We report the first measurements of the magnetic-field penetration depth )~ in the heavy electron superconductor UBe13, performed using a SQUID magnetometer. We find the temperature dependence of 2(T)-2(0) to follow a T 2 law at low temperatures, giving further evidence of extreme gap anisotropy in this compound. We calculate the temperature dependence expected for a variety of anisotropic states, including those representing certain classes of "exotic" pairing. In general situations, the supercurrent is not parallel to the vector potential, and a more complicated field penetration takes the place of the normal Meissner effect. We argue that the data are consistent with an energy gap with point nodes on the Fermi surface but inconsistent with the large value of the Landau parameter F~ expected for a translationally invariant Fermi liquid with large effective mass.
The absolute Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal resistivity were simultaneously measured on pure bismuth single crystals of various orientations between approximately 80° and 300°K. Using an overlapping two-band many-valley model, numerical values for the temperature dependence and anisotropy (where appropriate) of the following parameters have been calculated: (1) the overlap energy and the Fermi energy of the electrons and of the holes, (2) the density of states effective mass of the electrons and of the holes, (3) the separate electronic and lattice thermal conductivities, (4) the actual index of thermo-electric efficiency, and (5) the hypothetical ``optimum'' index of thermoelectric efficiency. The calculated electronic thermal conductivity includes a new term due to bipolar diffusion.
The semiclassical approach of Onsager and Pippard has been very successful in relating the electronic properties of a normal metal to its band structure and fermi surface. This paper extends the method to a superconductor. A generalized London equation relating the supercurrent density to the vector potential is obtained, in terms of band and fermi surface parameters and an energy gap which may be anisotropic. The results allow an interpretation of measured penetration depths directly in terms of the electronic and gap structures of the superconductor. They lead to easy physical visualization of the origin of anisotropies and other features of measured penetration depths.
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