Experimental evidence of s-wave superconductivity in bulk CaC$_{6}$

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the in-plane magnetic penetration depth, $λ_{ab}(T)$, has been measured in a c-axis oriented polycrystalline CaC$_{6}$ bulk sample using a high-resolution mutual inductance technique. A clear exponential behavior of $λ_{ab}(T)$ has been observed at low temperatures, strongly suggesting isotropic s-wave pairing. Data fit using the standard BCS theory yields $λ_{ab}(0)=(720\pm 80)$ Angstroem and $Δ(0)=(1.79\pm 0.08)$ meV. The ratio $2Δ(0)/k_{_B}T_{c}=(3.6\pm 0.2)$ gives indication for a conventional weakly coupled superconductor.

To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett