Experimental Evidence of Three-Gap Superconductivity in LiFeAs

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • T. E. Kuzmicheva - , RAS - P.N. Lebedev Physics Institute (Author)
  • S. A. Kuzmichev - , RAS - P.N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Lomonosov Moscow State University (Author)
  • I. V. Morozov - , Lomonosov Moscow State University (Author)
  • S. Wurmehl - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • B. Büchner - , Chair of Experimental Solid State Physics, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)

Abstract

Despite the simple crystal structure, LiFeAs having nontrivial band structure and anisotropy of superconducting properties seems the most exotic compound among iron-based superconducting pnictides. Nonetheless, the available experimental studies are not so numerous due to LiFeAs chemical instability even in presence of a trace amount of water vapors or oxygen. Here, using the Andreev spectroscopy of break junctions in LiFeAs single crystals, we unambiguously show a coexistence of three superconducting condensates below critical Tc = 17 K. The temperature dependences of the order parameters and the anisotropy of the middle and the large gaps, as well as the excess Andreev current, and zero-bias conductance are directly measured. We estimate the partial band contributions to the total conductance. Additionally, considered is an influence of the band structure topology near the Fermi level on the dynamic conductance in the Andreev regime.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)350-356
Number of pages7
JournalJETP letters
Volume111
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas