arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Yu. G. Naidyuk.
The history is described of how one of the most commonly used electric circuit components, an ordinary electric contact, has become a powerful tool for the physicists to study various mechanisms of electron scattering in metals. The physical principles of spectroscopy of quasi-particle excitations in metals by means of point contacts (PCs) whose dimensions range from only a few to tens of nanometers are presented in a popular form.
In strong-coupling superconductors with a short electron mean free path the self-energy effects in the superconducting order parameter play a major role in the phonon manifestation of the point-contact spectra at the above-gap energies. We derive asymptotic expressions of the phonon structure in MgB$%_{2}$ in the case $eV\ggΔ$ for tunnel, ballistic, and diffusive point-contacts and show that these expressions not only qualitatively, but also semi-quantitatively correspond to the measurements of the phonon structure in the point-contact spectra for the $π$-band of MgB$_{2}$ c-axis oriented thin films.
The progress in investigation of two-band superconductor MgB$_2$ by the point-contact spectroscopy (PCS) is given. Results of study of superconducting gap temperature and magnetic field dependence for two-dimensional $σ$ and three-dimensional $π$ band and electron-phonon-interaction spectral function are presented. Correlation between the gap value and the intensity of the high T$_c$ driving force -- $E_{2g}$ boron vibration mode, is provided. PCS data on some nonsuperconducting transition metal diborides are surveyed for comparison.
We review investigations of the electron-phonon interaction (EPI) in metal diborides MeB_2 (Me=Zr, Nb, Ta, Mg) by point-contact (PC) spectroscopy. For transition metal compounds the PC EPI functions were recovered and EPI parameter $λ\lesssim 0.1$ were estimated. The data are consistent with the measured surface phonon dispersion curves. The low $λ$ value questions some reports about superconductivity in these compounds. Contrary, EPI in superconducting MgB_2 films manifests also in the PC spectra itself by virtue of an elastic EPI contribution to the excess current determined by the energy dependence of the superconducting order parameter. To analyse the phonon features in the PC spectra of MgB$_2$ a two-band model is exploited and the proximity effect in the {\bf k}-space is suggested.
The electron-phonon interaction in magnesium diboride MgB_2 single crystals is investigated by point-contact (PC) spectroscopy. For the first time the electron coupling with E_2g phonon modes is resolved in the PC spectra. The correlation between intensity of the extremely broad E_2g modes in the PC spectra and value of the superconducting gap is established. Our observations favor current theoretical models for electron-phonon mediated superconductivity in MgB_2 and they better match the harmonic phonons model.
The electron-phonon interaction (EPI) in transition metal diborides TB_2 (T=Zr, Nb, Ta) is investigated by point-contact (PC) spectroscopy. The PC EPI functions were recovered and the EPI parameters lambda<0.1 were estimated for all three compounds. Common and distinctive features between the EPI functions for those diborides are discussed also in connection with the superconductivity in MgB_2.
The search of the phonon structure at the above-gap energies was carried out for $d^{2}V/dI^{2}(V)$ spectra of MgB$_{2}$ point contacts with a normal metal. The two-band model is assumed not only for the gap structure in $dV/dI(V)$-characteristics, but also for phonons in $d^{2}V/dI^{2}(V)$ point-contact spectra, with up to the maximum lattice vibration energy. Since the current is carried mostly by charges of 3D-band, whereas the strong electron-phonon interaction occurs in 2D-band, we observe the phonon peculiarities due to ''proximity'' effect in {\it k}-space, which depends on the variation of interband coupling through the elastic scattering.
We have analyzed about 100 voltage-dependent differential resistance dV/dI(V) curves of metallic point contacts between c-axis oriented MgB$_2$ thin film and Ag, which exhibit clear Andreev reflection features connected with the superconducting gap. About one half of the curves show the presence of a second larger gap. The histogram of the double-gap distribution reveals distinct maxima at 2.4 and 7 meV, while curves with a single-gap features result in more broad maximum at 3.5 meV. The double-gap distribution is in qualitative agreement with the distribution of gap values over the Fermi surface calculated by H. J. Choi et al. (cond-mat/0111183). The data unequivocally show the presence of two gaps $Δ_{S}=2.45\pm 0.15$ meV and $Δ_{L}=7.0\pm 0.45$ meV in MgB$_2$ with gap ratio $2.85\pm 0.15$. Our observations prove further a widely discussed multi-gap scenario for MgB$_2$, where two distinct gaps are seen in the clean limit, while a single averaged gap is present in the dirty one.
The superconducting order parameter and electron-phonon interaction (EPI) in a MgB$_{2}$ c-axis oriented thin film are investigated by point contacts (PCs). Two superconducting gaps $Δ_{Small}\approx 2.6$ meV and $Δ_{Large}\approx 7.4$ meV have been established, which fairly well correspond to the theoretical gap ratio 1:3. The reconstructed PC EPI function along c-axis has above 30 meV similarities with the phonon DOS, while a pronounced maximum around 20 meV is resolved pointing out that the low frequency phonon mode can be of importance for pairing. We have estimated the Fermi velocity in MgB$_2$ about 5$\times 10^7$ cm/s.
The superconducting gap in a CeRu$_{2}$ single crystal is investigated by point contacts. BCS-like behavior of the gap $Δ$ in the temperature range below T$_{c}^{*}<$T$_{c}$, where T$_{c}$ is the critical temperature, is established, indicating the presence of a gapless superconductivity region (between T$_{c}^{*}$ and T$_{c}$). The pair-breaking effect of paramagnetic impurities, supposedly Ce ions, is taken into consideration using the Scalski-Betbeder-Matibet-Weiss approach based on Abrikosov-Gorkov theory. It allows us to recalculate the superconducting order parameter $Δ^α $ (in the presence of paramagnetic impurities) and the gap $Δ^{P}$ (in the pure case) for the single crystal and for the previously studied polycrystalline CeRu$_{2}$. The value 2$Δ^{P}$(0)$ \approx $2 meV, with 2$Δ^{P}$(0)$/$k$_{B}$T$_{c} \approx $3.75, is found in both cases, indicating that CeRu$_{2}$ is a ``moderate'' strong-coupling superconductor.
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.
The antiferromagnetic (AFM) state has been investigated in the three heavy-fermion compounds URu2Si2, UPd2Al3, and UNi2Al3 by measuring dV/dI(V) curves of point contacts at different temperatures (1.5-20 K) and magnetic fields (0-28 T). The zero-bias maximum in dV/dI(V) for URu2Si2 points to a partially gapped Fermi-surface related to the itinerant nature of the AFM state contrary to UPd2Al3 where analogous features have not been found. The AFM state in UNi2Al3 has more similarities with URu2Si2. For URu2Si2, the same critical field of about 40 T along the easy c axis is found for all features in dV/dI(V) corresponding to the Neel temperature, the gap in the electronic density of states, and presumably the ordered moments.