Observation of anisotropic effect of antiferromagnetic ordering on the superconducting gap in ErNi₂B₂C

Abstract

The point-contact spectra of the Andreev reflection dV / dI curves of the superconducting rare-earth nickel borocarbide ErNi₂B₂C (Tc≈11K) have been analyzed in the «one-gap» and «two-gap» approximations using the generalized Blonder–Tinkham–Klapwijk model and the Beloborod'ko model allowing for the pair-breaking effect of magnetic impurities. Experimental and calculated curves have been compared not only in shape, but in magnitude as well, which provide more reliable data for determining the temperature dependence of the energy gap (or superconducting order parameter) Δ(T). The anisotropic effect of antiferromagnetic ordering at TN≈6K on the superconducting gap/order parameter has been determined: as the temperature is lowered, Δ decreases by∼25% in the c-direction and only by∼4% in the ab-plane. It is found that the pair-breaking parameter increases in the vicinity of the magnetic transitions, the increase being more pronounced in the c-direction. The efficiency of the models was tested for providing Δ(T) data for ErNi₂B₂C from Andreev reflection spectra.