Field-induced gapless electron pocket in the superconducting vortex phase of YNi_2B_2C as probed by magnetoacoustic quantum oscillations

摘要

By use of ultrasound studies we resolved magnetoacoustic quantum oscillation deep into the mixed state of the multiband nonmagnetic superconductor Yni_2B_2C. Below the upper critical field, only a very weak additional damping appears that can be well explained by the field inhomogeneity caused by the flux-line lattice in the mixed state. This is clear evidence for no or a vanishingly small gap for one of the bands, namely, the spheroidal α band. This contrasts de Haas–van Alphen data obtained by use of torque magnetometry for the same sample, with a rapidly vanishing oscillation signal in the mixed state. This points to a strongly distorted flux-line lattice in the latter case that, in general, can hamper a reliable extraction of gap parameters by use of such techniques.