FeSe single crystals have been studied by soft point-contact Andreev-reflection spectroscopy. Superconducting gap features in the differential resistance dV /dI(V ) of point contacts such as a characteristic Andreev-reflection double-minimum structure have been measured versus temperature and magnetic field. Analyzing dV /dI within the extended two-gap Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model allows to extract both the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the superconducting gaps. The temperature dependence of both gaps is close to the standard BCS behavior. Remarkably, the magnitude of the double-minimum structure gradually vanishes in magnetic field, while the minima position only slightly shifts with field indicating a weak decrease of the superconducting gaps. Analyzing the dV /dI(V ) spectra for 25 point contacts results in the averaged gap values ∆L = 1.8±0.4 meV and ∆S =1.0±0.2 meV and reduced values 2 ∆L /kBTc=4.2± 0.9 and 2 ∆S /kBTc=2.3±0.5 for the large (L) and small (S) gap, respectively. Additionally, the small gap contribution was found to be within tens of percent decreasing with both temperature and magnetic field. No signatures in the dV /dI spectra were observed testifying a gapless superconductivity or presence of even smaller gaps.
Nonlinear conductivity of point contacts (PCs) on the base of FeSe single crystals has been investigated. Measured dV/dI dependencies demonstrate the prevailing contribution to the PC conductivity caused by the degraded surface. Superconducting (SC) feature in dV/dI like a sharp zero-bias minimum develops for relatively low ohmic PCs, where the deep areas of FeSe are involved. Analysis of dV/dI has shown that the origin of the zero-bias minimum is connected with the Maxwell part of the PC resistance, what masks energy dependent spectral peculiarities. Even so, we have found the specific features in dV/dI -the sharp side maxima, which may have connection to the SC gap, since their position follows the BCS temperature dependence. Exploring the dV/dI spectra of the rare occurrence with Andreev-like structure, the two gaps with Δ=2.5 and 3.5 meV were identified.
We report an experimental and theoretical investigation of the electron-boson interaction in KFe2As2 by point-contact (PC) spectroscopy, model, and ab-initio LDA-based calculations for the standard electron-phonon Eliashberg function. The PC spectrum viz. the second derivative of the I − V characteristic of representative PC exhibits a pronounced maximum at about 20 meV and surprisingly a featureless behavior at lower and higher energies. We discuss phonon and non-phonon (excitonic) mechanisms for the origin of this peak. Analysis of the underlying source of this peak may be important for the understanding of serious puzzles of superconductivity in this type of compounds.
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