measured on the same samples: Up to a few degrees Kelvin the Efros-Shkovskii ln$R \propto T^{-1/2}$ law is obeyed, whereas at higher temperatures deviations from this law are observed, indicating a cross-over to Mott's ln$R \propto T^{-1/4}$ law. The mechanism of this cross-over is different from that considered previously in the literature.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1996

Break junctions of the heavy-fermion superconductors

Mechanical-controllable break junctions of the heavy-fermion superconductors can show Josephson-like superconducting anomalies. But a systematic study on the contact size demonstrates that these anomalies are mainly due to Maxwell's resistance being suppressed in the superconducting heavy-fermion phase. Up to day, we could not find any superconducting features by vacuum-tunnelling spectroscopy, providing further evidence for the pair-breaking effect of the heavy-fermion interfaces.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1996

Towards a Microscopic Theory for Metallic Heavy-Fermion Point Contacts

The bias-dependent resistance R(V) of NS-junctions is calculated using the Keldysh formalism in all orders of the transfer matrix element. We present a compact and simple formula for the Andreev current, that results from the coupling of electrons and holes on the normal side via the anomalous Green's function on the superconducting side. Using simple BCS Nambu-Green's functions the well known Blonder-Tinkam-Klapwijk theory can be recovered. Incorporating the energy-dependent quasi-particle lifetime of the heavy fermions strongly reduces the Andreev-reflection signal.

supr-con↗