Atomic scale imaging of sign-changing order parameter in superconducting FeSe with Tunneling Andreev Reflection

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Ko, Wonhee, Song, Sang Yong, Yan, Jiaqiang, Lado, Jose L., Maksymovych, Petro
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Ko, Wonhee
Song, Sang Yong
Yan, Jiaqiang
Lado, Jose L.
Maksymovych, Petro
author_facet Ko, Wonhee
Song, Sang Yong
Yan, Jiaqiang
Lado, Jose L.
Maksymovych, Petro
contents The pairing symmetry of the superconducting order parameter in iron-based superconductors has been a subject of debate, with various models proposing s-wave, d-wave, and mixed combinations as possible candidates. Here we probe the pairing symmetry of FeSe utilizing the new methodology of Tunneling Andreev Reflection (TAR). TAR directly exploits the transparency-dependence of tunneling current to disentangle contributions of single-particle current and Andreev reflection. These measurements provided new direct evidence in favor of the sign-changing nature of the superconducting order in FeSe, in a distinctly complementary approach to nanoscale imaging of quasiparticle interference. Crucially TAR can also probe higher-order contributions to Andreev reflection. Quantitative comparison of the experimental signatures of higher-order Andreev reflections with those in concomitant tight-binding simulations revealed new evidence in support of the nodal gap structure of superconductivity in FeSe. Finally, the effect of structural topological defects can be directly probed with TAR owing to its atomic spatial resolution. In particular, we find that superconductivity is completely suppressed along the twin boundary while its electronic structure is characterized by a V-shaped signature of a pseudogap state. Our findings provide new insight into the pairing symmetry of an unconventional superconductor, demonstrating the potential of differential tunneling Andreev reflection to reveal microscopic properties of emerging quantum materials.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2303_05301
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Atomic scale imaging of sign-changing order parameter in superconducting FeSe with Tunneling Andreev Reflection
Ko, Wonhee
Song, Sang Yong
Yan, Jiaqiang
Lado, Jose L.
Maksymovych, Petro
Superconductivity
The pairing symmetry of the superconducting order parameter in iron-based superconductors has been a subject of debate, with various models proposing s-wave, d-wave, and mixed combinations as possible candidates. Here we probe the pairing symmetry of FeSe utilizing the new methodology of Tunneling Andreev Reflection (TAR). TAR directly exploits the transparency-dependence of tunneling current to disentangle contributions of single-particle current and Andreev reflection. These measurements provided new direct evidence in favor of the sign-changing nature of the superconducting order in FeSe, in a distinctly complementary approach to nanoscale imaging of quasiparticle interference. Crucially TAR can also probe higher-order contributions to Andreev reflection. Quantitative comparison of the experimental signatures of higher-order Andreev reflections with those in concomitant tight-binding simulations revealed new evidence in support of the nodal gap structure of superconductivity in FeSe. Finally, the effect of structural topological defects can be directly probed with TAR owing to its atomic spatial resolution. In particular, we find that superconductivity is completely suppressed along the twin boundary while its electronic structure is characterized by a V-shaped signature of a pseudogap state. Our findings provide new insight into the pairing symmetry of an unconventional superconductor, demonstrating the potential of differential tunneling Andreev reflection to reveal microscopic properties of emerging quantum materials.
title Atomic scale imaging of sign-changing order parameter in superconducting FeSe with Tunneling Andreev Reflection
topic Superconductivity
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.05301