May 12, 2003
Tunneling spectroscopy of epitaxial (100) oriented \chem{YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}} films was performed using an STM at 4.2 K. On atomically smooth areas, tunneling spectra revealing clear U-shaped gaps with relatively low zero bias conductance were measured. These spectra can be well fitted to the tunneling theory into a d-wave superconductor only when introducing a strong dependence of the tunneling probability on the wave-vector \emph{\textbf{k}}. Possible origins for this \emph{\textbf{k}}-selectivity in STM measurements will be discussed. On other areas, V-shaped gaps as well as zero bias conductance peaks are observed, indicating relaxation of \emph{\textbf{k}}-selectivity and the effect of nanofaceting, respectively.
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March 28, 2001
Tunneling spectra measured on thin epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-delta films are found to exhibit strong spatial variations, showing U and V-shaped gaps as well as zero bias conductance peaks typical of a d-wave superconductor. A full correspondence is found between the tunneling spectra and the surface morphology down to a level of a unit-cell step. Splitting of the zero bias conductance peak is seen in optimally-doped and overdoped films, but not in the underdoped ones, suggesting th...
November 9, 2001
Tunneling spectroscopy of epitaxial (110) Y1-xCaxBa2Cu3O7-d films reveals a doping dependent transition from pure d(x2-y2) to d(x2-y2)+is or d(x2-y2)+idxy order parameter. The subdominant (is or idxy) component manifests itself in a splitting of the zero bias conductance peak and the appearance of subgap structures. The splitting is seen in the overdoped samples, increases systematically with doping, and is found to be an inherent property of the overdoped films. It was obser...
November 14, 2016
Pairing in the cuprate high-temperature superconductors and its origin remain among the most enduring mysteries in condensed matter physics. With cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy/ spectroscopy, we clearly reveal the spatial-dependence or inhomogeneity of the superconducting gap structure of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ (Bi2212) and YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$ (YBCO) along their $c$-axes on a scale shorter than the interlayer spacing. By tunneling into the (100) ...
March 15, 2007
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy was performed on c-axis Y{1-x}Ca{x}Ba2Cu3O{7-delta} thin films for x= 0, 0.05, 0.15 and 0.20 at 4.2K. The measured spectra show main-gap, sub-gap and satellite features which scale similarly in energy versus Ca-doping, suggesting that they are associated with a single pairing energy. The data is analyzed with a multiband tunneling model which attributes the sub-gap features to the chain band and the satellite and main-gap features to the plane ...
March 9, 2001
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) studies reveal long-range (~100 nm) spatial homogeneity in optimally and underdoped superconducting YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta} (YBCO) single crystals and thin films, and macroscopic spatial modulations in overdoped (Y_{0.7}Ca_{0.3})Ba_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta} (Ca-YBCO) epitaxial films. In contrast, STS on an optimally doped YBa_2(Cu_{0.9934}Zn_{0.0026}Mg_{0.004})_3O_{6.9} single crystal exhibits strong spatial modulations and suppression of supercond...
July 7, 2003
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy on gold layers over-coating \textit{c}-axis $YBa_2Ca_3O_{7-\delta}$ (YBCO) films reveals proximity induced gap structures. The gap size reduced exponentially with distance from \textit{a}-axis facets, indicating that the proximity effect is primarily due to the (100) YBCO facets. The penetration depth of superconductivity into the gold is $\sim 30$ nm, in good agreement with estimations for the dirty limit. The extrapolated gap at the interface...
June 2, 2000
In this Letter we present new tunneling data on YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$ thin films by low temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Unusual peak-dip-hump features, previously reported in Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$, are also found in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$. To analyse these common signatures we propose a new heuristic model in which, in addition to the d-wave symmetry, the gap function is energy dependent. A simple expression for the quasiparticle density of states is derive...
July 24, 2015
The observation by scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS) of Abrikosov vortex cores in the high-temperature superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ (Y123) has revealed a robust pair of electron-hole symmetric states at finite subgap energy. Their interpretation remains an open question because theory predicts a different signature in the vortex cores, characterised by a strong zero-bias conductance peak. We present STS data on very homogeneous Y123 at 0.4 K revealing that ...
August 22, 2008
We report spatially resolved tunneling spectroscopic evidence for field-induced microscopic orders in a high-$T_c$ superconductor $\rm YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}$. The spectral characteristics inside vortices reveal a pseudogap ($V_{\rm CO}$) larger than the superconducting gap ($\Delta\_{\rm SC}$) as well as a subgap ($\Delta\^{\prime}$) smaller than $\Delta\_{\rm SC}$, and the spectral weight shifts steadily from $\Delta_{\rm SC}$ to $V_{\rm CO}$ and $\Delta\^{\prime}$ upon incr...
February 5, 2024
YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ (YBCO) has favorable macroscopic superconducting properties of $T_\mathrm{c}$ up to 93 K and $H_{c2}$ up to 150 T. However, its nanoscale electronic structure remains mysterious because bulk-like electronic properties are not preserved near the surface of cleaved samples for easy access by local or surface-sensitive probes. It has been hypothesized that Ca-doping at the Y site could induce an alternate cleavage plane that mitigates this issue. We u...