Non-conventional superconductivity in magnetic In and Sn nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT

We report on experimental evidence of non-conversional pairing in In and Sn nanoparticle assemblies. Spontaneous magnetizations are observed, through extremely weak-field magnetization and neutron-diffraction measurements, to develop when the nanoparticles enter the superconducting state. The superconducting transition temperature TC shifts to a noticeably higher temperature when an external magnetic field or magnetic Ni nanoparticles are introduced into the vicinity of the superconducting In or Sn nanoparticles. There is a critical magnetic field and a critical Ni composition that must be reached before the magnetic environment will suppress the superconductivity. The observations may be understood when assuming development of spin-parallel superconducting pairs on the surfaces and spin-antiparallel superconducting pairs in the core of the nanoparticles.