We show that the superconductivity observed recently in the weak itinerant ferromagnet ZrZn2 [C. Pfleiderer et al., Nature (London) 412, 58 (2001)] is due to remnants of a superconducting layer induced by spark erosion. Results of resistivity, susceptibility, specific heat and surface analysis measurements on high-quality ZrZn2 crystals show that cutting by spark erosion leaves a superconducting surface layer. The resistive superconducting transition is destroyed by chemically etching a layer of 5 microns from the sample. No signature of superconductivity is observed in rho(T) of etched samples at the lowest current density measured, J=675 Am-2, and at T < 45 mK. EDX analysis shows that spark-eroded surfaces are strongly Zn depleted. The simplest explanation of our results is that the superconductivity results from an alloy with higher Zr content than ZrZn2.
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0502341,
title = {Superconductivity induced by spark erosion in ZrZn2},
author = {E. A. Yelland and S. M. Hayden and S. J. C. Yates and C. Pfleiderer and M. Uhlarz and R. Vollmer and H. v. Lohneysen and N. R. Bernhoeft and R. P. Smith and S. S. Saxena and N. Kimura},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0502341},
year = {2009}
}