Multiband Superconductivity in Filled-Skutterudite Compounds (Pr_{1-x}La_{x})Os_{4}Sb_{12}: An Sb Nuclear-Quadruple-Resonance (NQR) Study

TL;DR

This study investigates multiband superconductivity in filled-skutterudite compounds (Pr_{1-x}La_{x})Os_{4}Sb_{12} using Sb NQR, revealing how La substitution affects the superconducting gap structure and residual density of states.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the multiband superconductivity mechanism and the role of 4f^2-derived Fermi surfaces in PrOs_4Sb_12 through detailed NQR measurements.

Findings

Residual density of states induced by La substitution.

Evidence of full gap and point nodes in the superconducting state.

Increase of T_c and energy gap with Pr content.

Abstract

We report on Sb nuclear-quadrupole-resonance (NQR) study in filled-skutterudite compounds (Pr_1-xLa_x)Os_4Sb_12. The Sb-NQR spectra have split into two sets, arising from different Sb_12 cages containing either Pr or La, which enables us to measure two kinds of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time T_1^Pr and T_1^La. In the normal state, the temperature (T) dependence of 1/T^Pr_1T showed almost the same behavior as that for PrOs_4Sb_12 regardless of. In contrast, 1/T^La_1T markedly decreases with increasing La concentration. In the superconducting state for x=0.05 and 0.2, 1/T_1^Pr exponentially decreases down to T=0.7 K with no coherence peak below T_c as well as in PrOs_4Sb_12. A remarkable finding is that the residual density of states at the Fermi level below T_c is induced by La substitution for Pr. These results are proposed to be understood in terms of a multiband-superconductivity model that assumes a full gap for part of the FS and the presence of point nodes for a small 4f^2-derived FS inherent in PrOs_4Sb_12. For x=0.8 and 1,1/T^La_1 exhibits a coherence peak and the nodeless energy gap characteristic for weak-coupling s-wave superconductors. With increasing Pr content, T_c and the energy gap increases. The novel strong-coupling superconductivity in PrOs_4Sb_12 is inferred to be mediated by the local interaction between 4f^2-derived crystal-electric-field states with the electric quadrupole degree of freedom and conduction electrons. This coupling causes a mass enhancement of quasi-particles for a part of FS and induces a small FS, which is responsible for point nodes in the superconducting gap function. Note that the small FS does not play any primary role for the strong-coupling superconductivity in PrOs_4Sb_12.