Temperature sensitivity and noise of an HTSC Josephson detector on a sapphire bicrystal substrate at 77 K

In YBa₂Cu₃O_{7 ? x} films grown on sapphire bicrystal substrates, the Josephson junctions are prepared based on artificial grain boundaries formed by the turn of the crystal lattices about the [100] axis. The films are deposited by the laser ablation method on the buffer CeO₂ layer. The critical film temperature reaches 88.5 K with a transition width of 1.5 K. Junctions from 2 to 3-μ m wide are integrated into the planar log-periodic antennas and their characteristics are measured at 77 K. The characteristic voltage I _c R _n reaches 570 μV. With exposure to external radiation at a frequency of 113 GHz, the Shapiro steps were observed on the current-voltage characteristic. The temperature sensitivity of this detector placed in a quasi-optical receiving unit is measured. At the modulation of the input radiation temperature 77 K/300 K, a response of more than 200 nV is observed at the detector output. At the modulation frequency, intrinsic noise is about 1 nV/Hz^1/2, which corresponds to a temperature resolution of 1 K.     

Magnetic studies with μSR at high pressures

A newly developed high pressure-low temperature μSR spectrometer was employed for two types of magnetic studies. Firstly we measured the pressure dependence of the local magnetic field B_μ in Fe, Co and Ni at 77 K up to 7 kbar. From the pressure derivative dlnB_μ/dP the volume derivative dlnB _Hf /dlnV was deduced. In connection with previous room temperature data we calculated the temperature dependence of B_hf at constant volume. It deviates markedly from the temperature dependence of the host magnetization. Secondly, we looked at the pressure dependence of the muonic Knight shift in Sb at 30 K for polycrystalline and single crystal samples. A strong pressure dependence was observed which depends on the orientation of the magnetic field relative to the c-axis. The pressure coefficients of the isotropic and the axial term of the Knight shift were deduced.     

Fast nonequilibrium induction detectors based on thin superconducting films

A new type of fast detector is proposed. The operation of the detector is based on the change induced in the kinetic inductance of NbN and YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconducting films by nonequilibrium quasiparticles produced by electromagnetic radiation. The speed of a NbN detector is essentially temperature-independent and is less than 1 ps. A model based on the Omen-Scalapino scheme describes well the experimental dependence of the voltage-power sensitivity of a NbN detector on the modulation frequency of the radiation. A low equilibrium quasiparticle density and a high quantum yield give detecting power D*=10¹²W⁻¹ · cm · Hz^1/2 at temperature T=4.2 K and D*=10¹⁶ W⁻¹ · cm · Hz^1/2 at temperature T=1.6 K. The time constant of the low-temperature YBaCuO induction detector is determined only by the electron-phonon interaction time τ _e-ph ^d in the nodal regions. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 63–69 (October 1998)     

Microwave photoresistance in a two-dimensional electron system with anisotropic mobility

The effect of microwave radiation on magnetotransport in single GaAs quantum wells with anisotropic mobility, whose maximum corresponds to the direction and minimum to the [110] direction, is investigated using the Van der Pauw method. In samples shaped as squares with sides oriented along the and [110] directions, giant oscillations of magnetoresistance arise under the effect of a microwave field for the both and [110] orientations of the measuring current I _ac. In the anisotropic two-dimensional system under study, the relative amplitude of microwave photoresistance oscillations in a magnetic field weakly depends on the orientation of I _ac. At a temperature of 4.2 K and a microwave frequency of 130 GHz, magnetic field intervals characterized by close-to-zero resistance manifest themselves only for the case of the [110] orientation of I _ac. The aforementioned experimental results are qualitatively explained by a quasi-one-dimensional potential modulation of the two-dimensional electron gas in the [110] direction. Original Russian Text ? A.A. Bykov, D.R. Islamov, A.V. Goran, A.K. Bakarov, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 86, No. 12, pp. 891–895.     

Charge ordering in crystals of Pr1? x Sr x MnO3 ( x = 0.22, 0.24) ferromagnetic manganites

The structural and magnetic states of Pr_1−x Sr _x MnO₃ (x = 0.22, 0.24) manganite crystals were studied over a wide temperature range. Measurements of the magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity demonstrated that these manganites belong to the class of ferromagnetic semiconductors. Thermal neutron elastic scattering patterns revealed that, in the temperature range 4.2–350 K, the manganites have an orthorhombic structure (space group Pnma) with a well-pronounced cooperative Jahn-Teller effect. Major emphasis was placed on the nuclear magnetic superstructure with a wave vector q = (2π/2a, 0, 2π/2c). It was shown that this superstructure suggests 1/4-type charge ordering in the manganites under investigation. Original Russian Text ? S.F. Dubinin, S.G. Teploukhov, V.E. Arkhipov, V.D. Parkhomenko, é.A. Neĭfel’d, A.V. Korolev, N.A. Ugryumova, Ya.M. Mukovskiĭ, 2007, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2007, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 704–710.     

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.     

Anomalous hall effect in HoB12

Within a wide temperature range of 1.8–300 K, the Hall effect in holmium dodecaboride is investigated. The measurements of the angular dependences of the Hall resistance ρ_H(φ, T, H) for HoB₁₂ performed in a high magnetic field up to 80 kOe at helium and intermediate temperatures made it possible to separate the normal and anomalous contributions to the Hall effect. Analysis of the anomalous component behavior in the paramagnetic and Néel phases suggests the appearance of the 5d-state magnetic polarization (the spin polaron effect) and makes it possible to compare the revealed features of the Hall coefficient R _H(T, H) with the H-T magnetic phase diagram of HoB₁₂. Original Russian Text ? N.E. Sluchanko, D.N. Sluchanko, V.V. Glushkov, S.V. Demishev, N.A. Samarin, N.Yu. Shitsevalova, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 86, No. 9, pp. 691–694.     

Persistent spin splitting of a two-dimensional electron gas in tilted magnetic fields

The effect of atomic disorder on the electron transport and the magnetoresistance (MR) of Co₂CrAl Heusler alloy (HA) films has been investigated. We show that Co₂CrAl films with L2₁ order exhibit a negative value for the temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) in a temperature range of 10 < T < 290 K, and the temperature dependence of electric conductivity varies as T ^3/2 similarly to that of the zero-gap semiconductors. The atomic or the site disorder on the way of L2₁ → B2 → A2 → amorphous state in Co₂CrAl HA films causes the deviation from this dependence: reduction in the absolute value of TCR as well as decrease in the resistivity down to ϱ(T = 293 K) ∼ 200 μΩ cm in comparison to ϱ(T = 293 K) ∼ 230 μΩ cm typical for the Co₂CrAl films with L2₁ order. The magnetic-field dependence of MR of the Co₂CrAl films with L2₁ order is determined by two competing contributions: a positive Lorentz scattering and a negative s-d scattering. The atomic disorder in Co₂CrAl films drastically changes MR behavior due to its strong influence on the magnetic properties.     

Optical study of the electronic structure and magnetic ordering in a weak ferromagnet FeBO3

Spectral dependences of the relative permittivity ɛ = ɛ₁ − iɛ₂ of a uniaxial weak ferromagnet FeBO₃ are measured for two principal polarizations in the energy range 0.6–5.6 eV. The positions have been determined for the charge-transfer transitions that make the main contribution to absorption above the bandgap and determine the refractive-index dispersion below the bandgap. The isotropic magnetic contribution to the refractive index has been detected by studying the temperature dependence of the refractive index in the range 100–700 K; its value (≈2 × 10⁻²) is found to be record high for magnetic dielectrics. The energy shift of the effective oscillator, which characterizes the shift of the positions of the charge-transfer transitions due to magnetic ordering, is determined from these data within the framework of a single-oscillator model. The value of the exchange striction in FeBO₃ is determined from optical measurements. Original Russian Text ? P.A. Markovin, A.M. Kalashnikova, R.V. Pisarev, Th. Rasing, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 86, No. 11, pp. 822–827.     

Effect of high pressure and chemical substitution on the crystal structure and magnetic state of R2Fe17 ? x Six (R = Lu or Y; x = 0 or 1.7)

The effect of high pressure on the crystal structure of the intermetallic compounds R₂Fe_{17 − x} Si_x (R = Lu or Y; x = 0 or 1.7) was studied using neutron diffraction. A correlation between changes in structural parameters and magnetic properties under the action of high pressure, as well as under chemical substitution of Si for Fe atoms, was analyzed in terms of localized moment and spin fluctuation models. The spin fluctuation model was found to describe more adequately the experimentally observed increase in the Curie temperature upon chemical substitution and the decrease in this temperature under the action of high pressure. Possible reasons for the suppression of a collinear ferromagnetic state and the occurrence of a noncollinear antiferromagnetic state in R₂Fe_17−x Si_x under pressure are discussed based on estimated differences between the total energy minima of these states. Original Russian Text ? D.P. Kozlenko, V.I. Voronin, V.P. Glazkov, B.N. Savenko, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 86, No. 9, pp. 675–680.     

Phase transitions in solid solutions (1 ? x)BaTiO3-xBaMg1/3B2/3O3 (B = Nb, Ta)

The dielectric properties of ceramic samples of (1 − x)BaTiO₃-xBaMg_1/3Nb_2/3O₃ and (1 − x)BaTio₃-xBaMg_1/3Ta_2/3O₃ solid solutions (x = 0–0.25) are investigated in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 100 kHz at temperatures of 77–450 K. It is shown that the (x−T) phase diagrams of these solid solutions at x = 0.05 have a multiphase point at which the lines of all three phase transitions of BaTiO₃ converge. Original Russian Text ? V.G. Zalesskiĭ, V.V. Lemanov, E.P. Smirnova, A.V. Sotnikov, N. V. Zaĭtseva, 2007, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2007, Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 108–112.     

Sensitive detection of temperature behind reflected shock waves using wavelength modulation spectroscopy of CO2 near 2.7?μm

Tunable diode-laser absorption of CO₂ near 2.7 μm incorporating wavelength modulation spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection (WMS-2f) is used to provide a new sensor for sensitive and accurate measurement of the temperature behind reflected shock waves in a shock-tube. The temperature is inferred from the ratio of 2f signals for two selected absorption transitions, at 3633.08 and 3645.56 cm⁻¹, belonging to the ν ₁+ν ₃ combination vibrational band of CO₂ near 2.7 μm. The modulation depths of 0.078 and 0.063 cm⁻¹ are optimized for the target conditions of the shock-heated gases (P∼1–2 atm, T∼800–1600 K). The sensor is designed to achieve a high sensitivity to the temperature and a low sensitivity to cold boundary-layer effects and any changes in gas pressure or composition. The fixed-wavelength WMS-2f sensor is tested for temperature and CO₂ concentration measurements in a heated static cell (600–1200 K) and in non-reactive shock-tube experiments (900–1700 K) using CO₂–Ar mixtures. The relatively large CO₂ absorption strength near 2.7 μm and the use of a WMS-2f strategy minimizes noise and enables measurements with lower concentration, higher accuracy, better sensitivity and improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) relative to earlier work, using transitions in the 1.5 and 2.0 μm CO₂ combination bands. The standard deviation of the measured temperature histories behind reflected shock waves is less than 0.5%. The temperature sensor is also demonstrated in reactive shock-tube experiments of n-heptane oxidation. Seeding of relatively inert CO₂ in the initial fuel-oxidizer mixture is utilized to enable measurements of the pre-ignition temperature profiles. To our knowledge, this work represents the first application of wavelength modulation spectroscopy to this new class of diode lasers near 2.7 μm.     

Giant dielectric susceptibility and magnetocapacitance effect in manganites at room temperature

Extremely high values of the relative permittivity up to 10⁷ and the magnetocapacitance up to 10⁵% have been found in La_{1 − x} Sr _x MnO₃ single crystals (x = 0.1, 0.11). These phenomena are observed even at room temperature. The observed behavior can be a consequence of the strong interaction among charge, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom, which leads to charge and phase separation in the regime before the percolation threshold. Original Russian Text ? R.F. Mamin, T. Egami, Z. Marton, C.A. Migachev, M.F. Sadykov, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 86, No. 10, pp. 731–735.     

Low-voltage low-temperature electroluminescence of CdF2-RE thin films

Different electroluminescence spectrums of the blueλ _max =420 nm wide-banded low-temperature low-voltage radiation of CdF₂-RE films at different levels of excitation in the region of temperatures of 77–300K are investigated. The kinetic characteristics and temperature dependence of this radiation are explored. An effect of the resonance interaction of the centers of luminescence of the wide-band and line radiation of the RE-centers is found. A model of the center of the wide-band radiation is suggested. It is shown that the “blue” radiation is caused by recombination of the carriers. Institute of Physics of Semiconductors of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Nauka Ave., 45, 252028, Kiev. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 127–132, January–February, 1999.     

Intrinsic Josephson effects in 60-K phase YBCO thin film mesas

We fabricatedc-axis oriented meas on YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ thin films. Columnar structures with an area of 20×20 μm² and a depth of 0.1 μm were formed on oxygen deficient films with a critical temperature (T _c ) of 64 K or less. The devices showed hysteretic I–V curves without any branches. The dependence of the critical current density on the temperature nearT _c is explained by the Ambegaokar-Baratoff relation.     

Electro- and magnetotransport in La0.67Ba0.33MnO3 nanosized films coherently grown on a vicinally polished (LaAlO3)0.29 + (SrAl0.5Ta0.5O3)0.71 substrate

The structure, orientation, and the response of electroresistance to magnetic field H and varying temperature T have been studied for 30-nm-thick La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ (LBMO) films. The deviation of the [001] direction in manganite layers from the normal to the plane of the (LaAlO₃)_0.29 + (SrAl_0.5Ta_0.5O₃)_0.71 substrate strictly corresponds to the vicinal angle of the latter. The minimum yield determined from 227-keV proton scattering spectra is 0.025, signifying a high order of the cationic sublattice in the films. The biaxial compression of stable nuclei of the manganite phase affects their stoichiometry, thus contributing to the depletion of LBMO films in the alkaline-earth element. The maximum electroresistance values have been observed in the films grown at T _max ≈ 320 K, a temperature about 20 K lower than the Curie temperature of the corresponding bulk single crystals, and the maximum magnetoresistance (MR ≈ −0.42, μ₀ H = 2 T) occurs at T ≈ 300 K. At low temperatures (T < T _max/3) and μ₀ H < 0.45 T, the electroresistance response of LBMO films to a magnetic field materially depends on the anisotropic magnetoresistance and the intensity of hole scattering from domain walls; when μ₀ H > 0.5 T, the major current-carrier relaxation mechanism is the interaction with magnons.     

Effect of the nonstoichiometric disorder on the temperature dependence of the upper critical field in Nd2? x Ce x CuO4+δ electron superconductors

The temperature dependences of the resistance of the Nd_2−x Ce _x CuO_4+δ single crystal with x = 0.15 and various disorder parameters δ have been investigated in various magnetic fields (B ‖ c, J ‖ ab) in the temperature range T = 1.8–40 K. It has been shown that the slope of the upper critical field, (dB _c2/dT)|T _c, in the electron superconductor decreases with an increase in the disorder parameter. This dependence makes it possible to experimentally distinguish between d-pairing superconductors and s-pairing superconductors. The dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on the disorder parameter in the system is investigated in the model of the superconductors with anisotropic impurity scattering. Original Russian Text ? T.B. Charikova, N.G. Shelushinina, G.I. Kharus, A.A. Ivanov, 2008, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2008, Vol. 88, No. 2, pp. 132–136.     

Effect of oxygen deficiency on the magnetic, electrical, magnetoelectric, and magnetoelastic properties of La1 ? x Sr x MnO3 ? δ manganites

This paper reports on a study of the effect of oxygen deficiency on the magnetic and electrical properties of the La_{1 − x} Sr _x MnO_{3 − δ} manganites (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4; δ = 0, 0.13, 0.2). In compositions with x = 0 and δ = 0.13 and 0.2, the temperature dependence of the magnetization M (T) can be approximated by the Langevin function with the moment of superparamagnetic clusters μ = 77μ_B (δ = 0.13) and 86μ_B (δ = 0.2) at temperatures of 25 K ≤ T ≤ 250 K, with the exception of a small temperature range near 132 K in which a maximum characteristic of the LaMnO₃ antiferromagnet is seen. These compositions, as well as Sr-doped compositions with δ ≠ 0, reveal a difference between the magnetizations of the sample cooled in a weak magnetic field and in zero field. At T = 6 K in a magnetic field of 16 kOe, the compositions with x = 0.2 and 0.4, δ = 0.13 possess a magnetic moment per formula unit lower than that with δ = 0, as well as reveal an anomalous relation between the Curie temperature T _C and the Curie paramagnetic point gJ, namely, T _C > gJ. The magnetization of compositions with x = 0.2 and 0.4, δ = 0.2 follows the Langevin function with μ = 40μ_B and 130μ_B, respectively. The electrical resistivity of samples with x = 0.4 and δ = 0.13 and 0.2 is one to two orders of magnitude larger than that of the composition with x = 0.4, δ = 0, which evidences partial or complete compensation of acceptor defects (Sr²⁺ ions) by donor defects (doubly charged O²⁻ vacancies). The above properties of oxygen-deficient compositions suggest that they contain an insulating ferro-antiferromagnetic magnetically double-phase state. The magnetoresistance and volume magnetostriction in samples with x = 0.4 and δ = 0, 0.13, and 0.2 are small; indeed, in a magnetic field of 8 kOe, they do not exceed 1.4% and 6 × 10⁻⁶, respectively. On this basis, it is concluded that the unbalanced doubly charged donors (O vacancies) are in the state with antiparallel spins and, thus, do not initiate the formation of ferron-type ferromagnetic clusters. The significance of both compensated and unbalanced doubly charged donors consists in that they give rise to the formation of fractured Mn-O-Mn bonds, which bring about lowering of the magnetic moment per formula unit in compositions with x = 0.2 and 0.4 and δ = 0.13 and the transition to superparamagnetism in compositions with x = 0.2 and 0.4, δ = 0.2. Original Russian Text ? L.I. Koroleva, D.M. Zashchirinskiĭ, T.M. Khapaeva, L.I. Gurskiĭ, N.A. Kalanda, V.M. Trukhan, R. Szymczak, B. Krzumanska, 2008, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2008, Vol. 50, No. 12, pp. 2201–2205.     

Photoacoustic spectroscopy of thin films of As<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>3</Subscript>, As<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>3</Subscript> and GeSe<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) is one of the important branches of spectroscopy, which enables one to detect light-induced heat production following the absorption of pulsed radiation by the sample. As₂S₃, As₂Se₃ and GeSe₂ exhibit a wide variety of photo-induced phenomena that enable them to be used as optical imaging or storage medium and various electronic devices, including electro-optic information storage devices and optical mass memories. Therefore, accurate measurement of thermal properties of semiconducting films is necessary to study the memory density. The thermal conductivity of thin films of As₂S₃ (thickness 100 μm and 80 μm), As₂Se₃ (thickness 100 μm and 80 μm) and GeSe₂ (thickness 120 μm and 100 μm) has been measured using PAS technique. Our result shows that the thermal conductivity of thicker films is larger than the thinner films. This can be explained by the thermal resistance effect between the film and the surface of the substrate.      

High-performance IR detectors at SCD present and future

For over 27 years, SCD has been manufacturing and developing a wide range of high performance infrared detectors, designed to operate in either the mid-wave (MWIR) or the long-wave (LWIR) atmospheric windows. These detectors have been integrated successfully into many different types of system including missile seekers, time delay integration scanning systems, hand-held cameras, missile warning systems and many others. SCD’s technology for the MWIR wavelength range is based on its well established 2D arrays of InSb photodiodes. The arrays are flip-chip bonded to SCD’s analogue or digital signal processors, all of which have been designed in-house. The 2D focal plane array (FPA) detectors have a format of 320×256 elements for a 30-μm pitch and 480×384 or 640×512 elements for a 20-μm pitch. Typical operating temperatures are around 77–85 K. Five years ago SCD began to develop a new generation of MWIR detectors based on the epitaxial growth of antimonide based compound semiconductors (ABCS). This ABCS technology allows band-gap engineering of the detection material which enables higher operating temperatures and multi-spectral detection. This year SCD presented its first prototype FPA from this program, an InAlSb based detector operating at a temperature of 100 K. By the end of this year SCD will introduce the first prototype MWIR detector with a 640×512 element format and a pitch of 15 μm. For the LWIR wavelength range SCD manufactures both linear Hg_1−xCd_xTe (MCT) detectors with a line of 250 elements and time delay and integration (TDI) detectors with formats of 288×4 and 480×6. Recently, SCD has demonstrated its first prototype uncooled detector which is based on VO_x technology and which has a format of 384×288 elements, a pitch of 25 μm, and a typical NETD of 50 mK at F/1. In this paper, we describe the present technologies and products of SCD and the future evolution of our detectors for the MWIR and LWIR detection. The paper presented there appears in Infrared Photoelectronics, edited by Antoni Rogalski, Eustace L. Dereniak, Fiodor F. Sizov, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5957, 59570S (2005).