Loading [MathJax]/jax/output/CommonHTML/jax.js
SciPost logo

Conventional single-gap swave superconductivity and hidden peak effect in single crystals of Mo8Ga41 superconductor

Sunil Ghimire, Kyuil Cho, Kamal R. Joshi, Makariy A. Tanatar, Zhixiang Hu, Cedomir Petrovic, Ruslan Prozorov

SciPost Phys. 17, 117 (2024) · published 21 October 2024

Abstract

London and Campbell penetration depths were measured in single crystals of the endohedral gallide cluster superconductor, Mo8Ga41. The full temperature range superfluid density, ρs(T), is consistent with the clean isotropic swave weak-coupling BCS theory without any signs of the second gap or strong coupling. The temperature dependence of the Campbell length is hysteretic between zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field-cooling (FC) protocols, indicating an anharmonic vortex pinning potential. The field dependence of the effective critical current density, jc(H), reveals an unusual result. While in the ZFC protocol, jc(H) is monotonically suppressed by the magnetic field, it exhibits a profound "hidden" peak effect in the FC protocol, that is, without a vortex density gradient. We suggest a possible novel mechanism for such a peak effect, which involves both static and dynamic aspects of vortex pinning.


Ontology / Topics

See full Ontology or Topics database.

Superconductivity/superconductors

Authors / Affiliations: mappings to Contributors and Organizations

See all Organizations.
Funders for the research work leading to this publication