Disorder-Induced Inhomogeneities of the Superconducting State Close to the Superconductor-Insulator Transition

B. Sacépé, C. Chapelier, T. I. Baturina, V. M. Vinokur, M. R. Baklanov, and M. Sanquer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 157006 – Published 10 October 2008

Abstract

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy at very low temperatures on homogeneously disordered superconducting titanium nitride thin films reveals strong spatial inhomogeneities of the superconducting gap Δ in the density of states. Upon increasing disorder, we observe suppression of the superconducting critical temperature Tc towards zero, enhancement of spatial fluctuations in Δ, and growth of the Δ/Tc ratio. These findings suggest that local superconductivity survives across the disorder-driven superconductor-insulator transition.

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  • Received 9 May 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.157006

©2008 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

B. Sacépé1, C. Chapelier1, T. I. Baturina2, V. M. Vinokur3, M. R. Baklanov4, and M. Sanquer1

  • 1CEA, INAC, SPSMS-LaTEQS, 38054 Grenoble, France
  • 2Institute of Semiconductor Physics, 13 Lavrentjev Avenue, Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia
  • 3Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
  • 4IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium

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Issue

Vol. 101, Iss. 15 — 10 October 2008

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