Neutron powder diffraction and superconductivity in Ca substituted Bi-0212

In the system Bi-0212 the carrier concentration can be changed by both cation substitution and oxygen content. The crystal structure of Ca substituted material was refined from neutron powder diffraction data for Bi_0.5Sr_1.5Ca_0.5Y_0.5Cu_1.5Fe_0.5O_y. It is shown that extra oxygen is introduced in the cation layers between the double sheets of Cu/O pyramids. In superconducting material the familar dependence ofT _c on the hole carrier concentration is observed. The higherT _c is situated at 75 K.     

Superconducting properties and structure of ion bombarded Nb layers

The influence of ion bombardment on the superconducting transition temperature T_c and the structure of thin evaporated niobium layers has been investigated as a function of ion species and layer purity. Irradiation through pure layers with neon ions and fluences of typically 1016 ions/cm² leads to relatively small T_c decreases (δT_c × 0.5 K), while in oxygen contaminated layers larger effects depending on oxygen concentration are observed. Homogeneous implantation of chemically active impurities (nitrogen, oxygen) also drastically depresses T_c reaching the detection limit of 1.2K at a concentration of 15 at. %N. The T_c depressions correlate with a lattice parameter expansion of the Nb bcc structure at a rate of about 0.1 %per 1 at. % impurity.     

Effect of 3d metal ion doping on the structure and superconductivity of (Tl0.5Pb0.5)Sr2CaCu2O7

(Tl_0.5Pb_0.5)Sr₂Ca(Cu_2−xM_x)O₇ (M=Co, Ni and Zn) have been synthesized and investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. X-ray diffraction patterns show that all studied samples contain the nearly single ‘1212’ phase. They crystallize in a tetragonal unit cell with a=3.8028-3.8040 Å and c=12.0748-12.1558 Å. In (Tl_0.5Pb_0.5)Sr₂Ca(Cu_2−xM_x)O₇ system (M=Co or Ni), the superconducting critical temperature T_c decreases linearly with both Co and Ni concentrations and the rate of T_c decrease is around −6.5 and −7.0 K/at%, respectively. For (Tl_0.5Pb_0.5)Sr₂Ca (Cu_2−xZn_x)O₇ system, the dependence of T_c on the Zn dopant concentration deviates from a linear behavior and the Zn substitution suppresses T_c much less (−2.5 K/at%) than the Co and Ni substitutions. The suppression in T_c in Co and Ni doped samples are attributed to the magnetic pair-breaking mechanism and the reduction in the carrier concentration. The suppression of T_c in Zn doped samples is not caused by the reduction in carrier concentration which should remain constant, but rather due to nonmagnetic pair-breaking mechanism induced by disorder as well as the filling of the local Cu d_x²−y² state due to the full d band of Zn ions.     

Thermal configurations of oxygen in silicon

The central position and the infrared absorption coefficient of the 9 m band of Si samples were measured with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) at temperatures from T=77 K to 775 K. The infrared absorption coefficients were corrected by considering background absorption and free carrier absorption calculated from the increased free carrier concentration and from the resistivity determined from Hall effect measurements. We found the central position of the 9 m band to shift to longer wavelengths with increasing temperature. The concentration [O_i] of interstitial oxygen is almost constant for T<600 K, but decreased rapidly for T>600 K. These results verified there are two types of thermal configurations of oxygen in silicon: The bonded Si₂O configuration with a binding energy E _b0.8 to 1.0 eV at T77 K to 600 K, and the Si₂O configuration coexists with a quasi-free interstitial oxygen (QFIO) state for T>600 K. The lattice potential barrier E _L, which retards QFIO atoms from migrating in the lattice, is estimated to be 1.5 to 1.6 eV. From these configurations the anomalous diffusivity of oxygen in silicon can be explained quite well.     

Electrical properties and defect model of tin-doped indium oxide layers

Tin-doped In₂O₃ layers were prepared by the spray technique with doping concentrationsc _Sn between 1 and 20 at. % and annealed at 500 °C in gas atmospheres of varying oxygen partial pressures. The room-temperature electrical properties were measured. Maximum carrier concentrationsN=1.5×10²¹cm^–3 and minimum resistivities =1.3×10^–4 cm are obtained if the layers are doped withc _Sn9 at. % and annealed in an atmosphere of oxygen partial pressurep _O2 10^–20 bar. At fixed doping concentration, the carrier mobility increases with decreasing oxygen pressure. The maximum obtainable mobility can be described in terms of electron scattering by ionized impurities. From an analysis of the carrier concentration and additional precision measurements of the lattice constants and film thicknesses, a defect model for In₂O₃:Sn is developed. This comprises two kinds of interstitial oxygen, one of which is loosely bound to tin, the other forming a strongly bound Sn₂O₄ complex. At low doping concentrationc _Sn4 at. % the carrier concentration is governed by the loosely bound tin-oxygen defects which decompose if the oxygen partial pressure is low. The carrier concentration follows from a relationN=K ₁ ·p _O2 ^–1/8 ·(3 ×10¹⁰ × c_Sn –N)^1/4 with an equilibrium constantK ₁=1.4×10¹⁵ cm^–9/4bar^1/8, determined from our measurements.     

Mn–Zn ferrite nanoparticles for ferrofluid preparation: Study on thermal–magnetic properties

Mn_1−xZn_xFe₂O₄ (with x   varying from 0.1 to 0.5) ferrite nanoparticles used for ferrofluid preparation have been prepared by chemical co-precipitation method and characterized. Characterization techniques like elemental analysis by atomic absorption spectroscopy and spectrophotometry, thermal analysis using simultaneous TG-DTA, XRD, TEM, VSM and Mossbauer spectroscopy have been utilized. The final cation contents estimated agree with the initial degree of substitution. The Curie temperature (_Tc$T_{\mathrm{c}}$) and particle size decrease with the increase in zinc substitution. In the case of particles with higher zinc concentration, both ferrimagnetic nanoparticles and particles exhibiting superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature are present. In addition, some of the results obtained by slightly altering the preparation condition are also discussed. The precipitated particles were used for ferrofluid preparation. The fine particles were suitably dispersed in heptane using oleic acid as the surfactant. The volatile nature of the carrier chosen helps in altering the number concentration of the magnetic particles in a ferrofluid. Magnetic properties of the fine particles and ferrofluids are discussed. Ferrofluids having Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ particles can be used for the energy conversion application utilizing the magnetically induced convection for thermal dissipation.     

Magnetism and superconductivity in R1.5Ce0.5MSr2Cu2O10‐δ (M=Ru and Fe) compounds

It is shown here, that the superconducting (SC) R_1.5Ce_0.5RuSr₂Cu₂O_10-δ (RCeRuSCO, R= Eu and Gd) materials (T_c ～ 32 and 42 K) are also antiferromagnetically (AFM) ordered at T _N(Ru) ～ 122 and 180 K, respectively, thus, T_N ? T_c, a trend which is contrary to that obtained in “magnetic‐SC” intermetallic systems. Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS) on 0.5% ⁵⁷Fe doped samples shows that all Fe ions reside in the Ru site which is magnetically ordered, whereas SC is confined to the CuO₂ planes. On the other hand, for Y_1.5Ce_0.5FeSr₂Cu₂O₉ (YCeFSCO) no SC is found and the Cu–O planes order AFM at T _N(Cu)=31 K. MS studies reveal two in equivalent Fe sites, and that Fe resides predominantly (60%) in the Cu(1) site. In both sites, the Fe does not order magnetically, and the low T _N(Cu) obtained is due to frustration of the Cu moments by the presence of Fe. T _N is sensitive to oxygen concentration and shifts toward 260 K when oxygen is depleted.     

Roles of the blocking layer in high temperature copper-oxide superconductors

Roles of the blocking layer that we named the layer which separates Cu–O₂ layers more than 6Å have been studied by comparing two kinds of highT _c copperoxide superconductors such as Bi(2212) and La(2126) compound. These following results have been obtained. The hole concentration decreases when Sr is substituted by La and increases when Bi is substituted by Pb in Bi(2212), and it can be optimized by these substitution. In La(2126)T _c becomes up to 43K and the hole concentration (p;[Cu–O]^+p) increases to 0.09 by the substitution of Ca for La and heat treatment under high oxygen partial pressure. The distance between Cu–O₂ layers in both Bi(2212) and La(2126) are not changed by these substitution and heat treatment. We have found that the blocking layer has not direct roles for the maximumT _c value of the material though by supplying carriers to Cu–O₂ layers, it affects the actualT _c value.     

Doping effect on the carrier scattering in iron-pnictide superconductors studied by charge transport

In order to reveal the role of “carrier doping” in the iron-based superconductors, we investigated the transport properties of the oxygen-deficient iron-arsenides LnFeAsO_1−y (Ln=La, Ce, Pr and Nd) over a wide doping range. We found that the effect of “doping” in this system is mainly on the carrier scattering rather than carrier density, quite distinct from that in high-T_c cuprates. In the case of La system with lower T_c, the low temperature resistivity is dominated by T² term and fairly large magnetoresistance is observed. On the other hand, in the Nd system with higher T_c, carriers are subject to stronger scattering showing nearly T-linear resistivity and small magnetoresistance. Such strong scattering appears intimately correlated with high-T_c superconductivity in the iron-based system.     

Hall mobility of undoped n-type conducting strontium titanate single crystals between 19 K and 1373 K

The Hall mobility of undoped n-type conducting SrTiO₃ single crystals was investigated in a temperature range between 19 and 1373 K. Field calculations were used to estimate the influence of sample shape and electrode geometry on the measured values. Between 19 and 353 K samples, which were quenched under reducing conditions, show an impurity scattering behavior at low temperature and high carrier concentrations and a phonon scattering mechanism at room temperature. In this temperature region, no carrier-density-dependent mobility was found. In conjunction with measurements of the mass difference before and after reoxidation, the oxygen deficiency and the oxygen vacancy concentration could be determined. The oxygen vacancies proved to be singly ionized. Above 873 K, Hall mobility and carrier concentration had been determined as a function of both oxygen partial pressure and temperature for the first time. In this temperature range the mobility does not depend on carrier concentration, but shows aT ^–1.5 dependence.     

Superconductivity of thin films of lead,indium, and tin prepared in the presence of oxygen

We have studied the influence of oxygen on the superconducting properties of thin films of lead, indium and tin deposited on glass or sapphire substrates. In addition, the morphological microstructure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The film thickness was 1.0 μm, and the partial pressure of O₂ during the film deposition was raised up to 1×10⁻⁴ Torr. In all three materials the development of a granular structure and a strong increase in the residual electric resistivity was observed due to the O₂-treatment. Whereas in the Pb films no change of the critical temperature was found, the In films deposited on glass substrates showed a slight increase ofT _c due to the oxygen. The strongest increase ofT _c (up to 8%) was observed in the O₂-treated Sn films. These results are discussed in terms of the McMillan theory. From our measurements of the critical current densityj _c we conclude that edge pinning is dominant in the undoped films. All three materials showed a strong increase ofj _c due to the O₂-treatment which must be interpreted in terms of bulk pinning.     

Comparing the physical properties of Pr/Gd and Pr/Ce substitutions in Ru(Gd<Subscript>1.5</Subscript>Ce<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>)Sr<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>10−<Emphasis Type="Italic">δ</Emphasis></Subscript>

We have compared the electrical and magnetic properties of Ru(Gd_1.5−x Pr _x )Ce_0.5Sr₂Cu₂O_10−δ (Pr/Gd samples) with x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.033, 0.035, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.1 and RuGd_1.5(Ce_0.5−x Pr _x ) Sr₂ Cu₂O_10−δ (Pr/Ce samples) with x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.08, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2 prepared by the standard solid-state reaction technique. We obtained the XRD patterns for different samples with various x. The lattice parameters versus x for different substitutions have been obtained from Rietveld analysis. To determine how the magnetic and superconducting properties of these layered cuprate systems can be affected by Pr substitution, the resistivity, and magnetoresistivity, with H _ext varying from 0.0 to 15 kOe, have been measured at various temperatures. Superconducting transition temperature T _c and magnetic transition T _irr , have been obtained through resistivity and ac susceptibility measurements. The T _c suppression due to Pr/Gd and Pr/Ce substitutions show competition between pair breaking by magnetic impurities, hole doping due to different valances of ions, difference in ionic radii, and oxygen stoichiometry. Pr/Gd substitution suppresses superconductivity more rapidly than for Pr/Ce, showing that the effect of hole doping and magnetic impurity pair breaking is stronger than the difference in ionic radii. In Pr/Gd substitution, the small difference between the ionic radii of Pr^3+,4+ and Gd³⁺, and absorption of more oxygen due to the higher valence of Pr with respect to Gd, decreases the mean Ru-Ru distance, and as a result, the magnetic exchange interaction becomes stronger with the increase of x. However, Pr/Ce substitution has the opposite effect. The magnetic parameters such as H _c , obtained through magnetization measurements versus applied magnetic field isotherm at 77 K and room temperatures, become stronger with x in Pr/Gd and weaker with x in Pr/Ce substitution.     

A pseudopotential approach to the superconducting state parameters of (Ni33Zr67)1? x M x (M=Ti, V, Co, Cu) ternary metallic glasses

Superconductivity in ternary metallic glasses has been investigated using the model pseudopotential approach, which has been found quite successful in explaining superconductivity in metals, binary alloys and binary glasses. It is observed that this simple methodology successfully explains superconducting behaviour of ternary glasses without requiring the solution of Dirac equation for a many body problem or estimation of various interactions as required in ab-initio pseudopotential theory. In the present work superconducting state parameters of fourteen metallic glasses of (Ni-Zr)-M system (M=Ti, V, Co, Cu) have been determined in the BCS-Eliashberg-McMillan framework. It is observed that addition of V, Co, and Cu as the third element (M) to a binary metallic glass (Ni₃₃ Zr₆₇) causes the parameters λ,T _c, α, andN ₀ V to decrease, and Coulomb pseudopotential (μ*) to increase with concentration of M, showing that the presence of third element (M) causes suppression of superconducting behaviour of the alloy. The decrease inT _c with increasing concentration of third element (M) may be attributed to the modifications in density of states at the Fermi levelN(E _F), and probable changes in the band structure of the alloy due to addition of the third element (M). Slight difference is noticed when Ti is added to the Ni₃₃ Zr₆₇ alloy. In this caseT _c rises initially and then decreases with concentration of M, showing a peak at aboutx=0.05. This indicates that on addition of Ti, 3d states grow near the Fermi level and hence contribute substantially toN(E _F), favouring superconducting behaviour in this case. The present results forT _c show an excellent agreement with the experimental data. QuadraticT _c equations have been proposed, which provide successfully theT _c values of ternary metallic glasses under consideration. Paper presented at National Conference on Current Trends in Condensed Matter Research, Warangal, India, September 20–22, 2004.     

Structure, electrical properties and temperature characteristics of?Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–Bi0.5K0.5TiO3–Bi0.5Li0.5TiO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

(1−x−y)Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃–xBi_0.5K_0.5TiO₃– yBi_0.5Li_0.5TiO₃ lead-free piezoelectric ceramics have been prepared by an ordinary sintering technique, and their structure, electrical properties, and temperature characteristics have been studied systematically. The ceramics can be well-sintered at 1050–1150 °C. The increase in K⁺ concentration decreases the grain-growth rate and promotes the formation of grains with a cubic shape, while the addition of Li⁺ decreases greatly the sintering temperature and assists in the densification of BNT-based ceramics. The results of XRD diffraction show that K⁺ and Li⁺ diffuse into the Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃ lattices to form a solid solution with a pure perovskite structure. As x increases from 0.05 to 0.50, the ceramics transform gradually from rhombohedral phase to tetragonal phase and consequently a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) is formed at 0.15≤x≤0.25. The concentration y of Li⁺ has no obvious influence on the crystal structure of the ceramics. Compared with pure Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃, the partial substitution of K⁺ and Li⁺ for Na⁺ lowers greatly the coercive field E _c and increases the remanent polarization P _r of the ceramics. Because of the MPB, lower E _c and large P _r, the piezoelectricity of the ceramics is improved significantly. For the ceramics with the compositions near the MPB (x=0.15–0.25 and y=0.05–0.10), the piezoelectric properties become optimum: piezoelectric coefficient d ₃₃=147–231 pC/N and planar electromechanical coupling factor k _P=20.2–41.0%. In addition, the ceramics exhibit relaxor characteristic, which probably results from the cation disordering in the 12-fold coordination sites. The depolarization temperature T _d shows a strong dependence on the concentration x of K⁺ and reaches the lowest values at the MPB. The temperature dependences of the ferroelectric and dielectric properties at high temperatures may imply that the ceramics may contain both the polar and non-polar regions at temperatures above T _d.     

Possible role of oxygen monomers reordering in the photoinduced charge transfer in RBa2Cu3O6+x material

The model of photoassisted oxygen ordering assumes that the enhancement of the conducting properties of RBa₂Cu₃O_6+x material during the light illumination, is the consequence of the CuO_x plane oxygen atoms reordering into long chain fragments, which are known to be better hole dopants than the short ones. Some experimental results suggest that this process is performed mainly through the reaccomodation of the oxygen monomer units (isolated oxygen ions). In the present work concentration of oxygen monomers in the CuO_x planes, which is assumed to be equal to the concentration of holes transferred out of the chain planes during the light illumination, is calculated as a function of oxygen content x, and δT_c (photoinduced enhancement of the superconducting critical temperature T_c) was estimated for different oxygen concentrations. Numerically found values of the δT_c are shown to be in good agreement with experimental findings.     

Low-temperature resistivity of YBa2Cu3O6+x single crystals in the normal state

A scan of the superconductor-nonsuperconductor transformation in single crystals of YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x (x≈0.37) is done in two alternative ways, namely, by applying a magnetic field and by reducing the hole concentration through oxygen rearrangement. The in-plane normal-state resistivity ρ_ab obtained in the two cases is quite similar; its temperature dependence can be fitted by a logarithmic law in a temperature range of almost two decades. However, an alternative representation of the temperature dependence of σ_ab=1/ ρ _ab by a power law, typical for a 3D material near a metal-insulator transition, is also plausible. The vertical conductivity σ_c=1/ρ_c followed a power law, and neither σ_c(T), nor ρ_c(T) could be fitted by log T. It follows from the ρ_c measurements that the transformation at T=0 is split into two transitions: superconductor-normal-metal and normal-metal-insulator. In our samples, they are separated in oxygen content by Δx≈0.025. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 11, 834–839 (10 June 1997) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Anisotropic optical properties of single-crystal GdBa2Cu3O7−δ

The optical spectrum of reduced-T _c GdBa₂Cu₃O_7– has been measured for polarizations parallel and perpendicular to theab plane. The sample was an oxygen-deficient single crystal with a large face containing thec axis. The polarized reflectance from this face was measured from 20–300 K in the spectral region from 30–3000 cm^–1, with 300 K data to 30000 cm^–1. Kramers-Kronig analysis was used to determine the spectral dependence of theab and thec components of the dielectric tensor. The optical properties are strongly anisotropic. Theab-plane response resembles that of other reduced-T _c materials whereas thec axis, in contrast, shows only the presence of several phonons. There is a complete absence of charge carrier response alongc aboveand belowT _c. This observation allows us to set an upper limit to the free-carrier spectral weight for transport perpendicular to the CuO₂ planes.Permanent address: Institute of Physics, CSAV, Prague, Czechoslovakia     

Orthorhombic structure: a necessity in superconducting 1-2-3 compounds

X-ray and resistivity measurements on YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (1-2-3) samples show that for the same but low oxygen concentration,δ⋍0·55, no superconducting transition down to 4·2 K is observed for the tetragonal phase samples while the orthorhombic phase shows aT _c ∼ 31 K. The effect of oxygen concentration onT _c is isolated.T _c=91±1 K has, however, been observed continuously for the normal oxygen annealed samples,δ⋍0·07. The experimental results suggest strongly the necessity of the 1-2-3 compound to be in the orthorhombic phase for the superconducting mechanism to be operative.     

氧含量对Fe掺杂YBCO体系中载流子局域化与离子团簇效应的影响

对YBa₂Cu_3-xFe_xO_y（x=00，01，02 ）和YBa₂Cu_2.8Fe_0.2O_y（y=705—653 ）系列样品的氧含量、霍尔系数和超导电性进 行了系统的研究.结果表明，氧含量的变化对样品中载流子的输运和转移及超导电性有重要 影响；适当增加氧含量可以减缓Cu(1)位元素替代对超导转变温度T_c的抑制；在 CuO₂面上参与输运的载流子（空穴）浓度是影响样品超导电性的关键因素.从电 荷转移模型出发 ，结合掺杂离子引起的载流子局域化和离子团簇效应，对载流子浓度随掺杂量和氧含量的变 化从微观结构方面进行了讨论.元素替代量的增加或者氧含量的降低（相同替代量的情况下 ）都将导致Cu-O链区的有效氧空位增多，导致替代元素的离子团簇效应和载流子局域化效应 趋于增强，这是引起参与输运的载流子浓度下降，进而导致T_c降低的主要原因. 关键词： 氧含量 霍尔系数 载流子局域化 离子团簇效应