No Arabic abstract
We calculate the Andreev spectroscopy between a ferromagnetic lead and Bi/Ni bilayer system for three types of superconducting states, including ABM state, ABM state mixing with S-wave state, ABM state mixing with pz-wave state. Among them, ABM state and ABM state mixing with S- wave state can obtain the Andreev conductance consistent with the point contact experiment[G. J. Zhao,et al, arXiv:1810.10403], but failed to explain the experiment of time-domain THz spectroscopy experiment[Prashant Chauhan,et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 017002(2019)]. Only the ABM state mixing with pz-wave state can explain both experiments. Besides, we reveal the conductance peak near the zero energy is induced by the surface state of the ABM phase. Our work may provides helpful clarification for understanding of recent experiments.
We report observation of spin triplet superconductivity in epitaxial Bi/Ni bilayers with TC up to 4 K and 2Delta/kBTC = 12. Andreev reflection spectroscopy (ARS) with ballistic injection of unpolarized and spin-polarized electrons conclusively reveals spin triplet p-wave superconductivity. The gap structure measured by ARS in multiple crystal directions shows the ABM (Anderson-Brinkman-Morel) state, the same as that in superfluid 3He.
Epitaxial bilayer films of Bi(110) and Ni host a time-reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking superconducting order with an unexpectedly high transition temperature $T_c = 4.1$ K. Using time-domain THz spectroscopy, we measure the low energy electrodynamic response of a Bi/Ni bilayer thin film from $0.2$ THz to $2$ THz as a function of temperature and magnetic field. We analyze the data in the context of a BCS-like superconductor with a finite normal-state scattering rate. In zero magnetic field, all states in the film become fully gapped, providing important constraints into possible pairing symmetries. Our data appears to rule out the odd-frequency pairing that is natural for many ferromagnetic-superconductor interfaces. By analyzing the magnetic field-dependent response in terms of a pair-breaking parameter, we determine that superconductivity develops over the entire bilayer sample which may point to the $p$-wave like nature of unconventional superconductivity.
There have been continuous efforts in searching for unconventional superconductivity over the past five decades. Compared to the well-established d-wave superconductivity in cuprates, the existence of superconductivity with other high-angular-momentum pairing symmetries is less conclusive. Bi/Ni epitaxial bilayer is a potential unconventional superconductor with broken time reversal symmetry (TRS), for that it demonstrates superconductivity and ferromagnetism simultaneously at low temperatures. We employ a specially designed superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) to detect, on the Bi/Ni bilayer, the orbital magnetic moment which is expected if the TRS is broken. An anomalous hysteretic magnetic response has been observed in the superconducting state, providing the evidence for the existence of chiral superconducting domains in the material.
Superconductivity (SC) is one of the most intriguing physical phenomena in nature. Nucleation of SC has long been considered highly unfavorable if not impossible near ferromagnetism, in low dimensionality and, above all, out of non-superconductor. Here we report observation of SC with TC near 4 K in Ni/Bi bilayers that defies all known paradigms of superconductivity, where neither ferromagnetic Ni film nor rhombohedra Bi film is superconducting in isolation. This highly unusual SC is independent of the growth order (Ni/Bi or Bi/Ni), but highly sensitive to the constituent layer thicknesses. Most importantly, the SC, distinctively non-s pairing, is triggered from, but does not occur at, the Bi/Ni interface. Using point contact Andreev reflection, we show evidences that the unique SC, naturally compatible with magnetism, is triplet p-wave pairing. This new revelation may lead to unconventional avenues to explore novel SC for applications in superconducting spintronics.
In this paper, a comprehensive study of the effects of Ni-doping on structural, electrical, thermal and magnetic properties of the NbB2 is presented. Low amounts (leq 10 %) of Ni substitution on Nb sites cause structural distortions and induce drastic changes in the physical properties, such as the emergence of a bulk superconducting state with anomalous behaviors in the critical fields (lower and upper) and in the specific heat. Ni-doping at the 9 at.% level, for instance, is able to increase the critical temperature (TC) in stoichiometric NbB2 (< 1.3 K) to approximately 6.0 K. Bulk superconductivity is confirmed by magnetization, electronic transport, and specific heat measurements. Both Hc1 and Hc2 critical fields exhibit a linear dependence with reduced temperature (T/TC), and the specific heat deviates remarkably from the conventional exponential temperature dependence of the single-band BCS theory. These findings suggest multiband superconductivity in the composition range from 0.01 leq x leq 0.10.