Superconductivity on the border of weak itinerant ferromagnetism in UCoGe

Abstract

We report the coexistence of ferromagnetic order and superconductivity in UCoGe at ambient pressure. Magnetization measurements show that UCoGe is a weak ferromagnet with a Curie temperature T_{C}= 3 K and a small ordered moment $m_{0}$= 0.03 $μ_B$. Superconductivity is observed with a resistive transition temperature T_{s} = 0.8 K for the best sample. Thermal-expansion and specific-heat measurements provide solid evidence for bulk magnetism and superconductivity. The proximity to a ferromagnetic instability, the defect sensitivity of T_{s}, and the absence of Pauli limiting, suggest triplet superconductivity mediated by critical ferromagnetic fluctuations.

4 pages, 4 figures; PRL, in print