Pure metallic bridge and point-contact tunneling into single- and polycrystal YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-y/

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7006904

Gray, K E; Moog, E R; Hawley, M E

It is known theoretically and experimentally that when the resistance of a point-contact is decreased the current-voltage characteristic, I(V), changes from that of an insulating barrier to that of a pure metallic bridge. Such an I(V) still shows the energy gap but, because of its much lower resistance, it is less sensitive to extraneous conduction mechanisms. Values of between 25 and 35 MeV are reported here for YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-y/, and these are in agreement with our results for low-resistance point-contact tunneling in both single- and poly-crystal samples. Examples of I(V) and the conductance, dIdV, will also be presented for pure metallic bridges as well as higher resistance point-contact tunneling. An electrically insulating layer is found on the surface of all samples, including single-crystals showing no evidence of impurities measured by Raman scattering. Consequently, contact of the tunneling tip is necessary to mechanically scrape, and thus clean, the surface before a measurable current can be obtained. Although this represents a disadvantage, a more serious drawback of point-contact tunneling is the inability to measure the I(V) continuously through the transition temperature, T/sub c/, due to thermal expansion of the mechanical apparatus. We will argue that thin film tunnel junctions are thus desirable both to unambiguously identify the energy gap with the 90/degree/K bulk material, and to subtract the background conductance to evaluate the electron coupling mechanism in the high-T/sub c/ superconductors(HTS), that is analogous to electron-phonon coupling in traditional superconductors. 17 refs., 2 figs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 7006904
• Report Number(s): CONF-880207-6; ON: DE88010030
• Resource Relation: Conference: Discussion meeting on high-/Tc/ superconductors, Mauterndorf, Austria, 7 Feb 1988
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BARIUM OXIDES
TUNNEL EFFECT
COPPER OXIDES
YTTERBIUM OXIDES
ENERGY GAP
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONOCRYSTALS
POLYCRYSTALS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
JUNCTIONS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTERBIUM COMPOUNDS
360204* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Physical Properties
656100 - Condensed Matter Physics- Superconductivity