Superconductivity of compressed platinum powder at very low temperatures

Superconductivity of compressed, high-purity platinum powder (average grain size 2–3 μm) was found by measurements of resistivity, AC susceptibility and magnetization. The transition temperature into the superconducting state T_c and the critical magnetic field B_c strongly depend on the packing fraction f of the samples: we found 0.62T_c(0)1.38 mK and 6.6B_c(0)67 μT for 0.8f0.5, respectively. The temperature dependence of the critical magnetic fields can be described by B_c(T)=B_c(0)(1−(T/T_c)²). The discussion of these results includes possible explanations for the origin of superconductivity in this new superconducting material.     

Calcul semi-empirique de la temperature de transition des superconducteurs et de l'effet de la pression sur la transition

A method is developed to take into account the contribution of the Umklapprozesse to the electron-phonon interaction in polyvalent metals. This method is used to compute—from first principles—the high-temperature resistivity of non-transition metals as well as the transition temperature T_c of non-transition superconductors along the lines of , and 's theory of superconductivity (Phys. Rev. 108, 1175 (1957)). The effect of pressure on T_c is also computed and its dependence upon the band structure is stressed.     

Mössbauer studies of CoxFe1−xCr2S4

The mixed spinel systems Co_xFe_1−xCr₂S₄ has been studied using the Mössbauer effect. Spectra have been collected over the temperature range 83–300 K. The isomer shifts indicate that the charge states of Fe ions are ferrous in character throughout the series. Absence of quadrupole splitting above the magnetic ordering temperature T_c suggests that iron ions occupy only tetrahedral sites. It is notable that as the temperature decreases below T_c, both quadrupole shift and asymmetrical line-broadening appear and increase with decreasing temperature, suggesting the presence of electric field gradient and accompanying relaxation effects.     

Hole distribution and madelung energy in the high-Tc oxide superconductors

Evidence is presented that in high-T_c superconductors the electrostatic interaction as expressed by the Madelung energy is the key factor in determining the charge distribution and in particular the distribution of the holes between the CuO₂-planes and other structural subunits. Specifically, this explains the phase diagram (T_c as a function of oxygen content and oxidizing power) of cation-substituted YBa₂Cu₃O_6+y and the oxygen ordering in YBa₂Cu₃O_6.5. Moreover, we argue that the dependence of T_c on strontium content in La_2−xSr_xCuO₄ is similarly due to the fact that holes go into the (La,Sr)O-sheets as well as into the CuO₂-planes.     

A lattice calculation of thermal dilepton rates

Using clover improved Wilson fermions we calculate thermal vector meson correlation functions above the deconfinement phase transition of quenched QCD. At temperatures 1.5 T_c and 3T_c they are found to differ by less than 15% from that of a freely propagating quark–anti-quark pair. This puts severe constraints on the dilepton production rate and in particular rules out a strong divergence of the dilepton rate at low energies. The vector spectral function, which has been reconstructed using the Maximum Entropy Method, yields an enhancement of the dilepton rate over the Born rate of at most a factor two in the energy interval 4ω/T8 and suggests that the spectrum is cut-off at low energies by a thermal mass threshold of about (2–3)T.     

The pion velocity at chiral restoration and the vector manifestation

We study the effects of Lorentz non-invariance on the physical pion velocity at the critical temperature T_c in an effective theory of hidden local symmetry (HLS) with the “vector manifestation” fixed point. We match at a “matching scale” Λ_M the axial-vector current correlator in the HLS with the one in the operator product expansion for QCD, and present the matching condition to determine the bare pion velocity. We find that the physical pion velocity, which is found to be one at T=T_c when starting from the Lorentz invariant bare HLS, remains close to one with the Lorentz non-invariance, v_π(T_c)=0.83–0.99. This result is quite similar to the pion velocity in dense matter.     

Reduced s-d model with antiferromagnetically coupled impurity spins

An antiferromagnetic equivalent-neighbour Heisenberg interaction H_i between impurity spins is added to the reduced s-d Hamiltonian H_r previously introduced by simplifying the Kondo s-d exchange Hamiltonian H_K. Asymptotic mean-field theory is developed for H_r + H_i, in the presence and absence of external magnetic field, and applied to (La_1−xCe_x)Al₂ alloys. Specific heat c_i(T) and zero-field susceptibility χ_i(0,T) curves for (La_1−xCe_x)Al₂ are depicted. The coupling constants of H_r + H_i and conduction bandwidth are adjusted so that T_c temperatures for x = 0.2, 0.1 are equal to the experimental values. c_i(T) exhibits a jump at T_c and is decreasing for T < T_c. χ_i(0,T) has a first order pole at T_c which corresponds to the maximum of experimental susceptibility and χ_i(0,0) > 0. These results improve those obtained earlier on the grounds of H_r theory.     

Reaching the unreachable: critical scaling at the superconducting transition

The large coherence length of conventional superconductors causes the critical region near T_c to be unobservably small, leading to the impression that mean-field theory can adequately explain properties near the transition. The high-temperature superconductors, however, have such strongly type-II character that the critical, or at least an intermediate critical, region is experimentally accessible. We demonstrate the applicability of XY-like critical scaling to magnetization, heat capacity and conductivity data and through the fitting parameters, make contact with a strong-coupling calculation of the critical temperature. Further, the scaled conductivity data show clear evidence for a thermodynamic transition along the freezing line H_m(T)∝(1 − T/T_c)^4/3.     

On the Curie temperature of a spin one XY ferromagnet with uniaxial anisotropy

A spin one XY ferromagnet with uniaxial anisotropy has been investigated, using Green's function technique in random phase approximation (RPA). The Green functions associated with the anisotropy energy are treated without decoupling. A set of coupled equations have been obtained to find the critical temperature T_c and (S^Z)² at T_c as function of the uniaxial anisotropy parameter D. T_c and (S^Z)² at T_c are found to increase with D. The results are compared with the earlier results obtained in the Narath type of RPA.     

Effect of Pr and Ca substitution on superconductivity in Y(1−x−yPrxCay)Ba2Cu3O7−δ

Pr substituted at constant Ca concentration for Y in (Y_1−x−yPr_xCa_y)Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductors have been prepared under identical conditions and the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of these samples are measured. The resistively determined values of T_c decrease linearly with increasing x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) for constant y = 0.10 and 0.15 which provides convincing evidence that the suppression of superconductivity by Pr is mainly due to magnetic pair breaking. The suppression of superconductivity can also be correlated to the observed changes in oxygen content determined by iodometric analysis and to the average Cu-valences. However, it is found that the observed suppression of T_c cannot be compensated by appropriate hole doping with Ca.     

Influence of high magnetic fields on the low temperature heat capacity of the itinerant electron ferromagnet Sc3In

The low temperature (1.3–20 K) heat capacity of the weak itinerant electron ferromagnet Sc₃In was measured in magnetic fields up to 10 T. The measurements were made on three different samples containing 24.1, 24.3 and 24.4 at.% In with Curie temperatures at H = 0 of 5.5, 6.0 and 6.3 K, respectively. The heat capacity peak at T_c becomes smaller with increasing fields and at 9.98 T the magnetic entropies are only 11 to 19% of the zero field value. Above T_c the spin fluctuation contribution to heat capacity, which is enhanced by the magnetic field at low fields (<≈ 5 T), is quenched at high fields ( ≈ 5 T). Our results show that the spin fluctuations in Sc₃In are almost completely quenched by the magnetic fields of ≈ 10 T, and that the characteristics spin fluctuation temperature, T_s, of this itinerant electron ferromagnet is about the same as T_c.     

Influence of magnetization on lattice constants of 3d transition metal alloys

A simple relation is found in 3d transitional metal alloys between the lattice constant and the magnetization, which can be described with an equation: a(x) = a₀^A· (1 − x) + a₀^B. x + C μ(x). It is proposed that studies of lattice constants at high temperatures may serve as an experimental method to detect the existence of localized moments above T_c. The anomalous thermal expansion of the Invar alloy is explained as a result of the collapse of localized moments above T_c.     

Anomalies of ultrasonic velocity in high-Tc ceramics YBa2Cu3Oy and BiSrCaCu2Oy

Ultrasonic longitudinal velocity and adsorption have been measured in ceramic superconductors YBa₂Cu₃O_y with various porosity and also in BiSrCaCu₂O_y. A velocity drop of about 400 ppm was found at T_c only in the measurements on cooling. The magnitude of the velocity drop is anomalously large compared with the value expected from the thermodynamics. A hysteresis of velocity with respect to temperature was observed in all the samples studied. It is suggested that some structural change at pore size level is responsible for this phenomenon.     

Direct observation of vortex motion in high-Tc superconductors by Lorentz microscopy

The behavior of vortices in superconductors, especially how vortices are depinned to start moving is closely related to practical applications of superconductors. However, it has hitherto been difficult to directly observe the motion of vortices especially in high-T_c superconductors. In the present experiments, the vortex motion peculiar to high-T_c superconductors was observed by improving the observation method using Lorentz electron microscopy in our 300 kV field-emission transmission electron microscope.     

Magnetic phase transition in (Fe,Mn)65Ni35 alloys

Magnetization measurements on the Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ and Fe₅₀Mn₁₅Ni₃₅ alloy samples were carried out in the temperature range 80T300 K and in magnetic fields up to 8 kOe. The Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ was found to order ferromagnetically with a Curie temperature, T_c, above 300 K. From the temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization, M_s, it was concluded that the magnetic behavior of Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ follows Wohlfarth theory of weak itinerant ferromagnet. The Fe₅₀Mn₁₅Ni₃₅ sample exhibits a magnetic phase transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism at T_c=242 K. The critical amplitudes and critical exponents (β, γ and δ) have been determined by using Arrott plots, Kouvel–Fisher method and scaling plots of the reduced magnetization and reduced magnetic field. The values of β, γ and δ are discussed and compared with the results obtained for various theoretical models and also with the experimentally determined values for related systems obtained by others.     

The impact of nuclear magnetism on superconductivity

The influence of nuclear magnetism on the superconducting critical field B_c has been measured in the nuclear magnets Al, AuIn₂, and Sn, at ultralow temperatures, 17 μKT1 K. The materials have been chosen in respect to their distinctive Korringa constants κ(Al, AuIn₂, Sn)=(1.8, 0.1, 0.05) Ks. Both in the weakly and in the strongly coupled nuclear magnets, Al and Sn, a reduction of B_c is observed being proportional to the nuclear magnetization at T4 mK. However, using the high resolution of the experiment performed on Sn, the decrease of B_c at cooling down to 70 μK is found to be nonmonotonic. The features of the recently measured B_c(T) curve of Sn which are not understood yet as well as the formerly observed results of the interplay of nuclear ferromagnetism and superconductivity in AuIn₂ have motivated ongoing experiments which try to clear up the pair breaking contribution of nuclear magnetism.     

Pressure-induced superconducting ternary hydride H3SXe: A theoretical investigation

In general, heavy elements contribute only to acoustic phonon modes, which are less important for the superconductivity of hydrides. However, it was revealed that the heavier elements could enhance the phonon-mediated superconductivity in ternary hydrides. In the H₃S–Xe system, a novel H₃SXe compound was discovered by first-principle calculations. The structural phase transitions of H3SXe under high pressures were studied. The R-3m phase of H₃SXe was predicted to appear at pressures above 80 GPa, which transitions to C2/m, P-3m1, and Pm-3m phases at pressures of 90, 160, and 220 GPa, respectively. It has been anticipated that the Pm-3m-H₃SXe phase with a similar structural feature as that of Im-3m-H₃S is a potential high-temperature superconductor with a T_c of 89 K at 240 GPa. The T_c value of H₃SXe is lower than that of H₃S at high pressure. The “H₃S” host lattice of Pm- 3m-H₃SXe is a crucial factor influencing the T_c value. The Xe atoms could accelerate the hydrogen-bond symmetrization. With the increase of the atomic number, the T_c value linearly increases in the H₃S–noble-gas-element system. This indicates that the superconductivity can be modulated by changing the relative atomic mass of the noble-gas element.     

Synthesis and characterization of the Aurivillius phases Bi2 − xPbxSr1 − xNdxNb2O9

The n = 2 Aurivillius phase Bi_{2 − x}Pb_xSr_{1 − x}Nd₂O₉ was successfully synthesized as a ceramic material over the whole range of simultaneous, charge compensated substitution x = 0–1.0. Structural investigations were performed by Rietveld refinement applying different space groups Fmmm and A2₁am, and additionally by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS) on the Nd L_III-edge, confirming the accommodation of Nd on the atomic sites of Sr, which implies the substitution of Bi³⁺ by the isoelectronic Pb²⁺. The ferroelectric transition temperature T_c = 270 °C of the substituted powders with x = 0.4 and 1.0 is distinctly reduced compared to the unsubstituted sample with T_c = 450 °C. In temperature resolved powder X-ray diffraction patterns no structural phase transition could be detected.     

Magnetic study of the UPt3 superconducting phases

In order to distinguish the UPt₃ superconducting (s.c.) phases we have studied their magnetic properties at low fields in a SQUID magnetometer and up to fields >H_c2(0) with a capacitive torque-meter. With the SQUID we measure the magnetic penetration depth and find the second s.c. transition at T_c⁻ when the field is applied along the c-axis, but not with . This result, combined with power-law behavior at low temperature T, is most consistent with the two-dimensional E_2u s.c. order parameter. Below 20 mK we find an additional diamagnetic signal that we ascribe to the normal state magnetism. In high fields our torque measurements show a kink of the perpendicular magnetization component at the B–C phase line, pointing to an enhanced Ginzburg–Landau parameter in the C phase.     

Itinerant magnetism in TiMxBe2-x (M = Cu, Fe)

Magnetization and Mössbauer studies of TiCu_xFe_yBe_2-x-y (x = 0, 0.03, 0.4, y = 0, 0.02) show that TiBe₂ is an enhanced paramagnet, 0.02 Fe or 0.03 Cu reduce the susceptibility. On the other hand, TiCu_0.4Be_1.6 is ferromagnetic (T_c = 20 K) and 0.02 Fe reduces the magnetization and Curie point (T_c = 16 K). The magnetic properties of all samples are extremely sensitive to sample preparation and heat treatments.

The Mössbauer studies show that the itinerant magnetism resides on the Ti site, all Ti sites have the same local spin density irrespective of local environment.