Upper critical fields of superconducting Gd and Tm doped LaSn3: Effects of crystalline electric fields

The temperature dependence of the upper critical fields, H_c²(T), are presented for (La_1-xGd_x)Sn₃ and (La_1-xTm_x)Sn₃. For samples with nearly the same T_c, H_c²(T) of the Tm-doped LaSn₃ samples are always larger than those for the Gd-doped samples. The results are interpreted in terms of crystalline electric field splitting of magnetic levels of the Tm³⁺. Pure LaSn₃ is found to be a Type I superconductor.     

Upper critical fields of NbxGa1-x: A binary high temperature superconductor

The upper critical fields, H_C2, of several Nb_xGa_1-x alloys with values of T_c from 13.3 K to 20.2 K have been measured at temperatures from 4.2 to 20.4 K with dc and pulsed magnet fields. For the highest T_c material, H_C2(4.2 K) = 340 kG. The data are consistent with almost complete suppression of Pauli paramagnetic limiting. Comparisons with other high T_c materials, Nb₃Al and NbAlGe are presented.     

Effects of composition on the upper critical field of V-Ga

Measurements of the temperature dependence of the upper critical field, H_c2(T), for a series of V_100?xGa_x materials are presented for 20.5 ≤ × ≤ 29.6. Fits of the data to conventional theory for a paramagnetically limited, dirty, type II superconductor show: 1) a maximum in T_c and H_c2(0) for x ? 25; 2) a constant ( for x ≤ 25; 3) a slowly increasing value of λ_so with increasing x up to x ～ 25; and 4) good agreement with stoichiometric ordered and thermally disordered V₃Ga. Above $\text{x ? 25}$ broader transitions are observed. For x = 25, T_c = 15.3 K, (, λ_so = 0.3 and H_c2(0) = 23.4 tesla. The effects of inclusion of strong-coupling in the theory are discussed briefly.     

Upper critical fields of superconducting superconducting rare-earth molybdenum selenides

Upper critical fields, H_c2(T), for superconducting LaMo₆Se₈, La_0.8Eu_0.2Mo₆Se₈, La_0.8Ce_0.2Mo₆Se₈ and PrMo₆Se₈ were measured. For the best material, LaMo₆Se₈, T_c = 11.3 K, (dH_c²/dT)_T=Tc=70 kG/K and and H_c² (4.2 K) = 370 kG. These selenide compounds show promise as very high field superconductors.     

Effect of sorbic acid doping on flux pinning in bulk MgB2 with the percolation model

In this paper, we study the doping effect of sorbic acid (C₆H₈O₂), from 0 to 20 wt.% of the total MgB₂, on critical temperature (T_c), critical current density (J_c), irreversibility field (H_irr) and crystalline structure. The XRD patterns of samples show a slightly decrease in a-axis lattice parameter for doped samples, due to the partial substitution of carbon at boron site. On the other hand, we investigate the influence of doping on the behavior of flux pinning and J_c(B) in the framework of percolation theory and it is found that the J_c(B) behavior could be well fitted in high field region. The two key parameters, anisotropy and percolation threshold, play very important roles. It is believed that the enhancement of J_c is due to the reduction of anisotropy in high field region.     

Electron transport in diborides: Observation of superconductivity in ZrB2

We report on syntheses and electron transport properties of polycrystalline samples of diborides (AB₂) with different transition metals atoms (A=Zr, Nb, Ta). The temperature dependence of resistivity, ρ(T), and ac susceptibility of these samples reveal a superconducting transition of ZrB₂ with T _c =5.5 K, while NbB₂ and TaB₂ have been observed to be nonsuperconducting up to 0.37K. H _c2(T) is linear in temperature below T _c , leading to a rather low H _c2(0)=0.1 T. At T close to T _c , H _c2(T) demonstrates a downward curvature. We conclude that these diborides, as well as MgB₂ samples, behave like simple metals in the normal state with usual Bloch-Grüneisen temperature dependence of resistivity and with Debye temperatures 280, 460, and 440 K for ZrB₂, NbB₂, and MgB₂, respectively, rather than T ² and T ³, as previously reported for MgB₂.     

Influence of disorder on superconductivity in non-magnetic rare-earth nickel borocarbides

The effect of substitutional disorder on the superconducting properties of YNi₂B₂C was studied by partially replacing yttrium and nickel by Lu and Pt, respectively. For the two series of (Y, Lu)Ni₂B₂C and Y(Ni, Pt)₂B₂C compounds, the upper critical field H _c2(T) and the specific heat c _p(T, H) in the superconducting mixed state have been investigated. Disorder is found to reduce several relevant quantities such as T _c, the upper critical field H _c2(0) at T=0 and a characteristic positive curvature of H _c2(T) observed for these compounds near T _c. The H _c2(T) data point to the clean limit for (Y, Lu) substitutions and to a transition to the quasi-dirty limit for (Ni, Pt) substitutions. The electronic specific heat contribution γ(H) exhibits significant deviations from the usual linear γ(H) law. These deviations reduce with growing substitutional disorder but remain even in the quasidirty limit which is reached in the Y(Ni_1−x , Pt _x )₂B₂C samples for x=0.1.     

Observation of a transition from BCS to HTSC-like superconductivity in Ba1 − x KxBiO3 single crystals

The temperature dependences of the upper critical field B _c2(T) and surface impedance Z(T) = R(T) + iX(T) have been measured in Ba_{1 ? x} K_xBiO₃ single crystals with transition temperatures 6 ≤ T _c ≤ 32 K (0.6 > x > 0.4). A transition from the BCS to an unusual type of superconductivity has been revealed: B _c2(T) curves of the crystals with T _c > 20 K have positive curvature (as in some HTSCs), and those of the crystals with T _c < 15 K described by the usual Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg (WHH) formula. The R(T) and X(T) dependences of the crystals with T _c ≈ 32 K and T _c ≈ 11 K in the temperature range T ? T _c are linear (as in HTSCs) and exponential (BCS), respectively. The experimental results are discussed using the extended saddle point model by Abrikosov.     

Dynamic melting of driven vortex matter below 1 K

We report on measurements of a mode-locking resonance in amorphous Mo_xGe_1?x films at different temperatures T down to 0.8 K, which is well below the superconducting transition (6 K). We observe dynamic ordering of driven vortex matter for all the temperatures studied. As the field exceeds a certain critical field B_c,dyn at fixed T, moving vortices do not exhibit dynamic ordering. At high T, this field B_c,dyn(T), so-called dynamic melting, nearly coincides with a characteristic field B_c(T) where the linear resistivity vanishes. At low T, however, B_c,dyn(T) is significantly suppressed compared to B_c(T), suggesting intrinsic quantum melting in the absence of pinning.     

Critical parameters near the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition in La0.7A0.3(Mn1−xbx)O3 (A=Sr; B=Ti and Al; x=0.0 and 0.05) compounds

The critical parameters provide important information concerning the interaction mechanisms near the paramagnetic-to-ferromagnetic transition. In this paper, we present a thorough study for the critical behavior of La_0.7A_0.3(Mn_1−xB_x)O₃ (A=Sr; B=Ti and Al; x=0.0 and 0.05) polycrystalline samples near ferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition temperature by analyzing isothermal magnetization data. We have analyzed our dc-magnetization data near the transition temperature with the help of the modified Arrot plot, Kouvel-Fisher method. We have determined the critical temperature T_C and the critical parameters β, γ and δ. With the values of T_C, β and γ, we plot M×(1−T/T_C)^−β vs. H×(1−T/T_C)^−γ. All the data collapse on one of the two curves. This suggests that the data below and above T_C obey scaling, following a single equation of state. Critical parameters for x=0 and x_Ti=0.05 samples are between those predicted for a 3D-Heisenberg model and mean-field theory and for x_Al=0.05 samples the values obtained for the critical parameters are close to those predicted by the mean-field theory.     

Upper critical fields of Nb3Ge thin film superconductors

The upper critical field H_c2(T) of the highest T_c(～23K) Nb₃Ge superconducting films has been found to be ≈370kG at 4.2K. Measurements on lower T_c films show very broad transitions reflecting nonuniformity. The H_c2(T) characteristics are consistent with other Nb₃X type II superconductors.     

Intrinsic low field susceptibility in pseudobinary DyxY1−&gt;x&gt;Al2andTbxGd1−xAl2 cubic intermetallic compounds

Low field (H_ac ≈ 3.5 x 10^-6T) and low frequency (15 Hz) ac susceptibilities, χ_i, have been measured between 3.3 K and well above the Curie temperatures, for the intermetallic Laves phase compounds Dy_xY_1-xAl₂ and Tb_xGd_1-xAl₂. It is concluded that χ_i is, at low enough temperatures, dominated by the domain wall excursions around the minima of the anisotropy Peierls potential wells. The derived model relation χ_i(T)H_c⁽ⁱ⁾(T) = const., where H_c⁽ⁱ⁾ is the intrin sic pinning coercive field, is confirmed at low enough temperatures. The shape of the observed susceptibility cusps around the Curie temperatures in the series Dy_xY_1-xAl₂ (x 0.35) suggests that these systems are magnetically inhomogenous. The magnetic domain sizes estimated from these measurements seem quite small (between around 0.01 and 0.1 μm).     

Coexistence of superconductivity and magnetic order in YBa2Cu4O8

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility and powder x-ray-diffraction measurements were used to study superconductivity and magnetic order in YBa₂(Cu_1?xFe_x)₄O_8+δ. T_c is decreasing with x, disappearing for x>x_c≈0.04. For xc iron substitutes Cu, predominantly in the Cu(1) site exhibiting a single quadrupole Mössbauer spectrum at 90 K. For x>x_c magnetic order is observed in the Cu(2) site, T_N=380 (5) K for x=0.1 and H_eff (Cu(2), 4.2 K)=510(2) kOe. However, the most surprising discovery is that for x=0.025, for which T_c=27(2) K, the Fe in the Cu(1) site orders magnetically at T_N=30(2) K and H_eff (Cu(1), 4.2 K)=461(2) kOe. The coexistence and competition between superconductivity and magnetic order in the Cu(1) and Cu(2) sites in YBa₂Cu₄O₈ are discussed in terms of the previously observed phase diagrams for Y_1?xPr_xBa₂(Cu_1?yFe_y)₃O_z.     

Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of Sr-doped Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 compounds

In this work, we pointed out that Sr substitution for Ca leads to modify the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Pr_0.7Ca_0.3-xSr_xMnO₃ compounds. Analyzing temperature dependence of magnetization, M(T), proves that the Curie temperature (T_C) increased with increasing Sr content (x); T_C value is found to be 130–260 K for x = 0.0–0.3, respectively. Using the phenomenological model and M(T,H) data measured at several applied magnetic field, the magnetocaloric effect of Pr_0.7Ca_0.3-xSr_xMnO₃ compounds has been investigated through their temperature and magnetic field dependences of magnetic entropy change ΔS_m(T,H) and the change of the specific heat change ΔC_P(T,H). Under an applied magnetic field change of 10 kOe, the maximum value of -ΔS_m is found to be about 3 J/kg·K, and the maximum and minimum values of ΔC_P(T) calculated to be about ±60 J/kg·K for x = 0.3 sample. Additionally, the critical behaviors of Pr_0.7Ca_0.3-xSr_xMnO₃ compounds around their T_C have been also analyzed. Results suggested a coexistence of the ferromagnetic short- and long-range interactions in samples. Moreover, Sr-doping favors establishing the short-range interactions.     

Effects of Zn on the grain boundary properties of La2−xSrxCu1−yZnyO4 superconductors

The properties of the grain boundaries (GBs) are of significant importance in high-T_c cuprates. Most large scale applications of cuprate superconductors involve usage of sintered compounds. The critical current density and the ability to trap high magnetic flux inside the sample depend largely on the quality of the GBs. Zn has the ability to pin vortices but it also degrades superconductivity. In this study we have investigated the effect of Zn impurity on the intergrain coupling properties in high-quality La_2−xSr_xCu_1−yZn_yO₄ sintered samples with different hole concentrations, p (≡x), over a wide range of Zn contents (y) using field-dependent AC susceptibility (ACS) measurements. The ACS results enabled us to determine the superconducting transition temperature T_c, and the temperature T_gcp, at which the randomly oriented superconducting grains become coupled as a function of hole and disorder contents. We have analyzed the behavior of the GBs from the systematic evolution of the values of T_gcp(p, y), T_c(p, y), and from the contribution to the field-dependent ACS signal coming from the intergrain shielding current. Zn suppresses both T_c and T_gcp in a similar fashion. The hole content and the carrier localization due to Zn substitution seem to have significant effect on the coupling properties of the GBs. We have discussed the possible implications of these findings in detail in this article.     

Gamma rays and neutrons following preequilibrium 165Ho(p, xcnypγ) reactions at Ep = 60 MeV

Neutrons and γ-rays following 60 MeV proton bombardment of ¹⁶⁵Ho were measured in coincidence with discrete γ-rays characteristic of the reaction channels (residual nuclei). The cross sections for the (p, xcnγ) reactions with x = 2–6, the γ-ray multiplicities, and the energy and angular distributions of the emitted neutrons were analyzed in terms of the preequilibrium and equilibrium deexcitation processes. Characteristic behaviours of the preequilibrium process were found in the (p, 2nγ) and (p, 4nγ) reactions where the sum E_T, = ∑^xE_i of the energies E_i of the emitted neutrons was large, while those of the equilibrium process were typical for the (p, 6ny) reaction with small E_T. The reactions are well reproduced by the expression σ. ≈0.35∑_xσ (2, x?2) + 0.4∑_xσ(1, χ?1)+ 0.25∑_xσ(0, x), where σ(n_p, n_c) stands for emission of n_p neutrons at the preequilibrium stage followed by evaporation of n_c neutrons at the equilibrium stage.     

Low-temperature x-ray diffraction studies of the crystallographic parameters and thermal expansion of (CH3)2NH2Al(SO4)2 · 6H2O crystals

The a, b, c, and β crystallographic parameters of the (CH₃)₂NH₂Al(SO₄)₂ · 6H₂O crystal (DMAAS) have been measured by x-ray diffraction in the 90–300-K temperature range. The thermal expansion coefficients along the principal crystallographic axes α_a, α_b, and α_c have been determined. It was shown that, as the temperature is increased, the parameter α decreases and b increases, whereas c decreases for T<T _c (where T _c is the transition temperature) and increases for T>T _c, so that one observes a minimum in the c=f(T) curve in the region of the phase transition (PT) temperature T _c ～ 152 K. The thermal expansion coefficients α_a, α_b, and α_c vary in a complicated manner with increasing temperature, more specifically, α_a and α_c assume negative values at low temperatures, and the α_a=f(T), α_b=f(T), and α_c=f(T) curves exhibit anomalies at the PT point. The crystal has been found to be substantially anisotropic in thermal expansion.     

Magnetic phase diagram of GdAg1−xZnx

The magnetic phase diagram of GdAg_1?xZn_x, an intermetallic solid solution of an antiferromagnet (GdAg: T_N = 136 K) and a ferromagnet (GdZn: T_C = 269 K), has been elaborated from magnetization measurements. The antiferromagnetic phase boundary T_N(x) first passes a broad maximum meeting the ferromagnetic phase boundary T_C(x) at x₁ = 0.575 and T₁ = 72 K, where four phases coexist. On approaching (x₁, T₁) along T_N(x) the magnetization phenomena vanish. At x₁ the phase transition still has ferromagnetic appearance but proceeds into a state without spontaneous magnetic moment. Two different ferromagnetic phases (F₁, F₂) and one ferrimagnetic phase (F₃) occur in the composition intervals 0.69 < x₁ <1, and 0.61 <x₂ < 0.69 and 0.51 < x₃ < 0.61. All phase transitions seem to be of second order except th e F₁?F₂ one at x = 0.69 which is of first order. This phase line meets the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase boundary T_C(x) in a multicritical point with the coordinates x_m = 0.69, T_m = 123 K.Six further mixed magnetic phases, M_{1, 2, ..., 6}, are observed between x = 0.33 and 0.6 below the antiferromagnetic branch and exhibit irreversible thermodynamic properties, such as hysteresis, below about 40 K.Assuming local magnetic interactions only between nearest and next-nearest Gd neighbours, the T_N(x) and T_C(x) phase boundaries can be described fairly well by a simple model calculation using different exchange parameters for a few relevant distributions of Ag and Zn atoms.     

Re-entrant superconductivity in a magnetically ordered superconductor: La1-xGdxRu2

We have measured the critical temperature (T_c) and the upper critical magnetic field (H_c2) of La_1-xGdxRu₂. At low concentrations of the magnetic impurity (Gd), the suppression of T_c follows the expected Abrikosov-Gorkov (A-G) pair breaking curve. However, for larger concentrations, strong deviations below A-G are observed. Samples in this region (4. ? × ? 5. at. %) exhibit two T_c's. La_1-xGd_xRu₂ is known to order magnetically, probably as a spin glass, and the magnetic ordering temperature (T_M) has been measured in the normal state. This T_M curve intersects the T_c curve in the concentration range where the T_c curve is re-entrant and we therefore attribute the re-entrant T_c behavior to the magnetic ordering of the Gd³⁺ ions.