A length scale for the superconducting Nernst signal above T$_{c}$ in Nb$_{0.15}$Si$_{0.85}$

Abstract

We present a study of the Nernst effect in amorphous superconducting thin films of Nb$_{0.15}$Si$_{0.85}$. The field dependence of the Nernst coefficient above T$_{c}$ displays two distinct regimes separated by a field scale set by the Ginzburg-Landau correlation length. A single function $F(\xi)$, with the correlation length as its unique argument set either by the zero-field correlation length (in the low magnetic field limit) or by the magnetic length (in the opposite limit), describes the Nernst coefficient. We conclude that the Nernst signal observed on a wide temperature ($30 \times T_c$) and field ($4 \times B_{c2}$) range is exclusively generated by short-lived Cooper pairs.