Effect of ordering of mobile oxygen on spectra of two-magnon and electronic Raman scattering of light in YBa2Cu3O6+x crystals with different doping levels

The effect of ordering of mobile chain-site oxygen in YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x crystals at different doping levels x on the kinetics of the intensity change of the two-magnon line and the extended structureless electronic continuum in optical Raman spectra and on the superconducting transition temperature T _c , has been studied in detail. An increase in the chain-site oxygen content x leads to a higher contribution of free carriers to the electronic continuum in Raman spectra. The kinetics of the electronic continuum becomes slower with x, whereas the relaxation rate of the two-magnon scattering is a nonmonotonic function of the stoichiometric index. Computer simulations of the relaxation of nonequilibrium states using the Monte Carlo technique qualitatively describe the kinetics observed in experiments. Our results lead us to a conclusion about local inhomogeneities in the electronic and spin systems in CuO₂ planes with scales of several lattice constants. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 684–703 (August 1999)     

Interaction of YBa2Cu3O6.8 with atmospheric moisture during low-temperature annealing

The interaction of YBa₂Cu₃O_6.8 (123) with water vapors at T = 200°C and the water influence on the structure and electrophysical properties of the compound have been studied using Raman spectroscopy, magnetometry, and X-ray diffraction. It has been found that the penetration of water into the 123 structure leads to its transition to a hydride-oxyhydroxide H_{2x ? z} YBa₂Cu₃O _{y + x ? z} (OH) _z containing fragments of the 124-type structure and exhibiting the spectrum of two-magnon scattering characteristic of antiferromagnetic 123 á compositions; in this case, the superconducting properties of the material as a whole are conserved. After short-time recovery annealing and subsequent oxidation, the water is removed from the compound structure, which leads to the disappearance of the spectrum of spin fluctuations. A possible mechanism of change in the 123 structure upon hydrogen and water intercalation has been discussed.     

Nonlinearity of the current-voltage characteristics for YBa2Cu3O7–x single crystals and the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition

The nonlinearity of the current-voltage characteristics for YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} single crystals is investigated in the vicinity of the superconducting transition temperature T _c , and the mechanisms responsible for the nonlinearity of the current-voltage characteristics are considered. The current-voltage characteristics and the amplitudes of the higher voltage harmonics for the YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} single crystals are directly measured using modulation Fourier analysis. It is shown that the positions of the maxima in the amplitudes of the higher voltage harmonics coincide with the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature T _BKT. This coincidence can provide a means for determining the transition temperature T _BKT. A number of parameters characterizing the YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} single crystals in the superconducting state are estimated using the experimental results and the model of a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. The parameters thus estimated are in good agreement with the data available in the literature.     

Phase diagram for stripes in YBa2Cu3O6+x superconductors

Neutron scattering has been used to measure the charge and spin structure in the YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x superconductors. Incommensurate static charge ordering is found at low doping levels while only charge fluctuations are found at higher doping. The spin structure is complex with both a commensurate resonance and incommensurate structure observed at low temperatures. The scattering results are used to construct a phase diagram for stripes in the YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x system.     

Observation of the second harmonic in the phase dependence of a superconducting current in Nb/Au/YBCO heterojunctions

The second harmonic in the dependence of a superconducting current on the phase difference of superconducting wave functions of the electrodes was observed experimentally in Nb/Au/(001)YBa₂Cu₃O_x heterojunctions. Possible reasons for its appearance were discussed within the framework of a mixed (d±s) symmetry order parameter of YBa₂Cu₃O_x.     

Understanding the role of heavy ion-irradiation induced surface columnar nanostructures through FESEM imaging

In this paper we report on the effects of “surface columnar defects” (blind holes) generated by heavy ion irradiation by performing Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) imaging of the columns created across a selected set of specimens, ranging from YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x melt-textured bulks and Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_x monofilamentary tapes to YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x single crystals. Different ion fluences, resulting into modifying the superconducting properties, were sampled. A correlation between FESEM patterns and volume integrated measurements shows how surface columnar defects claim the leadership of the superconducting behaviors of the ion implanted samples.     

Investigation of superconductivity and magnetism in ceramic YBa2Cu3O6+x

In this work the magnetic and superconducting properties of YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x , ceramic samples are studied with regard to there preparations technology and oxygen content. It is shown that at 0.41≤x≤0.45 the magnetic and superconducting states coexist.     

Analysis of nonlinearity of magnetization of YBa2Cu3O7 − x by the magnetic field modulation method

Temperature dependences of the magnetization harmonics of YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} monodomain samples are studied experimentally at temperatures of 77–120 K. It is found that nonlinearity of magnetization of YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} (higher harmonics generation) is observed up to temperatures T = 103–112 K, which are much higher than the superconducting transition temperature of this compound. At the same temperatures, the temperature dependence of resistivity begins to deviate from linearity. The observed singularity of the magnetization of YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} is associated with the emergence of a pseudogap state in this compound.     

Andreev states and the Josephson effect in superconducting heterojunctions on thin YBa2Cu3Ox films

Conductance anomalies at low bias voltages and superconducting currents in Au/YBa₂Cu₃O_x and Nb/Au/YBa₂Cu₃O_x heterojunctions in which the c axis of the YBa₂Cu₃O_x (YBCO) epitaxial film is rotated in the (110) YBCO plane through 11° with respect to the normal to the substrate plane were studied experimentally. The films were prepared by laser deposition onto (7 2 10)-oriented NdGaO₃ substrates. The current-voltage characteristics of the heterojunctions exhibit conductance anomalies at low voltages. The behavior of these anomalies is studied at various temperatures and in various magnetic fields. The critical current and Shapiro steps observed in the current-voltage characteristics of Nb/Au/YBa₂Cu₃O_x were evidence of the Josephson effect in these heterojunctions. The experimental results are analyzed in terms of the model of the arising of bound states caused by Andreev reflection in superconductors with d-type symmetry of the superconducting order parameter.     

Oxygen stability in YBa2Cu3O7−x

The highT _c superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7?x has been found to lose appreciable amount of oxygen in a surprisingly low temperature range (～425–630 K), which drastically degrades the superconducting property. Accompanying this oxygen loss, the resistance behaviour has also been found to change from metallic to semiconducting.     

Detection of YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7−x</Subscript> magnetization nonlinearity in a pseudogap region

The temperature dependences of magnetization higher harmonics were studied experimentally in single-domain YBa₂Cu₃O_7?x samples above T _c . YBa₂Cu₃O_7?x magnetization nonlinearity was found in different samples up to temperatures T = 103–112 K, which is much higher than the temperature of transition into the superconducting state of the given compound. The observed specific feature of YBa₂Cu₃O_7?x magnetization is associated with the occurrence of pseudogap state in this compound.     

Magnetic response of ferromagnet-superconductor bilayers

Magnetic measurements on a ferromagnet/insulator/superconductor (La_2/3Ca_1/3MnO₃/SrTiO₃/YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x) structures were performed with the field applied parallel to the plane of the film. We observed an evidence of a modification of the ferromagnetic domain structure in the magnetic layer induced by the superconducting transition in the neighboring superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x layer.     

Magnetization harmonics for YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> textured polycrystals above the superconducting transition temperature

The temperature dependences of the third and other higher magnetization harmonics for YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} textured polycrystals are experimentally investigated in the temperature range 77–120 K. It is revealed that the magnetization of the YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} textured polycrystals exhibits a nonlinear behavior up to temperatures considerably higher than the superconducting transition temperature. The observed nonlinearity of the magnetization of the YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} textured polycrystals is attributed to the pseudogap state that appears for this compound at a temperature T ～ 102 K.     

Effect of low-temperature annealing on the magnetization curve of YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>6 + <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> ceramics

The effect of low-temperature annealing on the magnetization curve of YBa₂Cu₃O_{6 + x} ceramics in the superconducting state (x ≈ 0.9) is investigated. When the annealing time is fairly long, the field dependence of magnetic moment M exhibits a feature in the form of a plateau, where the value of M remains almost constant. The evolution of this feature in the magnetization curves of annealed samples with annealing time and temperature is studied. It is assumed that low-temperature annealing gives rise to metastable ferromagnetic clusters in YBa₂Cu₃O_{6 + x} ceramics, the contribution of which to the magnetic moment accounts for the feature in the magnetization curves of the annealed samples.     

NMR and NQR studies of spin dynamics and superconductivity in High-T c oxides

The magnetic and superconducting properties in the high-T _c cuprates have been investigated over a wide hole doping range by⁶³Cu,¹⁷O and²⁰⁵Tl NMR and NQR in the lightly-doped La_2?xSr_xCuO₄ (LSCO), the heavily-doped Tl₂Ba₂CuO_6+y (TBCO) and the Zn-doped YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO₇). In low doping region, the large antiferromagnetic (AF) spin correlation around the zone boundary (q=Q) causes the Curie-Weiss behavior of⁶³(1/T ₁ T) associated with that of the staggered susceptibility χ_O(T) in LSCO. In the vicinity of the hole content whereT _c has a peak, the AF spin correlation still survives, although the magnetic coherence length ξ_M is considerably short being presumably (ξ_M/a) ～ 1. The further doping destroys progressively the AF spin correlation, which is no longer present is non-superconducting TBCO compounds. These NMR evidences signify that there is an intimate relation between the presence of the AF spin correlation and the onset of the superconductivity. The local collapse of AF spin correlation is a primary cause for the unexpected strong reduction ofT _c in case of the substitution of Zn impurities into the CuO₂ plane. The superconducting properties clarified by NMR experiments cannot be accounted for by the conventional BCS model or other isotropic s-wave models. A d-wave model is applicable in interpreting consistently most of the NMR results, if the finite density of states at the Fermi level is taken into consideration and is associated with the pair breaking effect. There are increasing evidences that the magnetic mechanism for the superconductivity is promising in high-T _c cuprates.     

Anomalous proximity effect in superconducting oxide structures with an antiferromagnetic layer

The electrophysical parameters of superconductor/antiferromagnetic insulator structures based on the Nb/Au/Ca_1?x Sr _x CuO₂/YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ hybrid heterostructure have been examined. YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ and Ca_1?x Sr _x SuO₂ epitaxial films are grown by the laser ablation method on NdGaO₃ single crystal substrates, the thickness of the Ca_1?x Sr _x CuO₂ layer varies from 20 to 50 nm, and x = 0.15 and 0.5. The superconducting pair potential in the interface between the YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ superconductor and Ca_1?x Sr _x CuO₂ antiferromagnet is found to penetrate into the antiferromagnet at distances much larger than the coherence length calculated for the ferromagnetic layer. The critical current of the superconducting transition manufactured at such an interface is highly sensitive to the magnetic field.     

Antiferromagnetic order in PrBa2Cu3O x (x≈6, 7)

Zero and weak transverse fieldμ ⁺ SR measurements on PrBa₂Cu₃O _x samples withx≈6 andx≈7 show ordered magnetism in both oxygen concentration limits. As expected for equivalent doping (nominally PrBa₂Cu₃O _x ∼YBa₂Cu₃O _x −0.5), neither sample is superconducting. Two muon signals are observed in thex≈6 sample, as in YBa₂Cu₃O₆, but only one (the weaker) has the same local magnetic field as in YBa₂Cu₃O₆. In thex≈7 sample, only one site is observed; its local field is reduced with respect to that of the primary site in YBa₂Cu₃O₆ by a factor roughly consistent with the carrier-density dependence of the Cu ion moment in antiferromagnetic YBa₂Cu₃O _x .     

The hole concentration on oxygen sites in the highT c superconductor Y1−Ba2−Cu3−O7−x

From XPS core level spectroscopy the average copper charge on the Cu sites in the high temperature superconductor Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7–x is determined as function of the oxygen vacancy concentrationx. Analysis of these data leads to the suggestion that there are holes on the oxygen sites in the basal plane of the crystal structure. The probability for holes on these oxygen ions is rather constant for 0x0.3 with a value of 0.64 and decreases to zero forx=0.5. The dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on the hole concentration is discussed. An energy level diagram for Cu²⁺ and Cu³⁺ in YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x is constructed.     

Optical investigation of coherent and thermal phonons in high-T c superconductors

Low-energy phonons in NdBa₂Cu₃O_7?x and Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+x superconducting single crystals have been studied by Raman scattering and reflectivity measurements with femtosecond-scale resolution. Raman scattering provides information on equilibrium thermal phonons, whereas information about a coherent state of the phonon system is obtained by measuring in the time domain when the phonon system is pumped by an ultrashort pulse and subsequently probed by a properly gated second pulse. It is shown that both methods yield similar results for the phonon mode energies, while the energy relaxation and dephasing rates exhibit a tendency to disagreement.