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Comparative analysis of specific heat of YNi2B2C using nodal and two-gap models

C. L. Huang, J. Y. Lin, C. P. Sun, T. K. Lee, J. D. Kim, E. M. Choi, S. I. Lee, H. D. Yang

cond-mat.supr-conarXiv:cond-mat/0512291

Abstract

The magnetic field dependence of low temperature specific heat in YNi2B2C was measured and analyzed using various pairing order parameters. At zero magnetic field, the two-gap model which has been successfully applied to MgB2 and the point-node model, appear to describe the superconducting gap function of YNi2B2C better than other models based on the isotropic s-wave, the d-wave line nodes, or the s+g wave. The two energy gaps, deltaL=2.67 meV and deltaS=1.19 meV are obtained. The observed nonlinear field dependence of electronic specific heat coefficient, gamma(H)~H0.47, is quantitatively close to gamma(H)~H0.5 expected for nodal superconductivity or can be qualitatively explained using two-gap scenario. Furthermore, the positive curvature in Hc2(T) near Tc is qualitatively similar to that in the other two-gap superconductor MgB2.

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