Evidence for a nodal energy gap in the iron-pnictide superconductor LaFePO from penetration depth measurements by scanning SQUID susceptometry.
We measure changes in the penetration depth lambda of the T_{c} approximately 6 K superconductor LaFePO. In the process, scanning SQUID susceptometry is demonstrated as a technique for accurately measuring local temperature-dependent changes in lambda, ideal for studying early or difficult-to-grow materials. lambda is found to vary linearly with temperatures from 0.36 to approximately 2 K, with a slope of 143 +/- 15 A/K, suggesting line nodes in the superconducting order parameter. The linear dependence up to approximately T_{c}/3, similar to the cuprate superconductors, indicates well-developed nodes.
Hicks
Clifford W
CW
Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA.
Lippman
Thomas M
TM
Huber
Martin E
ME
Analytis
James G
JG
Chu
Jiun-Haw
JH
Erickson
Ann S
AS
Fisher
Ian R
IR
Moler
Kathryn A
KA