Measurements of the electron-phonon interaction in Nb by inelastic neutron scattering

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · Phys. Rev., B, v. 12, no. 11, pp. 4899-4908

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.12.4899· OSTI ID:4103213

Shapiro, S M; Shirane, G; Axe, J D

Precise linewidth and frequency measurements of transverse acoustic modes propagating along the 001 and 110 directions were performed on single crystals of niobium in the normal and superconducting phases (T/subc/ = 9.2 degree K). For transverse phonons propagating along the 110 direction changes in linewidth are observed when the superconducting gap 2$delta$ (T) equals the phonon frequency. This behavior agrees with Bobetic's calculation for the attenuation of high-frequency sound waves in superconductors and the magnitude of the change makes it possble to calculate the electron-phonon interactions. In addition to linewidth changes, anomalous temperature dependence of the peak position of some acoustic modes is also observed. The 001 transverse phonons exhibit a decrease of approx. 15% when T is decreased from 300 degree K to T/ subc/. Below T/subc/ there is an additional softening of 3%. This softening extends along the zeta00 direction to zeta = 0.5, the limit of the measurements. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-33-017773
• OSTI ID: 4103213
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., B, v. 12, no. 11, pp. 4899-4908, Journal Name: Phys. Rev., B, v. 12, no. 11, pp. 4899-4908; ISSN PLRBA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*NIOBIUM-- TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
360104* --Materials--Metals & Alloys--Physical Properties
ELECTRONS
INTERACTIONS
N50230* --Metals
Ceramics
& Other Materials--Metals & Alloys--Properties
Structure & Phase Studies
PHONONS
SOUND WAVES