RUI: Probing the Energy Gap of Clean Magnesium Diboride using High Resolution Tunneling Spectroscopy

* 技术摘要 * 本项目将研究二硼化镁（MgB 2）和一些铁基超导体等多能隙超导体的非常干净的样品的超导能隙中的子结构。能隙是研究这些新材料的一个关键特征，这些实验的结果可以帮助验证现有理论，提供新的数据，并有助于更好地理解能隙分布在多能隙超导性中的作用。实验将涉及高分辨率隧道光谱学，通过将样品冷却到低到非常低的温度（亚开尔文）并使用高分辨率数据采集技术来实现。样品将由薄膜约瑟夫森结从几个合作者谁是世界领先的制造高品质的样品。这项研究将在一个主要的本科院校进行，本科研究正在迅速增长。该项目将支持本科生和大学预科生的培训，并在大部分学生为女性的文科环境中为女性和少数民族提供物理研究机会。非技术性摘要 * 本项目支持在一个以本科为主的机构中进行超导体的实验研究。超导体的能隙是一个重要的性质，使我们能够更好地理解和应用这些新材料。虽然许多超导体只有一个能隙，但这项研究将以非常高的分辨率探测多能隙超导体的能隙，如二硼化镁和一些最近发现的铁基超导体。这将通过使用从研究合作者那里获得的非常干净的薄膜约瑟夫森结而成为可能，这些研究合作者是制造高质量样品的世界领导者。 样品将被冷却到接近绝对零度的温度，并使用隧道光谱学和高分辨率数据采集技术进行探测。这些结果将有助于验证现有的理论，并为更好地理解多能隙超导提供新的数据。该项目支持在文科环境中对固态物理本科生进行教育和培训，其中64%的学生是女性。本科生将接受研究生学习或物理学和许多STEM领域工作所需的低噪声电子，低温和材料表征技能的培训。此外，这项研究的教育部分使为期三天的中学生科学夏令营成为可能。夏令营的目的是通过互动实验和现实世界的物理演示，角色扮演活动，实验室参观图尔斯和其他实践活动来提高对科学的兴趣。

****TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****This project will investigate sub-structure in the superconducting energy gap of very clean samples of multi-gapped superconductors such as magnesium diboride (MgB2) and some iron-based superconductors. The energy gap is a key feature in the study of these novel materials and the results of these experiments can help validate existing theories, provide new data, and contribute to a better understanding of the role of gap distribution in multi-gapped superconductivity. Experiments will involve high-resolution tunneling spectroscopy made possible by cooling samples to low to very low (sub-Kelvin) temperatures and using high-resolution techniques of data acquisition. Samples will consist of thin film Josephson junctions to be obtained from several collaborators who are world leaders in the fabrication of high-quality samples. This research will be carried out at a primarily undergraduate institution, where undergraduate research is rapidly growing. This project will support the training of undergraduate and pre-college students and open physics research opportunities for women and minorities in a liberal arts environment where majority of students are women.****NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****This project supports the experimental study of superconductors in a primarily undergraduate institution. The energy gap of a superconductor is an important property that enables us to better understand and apply these novel materials. While many superconductors have only a single energy gap, this research will probe, to very high resolution, the energy gap of multi-gapped superconductors such as magnesium diboride and some of the recently-discovered iron-based superconductors. This will be made possible by using very clean thin film Josephson junctions obtained from research collaborators who are world leaders in the fabrication of high-quality samples. The samples will be cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero and probed using tunneling spectroscopy and high-resolution data acquisition techniques. The results will help validate existing theories and provide new data to better understand multi-gapped superconductivity. This project supports the education and training of undergraduates in solid-state physics in a liberal arts setting where sixty-four percent of students are women. Undergraduates will receive training in low-noise electronics, cryogenics, and materials characterization skills needed for graduate studies or work in physics and many STEM fields. Furthermore, the educational component of this research makes possible a three-day summer science camp for middle school girls. The camp is designed to enhance the interest in science through interactive experiments and demonstrations of real-world physics, role-playing activities, laboratory tours, and other hands-on activities.