Abstract
We show that quasiparticle interference (QPI) due to omnipresent weak impurities and probed by Fourier transform scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy acts as a direct experimental probe of bulk odd-frequency superconducting pairing. Taking the example of a conventional -wave superconductor under applied magnetic field, we show that the nature of the QPI peaks can only be characterized by including the odd-frequency pairing correlations generated in this system. In particular, we identify that the defining feature of odd-frequency pairing gives rise to a bias asymmetry in the QPI, present generically in materials with odd-frequency pairing irrespective of its origin.
- Received 25 April 2022
- Revised 9 September 2022
- Accepted 25 October 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.247001
Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by Bibsam.
Published by the American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
synopsis
Uncovering an Odd Form of Superconductivity
Published 7 December 2022
An innovative technique will allow scientists to probe superconductivity involving an unusual type of electron pairing called odd-frequency pairing.
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