Specific features in the behavior of electrical resistivity of the pine biocarbon preform/copper composite

The electrical resistivity ρ(T) of the novel type of composites prepared by infiltrating melted copper in vacuum in empty sap channels of white pine high-porosity biocarbon preforms has been measured in the temperature range 5–300 K. Biocarbon preforms have been prepared by pyrolysis of tree wood in an argon flow at two carbonization temperatures, 1000 and 2400°C. The electrical resistivity of the composites has been found to vary relatively weakly with temperature and to pass through a characteristic minimum near 40–50 K, which can be ascribed to iron and manganese impurities penetrating into copper from the carbon preform when liquid copper is infiltrated into it. It has been shown that the electrical resistivity ρ(T) of the composites is governed primarily by the specific microstructure of the preform, which is made up of parallel channels with an average diameter of about 50 μm interrupted by systems of thin capillaries. The small cross section of the copper-filled capillaries accounts for these regions providing the major contribution to the electrical resistivity of the composites. An increase in the wood carbonization temperature brings about a noticeable increase in the effective capillary cross section and a decrease in the electrical resistivity ρ(T) of the composite.     

Normal-state electrical resistivity and superconducting magnetic penetration depth in Eu<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>K<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>As<Subscript>2</Subscript> polycrystals

We report measurements of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, ρ(T), and magnetic pen-etration depth, λ(T), for polycrystalline samples of Eu_0.5K_0.5Fe₂As₂ with T _c = 31 K. ρ(T) follows a linear temperature dependence above T _c and bends over to a weaker temperature dependence around 150 K. The magnetic penetration depth, determined by radio frequency technique displays an unusual minimum around 4 K which is associated with short-range ordering of localized Eu³⁺ moments. The article is published in the original.     

Metal-insulator transition in electron-doped Ba1−x La x MnO3 compounds

Electron-doped (Ba_1−x La _x )MnO₃ compounds were prepared for x=0−0.5. Measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD) at room temperature and temperature variation of dc electrical resistivity down to 20 K were carried out. Samples with x=0.2–0.5 exhibit metal-insulator (M-I) transition. The maximum M-I transition temperature (T _c) of 289 K was observed for 30% of La doping (x=0.3). XRD patterns of these samples (x=0.2−0.5) were analyzed using Rietveld refinement. These samples are found to be mostly in single-phase form with orthorhombic symmetry (space group Pbnm). We have found strong correlation between Mn-O-Mn bond angles and T _c of M-I transition. The resistivity data below T _c could be fitted to the expression ρ=ρ ₁+ρ ₂ T ² and this shows that double exchange interaction plays a major role even in Mn⁴⁺-rich compound. Above T _c the resistivity data were fitted to variable range hopping and small polaron models.     

Anisotropic magnetoresistance of partially relaxed SrRuO3 films

The SrRuO₃ films (50 nm thick) grown by laser evaporation on (001)(LaAlO₃)_0.3 + (Sr₂AlTaO₆)_0.7 substrates were under partially relaxed biaxial compressive mechanical stresses. The films consisted of crystallites with lateral dimensions of 40–100 nm and a relative azimuthal misorientation of about 0.9°. Ferromagnetic ordering of spins in the SrRuO₃ films was manifested by a change in the slope of the temperature dependence of their electrical resistivity ρ at T ≈ 155 K. For a magnetic field H parallel to the measuring current, the maximum values (∼7.5%) of the magnetoresistance MR = [ρ(μ₀ H = 5 T) − ρ(μ₀ H = 0)]/ρ(μ₀ H = 0) were observed at temperatures of about 100 K. At T = 95 K (μ₀ H = 5 T), the anisotropic magnetoresistance of the films was 8% and increased by a factor of approximately 1.5 with decreasing temperature to 4.2 K.     

Structure property correlations in superconducting Ti-Nb alloys

Titanium-rich transition metal alloys are metastable in their quenched boc β phase. The instability is relieved by low temperature structural transformations. We have investigated this in a series of Ti-Nb alloys, through the measurements of electrical resistivity (ρ), superconducting transition temperature and upper critical field. Supporting structural evidence has been obtained from transmission electron microscopy (tem) and x-ray studies. It is shown that both ρ and dρ/dT can be used as useful indices of this instability. The enhanced value of resistivity on account of the instability results in the enhancement of upper critical field as shown from dH _c2/dT measurements.     

Electrical properties of amorphous (Co45Fe45Zr10)x(Al2O3)1?x nanocomposites

The electrical properties of (Co₄₅Fe₄₅Zr₁₀)_x(Al₂O₃)_1−x granular nanocomposites have been studied. The concentration dependences of electrical resistivity are S-shaped (in accordance with the percolation theory of conduction) with a threshold at a metallic component concentration of ∼41 at. %. An analysis of the temperature behavior carried out in the range 300–973 K revealed that structural relaxation and crystallization of the amorphous phase are accompanied by a decrease in the electrical resistivity of the composites above the percolation threshold and by its increase below the percolation threshold. For metallic phase concentrations x<41 at. %, variable range hopping conduction over localized states near the Fermi level was found to be dominant at low temperatures (77–180 K). A further increase in temperature brings about a crossover of the conduction mechanism from Mott’s law ln(σ) ∝ (1/T)^1/4 to ln(σ) ∝ (1/T)^1/2. A model of inelastic resonance tunneling over a chain of localized states of the dielectric matrix was used to find the average number of localized states involved in the charge transport between metallic grains. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 46, No. 11, 2004, pp. 2076–2082. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2004 by Kalinin, Remizov, Sitnikov.     

Magnetic and electrical properties of cation-substituted sulfides MexMn1 ? xS (Me = Co, Gd)

The temperature dependences of the specific magnetization σ and the electrical resistivity ρ of Me _x Mn_{1 − x} S single crystals (Me= Co, Gd; x= 0.05) have been studied in the temperature range 80 K < T < 1000 K. The samples under study have revealed the presence of a spontaneous magnetic moment below the Néel temperature (T _N) and ferromagnetic clusters in Gd_0.05Mn_0.95S in the temperature range 146 K < T < 680 K. Substitution of gadolinium for manganese initiates a transition from p-type to n-type conduction. The change in the conduction type is accompanied by an increase in the electrical resistivity at 300 K by approximately one order of magnitude and, accordingly, by a decrease in the activation energy. The magnetic and electrical properties of the crystals under study have been interpreted in terms of the cluster model with temperature-dependent ferromagnetic exchange and an electron localized in this cluster. Original Russian Text ? S.S. Aplesnin, L.I. Ryabinkina, O.B. Romanova, V.V. Sokolov, A.Yu. Pichugin, A.I. Galyas, O.F. Demidenko, G.I. Makovetskiĭ, K.I. Yanushkevich, 2009, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2009, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 661–664.     

Low temperature resistivity minimum and its correlation with magnetoresistance in La0.67Ba0.33MnO3 nanomanganites

A systematic investigation of structural, magnetic and electrical properties of nanocrystalline La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ materials, prepared by citrate gel method has been undertaken. The temperature-dependant low-temperature resistivity in ferromagnetic metallic (∼50 K) phase shows upturn behavior and is suppressed with applied magnetic field. The experimental data (<75 K) can be best fitted in the frame work of Kondo-like spin-dependant scattering, electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions. It has been found that upturn behavior may be attributed to weak spin disorder scattering including both spin polarization and grain boundary tunneling effects, which are the characteristic features of extrinsic magnetoresistance behavior, generally found in nanocrystalline manganites. The variation of electrical resistivity with temperature in the high temperature ferromagnetic metallic part of electrical resistivity (75K<T<T_P) has been fitted with grain/domain boundary, electron-electron and magnon scattering mechanisms, while the insulating region (T>T_P) of resistivity data has been explained based on adiabatic small polaron hopping mechanism.     

Superconductivity and calorimetric studies of Pr1.85Ce0.15CuO4+δ under different annealing conditions

Polycrystalline samples of electron-doped Pr_1.85Ce_0.15CuO_4+δ have been prepared under different annealing conditions and investigated by means of X-ray-diffraction, oxygen content analysis, electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and low temperature specific heat measurements. X-ray-diffraction patterns show that samples contain a single T′ phase. The superconducting transition temperatures T_cm taken with the onset of diamagnetism in magnetic-susceptibility measurements are 20 and 19.5 K for sample annealed in flowing Ar gas and in vacuum (∼10⁻³ torr), respectively. The data of the samples, which are annealed in flowing Ar gas, show clear evidence for an αT² term at zero magnetic field in superconducting electronic specific heat, and are consistent with d-wave superconductivity. However, this behavior is not observed in the other sample, which is annealed in vacuum. These results indicate that different heat treatments affect the oxygen content, homogeneity, superconducting transition temperature T_c, superconducting volume fraction, and the superconducting pairing symmetry of Pr_1.85Ce_0.15CuO_4+δ.     

Landau level quantization and possible superconducting instabilities in highly oriented pyrolitic graphite

Measurements of the basal-plane resistivity ρ _a(T,H) performed on highly oriented pyrolitic graphite, with magnetic field H∥c-axis in the temperature interval 2–300K and fields up to 8 T, provide evidence for the occurrence of both field-induced and zero-field superconducting instabilities. Additionally, magnetization M(T,H) measurements suggest the occurrence of Fermi surface instabilities which compete with the superconducting correlations. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 2135–2138 (December 1999)     

Inhomogeneous state of the electron system in the Sr14 ? x Ca x Cu24O41 superconducting cuprate: 63Cu-17O NMR study

Charge fluctuations in quasi-one-dimensional hole-doped Sr₁₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ (Ca-0) and Sr₂Ca₁₂Cu₂₄O₄₁ (Ca-12) spin-ladder cuprates have been studied with the use of ⁶³Cu-¹⁷O NMR. Spin-echo decay rates ¹⁷(1/T ₂) and ⁶³(1/T ₂) have been measured in the temperature range of T = 10–300 K. The variation of ¹⁷(1/T ₂) and ⁶³(1/T ₂) in the Ca-0 compound is monotonic in the entire temperature range of the NMR study. In the Ca-rich compound, pronounced peaks have been observed in the decay rates ¹⁷(1/T ₂) and ⁶³(1/T ₂) at temperatures of 25 and 50 K, respectively. This result indicates the presence of collective low-frequency (τ_c ∼ T ₂) charge density fluctuations in superconducting Ca-12 with an activation energy of E _A = 100(10) K. The fluctuations gradually slow down as the temperature decreases. The amplitude of the charge density fluctuations is only 0.01–0.02 hole per site. ¹⁷O-⁶³Cu spin-echo double-resonance (SEDOR) experiments in Sr_{14 − x} Ca _x Cu₂₄O₄₁ oxides with x = 0 and 12 have been performed depending on the temperature and orientation of single crystals in a magnetic field. The constants of an indirect heteronuclear ¹⁷O-⁶³Cu interaction of nuclear spins mediated by conduction electrons have been measured. The estimates of the indirect interaction constants for nearest neighbors O1-Cu and O2-Cu, as well as SEDOR experiments with selective excitation of separate sections of ¹⁷O and ⁶³Cu NMR spectra, provide convincing evidence of the microscopically inhomogeneous spatial distribution of spin density developing in a crystal. Original Russian Text ? Yu.V. Piskunov, V.V. Ogloblichev, S.V. Verkhovsky, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 86, No. 11, pp. 850–855.     

Intrinsic inhomogeneities of low-doped lanthanum manganites in the paramagnetic temperature range

The nature of the electrical resistivity for low-doped lanthanum manganites is elucidated. The electrical resistivity is described by the Efros-Shklovskii law (lnρ √ (T ₀/T)^−1/2, where T ₀ √ 1/R _ls) in the temperature range from T* ≈ 300 K ≈ T _C (T _C is the Curie temperature for conducting manganites) to their T _C and is explained by the tunneling of carriers between localized states. The magnetoresistance is explained by a change in the size of localized states R _ls in a magnetic field. The patterns of change in R _ls with temperature and magnetic field strength determined from magnetotransport properties are satisfactorily described in the model of phase separation into small-radius metallic droplets in a paramagnetic matrix. The sizes R _ls and their temperature dependence have been estimated through magnetic measurements. The results confirm the existence of a Griffith phase. The intrinsic inhomogeneities produced by thermodynamic phase separation determine the electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance of lanthanum manganites.     

X-ray microanalysis of quaternary semiconductor solid solutions and its application to the (SnTe-SnSe):In system

A reliable technique of local chemical characterization of multicomponent semiconductor solid solutions has been developed, and the possibility of its application to the SnTe-SnSe quaternary solid solutions doped with 16 at.% In verified. The behavior of the electrical resistivity of samples of these solid solutions at low temperatures, 0.4–4.2 K, has been studied. The critical temperature T _c and the second critical magnetic field H _c2 of the superconducting transition and their dependences on the solid-solution composition have been determined. The superconducting transition at T _c≈2–3 K is due to hole filling of the In-impurity resonance states, and the observed variation of the superconducting transition parameters with increasing Se content in the solid solution is related to the extrema in the valence band and the In band of resonance states shifting with respect to one another. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 612–617 (April 1999)     

Influence of grain boundaries on resistivity of manganites La1 − x K x MnO3

Results of investigation of resistivity and magnetoresistance of manganites La_{1 − x} K _x MnO₃ (x = 0.050–0.175) are presented. Behavior of resistivity ρ(T) in the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases has been described. To describe ρ(T) near the phase-transition temperature, notions of the percolation theory have been used. Two maxima have been found in the dependence ρ(T); their appearance has been attributed to the ceramic nature of the studied samples. The observed increase in magnetoresistance with a decrease in temperature is caused by intergranular spin-polarized tunneling of charge carriers.     

Structural, magnetotransport and morphological studies of Sb-doped La2/3Ba1/3MnO3 ceramic perovskites

We report here the structural, magnetotransport and morphological studies of Sb-doped La_2/3Ba_1/3Mn_1−xSb_xO₃ perovskite manganites. Pristine material La_2/3Ba_1/3MnO₃ (LBMO) shows two insulator-metal (I-M) transitions in the electrical resistivity-temperature (ρ-T) behavior. While the higher temperature transition (T_P1) at ∼340 K is reminiscent of the usual I-M transition in manganites, the lower temperature transition (T_P2) at ∼250 K has been ascribed to the grain boundary (GB) effects arising out of the ionic size mismatch between the ions present at the rare-earth site (La³⁺ and Ba²⁺). With Sb-doping T_P1 shifts to lower temperatures while T_P2 remains invariant up to 3% and shifts to lower temperature for 5%. Room temperature electrical resistivity and the peak values also increase successively with Sb-doping. Scanning electron micrographs of the samples exhibit a gradual increase in their grain sizes with Sb indicating a gradual decrease in the GB density. Shift of T_P1 with doping is explained on the basis of a competition between double-exchange and super-exchange mechanisms. The overall electrical resistivity increases and the shift in the electrical resistivity hump (T_P2) with Sb-doping is found related to be gradually decreasing GB density and the ensuing lattice strain increase at the GBs. The intrinsic magnetoresistance (MR) gets suppressed and extrinsic MR gets enhanced with Sb-doping. At T>T_P1, the electrical resistivity is found to follow the adiabatic polaron hopping model whereas the electron-magnon scattering is found to dominate in the metallic regime (T<T_P1).     

Low-temperature electrical conductivity and the superconductor-insulator transition induced by indium impurity states in (Pb0.5Sn0.5)1 ? xInxTe solid solutions

A study is reported of the low-temperature electrophysical (including superconducting) characteristics of the (Pb_0.5Sn_0.5)_{1 − x} In _x Te semiconducting solid solutions with an indium content variable within x = 0.05–0.20. A decrease in the impurity content x in the material has been found to bring about a decrease in the superconducting transition temperature T _c and the onset of an “insulating” state of the material. These effects manifest themselves in an increase in the low-temperature (T = 4.2 K) resistivity of (Pb_0.5Sn_0.5)_0.95In_0.05Te by more than three orders of magnitude as compared to that of (Pb_0.5Sn_0.5)_0.8In_0.2Te. A decrease in the In content in the solid solution also gives rise to a radical change in the shape of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity from a metallic behavior in the material with x = 0.20 (decrease in the electrical resistivity with decreasing temperature in the range 300–4.2 K) to a semiconducting behavior in a sample with x = 0.05 (exponential increase in the resistivity at T < 25 K). This transition to the insulating state with decreasing content of the impurity should be assigned to the displacement of the impurity band of quasi-local indium states toward the top of the light-hole valence band of the material and its emergence into the band gap of the solid solution.     

Intrinsic Josephson junctions in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ single crystals

We report on thec-axis superconducting energy gap parameter Δ _c (T) of intrinsic Josephson tunnel junctions inBi ₂ Sr ₂ CaCu ₂ O _8+δ (Bi2212) single crystals. Δ _c (4.2K)≈10−13 meV, which is approximately a factor of two smaller than reported in the majority of tunneling experiments. Δ _c (T) deviates strongly from the BCS temperature dependence. These observations may be explained by a multilayer model of Bi2212 which assumes that theBi−O layers are superconducting due to the proximity effects. The Josephson tunneling then takes place between adjacentBi−O layers while there is a strong proximity coupling betweenBi−O andCu−O layers. The work is supported by Swedish Supercon-ductivity Consortium and NUTEK, and, in part, by Russian Foundation for Basic Research, grant #95-02-04307     

Magnetic, electrical, and optical properties of Ca1 ? x Ce x MnO3 ( x ≤ 0.12) single crystals

The magnetic, electrical, and optical properties of Ca_{1 − x} Ce _x MnO₃ (x≤0.12) manganite single crystals are investigated with the aim of revealing the specific features of the multiphase electronic and magnetic state as a function of the cerium concentration and the atmosphere used for growing single crystals. It is found that the concentration dependence of the low-temperature magnetization M(x) of the single crystals is shifted toward the high-concentration range as compared to the corresponding dependence of the polycrystals, which is explained by the predominant cation deficiency. The electrical resistivity and the reflection spectra of the single crystals in the infrared spectral range indicate that charge carriers exhibit a band nature at temperatures close to room temperature. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of the single crystal with x = 0.08, which has the maximum magnetization in the studied series of Ca_{1 − x} Ce _x MnO₃ compounds, unlike polycrystals, exhibits a metallic behavior over the entire temperature range. The G-type antiferromagnetic phase with the Néel and Curie temperatures T _N(G) = T _C = 100 K is characterized by maxima of the electrical resistivity ρ and the magnetoresistance Δρ/ρ = |(ρ₀ − ρ _H )/ρ₀| = 38% in the magnetic field H = 90 kOe. The magnetoresistance Δρ/ρ of the single crystals at cerium concentrations x = 0.10 and 0.12 with variations in temperature exhibit three specific features: near the temperature of charge ordering T _co, near the temperature of the magnetic phase transition to the C-type antiferromagnetic phase T _N(C), and near the temperature of the phase transition to the magnetic charge-ordered phase T _N(MCO). An anomalous temperature dependence of the magnetization is revealed for a single crystal with x = 0.10 grown in oxygen at a pressure of 5 atm, which is explained by the presence of regions with hole conductivity due to cation deficiency. The inhomogeneous electronic and magnetic state is associated with the interrelation of the charge, orbital, and spin orderings. Original Russian Text ? N.N. Loshkareva, A.V. Korolev, N.I. Solin, E.V. Mostovshchikova, S.V. Naumov, N.V. Kostromitina, A.M. Balbashov, 2009, published in Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2009, Vol. 135, No. 1, pp. 98–107.     

Electrical transport of (1−x)La0.7Ca0.3MnO3+xAl2O3 composites

We report the resistivity (ρ)-temperature (T) patterns in (1-x)La_0,7Ca_0,3MnO₃+xAl₂O₃ composites (0≤x≤0.05) over a temperature regime of 50-300 K. Al₂O₃ addition has increased the resistivity of these composites. The Curie temperature (T_C) is almost independent on the Al₂O₃ content and is about 250 K for all the samples, while the metal-insulator transition temperature (T_MI) decreases with increasing Al₂O₃ content. Based on the phenomenological equation for conductivity under a percolation approach, which is dependent on the phase segregation of ferromagnetic metallic clusters and paramagnetic insulating regions, we fitted the experimental data (ρ−T) from 50 to 300 K and find that the activation barrier increases as Al₂O₃ content increases.