Andreev and Single-Particle Tunneling Spectra of Underdoped Cuprate Superconductors

ORAL

Abstract

We study tunneling spectroscopy between a normal metal and an underdoped cuprate superconductor modeled by a phenomenological theory in which the pseudogap is a precursor to the undoped Mott insulator. In the low barrier tunneling limit, the spectra are enhanced by Andreev reflection only within a voltage region of the small superconducting energy gap. In the high barrier tunneling limit, the spectra show a large energy pseudogap associated with single particle tunneling. Our theory semi- quantitatively describes the two gap behavior observed in tunneling experiments.

Authors

  • Kun Huang

    • Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • Kai-Yu Yang

    • Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, ETH Zrich
  • Wei-Qiang Chen

    • Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  • T.M. Rice

    • Institut fr Theoretische Physik, ETH Zrich
  • Fu-Chun Zhang

    • Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong