Wolf, T. | Search NASA

DOE OSTI2022

Observation of the non-linear Meissner effect

A long-standing theoretical prediction is that in clean, nodal unconventional superconductors the magnetic penetration depth λ, at zero temperature, varies linearly with magnetic field. This non-linear Meissner effect is an equally important manifestation of the nodal state as the well studied linear-in-T dependence of λ, but has never been convincingly experimentally observed. Here we present measurements of the nodal superconductors CeCoIn 5 and LaFePO which clearly show this non-linear Meissner effect. We further show how the effect of a small dc magnetic field on λ(T) can be used to distinguish gap nodes from non-nodal deep gap minima. Our measurements of KFe 2 As 2 suggest that this material has such a non-nodal state.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2019

Characterizing the Josephson Effect on Ba-122 Single-Crystal Junctions

This paper presents c-direction hybrid Josephson junctions with base electrodes of Co:BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} single crystals. To realize Josephson junctions, it applies standard photolithography technologies and a newly developed surface polishing method that was used. As conventional isotropic s-wave superconductor counter electrodes used double layers of Pb/In. The artificial barrier for the tunneling junctions consists of a thin sputtered Ti layer or a thermally evaporated Al layer; both layers were used as an insulator barrier. For characterizing the Josephson effects with TiO{sub x} barrier, we could realize I{sub c}R{sub N} products of about 13.7 μV and unconventional I{sub c}-T dependencies. The formation of Shapiro steps under the influence of microwave irradiation and magnetic field to the junctions will be discussed as well.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗