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Robust pseudogap across the magnetic field driven superconductor to insulator-like transition in strongly disordered NbN films

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Abstract

We investigate the magnetic field evolution of the superconducting state in a strongly disordered NbN thin film which exhibits a magnetic field tuned superconductor to insulator-like transition, employing low temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). Transport measurements of the sample reveals a characteristic magnetic field, which separates the low field state where resistance decreases with decreasing temperature, i.e. dR/dT > 0 and a high-field state where dR/dT < 0. However, STS imaging of the superconducting state reveals a smooth evolution across this field and the presence of a robust pseudogap on both sides of this characteristic field. Our results suggest that the superconductor-insulator transition might be a percolative transition driven by the shrinking of superconducting fraction with magnetic field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai, 400005, India

    Indranil Roy, Rini Ganguly, Harkirat Singh & Pratap Raychaudhuri

  2. Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Hazratbal, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Harkirat Singh

Authors
  1. Indranil Roy
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  2. Rini Ganguly
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  3. Harkirat Singh
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  4. Pratap Raychaudhuri
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Correspondence to Indranil Roy.

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Supplementary material in the form of one pdf file available from the Journal web page at https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2019-90488-0

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Roy, I., Ganguly, R., Singh, H. et al. Robust pseudogap across the magnetic field driven superconductor to insulator-like transition in strongly disordered NbN films. Eur. Phys. J. B 92, 49 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2019-90488-0

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