Investigation of the superconducting gap structure in κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2 and κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br by means of thermal-conductivity measurements
Abstract
We report temperature-dependent thermal-conductivity, κ, measurements on the layered quasi-two-dimensional organic superconductors κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2 and κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br down to 160 mK. The results for κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2 may be consistent with a nodal superconducting (SC) gap structure as indicated by a non-negligible remnant linear contribution when κ/T \propto T2 is extrapolated to T = 0 . For κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br, contrary to expectations, higher κ values are observed in the superconducting regime as compared to the normal, high-field state evidencing a dominant phonon contribution to κ in the superconducting state. The strong increase of κ in the normal state below T c for both samples indicates strong electron-phonon scattering. Our results highlight the need for thermal-conductivity measurements performed down to significantly lower temperatures to determine the symmetry of the SC gap.
- Publication:
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Journal of Physics Condensed Matter
- Pub Date:
- October 2017
- DOI:
- 10.1088/1361-648X/aa8284
- Bibcode:
- 2017JPCM...29N5604K