Realization and properties of ramp-type YBa2Cu3O7−δ/Au/Nb junctions

All-thin-film ramp type Josephson junctions between YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ and Nb have been fabricated. This procedure allows connections between high-T_c and low-T_c superconductors at different crystal sides of the high-T_c superconductor on one chip, which is of great interest for novel phase devices. A thin Au layer is incorporated as a chemical barrier to avoid oxygen transfer from the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ to the Nb. Critical current densities up to 600 A/cm² are obtained at T=4.2 K, with typical R_nA values of 0.8 μΩ cm². The variation of the magnetic field dependence of the critical current with the angle between the junction barrier and the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ crystal axes is explained by considering a predominant d_x²−y² order parameter symmetry of the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ. The successful fabrication of these junctions allows the implementation of novel superconducting electronics, such as complementary Josephson circuitry or proposed qubit concepts, using the unconventional order parameter symmetry of the high-T_c superconductor.     

Preparation and characterization of Y1−xPrxBa2Cu3O7−δ single crystals

We present a reliable method for growing single crystals of Y_1−xPr_xBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ high-T_c superconductors in ZrO₂ crucibles. This method results in crystals with greatly improved superconducting properties compared to crystals grown with the previously reported methods which use Al₂O₃ crucibles. We describe techniques for crystal growth in both Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂ crucibles using an excess of BaCo₃ and CuO as the flux. The crystals were characterized by means of DC magnetic-susceptibility measurements, electrical-resistivity measurements, and electron microprobe analysis. The effects of Al contamination on the conditions for crystal growth and on the superconducting properties of the crystals are found to be quite significant.     

Itinerant-localized duality description of the spin fluctuations in the normal state of high-Tc cuprates. An explanation of neutron scattering experiments

On the basis of the itinerant-localized duality theory of spin fluctuations, the puzzling aspects of the neutron scattering experiments in the normal state of high-T_c cuprates are clarified from a global point of view. The dynamical spin structure factor exhibits two different aspects depending on the energy transfer ω. At lower energies, ω < ω_c, where ω_c is the fermion coherence energy, the spectrum is coherent so that the characteristic scales for wavevector and energy are temperature dependent, while at higher energies, ω > ω_c, the spectrum is incoherent so that those characteristic scales are temperature independent. The integrated weight of the coherent part of the spectrum exhibits the so-called “spin gap” behavior when the Fermi surface of the itinerant fermion is technically nested, even though there is no excitation gap in the spectrum at all.     

Dynamical conductivity of the two-dimensional Bose condensate: Superfluid-insulator transition for a long-range random potential

We calculate the dynamical conductivity of a disordered charged Bose condensate in two dimensions with a long-range random potential due to charged impurities with a large spacer width . Analytical results for the frequency-dependent conductivity for weak disorder are derived. For strong disorder the frequency-dependent conductivity is given in terms of a transcendental equation. The disorder-induced transition from a superfluid phase to an insulator phase is discussed. The density-density relaxation function and the screening properties of the disordered Bose gas are calculated. Experimental results for high-T _c superconductors are discussed.     

Microwave absorption and paracoherence excess conductivity studies in high-Tc superconductors

Single phase polycrystalline samples of La_1.8Sr_0.2CuO₄, YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ and Bi_1.6Pb_0.4Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_y high-T_c superconductors have been studied using XRD, SEM, EDAX, (T), χ_AC and EPR techniques. Detailed investigations on low-field-dependent microwave absorption have been carried out in order to investigate the effects of field exposure, field cooling, zero field cooling and amplitude of field variation on the samples. The results have been discussed on the basis of granular model via Josephson junctions of high-T_c superconductors. Over and above, paracoherence excess conductivity analysis has been carried out in all the three samples. The critical exponent (γ) estimated for all the three samples in close vicinity to their respective transition temperatures has an excellent agreement with the theoretically predicted value for 3-dimensional XY-ferromagnet (γ = 1.33 for D = 3, N = 2).     

Neutron scattering studies of crystal structure and crystalline electric field in high-Tc ErBa2Cu3Ox disordered by fast neutron irradiation

The crystal structure and the crystalline-electric-field splitting of the Er³⁺ 4f-shell in the high-T_c superconductor ErBa₂Cu₃O_x (x = 6.95, 6.18) disordered with fast neutron irradiation has been investigated by elastic and inelastic neutron scattering techniques, respectively. The results yield evidence for the absence of a charge transfer between the planes and chains under disorder and point to the atomic displacements being the main radiation-induced defects in the CuO₂ planes.     

Spectral density analysis of the chiral transition in nf=4 finite temperature QCD

We apply the spectral density reweighting technique to the analysis of the chiral phase transition in finite-temperature lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) with four flavors of dynamical staggered fermions and m_qa=0.025. Our simulations were performed using the hybrid Monte Carlo method for L_tL³ lattices with L_t=4 and L=6, 8 and 10. We calculate partition function zeros, as well as the maxima of the specific heat and of the susceptibilities for the Polyakov loop and for the chiral condensate. A finite size scaling analysis of these data leads to preliminary results for the critical coupling β_c, for the critical exponent ν, for the latent heat, and for the jumps in the Polyakov loop and in the chiral condensate.     

The role of excitons and substrate temperature in low-energy (5–50 eV) electron-stimulated dissociation of amorphous D2O ice

We have studied the interaction of low-energy (5–50 eV) electrons with nanoscale (10 ML) ice films by probing the yields and quantum-state distributions of the neutral dissociation products using laser resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. In particular, we have observed the electron-stimulated desorption (ESD) of D (²S), O (³P₂) and O (¹D₂) from amorphous D₂O films. These products are observed at threshold energies (relative to the vacuum level) between 6.5–7 eV and desorb with low kinetic energies (60–85 meV) which are independent of the incident electron energy. We associate the ESD of atomic fragments from ice with dissociation of Frenkel-type excitons of 4a₁ character which are near the bottom of the ice conduction band. These excitons are created either directly or via electron-ion recombination. Changing the surface temperature from 88 to 145 K results in an increase in the thermal component of the time-of-flight (kinetic energy) distributions and an overall increase in the neutral fragment yield. We suggest that the change in neutral yield with substrate temperature results from a combination of: (1) increased electron-ion recombination; (2) exciton transport to the near-surface region; and (3) dissociation followed by inelastic scattering and desorption.     

Influence of fluctuations on thermal conductivity of high-Tc YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductor

To study a behavior of the thermal conductivity near T_c specific heat and thermal diffusivity of the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ high-T_c ceramics were simultaneously measured. Close to T_c = 92.30 K the thermal diffusivity and the thermal conductivity discovered minima and the specific heat – maximum. Quantitative analysis of the influence of thermodynamical fluctuations showed the same power laws with Gaussian exponent equal to 0.5 and existing of crossover from the 3D Gaussian to 3D XY critical behavior in the specific heat and thermal conductivity at the approach to T_c. To explain the minimum in thermal conductivity at T_c we propose a mechanism of scattering of phonons on the superconducting fluctuations.     

The chloroform / TBP / aqueous nitric acid interfacial system: a molecular dynamics investigation

We report MD studies on a chloroform / nitric acid water interface, either neat, or saturated by TBP molecules. Two extreme models are compared, where the acid is either neutral HNO₃ or dissociated to NO₃⁻ and H₃O⁺. The latter species are found to be “repelled” by the neat interface, while the neutral HNO₃ molecules are surface active. When the neat interface is saturated by TBP molecules, the latter form highly disordered arrangements instead of a regular monolayer, and water is dragged to the organic phase as 1:1, 1:2 and 2:2 hydrates of TBP. Simulations with the neutral HNO₃ model lead to extraction of acid to the organic phase, hydrogen bonded to the phosphoryl oxygen of TBP, forming HNO₃:TBP adducts of 1:1 and 2:1 types. Simulations with the ionic model lead to H₃O⁺:TBP adducts of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 types in the organic phase and significant mixing of the chloroform, TBP and water liquids in the interfacial region.     

The effect of nonmagnetic doping on high-Tc superconductivity

In this paper, we introduce an S-N (superconducting-normal) model with d wave Cooper pairing in the S layer and indicate that the interlayer hopping between the S and N layers has pair-weakening effect on the high-T_c superconductivity. Also, we respectively study the influence of the nonmagnetic impurities sitting in the superconducting or nonsuperconducting layers on the high-T_c superconductivity based on the S-N model. The obtained results show the differences in the suppression effects on the transition temperature depending on where the impurities are located. The experimental observations are qualitatively consistent with our theoretical results.     

Electrical transport properties of dense bulk YBa2Cu4O8 produced by hot isostatic pressing

Highly dense sintered YBa₂Cu₄O₈ has been produced by hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The electrical resistivity of this material has been measured as a function of temperature T and pressure in the range 40–650 K and 0–0.7 GPa. Both the temperature dependence and the pressure dependence of are found to be well described by a model based on the standard Bloch-Grüneisen theory. It is pointed out that is liner in T only under isobaric conditions, while is strongly nonlinear in all high-T_c superconductors under isochoric (constant volume) conditions. The critical current density of the material is 900 A/cm² at 4 K, while the resistivity is 630 μΩ cm at 294 K.     

Peculiarities of rf SQUID response in finite magnetic fields

Single-layer washer-type high-T_c YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x rf SQUIDs with grain-boundary Josephson junctions, as well as low-T_c Nb rf SQUIDs with Nb–Al₂O₃–Nb tunnel junctions, have been investigated in finite magnetic fields. It was shown experimentally that the suppression of the critical current of the Josephson junction due to the magnetic field leads to a modulation of the amplitude of the SQUID output signal. The role of the “unwanted” junction in high-T_c rf SQUIDs, which is formed by the grain boundary running through the washer of the SQUIDs on bicrystal substrates, has also been clarified. The drop of the SQUID signal at a finite magnetic field is originated by the penetration of the magnetic field into the unwanted junction. Based on these results, a direct radio-frequency method for the determination of the first critical field H_c1 for long Josephson junctions has been developed.     

NMR study of local hole distribution, spin fluctuation and superconductivity in Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O10

⁶³Cu, ¹⁷O and ²⁰⁵Tl NMR have been performed in the high-T_c superconductor Tl₂Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O₁₀ whose T_c(max) is 127 K. The hole densities at Cu and oxygen sites in the CuO₂ plane have been extracted from the nuclear quadrupole frequency ν_Q. The striking feature is that the Cu holes are significantly transferred to oxygen site due to strong hybridization between Cu and oxygen. From an analysis of T₁ and T_2G, it has been found that the spectral weight of the spin fluctuation is transferred to higher energy compared to YBa₂Cu₃O₇, while the magnetic correlation length ξ does not differ much. Thus, it is suggested that the higher T_c is due to higher characteristic energy of spin fluctuations, i.e. the superconductivity is spin fluctuation mediated. The superconducting properties are consistently explained by a d-wave superconductivity model with a finite density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level. We show that the disorder of the Ca/TlO layer caused by the partial inter-substitution of Tl and Ca is responsible for the potential scattering to produce such a DOS. It is found that if such a potential scattering were absent, T_c would go up to 132 K which is quite close to the record T_c realized in the Hg based compound.     

Magnetic hysteresis of the magnetoresistance and the critical current density in polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7−δ–Ag superconductors

A systematic study of the magnetic hysteresis in transport properties of polycrystalline YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ–Ag compounds has been made based on two kinds of measurements at 77 K and under applied magnetic fields up to 30 mT: critical current density J_c(B_a) and magnetoresistance R(B_a). The R(B_a) curves show a minimum in their decreasing branch occurring at B=B_min which was found to be both the excitation current I_ex and the maximum applied magnetic field B_am dependent. In addition, for a certain value of B_am>5 mT, we have observed that B_min increases with increasing I_ex and reaches a saturation value. The J_c(B_a) curves show a maximum in decreasing applied magnetic fields occurring at B=B_max. We have also found that B_max increases with increasing B_am and reaches a saturation value. The minimum in the R(B_a) and the maximum in J_c(B_a) curves were found to be related to the trapped flux within the grains. All the experimental results are discussed within the context of the flux dynamics and transport mechanisms in these high-T_c materials.     

Impurity-induced phase transition in the interacting Bose gas: 1. Analytical results

We derive selfconsistency equations for the density relaxation and the longitudinal dynamical conductivity of the interacting Bose gas at temperature zero moving in a random potential. The equations describe a disorder-induced transition from a superfluid phase to an insulating phase, where the density is non-ergodic. The interaction of the bosons is treated in random phase approximation and the coupling to the impurities is calculated within generalized selfconsistent current relaxation theory. Scaling laws are discussed and explicit results are presented for the repulsive Bosgas with neutral impurities and for the charged Bose gas with charged impurities.     

Structurally tuned superconductivity in heavy-fermion CeMIn5 (M=Co, Ir, Rh)

We discuss systematic trends in the high-temperature physical properties of the heavy Fermion superconductors (HFS) CeCoIn₅ (T_c=2.3 K, γ=300 mJ/molK²), CeIrIn₅ (T_c=0.4 K, γ=750 mJ/molK²), and CeRhIn₅ (P_c=16 kbar, T_c=2.1 K, γ=400 mJ/molK²) in terms of crystalline-electrical-field effects(CEF). We suggest the possibility that the interplay between the symmetry of the CEF ground-state (or low-T CEF scheme of levels) and the f–s hybridization could generate spin fluctuations relevant to the superconducting pairing mechanism in these materials. This hypothesis may provide insight into the fact that some crystal structures appear to favor superconductivity. Further, CeMIn₅ (M=Co, Ir, Rh) appear to be structural relatives of the cubic heavy Fermion superconductor CeIn₃, but with much higher T_c's. We argue that structural layering inherent in the tetragonal CeMIn₅ crystal structure determines the magnetic and electronic anisotropy responsible for the enhanced T_c's. We also describe similarities and differences between these compounds and the high-T_c cuprates.     

Nax/2Bi1−x/2MoxV1−xO4 and Bi1−x/3MoxV1−xO4 New Scheelite-related phases

New Scheelite-related solid solutions of the compositions Na_x/2Bi_1−x/2Mo_xV_1−xO₄ (0≤x≤1) and Bi_1−x/3 Mo_xV_1−xO₄(0≤x≤0.2) have been synthesised by the substitution of Na and Mo at the A and B sites respectively of the ABO₄ type ferroelastic BiVO₄. The phases were characterised using chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, EDAX, and Raman spectroscopy. While almost a continuous solid solution is obtained for the series Na_x/2Bi_1−x/2Mo_xV_1−xO₄, the absence of Na at the A-site results only in a narrow stability region for the other series, Bi_1−x/3 Mo_xV_1−xO₄ where 0≤x≤0.2. Raman spectra of selected samples at room temperature also suggest that vanadium and molybdenum atoms are disordered at the tetrahedral sites.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and inelastic neutron scattering in the infinite-layer compounds Sr1−xNdxCuO2

For the first time large samples of the nominal composition Sr_1−xNd_xCuO₂ (x=0.07, 0.15) 10 g in mass each have been prepared using a high-pressure technique. Neutron-diffraction and X-ray measurements have shown that the main phase in the samples obtained is of the infinite-layer structure which has been refined in the tetragonal P4/mmm space group. Both samples are not superconducting. Inelastic neutron scattering has been employed to search for crystalline-electric-field transitions in these compounds. The observed low-energy spectra exhibit one inelastic line of magnetic origin at 18 meV, comparable in energy with a crystalline-electric-field excitation in the high-T_c superconductor NdBa₂Cu₃O_x.