Thermal expansion,sound velocities,specific heat and pressure derivative ofT c in YBa2Cu3O7

We report measurements, between helium and room temperature, of the thermal expansion (T), sound velocitiesv _L (T) andv _T (v) and specific heatC(T) of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ samples, all cut from the same sintered pellet. A linear term in (T) is resolved at low temperatures. It is compared with a corresponding term in the low temperature specific heat and, using the bulk modulus from our sound propagation measurements, a Grüneisen parameter of usual size (1.2±0.4) is derived-in conformity with the possible existence of non-superconducting carriers well belowT _c . Longtime drift effects in the length of the sample between 30 K and 60 K point to the vicinity of a structural instability. The Debye temperature derived fromC(T) amounts to about 450 K atT=T _c =91 K and forT0 approaches 350 K, in agreement with the value deduced fromv _L (T) andv _T (T). The superconducting transition is indicated by anomalies with idealized discontinuities and C. A thermodynamic relation between and C yields the relative pressure derivative ofT _c ,t _p =T _c ^–1 (T _c /p) _p0=+(0.7±0.2)·10^–7 kbar^–1.     

Tunneling conductance of a Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-SnO2 junction along the c-axis

fine structure was observed in the conductance curve of a tunneling junction composed of a single crystalline Bi2212 and an evaporated SnO₂ film. It is similar to those of Bi2212-GaAs mechanical junctions and there is a certain correspondence between the structure and the phonon density of states. Thus the previous conclusion that the structure is due to phonons has been complemented by this work. The energy gap 2 was 57 meV at 13 K and T _c was 78 K. 2(0)/k _B T _c is then 8.3. (T) showed the BCS-like temperature dependence.     

Spatio-temporal Fourier components and soft modes in thermal convection: A neutron scattering study

In a nematic liquid crystal subjected to a vertical temperature difference T in a vertical slab container, we find, using real-time and real-space neutron scattering, that the spatiotemporal pattern can be indexed on a two-dimensional lattice with selection rule (h+k)=2n. Higher index modes are sequentially activated as T increases from the convection threshold T _c . The frequency softening as TT _c and asTT ₀, the super-cooling limit of the nematic, is discussed.     

Thermal conductivity and specific heat of amorphous Zr0.67Ni0.33 after structural relaxation

Low-temperature measurements of the thermal conductivity (0.3KT5K) and of the specific heatC (0.07KT3.5K) of splat-cooled amorphous superconducting Zr_0.67Ni_0.33(T _c 2.7K) after different annealing stages are reported. increases progressively (up to 55%) after annealing. An analysis of with the help of normal-state measurements belowT _c in an overcritical field shows that the phonon-electron scattering remains unaltered after annealing. Hence the increase in must be entirely attributed to structure-induced (intrinsic) scattering, i.e. by two-level tunneling states (TLS) at low temperatures (T1K). The specific heat shows a small decrease aboveT _c (by 8%) which is attributed to a small diminution of the electronic density of states at the Fermi level and to a small increase in the Debye temperature. ForTT _c where TLS dominate, the specific heatC decreases less upon annealing than expected from the increase of in the standard tunneling model. This points to a change in the TLS relaxation time spectrum upon annealing, as observed previously for Zr _x Cu_1–x glasses.     

Anisotropy of the low temperature resistivity of hexagonal single crystalline spin glass systems

The impurity contribution to the resistivity in zero field (T) of dilute hexagonal single crystals of ZnMn, CdMn and MgMn has been studied in the mK range on samples cut parallel () and perpendicular () to thec-axis, using a SQUID technique for the measurements. Typical spin glass behavior is found in (T) as well as (T) for all alloys, with Kondo like logarithmic increases at higher temperatures and maxima atT _m at lower temperatures, indicating the influence of impurity interactions. The differences in the corresponding isotropic resistivity _poly(T) between the three systems can qualitatively be understood within the framework of a theoretical model by Larsen, describing (T) as a function of universal quantitiesT/T _K and _RKKY/T _K , where _RKKY is the RKKY-interaction strength andT _K the Kondo temperature. With respect to the two lattice directions studied, the behavior of (T and (T is anisotropic in the Kondo regime as well as in the range where ordering becomes important. While the anisotropy in the Kondo slope can be understood by an anisotropic unitarity limit, the understanding of the anisotropy in region where impurity interactions are important remains problematic.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. S. Methfessel on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Low temperature self-ion irradiation of pure and granular aluminium-films

Al-films, evaporated at room temperature under different oxygen partial pressures, were irradiated with self-ions (500 keV, Al⁺⁺) at low temperature (<7 K). The observed increase of the resistivity and of the superconducting transition temperatureT _c depends strongly on the oxygen contentc ₀ present in the layers. A qualitative different behaviour of the above quantities was found for different fluence ranges of the bombarding ions. For high fluences in all cases an oxygen stabilized disorder state was obtained with correspondingT _c-increases betweenT _c=0.2 K for the purest films (c ₀0.5 at %) andT _c =1.2 K for films with c ₀=40 at %. The annealing behaviour of the irradiated films is also dependent on the oxygen contentc ₀.     

Self-diffusion of V-48 in the FeV σ-phase and in an Fe-47 wt.% V solid solution

Self-diffusion coefficients of vanadium in the FeV -phase and in the corresponding -solid solution (Fe-47 wt.% V) measured in the temperature ranges 1002–1115 °C (-phase) and 1230–1320 °C are reported. The found results differ fundamentally and significantly from the relations in ordered and disordered solid solutions [9]. The diffusivity in -phase at the transition temperature (T _/=1200 °C) is cca 14 times lower than the diffusivity in the b.c.c. solid solution, the chemical composition of which is the same. The lowering is caused by the different values of frequency factors,D _O=0.11 cm²/s andD _O=45 cm²/s. The effect of the corresponding activation enthalpiesH =252 kJ/mole andH =293 kJ/mole is small and quite opposite. The occurence of higher activation enthalpyH in the -solid solution at temperaturesT>T _/ may be attributed to a certain amount of the f.c.c. phase coexisting in the b.c.c. matrix at concentrationsc _v>27 wt.% at sufficiently high temperatures [7]. A comparison of vanadium self-diffusion characteristics measured in the -phase to the extrapolated values obtained on the basis of the previous measurements [1] in the Fe-V primary solid solutions ₁ shows that the diffusivity ratioD ₁/D (1473 K)=33 and that the activation enthalpyH is by about 3% higher than the valuesH ₁ (eq. (5)) measured in the uniphase b.c.c. solid solutions.     

Perturbations of flows on Banach spaces and operator algebras

For automorphism groups of operator algebras we show how properties of the difference _t – ' _t are reflected in relations between the generators , . Indeed for a von Neumann algebraM with separable predual we show that if _t – '_t 0.28 for smallt, then = 0(+)°^-1 where is an inner automorphism ofM and is a bounded derivation ofM. If the difference _t – ' _t =O(t) ast ; 0, then = + and if _t – ' _t 0.28 for allt then =. We prove analogous results for unitary groups on a Hilbert space andC ₀,C ₀ ^* groups on a Banach space.This paper subsumes an earlier work of the same title which appeared as a report from Z.I.F. der Universität BielefeldWith partial support of the U.S. National Science Foundation     

Tunneling experiments on amorphous and crystalline superconducting tantalum films

The energy gap and the transition temperature of amorphous and crystalline superconducting Ta films are measured by tunneling experiments. The following values are obtained: 2(0)=0,65 meV,T _c=2,11 K for the amorphous state after quenched condensation and 2(0)=1,24 meV,T _c=4,06 K for the crystalline state after annealing at room temperature. The reduced energy gap 2(0)/kT _c=3,58 demonstrates that amorphous Ta films are weak-coupling superconductors. The crystallization of the amorphous Ta films takes place at 250 K.     

The physics of detecting torsion and placing limits on its effects

We present the essential principles of torsion-detection physics and evaluate several conceivable types of experiments and observations for actually detecting torsion fields, reemphasizing also the evident impossibility of successfully searching for its manifestations among cosmological relics. In particular, a polarized body, with net intrinsic (fundamental-particle) spin, is essential for detecting a torsion field. One which possesses only orbital angular momentum—rotation—or an unpolarized intrinsic spin density will not feel torsion. The fundamental problem in searching for such fields is the extremely small basic unit of the coupling or interaction energy between the torsion field and spin,(8G/c ²)( ²/4). The best way of maximizing the total interaction energy is to increase the spin density of the source _s, and, at the same time the spin numberS _D of the detector.This essay was awarded an honorable mention in 1984 by the Gravity Research Foundation—Ed.     

Upper bounds onT c for one-dimensional Ising systems

We present upper bounds on the critical temperature of one-dimensional Ising models with long-range,l/n interactions, where 1<2. In particular for the often studied case of =2 we have an upper bound onT _c which is less than theT _c found by a number of approximation techniques. Also for the case where is small, such as =1.1, we obtain rigorous bounds which are extremely close, within 1.0%, to those found by approximation methods.     

Mass-Proper Time Uncertainty Relation in a Manifestly Covariant Relativistic Statistical Mechanics

We prove the uncertainty relation T _V m2/c ², which is realized on a statistical mechanical level for an ensemble of events in (1+D)-dimensional spacetime with motion parameterized by an invariant proper time , where T _V is the average passage interval in for the events which pass through a small (typical) (1+D)-volume V, and m is the dispersion of mass around its on-shell value in such an ensemble. We show that a linear mass spectrum is a completely general property of a (1+D)-dimensional off-shell theory.On sabbatical leave from School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv Uniersity, Ramat Aviv, Israel. Also at Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel     

Cu-EPR in YBa2Cu3O6+δ single crystals

We report on the observation of Cu-EPR signals in single crystalline material of YBa₂Cu₃O₆₊ in the narrow oxygen concentration range 0.7<<0.9 and for temperatures 80 K<T<200 K. We provide evidence that the signal results from Cu²⁺ ions located in Cu(1)OCu(1) chain fragments.     

Self-consistent calculation of statics and dynamics of the roughening transition

Statics and dynamics of the modified kinetic discrete Gaussian model are treated selfconsistently using a Gaussian probability assumption. A non-trivial roughening temperatureT _R is found in exactly two dimensions only. The free energyF, the correlation length and the interface roughness h ² are found to behave—lnFlnh ²(T _R –T)^–1 for temperaturesT approachingT _R from below. The linear relaxation rate of the order parameter is found to be proportional to ^–2. As a model for crystal growth, the growth rate depends linearly upon the chemical potential difference aboveT _R , shows a metastable regime belowT _R with a spinodal limit of metastability _c , beyond which oscillatory growth starts. The critical behavior of _c is found to be ln _c –(T _R –T)^–1+O(ln (T _R –T)).     

Superconducting surface resistance of thin amorphous Ga films on metallic substrates

The surface resistance of a metal coated with amorphous superconducting films is investigated. With an improved microwave cryostat and a two layer model considering the influence of the substrate, much thinner films can be used than previously. As an example the surface resistance of amorphous Ga is determined. A set of parameters ₀/k _BT_c=2,27; _L=13,4 nm; ₀=223 nm andl=1,0 nm describes the temperature dependence independent of thickness. As expected a model of free electrons is in agreement with the experimental results. For crystalline-Ga ₀/k _B T _c =1,91; _L=24 nm; ₀=163 nm and a much larger mean free pathl=22 nm is found.     

Scaling of the energy gap withT c in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ

The results of a high-resolution photoemission study using synchrotron radiation of two single crystals of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈₊, with different critical temperaturesT _c due to a variation in oxygen stoichiometry are reported. Within experimental accuracy, the energy gap 2 is found to scale withT _c , amounting to a reduced gap parameter of 2/k _BT_c7.4. Employing resonant photoemission at the O–2s and Cu–3p thresholds, two spectral peaks at binding energies of 180 meV and 320 meV were identified as predominantly O–2p-and Cu–3d 4s-derived states, respectively.     

Von neumann entropy as information rate

Recently it has been shown that quantum theory can be viewed as a classical probability theory by treating Hilbert space as a measure space (H, B(H)) of events or hidden states. Each density operator defines a set of probability measures such that(E _n )=w _n (alln). Coding elements H by subspacesE _n entails distortion. We show that the von Neumann entropyS() = -trInequals the effective rate at which the Hilbert space produces information with zero expected distortion, and comment on the meaning of this.     

On the Fokker-Planck equation with time-dependent drift and diffusion coefficients and its exponential solutions

The static critical behavior of a mixed hydrogen-bonded ferro-antiferroelectric system is investigated with use of a pseudo-spin Ising model in a transverse field, which describes the tunneling of protons. Assuming an infinite-ranged random interbond coupling, then0 replica method is applied to evaluate the averaged free energy, from which the replica-symmetric solution of the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick type is obtained. It is shown that a proton pseudo-spin glass (PG) phase exists below a freezing temperatureT _f , whereT _f and the order parameters for the PG and ferroelectric phase are parametrized by the tunneling frequency . For _c, where _c = and is the random distribution width, no ordering is possible even forT0. Numerical solutions for the PG order parameter and the dielectric susceptibility atT0 are obtained, and the phase diagram for a simple model of a mixed system atT0 is presented.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H.E. Müser on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

The Yang-Lee edge singularity in spherical models

The density of Yang-Lee zeros in the thermodynamic limit is discussed for ferromagnetic spherical models of general dimensionalities and arbitrary range of interaction. In all cases the zeros lie on the imaginary axis in the complex magnetic field planeH=H+iH with a density (H) that exhibits a square root singularity(H) (H-H ₀), with=1/2, as the edge of the gap atH=H ₀(T) is approached forT>T _c. WhenTT _c one hasH ₀(T)(TT _c ) with critical exponent=+.Supported by the National Science Foundation in part through the Materials Science Center at Cornell University.     

Critical thermodynamics of dysprosium ethyl sulphate,a pure dipolar Ising ferromagnet

Using a SQUID magnetometer the magnetization of the Ising ferromagnet dysprosium ethyl sulphate has been measured in the temperature range 0.015–3K and in external fields 0.004–30 Oe. The results atT0.4 K (precritical regime) confirm the pure dipolar nature of the magnetic interactions. Particular interest has been paid to the immediate neighbourhood of the critical pointT _c =118.17 mK andH=0 where the zero-field susceptibility(T) aboveT _c , the spontaneous magnetizationM _s (T), and the magnetization atT _c ,M _c (H), can be described by mean field laws modified by logarithmic singularities. The critical amplitudes, B, andD of, M _s andM _c , respectively, satisfy the relation (2/3B ²)^1/3=D. All these results agree with predictions of (i) the Larkin-Khmel'nitskii theory and (ii) exact solutions of the renormalization group equations for 3-dimensional dipolar Ising ferromagnets.A project of the Sonderforschungsbereich 65 Festkörperspektroskopie Darmstadt-Frankfurt, financed by special funds of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft