Tunneling spectroscopy of heavily underdoped crystals of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-?

Abstract

Crystals of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ with optimal Tc=95 K have been underdoped using two different methods and the superconducting gaps have been obtained by tunneling. In some cases, three different tunneling geometries have been utilized: point contact, STM and break junctions. The first doping method involves control of the oxygen content by annealing in various partial pressures of oxygen. These crystals exhibit a narrow spread of gap values over a wide doping range from overdoped (Tc=56 K) to underdoped with Tc=70 K. However, for underdoped crystals with Tc midpoints in the range 25 K - 63 K, there is a dramatic increase in the spread of gap values which may signal the development of static phase separation of either chemical or electronic origin. To avoid possible chemical phase separation, we have explored another doping procedure which incorporates Dy substitution on the Ca site. These crystals exhibit a relatively narrow superconducting transition width and some preliminary tunneling spectra will be presented.