Influence of gap extrema on the tunneling conductance near an impurity in an anisotropic superconductor

J. M. Byers; M. E. Flatté; D. J. Scalapino

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.3363

Influence of gap extrema on the tunneling conductance near an impurity in an anisotropic superconductor

J. M. Byers, M. E. Flatté, and D. J. Scalapino

Phys. Rev. Lett. 71, 3363 – Published 15 November 1993

Abstract

We examine the effect of an impurity on the nearby tunneling conductance in an anisotropically gapped superconductor. The variation of the conductance has pronounced spatial dependence which depends strongly on the Fermi surface location of gap extrema. In particular, different gap symmetries produce profoundly different spatial features in the conductance. These effects may be detectable with a scanning-tunneling-microscope study of the surface of a high-temperature superconductor.

Received 22 June 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.3363

Authors & Affiliations

J. M. Byers, M. E. Flatté, and D. J. Scalapino

Department of Physics, University of California(enSanta Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9530
Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California(enSanta Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-4030