# Probing the superconducting gap symmetry of $\alpha$-PdBi$_{2}$: A   penetration depth study

**Authors:** S. Mitra, K. Okawa, S. Kunniniyil Sudheesh, T. Sasagawa and, Jian-Xin Zhu, Elbert E. M. Chia

arXiv: 1705.02070 · 2017-05-24

## TL;DR

This study investigates the superconducting gap symmetry of $	ext{α}$-PdBi$_{2}$ by measuring the London penetration depth, revealing it to be a fully-gapped, moderately-coupling superconductor with strong-coupling characteristics.

## Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed penetration depth measurements of $	ext{α}$-PdBi$_{2}$, demonstrating its fully-gapped, strong-coupling superconducting nature.

## Key findings

- Exponential behavior of $	ext{λ}$ and $ho_s$ at low temperatures.
- Superconducting gap ratio $	ext{Δ(0)}/k_B T_c 	ext{≈ 2.0}$.
- Superfluid density indicates a fully-gapped superconductor.

## Abstract

We report measurements of the in-plane London penetration depth $\lambda$ in single crystals of the $\alpha$-PdBi$_{2}$ superconductor --- the $\alpha$-phase counterpart of the putative topological superconductor $\beta$-PdBi$_{2}$, down to 0.35~K using a high-resolution tunnel-diode-based technique. Both $\lambda$ and superfluid density $\rho_{s}$ exhibit an exponential behavior for $T\leq$ 0.35$T_{c}$, with $\Delta(0)/k_{B}T_{c}\sim$2.0, $\Delta C/\gamma T_{c}$$\sim$2.0 and $\lambda(0)$$\sim$140~nm, showing that $\alpha$-PdBi$_{2}$ is a moderately-coupling, fully-gapped superconductor. The values of $\Delta(0)$ and $\Delta C/\gamma T_{c}$ are consistent with each other via strong-coupling corrections.

## Full text

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## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1705.02070/full.md

## References

43 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1705.02070/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1705.02070