Transport critical-current and voltage-current characteristics of Bi(2223) silver-clamped thick films

The transport critical current properties of Bi(2223) silver-clamped thick films are studied by the measurement of its dependence on magnetic field and temperature close to T _c. It is found that the transport critical current follows a power law J _c(1–T/T _c)^3/2 for the sample with J _c>2.0×10⁴ A/cm² (77K, zero field) and that J _c(H) is basically reversible for increasing and decreasing magnetic field. After the transport current exceeds the critical current, the voltage-current (V-I) characteristics show a flux-creep-like behaviour until they smoothly join the flux-flow state. From the measurement of V-I curves, the pinning property of the sample may be estimated using the flux-creep mode. The flux-flow resistance is found to have a nonlinear magnetic field dependence.     

Size effects in the exciton energy and first-order phase transitions in CuCl nanocrystals in glass

The absorption spectra and the melting and crystallization kinetics of CuCl nanocrystals in glass are investigated in the range of particle radii 1–30 nm. Three discontinuities are found on the curves representing the size dependence of the melting point T _m(R) and the crystallization point T _c(R). As the particle radius gradually decreases from 30 nm in the range R⩽12.4 nm there is a sudden 60° drop in the temperature T _c in connection with the radius of the critical CuCl nucleus in the melt. A 30° drop in T _m is observed at R=2.1 nm, and a second drop of 16° in the temperature T _c is observed for CuCl particles of radius 1.8 nm. The last two drops are associated with changes in the equilibrium shape of the nanoparticles. In the range of smaller particles, R⩽1.34 nm the T _c(R) curve is observed to merge with the T _m(R) curve, owing to the disappearance of the work of formation of the crystal surface during crystallization of the melt as a result of the zero surface tension of CuCl particles of radii commensurate with the thickness of the effective surface layer. An increase in the size shift of the exciton energy is observed in this same range of CuCl particle radii (1–1.8 nm). The size dependence of the melting and crystallization temperatures of the nanoparticles is attributed to variation of the free energy in the surface layer of a particle. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 310–318 (February 1999)     

Critical current of an inhomogeneous Josephson junction at an intergrain boundary with a random distribution of dislocations

The critical current J _c(θ) of an intergrain boundary is calculated as a function of the contact misorientation angle θ of the granules. It is assumed that the ordering parameter is suppressed in regions near boundaries with an enhanced mechanical stress induced by randomly distributed surface dislocations. The stress distribution function is determined using a probabilistic approach. Assuming that the weak coupling at the boundary is Josephson coupling, an analytic expression is found for the angular dependence J _c(θ) (for tilt and twist boundaries). The magnitude of the residual critical current of a boundary in a strong magnetic field is estimated. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 393–402 (March 1998)     

Nonmonotonic behavior of magnetoresistance, R(H) hysteresis, and low-temperature heat capacity of the BaPb0.75Bi0.25O3 superconductor in a magnetic field: Possible manifestations of phase separation

The transport properties (R(T) and R(H) dependences at various values of the transport current in magnetic fields up to 65 kOe) and low-temperature heat capacity in magnetic fields up to 90 kOe of the BaPb_0.75Bi_0.25O₃ superconductor (T _C ≈ 11.3 K) are investigated with the goal of clarifying the mechanisms determining the nonmonotonic behavior and hysteresis of its magnetoresistance R(H). The type of R(H) hysteretic dependences for BaPb_0.75Bi_0.25O₃ is analogous to that observed in granular high-T _c superconductors (HTSCs); however, unlike classical HTSC systems, the field width of the magnetoresistance hysteresis loop for polycrystalline BaPb_0.75Bi_0.25O₃ depends on the transport current. This means that although the mechanisms responsible for the magnetoresistance hysteresis (the influence of the magnetic flux trapped in superconducting regions on the effective field in Josephson interlayers) are identical in these objects, the transport current in BaPb_0.75Bi_0.25O₃ may considerably affect the diamagnetic response of the superconductor. A considerable effect of transport current on the field in which the R(H) dependences have a peak and exhibit hysterestic properties is observed. Such a behavior can be adequately interpreted using the model of the spatially inhomogeneous superconductor-insulator state proposed by Gorbatsevich et al. [JETP Lett. 52, 95 (1990)]. The nonmonotonic dependence of quantity C/T (C is the heat capacity) on the magnetic field discovered in the present study also agrees with the conclusions based on this model.     

Different types of vortex pinning contribution to critical current density in YBa2Cu3O7−δ /YSZ quasi-multilayer

The quasi-multilayer films of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ /YSZ (YSZ denotes Yttria Stabilized Zirconia) are prepared by means of pulsed laser deposition (PLD), and a systematic study of the magnetic-field and temperature dependence of the critical current density J _c(H,T) for the YBCO/YSZ quasi-multilayer film is presented. Angular-dependent J _c(H,T) measurements have demonstrated that the growth control strategy is very effective in preventing the vortex motion at high fields and high temperatures. The temperature dependence of isotropic and anisotropic contribution to J _c is investigated in order to evaluate the strength of the defects. It is suggested that at high applied fields (such as 7 T), the pinning contribution of the YBCO/YSZ quasi-multilayer is dominated by the anisotropic disorders, while at intermediate-low fields (such as 1 and 3 T) the pinning contribution is determined by both isotropic and anisotropic disorders.     

Magneto-intersubband zener tunneling in a wide GaAs quantum well at high filling factors

The dependence of the differential resistance r _xx on the dc current density J _dc in a wide GaAs quantum well with two occupied size quantization subbands has been investigated at the temperature T = 4.2 K in the magnetic fields B < 1 T. A peak, whose position is given by the relation 2R _c eE _H = ħω_c/2, where R _c is the cyclotron radius, E _H is the Hall electric field, and ω_c is the cyclotron frequency, has been observed in the r _xx (J _dc) curves at high filling factors. The experimental results are attributed to Zener tunneling of electrons between the Landau levels of different subbands.     

Modeling a dimer state in CuGeO3 in the two-dimensional anisotropic Heisenberg model with alternated exchange interaction

The two-dimensional Heisenberg spin-1/2 model with alternated exchange interaction along the c axis and an anisotropic distribution of the exchange interaction in the lattice, J _b/J _c=0.1, is examined. A quantum Monte Carlo method is used to calculate the phase diagrams of the antiferromagnet, the dimer state in a plane, the value of the alternation δ of the exchange interaction, and the anisotropy Δ=1−J ^xy/J ^z of the exchange interaction, Δ∼δ ^0.58(6). The following characteristics are calculated for Δ=0.25: the dependence of the temperature of the dimer-state-paramagnet transition on the alternation of the exchange interaction, T _c(δ)=0.55(4)(δ−0.082(6))^0.50(3), the singlet-triplet energy gap, and the dependence of the magnetization on the external field for some values of δ. The value of the exchange interaction, J _c=127 K, the alternation of the exchange interaction, δ=0.11J _c, and the correlation radius along the c axis, ξ _c≈28c, are determined. Finally, it is found that the temperature dependence of the susceptibility and the specific heat are in good agreement with the experimental data. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 2184–2197 (December 1997)     

Transport properties of high-temperature superconductor + semiconductor composites with different carrier concentration

Results are presented of an experimental study of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity ρ(T), critical current density J _c(T), and current-voltage characteristics of polycrystalline composites based on the high-temperature superconductor Y_3/4Lu_1/4Ba₂Cu₃O₇ and copper oxide with different lithium doping levels. The experimental temperature dependence of the critical current of composites with varying volume content of the semiconductor ingredient and varying charge carrier concentration are found to be in qualitative agreement with theory which takes account of Andreev reflection of the carriers at the S-Sm and Sm-S surfaces of the S-Sm-S Josephson junction (where S is the superconductor and Sm is the semiconductor). Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 829–834 (May 1997) Deceased     

Critical currents in polycrystalline thin films of high-T c superconductors

Summary It is shown that the behaviour of the temperature dependence of the critical current in polycrystalline thin films of high-T _c superconductors depends crucially on the assumption made concerning the nature of the intergranular material. The usual assumption of a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (=SIS) ?sandwich? between each grain leads to a crossover fromI _c∼(1−T/T _c) toI _c∼(1−T/T _c)^3/2, for temperatures nearT _c (whereI _c is the critical current,T the absolute temperature, andT _c the superconducting transition temperature). Instead, for a superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (=SNS) sandwich the dependenceI _c∼(1−T/T _c)² is found for all temperatures. Consideration is given to the effect of self-magnetic field on the analysis. The comparison between expressions for continuous and granular systems is extended. Due to the relevance of its scientific content, this paper has been given priority by the Journal Direction.     

High-quality YBCO d.c. SQUIDs based on bicrystal substrates

Summary An analysis of superconducting transport properties and magnetic behaviour of d.c. SQUIDs employing YBCO bicrystal grain boundary junctions (GBJs) has been performed. GBJs have been obtained by deposition of ac-axis-oriented YBCO film on a SrTiO₃ bicrystal substrate by ICM sputtering technique. Experimental measurements on a YBCO d.c. SQUID with a misorientation angle θ=20° are reported. The SQUID shows a critical temperatureT _c∼89 K and a high critical current densityJ _c∼3·10⁶ A/cm² atT=4.2 K. Current-voltage characteristics are close to the behaviour predicted by the resistively shunted junction (RSJ) model and the temperature dependenceJ _c(T) shows a linear behaviour at small reduced temperatures and a depressedJ _c value close toT _c. High-quality flux-voltage curves have been found upT=87 K over a large range of magnetic field. The high reproducibility and the good control of transport properties by the variation of θ make YBCO bicrystal GBJs very useful for applications in electronics. Paper presented at the ?VII Congresso SATT?, Torino, 4–7 October 1994.     

Investigation of a magnetic phase transition in fcc iron-nickel alloys

A magnetic phase transition in carbon-doped (0.1 and 0.7 at. %) Fe₇₀Ni₃₀ Invar alloys was investigated by the method of depolarization of a transmitted neutron beam and by small-angle scattering of polarized neutrons. It is shown that for both alloys, two characteristic length scales of magnetic correlations coexist above T _c. Small-angle scattering by critical correlations with radius R _c is described well by the Ornstein-Zernike (OZ) expression. The longer-scale (second) correlations, whose size can be estimated from depolarization data, are not described by the OZ expression, and hypothetically can be modeled by a squared OZ expression, which in coordinate space corresponds to the relation 〈M(r)M(0)〉∝exp(−r/R _d), where R _d is the correlation length of the second scale. The temperature dependence of the correlation radius R _c was obtained: R _c ∝ ((T−T _c)/Tc)^−ν , where ν≈2/3 is the critical exponent for ferromagnets, over a wide temperature range up to T _c ^exp , at which the correlation radius becomes constant and equals its maximum value R _c(T _c)=R _c ^max . The maximum correlation radius established (R _c ^max =140 Å and 230 Å for the first and second alloys, respectively) characterizes the length-scale of the fluctuation for which the appearance of critical correlations first results in the formation of a ferromagnetic phase, and the phenomenon itself exhibits a “disruption” of the second-order phase transition at T=T _c ^exp , as a result of which a first-order transition arises. Temperature hysteresis was also detected in the measured polarization of the transmitted beam and intensity of small-angle neutron scattering in the alloy above T _c, confirming the character of this magnetic transition as a first-order transition close to a second-order transition. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 2134–2155 (December 1997)     

Temperature dependence of surface impedance of Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8−δ and YBa2Cu3O6.95 single crystals measured in the microwave band

The real part R _s and the imaginary part X _s of the surface impedance Z _s=R _s+ iX _s of Tl₂Ba₂CaCu₂O_8−δ and YBa₂Cu₃O_6.95 single crystals have been measured with high precision at frequency ω/2π=9.4 GHz in the temperature range 0<T<140 K. In the Tl₂Ba₂CaCu₂O_8−δ crystal a linear temperature dependence R _s(T) has been found for T⩽50 K, and the magnetic field penetration depth λ(4.2 K)=X _s(4.2 K)/ω μ ₀≈3760 Å has been measured. Along with well known features of the function Z _s(T) in high-quality YBa₂Cu₃O_6.95 single crystals, such as the linearity of λ(T) and R _s(T) for T<T _c/3 and a maximum of R _s(T) at T∼T _c/2, the linearity range of λ(T) extends to T≃50 K, and this curve has a plateau in the range 60<T<85 K. The curve of R _s(T) in both the superconducting and normal states of YBa₂Cu₃O_6.95 is well described by a two-fluid model with the electron-phonon mechanism of quasiparticle relaxation. A formula describing the curve of λ ²(0)/λ ²(T) throughout the studied temperature range is also given. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 2210–2222 (December 1997)     

Effect of interlayer single-particle hoppings on the superconducting transition temperature

It is well known that the superconducting transition temperature of high-T _c cuprates depends on the number of CuO₂ planes in the unit cell. The multilayer structure implies the possibility of interlayer hopping. Under the assumption that the interlayer hopping can be specified by the parameter t _⊥(k) = t _⊥(cos(k _x ) − cos(k _y ))², the quasiparticle excitation spectrum for the bilayer cuprate in the superconducting state has been determined in the framework of the t − t′ − t″ − t _⊥ − J* model using the generalized mean-field approximation. It turns out that the interlayer hoppings does not create any additional mechanism of the Cooper paring and does not lead to an increase in T _c . The splitting of the upper Hubbard quasiparticle band attributed to the interlayer hoppings is manifested as two peaks in the doping dependence of the superconducting transition temperature at temperatures below the maximum T _c value for a single-layer cuprate. It has been found that antiferromagnetic interlayer correlations suppress the interlayer splitting. This probably leads to the common doping dependence of T _c for both single-layer and bilayer cuprates.     

Cold nuclear modifications at RHIC and LHC

We use recent nuclear parton distributions, among them the Hirai — Kumano — Nagai (HKN) and Eskola — Paukkunen — Salgado (EPS08) parameterizations, in our pQCD-improved parton model to calculate the nuclear modification factor, R _AA′ (p _T ), at RHIC and at the LHC. At RHIC, the deuteron-gold nuclear modification factor for pions, measured at p _T ≥ 10 GeV/c in central collisions, appears to deviate more from unity than the model results. The slopes of the calculated R _dAu (p _T ) are similar to the slopes of the PHENIX pion and photon data. At LHC, without final-state effects we see a small enhancement of R _dPb (p _T ) in the transverse momentum range 10 GeV/c ≥ p _T ≥ 100 GeV/c for most parameterizations. The inclusion of final-state energy loss will reduce the R _dPb (p _T ) values.     

Characteristic features of the temperature dependence of the surface impedance of YBa2Cu3O6.95 single crystals

The real and imaginary parts of the surface impedance Z _s =R _s +iX _s of YBa₂Cu₃O_6.95 single crystals are measured at a frequency ω/π=9.4 GHz. The quantities R _s (T) and X _s (T) are linear functions of temperature for T<0.3T _c (T _c =93.5 K). A maximum of R _s (T) and a plateau of X _s (T) are observed in the interval 35<T<65 K. Our experimental data, just as all recent measurements of R _s (T) in YBa₂Cu₃O_6.95 single crystals in the temperature range 0<T<1.3T _c , are described well in a two-fluid model which assumes electron-phonon scattering of quasiparticles. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 12, 893–898 (25 June 1997)     

Surface impedance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-(BEDT-TTF)<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu[N(CN)<Subscript>2</Subscript>]Br crystals

Precision measurements of the real and imaginary parts of the microwave surface impedance Z _ac(T) = R _ac(T) + iX _ac(T) of the conducting ac layers of the k-(BEDT-TTF)₂Cu[N(CN)₂]Br crystals in the temperature interval of 0.5 < T < 100 K have demonstrated a series of features: (i) the temperature course of the field penetration depth is close to linear Δλ_ac(T)∞ΔX _ac(T) in the superconducting state at T T _c ∼ 11.5 K; (ii) the curves R _ac(T) = X _ac(T) coincide at T _c < T < 40 K; (iii) the X _ac(T) value at T > 40 K increases in comparison with R _ac(T); (iv) the dependence R _ac(T) at T > 40 K is nonmonotonic in thin crystals. These features of the impedance Z _ac(T) with increasing T are interpreted in terms of (i) the d-type symmetry of the superconducting order parameter, (ii) normal skin effect, (iii) manifestations of the antiferromagnetic fluctuations, and (iv) the size effect. The electrodynamic parameters of k-(BEDT-TTF)₂Cu[N(CN)₂]Br have been determined.     

Effect of annealing temperature on some physical properties of MgB2 by using the Hall probe ac-susceptibility method

A commercially available powder of MgB₂ is used as starting material for the examination of the influence of the annealing temperature on the properties of this intermediate-T_c superconductor. We performed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Hall ac-susceptibility measurements as a function of temperature and ac-field amplitude on samples annealed at 650, 750, 850 and 950 °C. The imaginary part of ac-susceptibility measurements is used to calculate both the inter-granular critical current density, J_c(T_p) and density of pinning force, α_j(0). It was observed that all T_c, J_c(T_p) and α_j(0) exhibit a non-monotonic behavior on the annealing temperature range studied in this work. T_c is measured to be 39.85±0.02 K and J_c(T_p) is estimated to be as high as 60 A/cm² at 39.2 K for the sample annealed at 850 °C. The peak temperature, T_p, in the imaginary part of the ac-susceptibility curves shifts to lower temperatures with both decreasing the annealing temperature and increasing the amplitude of the ac-magnetic fields. A comparison of the experimental ac-susceptibility data with theoretical critical-state models that are currently available is performed. SEM investigations showed that the grain size increases, and the grain connectivity improves when the annealing temperature increases up to 850 °C. The possible reasons for the observed changes in transport, microstructure and magnetic properties due to annealing temperature are discussed.     

Metal-insulator transition induced by a magnetic field in the compounds Eu0.7 A 0.3MnO3 (A=Ca, Sr)

The temperature R(T) and field R(H) dependences of the electrical resistance in the compound Eu_0.7 A _0.3MnO₃ (A=Ca, Sr) are investigated in the temperature range 4.2–200 K in magnetic fields up to 14 T. Above the antiferromagnetic transition temperature T _a, the function R(T) is semiconducting in character. Application of a magnetic field H that exceeds a certain critical value H _c changes the character of the function R(T) for Eu_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ to metallic (dR/dT>0). For T<T _a and H<H _c a jump in the resistance is observed indicating instability of the electronic state caused by competition between charge and spin ordering of the Mn ions of different valences. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 708–712 (April 1998)     

Anisotropic impurity scattering in palladium silver alloys

Measurements have been made of the Hall coefficientR of some alloys of silver in palladium over the temperature range 1°K to 120°K. The alloys contain between ∼1 and ∼10 at.-% silver. Values ofR were also obtained at room temperature and these were in good agreement with earlier published work. The values ofR are negative in all the alloys, and |R| increases both on reducing the temperature and increasing the silver concentration,c. Below ∼10°K, |R| becomes independent of temperature but shows a linear dependence onc, increasing by a factor of 2.5 over the concentration range measured. This increase is too great to be accounted for in terms of band structure changes alone, so we have examined the effects of anisotropic impurity scattering. To a first approximation it can be shown thatR is proportional to an anisotropy parameterA, defined asA=〈τ ²(k)〉/〈τ(k)〉², whereτ(k) represents the relaxation time of an electron in a statek, and 〈〉 is an average over the Fermi surface. In palladium we assume that the majority of the current is carried by the s-electrons. In the presence of silver impurities these electrons can be scattered into s-states or d-states with relaxation times given byτ _ss α1/c(1−c) andτ _sd α1/c ²(1−c) respectively. FollowingPlate we have assumed thatτ _ss is isotropic and thatτ _sd is anisotropic, leading to an overall anisotropic relaxation time for impurity scattering. We then find the parameterA increases approximately linearly with silver content, in accordance with our experimental results.