Double superconducting transition and low-temperature specific heat study of Pr(Os$_{1-x}$Ru$_x$)$_4$Sb$_{12}$

TL;DR

This study investigates the double superconducting transition in PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$ and related compounds, examining effects of annealing, magnetic fields, and Ru substitution on specific heat and superconducting properties.

Contribution

It provides detailed measurements of the double superconducting transition in PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$ and its Ru-doped variants, revealing possible new superconducting behavior at low Ru concentrations.

Findings

Double superconducting transition observed in PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$ and some Ru-doped samples.

Annealing does not alter the double transition.

Low Ru concentration samples may exhibit different superconducting states.

Abstract

The double superconducting transition in PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$, first observed in specific heat $C(T)$ measurements of single crystal samples, is the subject of an in-depth study. The double superconducting transitions of a batch of single crystals were measured before and after they were annealed for 5 days at $500^{\circ}$C, with no observed change. $C(T)$ measurements near $T_c$ for PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$ in several magnetic fields are also presented, detailing the evolution of the double transition up to 1 T. Samples of Pr(Os$_{1-x}$Ru$_x$)$_4$Sb$_{12}$ with $0.01 \leq x \leq 0.04$ also appear to display a double superconducting transition in specific heat. In addition, samples with the smallest Ru concentration measured ($x=0.01$) may even display a different type of superconductivity than pure PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$ ($x=0$).