Study of magnetic properties of melt textured YBa2Cu3O7−δ with Pt,Ce and Ag dopants

Bulk YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ samples, doped with PtO₂, Ag₂O, CeO₂ or with a starting mixture of nanosized Y₂O₃, have been prepared by the top seeded melt texturing process. Magnetic measurements have been performed on these samples using VSM and SQUID magnetometer. Critical current densities as a function of the applied magnetic field J_c(B), temperature and field dependent normalized relaxation rates S(T) and S(B), as well as E(J) relationships have been derived. The effects of different dopants on these results have been investigated.     

Transverse resistance of YBa2Cu3O7−δ single crystals

Measured is the transverse electrical resistance of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ single crystals with different oxygen deficiency values (δ) in the temperature range T_c − 300 K. The experimental data are approximated by an empiric expression accounting for the fluctuation conductivity near T_c and the semiconductor-like resistance regime. Our analysis of the concentration dependences of the fitting parameters, in particular, reveals that the resistance temperature dependence is largely affected by the sample's non-homogeneity. The latter, in turn, causes a T_c anisotropy and variable-range hopping conductivity between different phases. The deduced maximal values of the basal-plane coherence length, ξ_xy(0), are comparable with those for low-temperature superconductors.     

Fluctuation-enhanced conductivity and magnetoconductivity of high-quality YBa2Cu3O7−δ crystals

We present measurements of the in-plane resistivity _ab of YBa₂Cu₃O_7– single crystals withT _c 92 K and _ab (100 K)50 cm. The temperature dependence of the fluctuation conductivity and of the magnetoconductivity aboveT _c is analyzed in terms of direct and indirect fluctuation contributions for layered superconductors. The combination of fluctuation conductivity and magnetoconductivity allows to determine both coherence lengths _ab (0) and _c (0) as well as the phase-relaxation time of the pairs in an unequivocal manner. Evidence for clean limit type-II superconductivity in our crystals is given by large values of the mean free pathl _{ab ab} (0).Dedicated to Prof. Dr. F. Hund on the occasion of his 95th birthday     

Study of YBa2Cu3O7−δ ceramics/Al interface

Properties of oxide layers at the interface between Al metal and YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ ceramics were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and impedance measurements. There have been found the oriented grains having their c-plane parallel to the surface of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ. When Al metal was evaporated onto the ceramics sample, the aluminum oxide layer was produced at the interface between Al and YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ because Al metal oxidizes more easily. The oxygen-deficiency was observed at the ceramics side of the interface as examined by X-ray photoelectron spectra. This oxygen-deficiency can be partly replenished by post annealing whereas it can be fully replenished for the sample to which the mechanical polishing is applied beforehand in order to remove the oriented grains. The thickness of aluminum oxide layer was evaluated by means of the impedance measurements using the alternating current three-terminal method.     

The Hubbard model and pressure effects of YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductors

We apply a mean field approach to the extended Hubbard model on a square lattice to the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ family of superconductors under pressure. The parameters of the tight-binding band are taken from experiments, and the coupling strength U and V are estimated by the zero pressure phase diagram (T_c×n_h). This scheme yields the non-trivial dependence of the superconductor critical temperature T_c as a function of the hole concentration n_h in the CuO₂ plane. With the assumption that the pressure P modifies the potential V and the on-plane hole content n_h, we can distinguish the charge transfer and the intrinsic contribution to T_c(P). We show that the changes on T_c(P) for the YBa₂Cu₃O₇ optimally doped compound at low pressures are almost entirely due to the intrinsic term.     

Magnetoresistance hysteresis of granular YBa2Cu3O7−δ high-temperature superconductor in weak magnetic fields

The variation of the transverse magnetoresistance of YBa₂Cu₃O_～6.95 high-temperature superconducting ceramic with external magnetic field intensity H _ext first increasing from zero to ～500 Oe (Δρ⁺ / ρ_{273 K}) and then decreasing from about 500 Oe to zero (Δρ^? / ρ_{273 K}) is studied for transport current densities varying from j/j _c ≈ 0.01 to ≈0.99 (where j _c is the critical current density in the absence of the magnetic field) at 77.3 K. It is found that the field dependence of the magnetoresistance of YBa₂Cu₃O_～6.95 high-temperature superconductor is characterized by pronounced hysteresis, the difference Δρ⁺ / ρ_{273 K} ? Δρ^? / ρ_{273 K} increasing with j/j _c. As j/j _c grows, the effective critical fields of Josephson weak links, H _c2J , and the lower critical fields of superconducting grains, H _c1A , decline. When field H _ext rises, the critical fields are lower than when H _ext diminishes: H _c2J ⁺ < H _c2J ^? and H _c1A ⁺ < H _c1A ^? .     

Peculiarities of magnetic flux penetration and trapping in monocrystalline (YBa2Cu3O7−x and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x ) and polycrystalline (YBa2Cu3O7−x ) samples

A comparative analysis of the magnetic flux trapping in monocrystalline and polycrystalline HTSC samples is carried out, and the possibility of employing the dependence of the trapped magnetic flux on the external magnetic field for obtaining comparative estimates of the effect of pinning centers is determined.     

Thermal stability of YBa2Cu3O7−δ films deposited on Ni-W textured substrates by laser ablation

The degradation processes of YBa₂Cu₃O_6.77(3) films 600 nm thick deposited on substrates from a textured (100) foil of the Ni-W alloy with the YSZ (Y₂O₃ + ZrO₂) (100 nm) and CeO₂ (50 nm) buffer layers at 200°C in air have been investigated. It has been shown that the degradation proceeds in the same manner as in the bulk ceramic materials with the same oxygen content, namely, initially the single-phase material with the orthorhombic structure laminates into the fractions depleted (the main fraction) and enriched with oxygen. After holding for more than 20 h, the oxygen-depleted fraction is first subjected to the structural phase transformation with the transition of the orthorhombic structure into the cubic one, which is associated with the redistribution of barium and yttrium atoms over their sites in the presence of water vapors.     

Nature of contact resistance in high-T c YBa2Cu3O7−δ Superconductors

The contacts between various metals and the high-T_c superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7– are characterized by contact resistance,R _c, andI–V measurements from 300 K to 90 K. The contacts with bulk superconductor were made by vacuum deposition. Four metals, Au, Ag, Al, and Bi were investigated. The current transport across the contact is by carrier tunneling. All contacts were ohmic as theirI–V characteristics were symmetrical with respect to current direction.R _c values range between 10^–2 to 10¹ cm² and increase linearly as the temperature is lowered. The contact resistance originates from two distinct physical processes. One is the modification of the carrier concentration at the interface by the contact metal. The second is the nature of carrier injection at the free surface of the superconductor. TheR _c values depend on the contact metal-oxygen interaction parameter signifying the need for oxygen passivation for obtaining low contact resistances.     

Far IR transmission spectra of an YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin film

Abstract

The FIR transmission of an YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ film 1000 Å thick deposited on an MgO plate has been studied from 20 cm^?1 to 4000 cm^?1 at T = 300 K, and at 120 K, 80 K and 7 K. i) The spectra for the normal state are well fitted if a mid-IR oscillator of high strength and high damping is added to the simplest Drude model. ii) The spectra for the superconductive state do not show significant variations of transmission vs. temperature for ω > 120 cm^?1, which should be in agreement with a weak BCS coupling 2Δ = 3.5 kT_c . iii) The FIR transmission at 7 K for ω = 20 cm^?1 is not zero (around 1%) and seems to confirm that the low-temperature perovskite is made of two phases: a superconducting, and a normal one, the proportion of the first one increasing when the film temperature is decreased.     

Effect of deoxygenation on the weak-link behavior of YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductors

A systematic study of the weak-link behavior for YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ polycrystalline samples has been done using the electrical resistivity and AC susceptibility techniques. The experiments were performed with two samples of similar grain, a sample of well-coupled grains, and a deoxygenated sample in such a way that the oxygen mostly comes from the intergrain region. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the AC susceptibility near the transition temperature (T_c) has been done employing Bean's critical state model. The observed variation of intergranular critical current densities (J_c) with temperature indicates that the weak links are changed from superconductor normal–metal superconductor (SNS) for well-coupled samples to superconductor insulator normal–metal–superconductor (SINS) type of junctions for the deoxygenated sample. These results are interpreted in terms of oxygen depletion from grain boundaries, which in turn decreases the intergranular Josephson coupling energy with a concomitant decrease of pinning of the intergranular vortices.     

Low temperature acoustic properties in YBa2Cu3O7−δ

Temperature dependencies of acoustic lossesQ ^–1 and of relative sound velocity change v/v in YBa₂Cu₃O_7– up to 60 K are calculated by the tunneling model theory. The tunneling systems are related to the off-centered positions of the apical oxygen atoms O(A) and are described through the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect. Tunneling systems' parameters are distributed in narrow range of values and are in correspondence with the experimentally observed infrared phonon spectra and thermal ellipsoids of O(A). Respective relaxation times are calculated by the adapted reaction rate method. The calculatedQ ^–1(T) and v(T)/v dependencies are in good agreement with the experimental data, which is an additional support to the conclusion about the existence of tunneling systems in YBa₂Cu₃O_7– due to the pseudo Jahn-Teller effect.     

Magnetic properties of the high Tc superconductor YBa2Cu3O7−δ

Magnetic measurements have been performed on the YBa₂Cu₆O_7−δ superconducting system in the temperature range 4.2–320 K. A hystereris loop indicating a coexistence of the superconducting and magnetic ordering below H_c1 at 4.2 K has been recorded.     

Local electronic structure of Cu2O,CuO and YBa2Cu3O7−δ

Cu 3d and O 2p electronic states of Cu₂O, CuO, and the highT _c compound YBa₂Cu₃O_7– have been probed by means of high resolution x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES). The CuL and OK XES bands are compared in detail with recently reported x-ray photoelectron and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS) measurements and densities of states obtained by local density functional (LDF) theory. The XES data show that the hybridization between Cu 3d and O 2p states is completely modified in CuO and YBa₂Cu₃O_7–, whered-d correlation energy is large, as compared to LDF predictions. Such is not the case for Cu₂O where agreement between theory and experiment is good.The Cu 3d states are found to be highly localized in YBa₂Cu₃O_7– (though less so than in CuO). The O 2p states lie at lower binding energies than in the simpler oxides and are mainly situated above the Cu 3d states. The respective positions of the centre of gravity of the OK emission bands on an x-ray energy scale indicate that the oxygen sites are less well screened by the O 2p states in the highT _c compound. This provides indirect evidence for the presence ofd-like states at the oxygen sites.     

Superlattice structures in solid solution of high-Tc YBa2Cu3O7−δ and (Pb,Cu)Sr2(Ca,Y)Cu2O7−δ superconductors

A complete solid solution range exists between the systems YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ and (Pb,Cu)Sr₂(Ca,Y)Cu₂O_7−δ has been found with general stoichiometry (Pb_0.75xCu_1−0.75x)(Sr_2xBa_2−2x)(Ca_0.5xY_1−0.5x)Cu₂O_7−δ. Energy dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction identified that a true solid solution exists. Superlattice structures observed by electron diffraction across the solid solution range have a modulation range have a modulation periods along a* which can be varied by altering both the compositional parameter x and the overall oxygen content. The existence of these superlattices infers that the solid solution is non-random and therefore thermodynamically non-ideal. The superconducting transition temperatures, T_c, across the solid solution range are also strongly dependent on the composition, x, but no direct relationship with the modulation period has been established. From these studies it may be concluded that the solid solution between known superconductors is possible, although involving some partial ordering of the lattice, but ordering of cations in the rock-salt to charge reservoir layer is not a significant factor in determining the superconducting properities, which depend more closely on the overall composition and hence on the ability of the charge reservoir layer to transfer charge to the superconducting layers.     

Normal state resistivity of YBa2Cu3O7−x

A systematic study has been carried out on the normal state resistivity of YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x . Samples were cut from the same well-annealed material and were quenched from different temperatures (T _Q ). The resistivity is metallic whenT _Q 500 °C and becomes semiconductor-like whenT _Q 600 °C. The data on the latter was interpreted in terms of the three-dimensional localization model proposed by Mott.The work at USCD was supported by the California MICRO program     

Pinning potential in thick PrBa2Cu3Ox/YBa2Cu3O7−δ quasi-multilayers

Using Pulsed Laser Deposition we have fabricated thick quasi-multilayers composed of incomplete layers of PrBa₂Cu₃O_x (PrBCO) nano-dots and layers of YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ (YBCO). The number of such sequences was between 2 and 6, with the thickness of individual YBCO layers between 565 and 885 nm, and total thickness between 1.13 and 5.31 μm. For the thinner quasi-multilayer, DC magnetization studies showed an increase in the critical current density J_c at all fields in comparison with a pure YBCO reference sample, while the thicker samples showed an increased J_c only in high fields. We have also investigated the frequency dependence of J_c from AC susceptibility studies and found that the pinning potential is well described by a logarithmic dependence on current density. Pinning potentials in PrBCO/YBCO quasi-multilayers also proved to be higher than in the reference sample at high fields. From angle-dependent transport measurements we have found indications of strong pinning centres induced by the (PrBCO) nano-dots, both isotropic and c-axis correlated.