Superconductivity in zero-dimensional indium nanoparticles

An In nanoparticle powder was fabricated by employing the thermal evaporation method. Size analysis using x-ray diffraction profiles analysis and atomic force microscopy images indicates an average particle diameter of 36 (2) nm and a Gaussian size distribution with a half-width of 3 nm. The superconducting critical temperature of the In nanopowder increases slightly to 3.57 (3) K, which was found to be extremely insensitive to the applied magnetic field. The critical magnetic field reaches ∼5 T, which is a factor of 170 times higher than that of bulk In.