Experimental study of intrinsic multiple Andreev reflections effect in GdO(F)FeAs superconductor array junctions

We report the first observation of the intrinsic multiple Andreev reflections effect (IMARE) in S-n-S-...-S-arrays (S = superconductor, n = normal metal) formed by "break-junction" technique in GdO(F)FeAs superconductor (Tc = 48 - 53 K). We show that superconducting gap peculiarities at dI/dV-spectra sharpen dramatically in the arrays as compared with that in the single-contact spectra; this enables to improve significantly accuracy of the bulk superconducting parameters determination. Using IMARE, we determined the large and the small gap values \Delta_L = 11 +- 1.1 meV and \Delta_S = 2.6 +- 0.4 meV. The BCS-ratio 2\Delta_L/kTc^{local} = 5.0 - 5.9 > 3.52 (Tc^{local} is the contact area critical temperature) evidences for a strong electron-boson coupling. The results obtained agree well with our previous data by Andreev spectroscopy for single SnS-contacts.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Superconducting and magnetic properties of a new EuAsFeO0.85F0.15 superconductor

Polycrystalline samples of a new superconducting EuAsFeO0.85F0.15 compound with critical temperature Tc=11K were prepared by solid state synthesis. Its electric and magnetic properties have been investigated in magnetic fields from 0.1 to 140000 Oe. Critical magnetic fields Hc1, and Hc2 were measured and hence the magnetic penetration depths and the coherence length have been estimated. The temperature dependence Hc2 (T) exhibits clear hyperbolic - type behavior starting with the lowest fields. The data derived were used to estimate probable high Tc and Hc2 in compounds doped with rare-earths having small atomic radii.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, 13 reference