Energy-gap spectroscopy of superconductors using a tunneling microscope
- 29 June 1987
- journal article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Applied Physics Letters
- Vol. 50 (26) , 1921-1923
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.97687
Abstract
A unique scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system has been developed for spectroscopy of the superconducting energy gap. High-resolution control of tunnel current and voltage allows for measurement of superconducting properties at tunnel resistance levels 102–103 greater than that achieved in prior work. The previously used STM methods for superconductor spectroscopy are compared to those developed for the work reported here. Superconducting energy-gap spectra are reported for three superconductors, Pb, PbBi, and NbN, over a range of tunnel resistance. The measured spectra are compared directly to theory.Keywords
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