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Superfluid density and energy gap function of superconducting PrPt4Ge12
A Maisuradze1, M Nicklas, R Gumeniuk
1Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland. alexander.maisuradze@psi.ch
Physical Review Letters
|November 13, 2009
Summary
The filled skutterudite superconductor PrPt4Ge12 exhibits point nodes in its superconducting energy gap. Experiments reveal characteristics consistent with unconventional heavy fermion superconductors.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Superconductivity Research
Background:
- Skutterudite materials are a class of compounds known for their unique physical properties.
- Filled skutterudites, such as PrPt4Ge12, are of interest due to their potential superconducting behavior.
- Understanding the nature of the superconducting gap is crucial for classifying superconductors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the superconducting properties of the filled skutterudite PrPt4Ge12.
- To determine the characteristics of the superconducting energy gap in PrPt4Ge12.
- To compare the findings with other unconventional superconductors like PrOs4Sb12.
Main Methods:
- Muon-spin rotation (muSR) spectroscopy to probe magnetic properties and superfluid density.
- Specific heat measurements to analyze thermodynamic properties and electronic contributions.
- Electrical resistivity experiments to study the superconducting transition and electronic behavior.
Main Results:
- Muon-spin rotation (muSR) experiments showed a continuous increase in superfluid density with decreasing temperature.
- Magnetic penetration depth (lambda) exhibited dependence on the applied magnetic field.
- Electronic specific heat displayed a T3 dependence, indicating the presence of point nodes in the superconducting energy gap.
Conclusions:
- The superconducting energy gap in PrPt4Ge12 contains pointlike nodes.
- The observed gap and specific heat behavior are consistent with models featuring point nodes.
- These findings suggest similarities to unconventional heavy fermion skutterudite superconductors.
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