Coupling between heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn$_5$ and antiferromagnetic metal CeIn$_3$ through the atomic interface


Abstract in English

To study the mutual interaction between unconventional superconductivity and magnetic order through an interface, we fabricate Kondo superlattices consisting of alternating layers of heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn$_5$ and antiferromagnetic (AFM) heavy-fermion metal CeIn$_3$. The strength of the AFM fluctuations is tuned by applying hydrostatic pressure to CeCoIn$_5(m)$/CeIn$_3(n)$ superlattices with $m$ and $n$ unit-cell-thick layers of CeCoIn$_5$ and CeIn$_3$, respectively. Superconductivity in CeCoIn$_5$ and AFM order in CeIn$_3$ coexist in spatially separated layers. At ambient pressure, N{e}el temperature $T_N$ of the CeIn$_3$ block layers (BLs) of CeCoIn$_5$(7)/CeIn$_3(n)$ shows little dependence on $n$, in contrast to CeIn$_3(n)$/LaIn$_3$(4) superlattices where $T_N$ is strongly suppressed with decreasing $n$. This suggests that each CeIn$_3$ BL is magnetically coupled by the RKKY interaction through the adjacent CeCoIn$_5$ BL and a 3D magnetic state is formed. With applying pressure to CeCoIn$_5$(7)/CeIn$_3$(13), $T_N$ of the CeIn$_3$ BLs is suppressed up to 2.4 GPa, showing a similar pressure dependence as CeIn$_3$ single crystals. An analysis of upper critical field reveals that the superconductivity in the CeCoIn$_5$ BLs is barely influenced by the AFM fluctuations in the CeIn$_3$ BLs, even when the CeIn$_3$ BLs are in the vicinity of the AFM quantum critical point. This is in stark contrast to CeCoIn$_5$/CeRhIn$_5$ superlattice where the superconductivity in the CeCoIn$_5$ BLs is profoundly affected by AFM fluctuations in the CeRhIn$_5$ BLs. The present results show that although AFM fluctuations are injected into the CeCoIn$_5$ BLs from the CeIn$_3$ BLs through the interface, they barely affect the force which binds superconducting electron pairs. These results demonstrate that 2D AFM fluctuations are essentially important for the pairing interactions in CeCoIn$_5$.

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