Quasiparticle and Josephson tunneling of overdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+? single crystals

Abstract

The point contact tunneling technique is used to examine quasiparticle and Josephson currents in overdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (Bi-2212) single crystals with bulk Tc values ranging from 82 K down to 62 K. Superconductor-insulator-normal-metal (SIN) tunnel junctions are formed between Bi-2212 crystals and a Au tip, which display well-resolved quasiparticle gap features including sharp conductance peaks. Reproducible superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junctions are also obtained between two pieces of the Bi-2212 crystals, resulting in simultaneous quasiparticle and Josephson currents. The dynamic conductances of both SIN and SIS junctions are qualitatively similar to those found on optimally doped Bi-2212, but with reduced gap values, e.g., Δ = 15-20 meV for Tc = 62 K. Fits to the conductance data in the gap region are obtained using a model with dx2-y2 symmetry, and it is shown that this provides a better fit than s-wave symmetry. Both SIN and SIS tunneling conductances also display dip and hump features at high bias voltages similar to those found on optimal and underdoped crystals, indicating that these are intrinsic properties of the quasiparticles. The SIS data indicate that these features appear to be part of a larger spectrum that extends out to 300-400 mV. The Josephson current has been measured for 13 SIS junctions on the 62 K crystals with resistances varying over two decades. It is found that the maximum value depends on junction resistance in a manner consistent with Ambegaokar-Baratoff theory, but with a reduced IcRn product.