Scanning microscopies of superconductors at very low temperatures

• Published in: Physica. C, Superconductivity Vol. 479; pp. 19 - 23
• Main Authors: Crespo, V., Maldonado, A., Galvis, J.A., Kulkarni, P., Guillamon, I., Rodrigo, J.G., Suderow, H., Vieira, S., Banerjee, S., Rodiere, P.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed Matter; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Dichalcogenides; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid flow; Magnetic fields; Physics; Properties of type I and type II superconductors; Proximity effects, weak links, tunneling phenomena, and josephson effects, adreev effect, sn and sns junctions; Reflection; Scanning; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy; Spectroscopy; Superconductivity; Vortex lattice; Vortex lattices ,flux pinning, flux creep; Vortices; Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy; Vortex lattice; Dichalcogenides; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Andreev reflection; Vortices; Superconductivity; Magnetic field effects; Spin polarization; Flux-line lattices; Scanning tunneling spectroscopy
• ISSN: 0921-4534; 1873-2143
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physc.2012.02.014

► First realization of Scanning Andreev Microscopy. ► Andreev reflection is possible inside vortex cores. ► Observation of vortex lattice using current drive scanning tunneling microscopy. We discuss basics of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy (STM/S) of the superconducting state with normal and superconducting tips. We present a new method to measure the local variations in the Andreev reflection amplitude between a superconducting tip and the sample. This method is termed Scanning Andreev Reflection Spectroscopy (SAS). We also briefly discuss vortex imaging with STM/S under an applied current through the sample, and show the vortex lattice as a function of the angle between the magnetic field and sample’s surface.