Superconducting quantum phase transitions tuned by magnetic impurity and magnetic field in ultrathin - films

Department of Physics and Center for Materials Research and Technology Florida State University - Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA

Corresponding author: xiong@martech.fsu.edu

Received: 3 July 2006
Accepted: 21 July 2006

Abstract

Superconducting quantum phase transitions tuned by disorder (d), paramagnetic impurity (MI) and perpendicular magnetic field (B) have been studied in homogeneously disordered ultrathin a-Pb films. The MI-tuned transition is characterized by progressive suppression of the critical temperature to zero and a continuous transition to a weakly insulating normal state with increasing MI density. In all important aspects, the d-tuned transition closely resembles the MI-tuned transition and both appear to be fermionic in nature. The B-tuned transition is qualitatively different and probably bosonic. In the critical region it exhibits transport behavior that suggests a B-induced mesoscale phase separation and presence of Cooper pairing in the insulating state.