Anisotropy of the transport properties of single-crystal Bi2 Te3 disordered by electron bombardment

Using single-crystal samples of Bi₂Te₃ bombarded by 5-MeV electrons at a temperature of 250 K, we study the electrical resistivity and the Hall effect in the temperature range 1.7–370 K and the Shubnikov-de Haas effect at T=4.2 K in magnetic fields up to 14 T. We find that electron bombardment of Bi₂Te₃ crystals results in a transition from the metallic p-type state to the metallic state with a Fermi surface. Annealing at 350 K eliminates the radiation defects and restores the p-type metallic conductance. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 1787–1798 (May 1998)     

Frustrated exchange interactions formation at low temperatures and high hydrostatic pressures in La<Subscript>0.70</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.30</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>O2.85</Subscript>

The magnetic and thermal properties of the anion-deficient La_0.70Sr_0.30MnO_2.85 manganite are investigated in wide temperature (4–350 K) range, including under hydrostatic pressure (0–1.1 GPa). Throughout the pressure range investigated, the sample is spin glass with diffused phase transition into paramagnetic state. It is established, that spin glass state is a consequence of exchange interaction frustration of the ferromagnetic clusters embeded into antiferromagnetic clusters. The magnetic moment freezing temperature T _f of ferromagnetic clusters increases under pressure, freezing temperature dependence on pressure is characterized by derivative value ∼4.5 K/GPa, while the magnetic ordering T _MO temperature dependence is characterized by derivative value ∼13 K/GPa. The volume fraction of sample having ferromagnetic state is V _fer ∼ 13% and it increases under a pressure of 1.1 GPa by ΔV _fer ≈ 6%. Intensification of ferromagnetic properties of the anion-deficient La_0.70Sr_0.30MnO_2.85 manganite under hydrostatic pressure is a consequence of oxygen vacancies redistribution and unit cell parameters decrease. The most likely mechanism of frustrated exchange interactions formation is discussed.     

Magnetotransport properties of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> with different grain sizes

The magnetotransport and magnetoresistive (MR) properties of manganese-based La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ perovskite with different grain sizes are reported. The electrical resistivity was measured as a function of temperature in magnetic fields of 0.5 and 1 T. The insulator–metal transition temperature, T _IM, shifted to a higher temperature with the application of the magnetic field. In zero field, T _IM is almost constant (∼271 K) for all samples except for the sample with the largest grain size, where T _IM=265 K. The temperature dependence of resistivity was fitted with several equations in the metallic (ferromagnetic) region and the insulating (paramagnetic) region. The density of states at the Fermi level, N(E _F), and the activation energy of electron hopping were estimated by fitting the resistivity versus temperature curves. The ρ–T ² curves are nearly linear in the metallic regime, but the ρ–T ^2.5 curves exhibit a deviation from linearity. The variable range hopping model and small polaron hopping model fit the data well in the high-temperature region, indicating the existence of the Jahn–Teller distortion that localizes the charge carriers. MR was found to increase with an increase in the magnetic field, an effect which is attributed to the intergrain spin tunneling effect.     

Weak-field Hall resistance and effective carrier density measurements across the metal-insulator transition in Si-MOS structures

The weak-field Hall voltage in Si-MOS structures with different mobility is studied on both sides of the metal-insulator transition. In the vicinity of the critical density on the metallic side of the transition, the Hall voltage is found to deviate by 6–20 % from its classical value. The deviation does not correlate with the strong temperature dependence of the diagonal resistivity ρ _xx (T). In particular, the smallest deviation in R _xy is found in the highest-mobility sample, which exhibits the largest variation in the diagonal resistivity ρ _xx with temperature. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 70, No. 1, 48–52 (10 July 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Pressure dependence of the superconducting state parameters of metallic glass superconductor Mg70Zn30

Explicit expressions have been derived for the volume dependence of electron-phonon coupling strength (λ) and the Coulomb pseudopotential (μ^*) considering the variation of Fermi momentum (κ _F) and Debye temperature (θ _D) with volume. Ashcroft’s model pseudopotential and RPA form of dielectric screening have been used for obtaining pressure dependence of transition temperature (T _C) and the logarithmic volume derivative (Φ) of the effective interaction strength (N ₀ V) for metallic glass superconductor Mg₇₀Zn₃₀. It has been observed that T _C of the metallic glass Mg₇₀Zn₃₀ decreases rapidly with increase of pressure and the superconducting phase disappears at about 30% decrease of volume, for which the μ^* curve shows a minimum and an elbow is formed in the Φ graph.     

Influence of magnetic field on the superconducting transition in a Nd1.82Ce0.18CuO4−δ film

The temperature and magnetic-field dependences of the resistivity ρ and Hall effect R(j‖ab, B‖c) in a Nd_1.82Ce_0.18CuO_4−δ single crystal film (T _c =6 K) is investigated at temperatures 1.4≤T≤20 K and magnetic fields 0≤B≤5.5 T. At the lowest temperature T=1.4 K the resistive state (exhibiting resistivity and the Hall effect) arises in a magnetic field B=0.5 T. A transition to the normal state is completed at B _c 2≃3 T, where the Hall coefficient becomes nearly constant. The negative magnetoresistance due to the weak-localization effect in the normal state is observed for B>3 T. The nonmonotonic behavior and the inversion of the sign of R(B) in the mixed state are explained in a reasonable way by the flux-flow model with the effect of pinning taken into account. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 64, No. 6, 407–411 (25 September 1996) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Low-temperature electrical conductivity and the superconductor-insulator transition induced by indium impurity states in (Pb0.5Sn0.5)1 ? xInxTe solid solutions

A study is reported of the low-temperature electrophysical (including superconducting) characteristics of the (Pb_0.5Sn_0.5)_{1 − x} In _x Te semiconducting solid solutions with an indium content variable within x = 0.05–0.20. A decrease in the impurity content x in the material has been found to bring about a decrease in the superconducting transition temperature T _c and the onset of an “insulating” state of the material. These effects manifest themselves in an increase in the low-temperature (T = 4.2 K) resistivity of (Pb_0.5Sn_0.5)_0.95In_0.05Te by more than three orders of magnitude as compared to that of (Pb_0.5Sn_0.5)_0.8In_0.2Te. A decrease in the In content in the solid solution also gives rise to a radical change in the shape of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity from a metallic behavior in the material with x = 0.20 (decrease in the electrical resistivity with decreasing temperature in the range 300–4.2 K) to a semiconducting behavior in a sample with x = 0.05 (exponential increase in the resistivity at T < 25 K). This transition to the insulating state with decreasing content of the impurity should be assigned to the displacement of the impurity band of quasi-local indium states toward the top of the light-hole valence band of the material and its emergence into the band gap of the solid solution.     

Superconductivity in the Ti-D system under pressure

The pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in TiD_0.74 has been measured up to 30 GPa in a diamond high-pressure chamber. It is found that the deuteride TiD_0.74 becomes a superconductor at pressures corresponding to the transition to the high-pressure ζ phase, with a transition temperature that increases from 4.17 to 4.43 K in the interval P=14–30 GPa. The value extrapolated to atmospheric pressure T _c (0)=4.0 K is significantly lower than the superconducting transition temperature (T _c =5.0 K) measured earlier in the metastable state obtained by quenching TiD_0.74 under pressure. It is assumed that the significant difference of the extrapolated value from the superconducting transition temperature in the metastable state after quenching under pressure is caused by a phase transition on the path from the stability region of the ζ phase under pressure to the region of the metastable state at atmospheric pressure. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 2153–2155 (December 1998)     

Atomic structure and transport and magnetic properties of the Sm1−x SrxMnO3 system

This is the first study of the temperature dependences of the atomic structure by neutron diffraction, as well as of the resistivity, differential magnetic susceptibility, and magnetoresistance of the ceramic system ¹⁵⁴Sm_1−x Sr_xMnO₃ (x∼0.16–0.4). Samples (x⩾0.3) having an initially orthorhombic structure transfer upon cooling from the insulating to the metallic state and exhibit giant magnetoresistance, which at liquid-helium temperature reaches as high as 90% in magnetic fields up to 30 kOe. At lower doping levels (x⩽0.25), the compound has monoclinic structure. The resistivity of such compounds in zero magnetic field displays insulating behavior upon lowering the temperature to 77 K. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1271–1276 (July 1998)     

Superconducting state parameters of metallic glass Mg70Zn30 using linearized screened pseudopotential

A linearized form for the screened form factors of electron-phonon interaction in the metallic glass Mg₇₀Zn₃₀ is applied for the first time to predict the superconducting state parameters viz. electron-phonon coupling strength (λ), Coulomb pseudopotential (μ*), transition temperature (T _c), isotope effect exponent (α) and the interaction strength (N ₀ V). Computed results agree with the experimental data available in the literature.     

Magnetic, electrical, and optical properties of Ca1 ? x Ce x MnO3 ( x ≤ 0.12) single crystals

The magnetic, electrical, and optical properties of Ca_{1 − x} Ce _x MnO₃ (x≤0.12) manganite single crystals are investigated with the aim of revealing the specific features of the multiphase electronic and magnetic state as a function of the cerium concentration and the atmosphere used for growing single crystals. It is found that the concentration dependence of the low-temperature magnetization M(x) of the single crystals is shifted toward the high-concentration range as compared to the corresponding dependence of the polycrystals, which is explained by the predominant cation deficiency. The electrical resistivity and the reflection spectra of the single crystals in the infrared spectral range indicate that charge carriers exhibit a band nature at temperatures close to room temperature. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of the single crystal with x = 0.08, which has the maximum magnetization in the studied series of Ca_{1 − x} Ce _x MnO₃ compounds, unlike polycrystals, exhibits a metallic behavior over the entire temperature range. The G-type antiferromagnetic phase with the Néel and Curie temperatures T _N(G) = T _C = 100 K is characterized by maxima of the electrical resistivity ρ and the magnetoresistance Δρ/ρ = |(ρ₀ − ρ _H )/ρ₀| = 38% in the magnetic field H = 90 kOe. The magnetoresistance Δρ/ρ of the single crystals at cerium concentrations x = 0.10 and 0.12 with variations in temperature exhibit three specific features: near the temperature of charge ordering T _co, near the temperature of the magnetic phase transition to the C-type antiferromagnetic phase T _N(C), and near the temperature of the phase transition to the magnetic charge-ordered phase T _N(MCO). An anomalous temperature dependence of the magnetization is revealed for a single crystal with x = 0.10 grown in oxygen at a pressure of 5 atm, which is explained by the presence of regions with hole conductivity due to cation deficiency. The inhomogeneous electronic and magnetic state is associated with the interrelation of the charge, orbital, and spin orderings. Original Russian Text ? N.N. Loshkareva, A.V. Korolev, N.I. Solin, E.V. Mostovshchikova, S.V. Naumov, N.V. Kostromitina, A.M. Balbashov, 2009, published in Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2009, Vol. 135, No. 1, pp. 98–107.     

Superconducting state parameters of CuCZr100-C metallic glasses

The theoretical investigation of the superconducting state parameters (SSP) viz. electron-phonon coupling strength λ, Coulomb pseudopotential μ*, transition temperature T _c, isotope effect exponent α and effective interaction strength N ₀ V of ten Cu _C Zr_100−C metallic glasses have been reported using Ashcroft’s empty core (EMC) model potential. Three local field correction functions proposed by Hartree (H), Taylor (T) and Ichimaru-Utsumi (IU) are used in the current investigation to study the screening influence on the aforesaid properties. It is observed that the electron-phonon coupling strength λ and the transition temperature T _C are quite sensitive to the selection of the local field correction functions, whereas the Coulomb pseudopotential μ*, isotope effect exponent α and effective interaction strength N ₀ V show weak dependences on local field correction functions. The T _c obtained from IU-local field correction function are found an excellent agreement with available theoretical or experimental data. Also, the present results are found in qualitative agreement with other such earlier reported data, which confirms the superconducting phase in metallic glasses.      

High Pressure Study of HfNi Crystallographic and Electronic Structure

The crystallographic structure and electronic properties of HfNi were studied as a function of pressure by combining X-ray diffraction results with the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (LAPW) calculations. No phase transition was observed up to a pressure of 35.3 GPa, with a total volume contraction of V/V ₀ = 0.85, a bulk modulus value of B ₀ = 52 ± 3 GPa and B ₀ ^′ = 1.29 ± 0.26. The calculated linear increase in the V _zz value as a function of the pressure induced volume reduction at the hafnium site was attributed mainly to the p–p contribution, while in the nickel site, a non negligible d–d contribution to V _zz is also observed, and attributed to the high 3d-partial DOS near the nickel nucleus. Based on the total electronic DOS at E _Fermi calculated for 0 K (N(E ⁰ _Fermi)), a value of 6.85 and 5.03 (mJ/mol/k²) was calculated for the band contribution (γ _band) to the electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) at a pressure of 0 and 35.3 GPa, respectively.     

Electrical conductivity and magnetic properties of La1 ? xCaxMn1 ? yFeyO3 ceramic samples (x = 0.67, y = 0, 0.05)

The temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility χ(T) and the electrical resistivity ρ(T) of ceramic samples of La_{1 − x} Ca _x MnO₃ with x = 0.67 (LCMO) and La_{1 − x} Ca _x Mn_{1 − y} Fe _y O₃ with x = 0.67 and y = 0.05 (LCMFO) are investigated in magnetic fields B = 50–10⁵ G and the temperature range T = 4.2–400 K. Both samples undergo a transition from the paramagnetic state to a state with charge (orbital) ordering (CO) at temperatures T _CO ≈ 272 K for LCMO and T _CO ≈ 222 K for LCMFO. The behavior of the paramagnetic phase in the temperature range 320–400 K for LCMO and 260–400 K for LCMFO is described by the Curie-Weiss law with effective Bohr magneton numbers p _eff = 4.83 μ_B (LCMO) and 4.77 μ_B (LCMFO), respectively. The disagreement between the observed positive Weiss temperatures (θ ≈ 175 K (LCMO) and θ ≈ 134 K (LCMFO)) and negative Weiss temperatures required for the antiferromagnetic ground state can be explained by the phase separation and transition to the charge-ordered state. The magnetic irreversibility for T < T _CO is accounted for by the existence of a mixture of the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases, as well as the cluster glass phase. At low temperatures, doping with iron enhances the frustration of the system, which manifests itself in a more regular behavior of the decay rate of the remanent magnetization with time. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in the range of the charge-ordered phase conforms to the variable-range hopping model. The behavior of the electrical resistivity is governed by the complex structure of the density of localized states near the Fermi level, which includes a soft Coulomb gap Δ = 0.464 eV for LCMO and 0.446 eV for LCMFO. It is established that the ratio between the localization radii of charge carriers a for LCMFO and a _und for LCMO is a/a _und = 0.88. Original Russian Text ? V.S. Zakhvalinskiĭ, R. Laiho, T.S. Orlova, A.V. Khokhulin, 2008, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2008, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 61–68.     

Anisotropy of the superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7−x single crystals with reduced oxygen content

In an investigation of the resistivity anisotropy of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x single crystals with suboptimal oxygen content it is observed that the superconducting transition for the component ρc of the resistivity tensor is shifted to lower temperatures with respect to the transition for the component ρab. A similar shift is also observed for the transition in the temperature dependence of the dynamic magnetic susceptibility. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 4, 309–313 (25 August 1998)     

Electrical properties of amorphous (Co45Fe45Zr10)x(Al2O3)1?x nanocomposites

The electrical properties of (Co₄₅Fe₄₅Zr₁₀)_x(Al₂O₃)_1−x granular nanocomposites have been studied. The concentration dependences of electrical resistivity are S-shaped (in accordance with the percolation theory of conduction) with a threshold at a metallic component concentration of ∼41 at. %. An analysis of the temperature behavior carried out in the range 300–973 K revealed that structural relaxation and crystallization of the amorphous phase are accompanied by a decrease in the electrical resistivity of the composites above the percolation threshold and by its increase below the percolation threshold. For metallic phase concentrations x<41 at. %, variable range hopping conduction over localized states near the Fermi level was found to be dominant at low temperatures (77–180 K). A further increase in temperature brings about a crossover of the conduction mechanism from Mott’s law ln(σ) ∝ (1/T)^1/4 to ln(σ) ∝ (1/T)^1/2. A model of inelastic resonance tunneling over a chain of localized states of the dielectric matrix was used to find the average number of localized states involved in the charge transport between metallic grains. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 46, No. 11, 2004, pp. 2076–2082. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2004 by Kalinin, Remizov, Sitnikov.     

Effect of carbon vacancies on the electric resistivity of nonstoichiometric VC<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript> vanadium carbide

The influence of the temperature, concentration, and distribution of structure vacancies of the carbon sublattice on the electric resistivity ρ of nonstoichiometric VC _y vanadium carbide (0.66 ≤ y ≤ 0.875) has been studied in the temperature range of 300–1200 K. The symmetry and structure characteristics of the ordered V₆C₅ and V₈C₇ phases formed owing to low-temperature annealing on various sections of the homogeneity region of the VC _y carbide. The dependence of the residual electric resistivity on the content of the disordered vanadium carbide is explained by the atom-vacancy interaction and the change in the carrier concentration in the homogeneity region of VC _y .     

Electrical properties of thin films of Eu2O3 substituted compounds

Europium oxide (Eu₂O₃) substituted compound has been prepared by solid-solid reaction of the powders of Eu₂O₃, BaCO₃ and CuO at 950°C for 16 hours. The thin films have been deposited by high vacuum evaporation technique (vacuum ≈ 10⁻⁶ torr). The variation of current (I) with voltage (V) at room temperature (RT) i.e. 294 K and in ice (273 K) are found to be linear. The variation of electrical resistivity (ρ) with temperature (T) by heating the sample above RT has been determined. Resistivity is found to decrease with increase in temperature. Further the variation of electrical resistivity (ρ) with temperature (T) from 77 K, liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT), to 270 K has also been determined. It is observed that resistivity suddenly becomes zero at around 87 K. Thus the prepared material has superconducting properties with superconducting transition temperature, T _c at 87 K.      

Some aspects of auger electron spectra of 3d transition metal oxides

Auger electron spectra of the transition metals Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni as well as their oxides have been investigated in the energy range between 0–100 eV. In each case of the clean metal surface the observed spectrum consists essentially of one Auger line identified asM _2,3 VV transition. After oxidation a line doublet is observed revealing two transitions instead of one. Additional new Auger peaks appear in the low energy range between 0–30 eV. The “splitting” of the Auger line can be explained as resulting from aM _2,3 V _dV_d and aM _2,3 V _pV_p transition. The latter is characteristic for the compound and can in a simple way be interpreted as a cross transition.     

Metal-insulator transition in electron-doped Ba1−x La x MnO3 compounds

Electron-doped (Ba_1−x La _x )MnO₃ compounds were prepared for x=0−0.5. Measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD) at room temperature and temperature variation of dc electrical resistivity down to 20 K were carried out. Samples with x=0.2–0.5 exhibit metal-insulator (M-I) transition. The maximum M-I transition temperature (T _c) of 289 K was observed for 30% of La doping (x=0.3). XRD patterns of these samples (x=0.2−0.5) were analyzed using Rietveld refinement. These samples are found to be mostly in single-phase form with orthorhombic symmetry (space group Pbnm). We have found strong correlation between Mn-O-Mn bond angles and T _c of M-I transition. The resistivity data below T _c could be fitted to the expression ρ=ρ ₁+ρ ₂ T ² and this shows that double exchange interaction plays a major role even in Mn⁴⁺-rich compound. Above T _c the resistivity data were fitted to variable range hopping and small polaron models.