Tin-doped bismuth: An inhomogeneous superconductor

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.32.88· OSTI ID:5494060

Elzinga, M B; Uher, C

With the use of a high-sensitivity mutual-inductance bridge with a superconducting quantum-interference device detector, ac magnetic susceptibility and contactless resistivity measurements were made down to 12 mK to determine the nature of the zero-resistance transitions seen previously on samples of Sn-doped Bi. The results indicate that this system is not a bulk superconductor but, rather, an interesting example of an inhomogeneous superconductor consisting of segregated tin grains in a semimetallic matrix. Superconductivity originates at the tin sites and propagates via the proximity effect. The emerging superconducting network has a weakly coupled character and can be described reasonably well by a model of randomly distributed expanding superconducting spheres centered on the tin inclusions.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1120
• OSTI ID: 5494060
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Vol. 32:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BISMUTH
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
CARRIER DENSITY
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
IMPURITIES
MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY
QUANTITY RATIO
TIN
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
ULTRALOW TEMPERATURE
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MATERIALS
METALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
360104* - Metals & Alloys- Physical Properties
656102 - Solid State Physics- Superconductivity- Acoustic
Electronic
Magnetic
Optical
& Thermal Phenomena- (-1987)