Superconducting Properties in Arrays of Nanostructured beta-Gallium

Author(s)

Moura, K. O. ^[1] ; Pirota, K. R. ^[1] ; Beron, F. ^[1] ; Jesus, C. B. R. ^{[1, 2]} ; Rosa, P. F. S. ^{[1, 3]} ; Tobia, D. ^[1] ; Pagliuso, P. G. ^[1] ; de Lima, O. F. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Fis Gleb Wataghin, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sergipe, Programa Posgrad Fis, Campus Prof Jose Aluisio de Campos, BR-49100000 Sao Cristovao, SE - Brazil

^[3] Los Alamos Natl Lab, Condensed Matter & Magnet Sci, Los Alamos, NM 87545 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 7, NOV 10 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

Samples of nanostructured beta-Ga wires were synthesized by a novel method of metallic-flux nanonucleation. Several superconducting properties were observed, revealing the stabilization of a weak-coupling type-II-like superconductor (T-c approximate to 6.2 K) with a Ginzburg-Landau parameter kappa(GL) = 1.18. This contrasts the type-I superconductivity observed for the majority of Ga phases, including small spheres of beta-Ga with diameters near 15 mu m. Remarkably, our magnetization curves reveal a crossover field H-D, where we propose that the Abrikosov vortices are exactly touching their neighbors inside the Ga nanowires. A phenomenological model is proposed to explain this result by assuming that only a single row of vortices is allowed inside a nanowire under perpendicular applied field, with an appreciable depletion of Cooper pair density at the nanowire edges. These results are expected to shed light on the growing area of superconductivity in nanostructured materials. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/21289-4 - Multi-User Equipment in grant 12/04870-7 - desktop X-ray powder diffractometer
• Grantee: Pascoal Jose Giglio Pagliuso
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 12/04870-7 - Studies of novel complex and advanced materials
• Grantee: Pascoal Jose Giglio Pagliuso
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/21290-2 - Multi-User Equipment in grant 12/04870-7 - dynamic light scattering analyser Horiba SZ-100Z
• Grantee: Pascoal Jose Giglio Pagliuso
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 13/21457-9 - Synthesis and characterization of monocrystalline and nanometric intermetallic compounds
• Grantee: Dina Tobia
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 10/11949-3 - Electron spin resonance (ESR) in superconducting Fe-based pnictides
• Grantee: Priscila Ferrari Silveira Rosa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate