2003/07/31 by Yasuhiro Asano, Yukio Tanaka, Satoshi Kashiwaya · 6 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Rare-earth and actinide compounds #cond-mat.str-el #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevb.69.134501
published as Physical Review B 69, 134501 (2004). · 12 pages
arxiv created 2003/12/12 · openalex publication_date 2004/04/05 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A conceptual consideration is given to a zero-energy state (ZES) at the surface of unconventional superconductors. The reflection coefficients in normal-metal/superconductor (NS) junctions are calculated based on a phenomenological description of the reflection processes of a quasiparticle. The phenomenological theory reveals the importance of the sign change in the pair potential for the formation of the ZES. The ZES is observed as the zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) in the differential conductance of NS junctions. The split of the ZBCP due to broken time-reversal symmetry states is naturally understood in the present theory. We also discuss effects of external magnetic fields on the ZBCP.