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.     

First order paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition in Tb doped La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 manganite

Effect of A-site disorder in half-doped La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ created by the substitution of Tb at La site is studied through temperature dependent neutron diffraction, resistivity, and magnetization on La_0.375Tb_0.125Ca_0.5MnO₃ (LTC) to identify the evolution of phases as a function of temperature and magnetic field. Contrary to the parent system, the paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) transition is found to be of first order but becomes observable only in fields above 1 T. Absence of this transition in zero and low fields along with the observation of a very intriguing and irreversible M-H curve at low temperature raises the question about the ground state of the system. It is identified from the specially designed measurement protocol that the ground state of the system becomes FM, contrary to the parent LCMO. However, this remains masked because of the hindrance to the transformation kinetics of the PM-FM first order transition in low fields. Significantly, though the thermal hysteresis of the first-order transition decreases with the measurement field, collapse of such a behavior to a critical point is not observed in LTC, unlike earlier observations in some other manganites.     

Magnetic phase coexistence in Tb- and Sr-doped La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 manganite:A temperature-dependent neutron diffraction study

We report the results of the temperature-dependent neutron diffraction measurements on the nearly half-doped (La_0.325Tb_0.125)(Ca_0.3Sr_0.25)MnO₃ manganite sample. The simultaneous doping of magnetic Tb³⁺ and divalent Sr²⁺ in the La_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ system results into a large A-site size disorder. Rietveld refinement of neutron diffraction data reveal that the single phase sample crystallizes in a distorted orthorhombic structure. Increased 〈r_A〉 value affects the transport behavior that results into an insulating-like behavior of the sample. Under application of 1 T field sample exhibit insulating-like behavior while insulator-metal transition (T_IM) is exhibited under 5 and 8 T fields. Variable range hoping (VRH) mechanism of charge carriers is exhibited in the insulating region. Field cooled and zero field cooled magnetization measurement shows the Curie temperature (T_C)~47 K. The refinement of the ND data collected at various temperatures below 300 K shows that there is no structural phase transition in the compound. Around 100 K, a magnetic peak appears at lower angle that can be ascribed to the presence of the A-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase. Two more peaks are observed around 50 K at lower angles that can be fitted in CE-type antiferromagnetic phase. Splitting of the peaks at lower temperatures is the signature of orbital ordering in the presently studied nearly half-doped manganite system. Results of the detailed structural analysis of the temperature-dependent ND measurements on (LaTb)_0.45(CaSr)_0.55MnO₃ sample has been discussed in the light of coexisting A-type and CE-type antiferromagnetic phases present in the sample at low temperature.     

Transport and Magnetic Properties of Eu and Sr Doped Manganite Compound La0.7Ca0.3MnO3

The effect of simultaneous increase in carrier density and size-disorder on the transport and magnetic properties of La_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ has been investigated by studying the (La_{0.7 − 2x} Eu _x )(Ca_0.3Sr _x )MnO₃ (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) (LECSMO) compounds. These compounds have been compared with standard La_{1 − x} Ca _x MnO₃ (0.3 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) (LCMO) in which carrier density alone varies. In LECSMO, the insulator-metal transition temperature (T _p) decreases from 180 K for x = 0.05 to 80 K for x = 0.15 sample vis-à-vis ∼240 K for x = 0.35 to ∼225 K for x = 0.45 in LCMO system. Similarly, the Curie temperature (T _C) in LECSMO, decreases from 205 K for x = 0.05 to 75 K for x = 0.2 sample against 240 K for x = 0.35 to ∼220 K for x = 0.45 in LCMO system. Also, in LCMO the T _C and T _p are coincident whereas, in LECSMO system, with increasing x there is an increasing disparity between the two. At 5 K, in the metallic region, a large MR (>90%) is observed in x = 0.15 sample and is discussed in terms of phase segregation and inter-grain magnetoresistance.     

Structural studies and T c dependence in La2−x Dy x Ca y Ba2Cu4+y O z type mixed oxide superconductors

A new series of mixed oxide superconductors with the stoichiometric composition La_2−x Dy _x Ca _y Ba₂Cu_4+y O _z (x=0.0 − 0.5, y=2x) has been studied for structural and superconductiong properties. Our earlier studies on La_2−x (Y/Er) _x Ca _y Ba₂Cu_4+y O _z series, show a strong dependence of T _c on hole concentration (p _sh). In the present work, the results of the analysis of the neutron diffraction measurements at room temprerature on x=0.3 and 0.5 samples are reported. It is interesting to know that Ca substitutes for both La and Ba site with concomitant displacement of La onto Ba site. Superconductivity studies show that maximum T _c is obtained for x=0.5, y=1.0 sample (T _c ∼ 75 K), for La_1.5Dy_0.5Ca₁Ba₂Cu₅O _z (La-2125).     

Critical current density and flux pinning in La2−xPrxCa2x Ba2Cu4+2xOz (x=0.1-0.5) superconductors

Polycrystalline La_2−xPr_xCa_2xBa₂Cu_4+2xO_z (LPCaBCO) compounds with x=0.1-0.5 were synthesized by solid-state reaction method and studied by room temperature X-ray diffraction, dc resistivity, dc magnetization and iodometry. The superconducting transition temperatures in these tetragonal triple perovskite compounds increases from 32 to 62 K (T_c^onset values) with increasing dopant concentration. The mixing of rare earth La³⁺ and Pr^3+/4+ ions at rare earth site (La³⁺) along with substitution of divalent Ca²⁺ results in the shrinkage of unit cell volume. The contraction of unit cell volume due to larger ion being substituted by smaller ions, gives rise to creation of pinning centres in the unit cell leading to increase in critical current density and flux pinning.     

Thickness and microstructure dependent transport and MR in La0.7Pb0.3MnO3 manganite films

Thickness dependent modifications in the structure and microstructure and their effect on the transport and magnetotransport in chemical solution deposition (CSD) grown La_0.7Pb_0.3MnO₃ (LPMO) manganite thin films grown on single crystalline LaAlO₃ (LAO) (1 0 0) substrates have been studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show the reduction in the microstrain at the film-substrate interface with increasing thickness. Increase in grain size and island like grain growth with the reduction in surface roughness as a function of film thickness has been observed from the microstructural studies using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and lateral force microscopy (LFM) measurements. Improvement in the surface to volume ratio (D⁻¹) resulting in the modifications in transport and magnetotransport properties of the LPMO films has been discussed in detail in the light of thickness dependent microstructural effects on the resistivity and magnetoresistance (MR) behavior. The variations in intrinsic and extrinsic MR with D⁻¹ show an interesting interplay between them, which can be explained on the basis of thickness dependent grain size, grain boundary density and grain boundary nature.