Multiband superconductivity in the correlated electron filled skutterudite system Pr(1-x)Ce(x)Pt4Ge12

Abstract

Studies of superconductivity in multiband correlated electronic systems has become one of the central topics in condensed matter/materials physics. In this paper, we present the results of thermodynamic measurements on the superconducting filled skutterudite system Pr${}_{1-x}$Ce${}_x$Pt${}_4$Ge${}_{12}$ ($0\le x\le 0.2$) to investigate how substitution of Ce at Pr sites affects superconductivity. We find that an increase in Ce concentration leads to a suppression of the superconducting transition temperature from $T_c\sim 7.9$ K for $x=0$ to $T_c\sim 0.6$ K for $x=0.14$. Our analysis of the specific heat data for $x\le 0.07$ reveals that superconductivity must develop in at least two bands: the superconducting order parameter has nodes on one Fermi pocket and remains fully gapped on the other. Both the nodal and nodeless gap values decrease, with the nodal gap being suppressed more strongly, with Ce substitution. Ultimately, the higher Ce concentration samples ($x>0.07$) display a nodeless gap only.

6 pages, 6 figures

References in corpus (4)

• Multiband superconductivity in PrPt4Ge12 single crystals
• Probing the superconductivity of PrPt4Ge12 through Ce substitution
• Broken Time Reversal Symmetry in Superconducting Pr1-xCexPt4Ge12
• Investigation of superconducting and normal-state properties of the filled-skutterudite system PrPt${}_4$Ge${}_{12-x}$Sb${}_x$

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Schottky anomaly and short-range antiferromagnetic correlations in filled skutterudites Pr${}_{1-x}$Eu${}_x$Pt${}_4$Ge${}_{12}$
• First Principles Study of Electronic Structure and Fermi Surface in Rare-earth Filled Skutterudites RPt4Ge12
• Short-range antiferromagnetic correlations in the superconducting state of filled skutterudite alloys Pr${}_{1-x}$Eu${}_x$Pt${}_4$Ge${}_{12}$