Thermodynamic properties of superconductingβ-Ga andα-Ga

Abstract

From recent measurements of the critical-magnetic-field curve in $\beta$=-Ga, we calculate the energy-gap parameter $\delta =1.016\mathrm{}\pm 0.026$ and the anisotropy parameter $〈a^2〉=0.012\mathrm{}\pm 0.019$, and we present a new determination of the zero-temperature critical magnetic field of $\alpha$-Ga, which yields $H_0=58.3\mathrm{}\pm 0.1$ Oe. The thermodynamic properties of superconducting $\beta$-Ga and $\alpha$-Ga are compared and discussed. Possible evidence for soft phonon modes in $\beta$-Ga is suggested.