Probing multiband superconductivity by point-contact spectroscopy

Abstract

Point-contact spectroscopy was originally developed for the determination of\nthe electron-phonon spectral function in normal metals. However, in the past 20\nyears it has become an important tool in the investigation of superconductors.\nAs a matter of fact, point contacts between a normal metal and a superconductor\ncan provide information on the amplitude and symmetry of the energy gap that,\nin the superconducting state, opens up at the Fermi level. In this paper we\nreview the experimental and theoretical aspects of point-contact spectroscopy\nin superconductors, and we give an experimental survey of the most recent\napplications of this technique to anisotropic and multiband superconductors.\n