Access

Article

Nature 394, 39-43 (2 July 1998) | doi:10.1038/27838; Received 29 January 1998; Accepted 29 April 1998

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

More science jobs
Post a job for free

Magnetically mediated superconductivity in heavy fermion compounds

N. D. Mathur2, F. M. Grosche2, S. R. Julian1, I. R. Walker1, D. M. Freye1, R. K. W. Haselwimmer1 & G. G. Lonzarich1

  1. Cavendish Laboratory and the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Superconductivity, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
  2. Present address: Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK (N.D.M.) MPI Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, Bayreuther Str. 40, 01187 Dresden, Germany (F.M.G.).

Correspondence to: G. G. Lonzarich1 Correspondence should be addressed to G.G.L.

Top

In a conventional superconductor, the binding of electrons into the paired states that collectively carry the supercurrent is mediated by phonons — vibrations of the crystal lattice. Here we argue that, in the case of the heavy fermion superconductors CePd2Si2 and CeIn3, the charge carriers are bound together in pairs by magnetic spin–spin interactions. The existence of magnetically mediated superconductivity in these compounds could help shed light on the question of whether magnetic interactions are relevant for describing the superconducting and normal-state properties of other strongly correlated electron systems, perhaps including the high-temperature copper oxide superconductors.

  1. Cavendish Laboratory and the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Superconductivity, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
  2. Present address: Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK (N.D.M.) MPI Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, Bayreuther Str. 40, 01187 Dresden, Germany (F.M.G.).

Correspondence to: G. G. Lonzarich1 Correspondence should be addressed to G.G.L.