Probing p-wave superconductivity in UTe2 via point-contact junctions

Hyeok Yoon; Yun Suk Eo; Jihun Park; Jarryd A. Horn; Ryan G. Dorman; Shanta R. Saha; Ian M. Hayes; Ichiro Takeuchi; Philip M. R. Brydon; Johnpierre Paglione

doi:10.1038/s41535-024-00700-z

npj Quantum Materials (Nov 2024)

Probing p-wave superconductivity in UTe2 via point-contact junctions

Hyeok Yoon,
Yun Suk Eo,
Jihun Park,
Jarryd A. Horn,
Ryan G. Dorman,
Shanta R. Saha,
Ian M. Hayes,
Ichiro Takeuchi,
Philip M. R. Brydon,
Johnpierre Paglione

Affiliations

Hyeok Yoon: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Yun Suk Eo: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Jihun Park: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Jarryd A. Horn: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Ryan G. Dorman: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Shanta R. Saha: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Ian M. Hayes: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Ichiro Takeuchi: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland
Philip M. R. Brydon: Department of physics and MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Otago
Johnpierre Paglione: Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-024-00700-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Abstract Uranium ditelluride (UTe2) is the strongest contender to date for a p-wave superconductor in bulk form. Here we perform a spectroscopic study of the ambient pressure superconducting phase of UTe2, measuring conductance through point-contact junctions formed by metallic contacts on different crystalline facets down to 250 mK and up to 18 T. Fitting a range of qualitatively varying spectra with a Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK) model for p-wave pairing, we can extract gap amplitude and interface barrier strength for each junction. We find good agreement with the data for a dominant p y -wave gap function with amplitude 0.26 ± 0.06 meV. Our work provides spectroscopic evidence for a gap structure consistent with the proposed spin-triplet pairing in the superconducting state of UTe2.

Published in npj Quantum Materials

ISSN: 2397-4648 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials; Science: Physics: Atomic physics. Constitution and properties of matter
Website: https://www.nature.com/npjquantmats/

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