Enhanced Critical Magnetic Field in Superconducting Pb Nanoparticles

Author: Yang C.C.   Tsao F.C.   Wu S.Y.     Lee K.C.  

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company

ISSN: 0022-2291

Source: Journal of Low Temperature Physics, Vol.131, Iss.3-4, 2003-05, pp. : 349-352

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Abstract

Pb nanoparticles in a powder form has been successfully fabricated by employing the gas condensation method. Analyses based on the x-ray diffraction profiles and the AFM images showing a mean particle size of 6 nm, with a relatively narrow size distribution of half-width 1.5 nm, for the powder. It is known that bulk Pb has a superconducting transition temperature of TC=7.2 K and a critical magnetic field of HC=803 gauss. Magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistance measurements show that TC of the 6 nm Pb nanoparticles reduces to 6.6 K, which was found to be extremely insensitive to the applied magnetic field. Screening diamagnetic responses remains even at Ha=9 T with which TC=6 K.