arXiv subjects

S. S. Fender

Publications and source records attributed to S. S. Fender.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Single-component superconducting state in UTe2 at 2 K

UTe2 is a newly-discovered unconventional superconductor wherein multicomponent topological superconductivity is anticipated based on the presence of two superconducting transitions and time-reversal symmetry breaking in the superconducting state. The observation of two superconducting transitions, however, remains controversial. Here we demonstrate that UTe2 single crystals displaying an optimal superconducting transition temperature at 2 K exhibit a single transition and remarkably high quality supported by their small residual heat capacity in the superconducting state and large residual resistance ratio. Our results shed light on the intrinsic superconducting properties of UTe2 and bring into question whether UTe2 is a multicomponent superconductor at ambient pressure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Spatially inhomogeneous superconductivity in UTe2

Newly-discovered superconductor UTe$_2$ is a strong contender for a topological spin-triplet state wherein a multi-component order parameter arises from two nearly-degenerate superconducting states. A key issue is whether both of these states intrinsically exist at ambient pressure. Through thermal expansion and calorimetry, we show that UTe$_2$ at ambient conditions exhibits two detectable transitions only in some samples, and the size of the thermal expansion jump at each transition varies when the measurement is performed in different regions of the sample. This result indicates that the two transitions arise from two spatially separated regions that are inhomogeneously mixed throughout the volume of the sample, each with a discrete superconducting transition temperature (T$_c$). Notably, samples with higher T$_c$ only show a single transition at ambient pressure. Above 0.3 GPa, however, two transitions are invariably observed in ac calorimetry. Our results not only point to a nearly vertical line in the pressure-temperature phase diagram but also provide a unified scenario for the sample dependence of UTe$_{2}$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Narrow-gap semiconducting behavior in antiferromagnetic Eu$_{11}$InSb$_9$

Here we investigate the thermodynamic and electronic properties of Eu$_{11}$InSb$_9$ single crystals. Electrical transport data show that Eu$_{11}$InSb$_9$ has a semiconducting ground state with a relatively narrow band gap of $320$~meV. Magnetic susceptibility data reveal antiferromagnetic order at low temperatures, whereas ferromagnetic interactions dominate at high temperature. Specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical resistivity measurements reveal three phase transitions at $T_{N1}=9.3$~K, $T_{N2} =8.3$~K, and $T_{N3} =4.3$~K. Unlike Eu$_{5}$In$_{2}$Sb$_6$, a related europium-containing Zintl compound, no colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) is observed in Eu$_{11}$InSb$_9$. We attribute the absence of CMR to the smaller carrier density and the larger distance between Eu ions and In-Sb polyhedra in Eu$_{11}$InSb$_9$. Our results indicate that Eu$_{11}$InSb$_9$ has potential applications as a thermoelectric material through doping or as a long-wavelength detector due to its narrow gap.

cond-mat.str-el↗