Pseudogap in a thin film of a conventional superconductor.

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Nature Comm.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1140· OSTI ID:1009362

Sacepe, B; Chapelier, C; Baturina, T I; Vinokur, V M; Baklanov, M R; Sanquer, M ^[1]

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1. Materials Science Division

A superconducting state is characterized by the gap in the electronic density of states, which vanishes at the superconducting transition temperature T{sub c}. It was discovered that in high-temperature superconductors, a noticeable depression in the density of states, the pseudogap, still remains even at temperatures above T{sub c}. Here, we show that a pseudogap exists in a conventional superconductor, ultrathin titanium nitride films, over a wide range of temperatures above T{sub c}. Our study reveals that this pseudogap state is induced by superconducting fluctuations and favoured by two-dimensionality and by the proximity to the transition to the insulating state. A general character of the observed phenomenon provides a powerful tool to discriminate between fluctuations as the origin of the pseudogap state and other contributions in the layered high-temperature superconductor compounds.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC; Russian Federation of Basic Research
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1009362
• Report Number(s): ANL/MSD/JA-69193
• Journal Information: Nature Comm., Journal Name: Nature Comm. Journal Issue: 9 ; Dec. 2010 Vol. 1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ENERGY GAP
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM NITRIDES
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE