Phase fluctuations in a strongly disordered s-wave NbN superconductor close to the metal-insulator transition

Phys Rev Lett. 2011 Jan 28;106(4):047001. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.047001. Epub 2011 Jan 25.

Abstract

We explore the role of phase fluctuations in a three-dimensional s-wave superconductor, NbN, as we approach the critical disorder for destruction of the superconducting state. Close to critical disorder, we observe a finite gap in the electronic spectrum which persists at temperatures well above T(c). The superfluid density is strongly suppressed at low temperatures and evolves towards a linear-T variation at higher temperatures. These observations provide strong evidence that phase fluctuations play a central role in the formation of a pseudogap state in a disordered s-wave superconductor.