Point-contact measurements of the energy gap of lead-chalcogenide-based superconducting superlattices

TL;DR

This study measures the superconducting energy gap in PbTe-PbS superlattices using point contacts, revealing how the gap varies with temperature and magnetic field, especially near the critical temperature.

Contribution

First analysis of the energy gap in PbTe-PbS superlattices using point contacts, providing insights into its temperature and field dependence.

Findings

Energy gap measured below T_c at 3.9 K

Gap size varies with contact position within the superlattice

Dependence of the gap on temperature and magnetic field established

Abstract

The energy gap of superconducting $PbTe-PbS$ semiconductor superlattices has been analyzed with the help of point contacts for the first time below the critical temperature, $T_{c}=3.9~K$, and in the fluctuation region $T>T_{c}$. The size of the gap and its dependence on the temperature and field are determined by the position of the point contact inside the superlattice. \pacs{73.40.Jn, 74.25.Kc, 74.45.+c, 74.50.+r., 73.40.-c, 74.78.-w, 74.78.Fk, 74.20.Mn, 74.40.+k.-n, 74.45.+c, 74.62.Dn, 74.70.Ad