Towards measuring variations of Casimir energy by a superconducting cavity

We consider a Casimir cavity, one plate of which is a thin superconducting film. We show that when the cavity is cooled below the critical temperature for the onset of superconductivity, the sharp variation (in the far infrared) of the reflection coefficient of the film engenders a variation in the value of the Casimir energy. Even though the relative variation in the Casimir energy is very small, its magnitude can be comparable to the condensation energy of the superconducting film, and this gives rise to a number of testable effects, including a significant increase in the value of the critical magnetic field, required to destroy the superconductivity of the film. The theoretical ground is therefore prepared for the first experiment ever aimed at measuring variations of the Casimir energy itself.     

Variations of Casimir energy from a superconducting transition

We consider a five-layer Casimir cavity, including a thin superconducting film. We show that when the cavity is cooled below the critical temperature for the onset of superconductivity, the sharp variation (in the microwave region) of the reflection coefficient of the film produces a variation in the value of the Casimir energy. Even though the relative variation in the Casimir energy is very small, its magnitude can be comparable to the condensation energy of the superconducting film, and thus causes a significant increase in the value of the critical magnetic field, required to destroy the superconductivity of the film. The proposed scheme might also help clarifying the current controversy about the magnitude of the contribution to Casimir free energy from the TE zero mode, as we find that alternative treatments of this mode strongly affect the shift of critical field.     

具有-U中心的非简单金属与BCS超导体的邻近效应(Ⅰ)

用McMillan方法,研究了具有-U中心的非简单金属薄膜与BCS超导体膜(S)夹层的邻近效应,分析表明,这种夹层的超导电性可以由于邻近效应而增强,从实验上探索这种S-U迭层材料以提高T_c是十分可取的。 关键词：     

Strong magnetic fluctuations in a superconducting state of CeCoIn5

We show results on the vortex core dissipation through current-voltage measurements under applied pressure and magnetic field in the superconducting phase of CeCoIn{5}. We find that as soon as the system becomes superconducting, the vortex core resistivity increases sharply as the temperature and magnetic field decrease. The sharp increase in flux-flow resistivity is due to quasiparticle scattering on critical antiferromagnetic fluctuations. The strength of magnetic fluctuations below the superconducting transition suggests that magnetism is complementary to superconductivity and therefore must be considered in order to fully account for the low-temperature properties of CeCoIn{5}.     

High field superconductivity in thin films

Thin films provide an ideal means for studying the role of spin paramagnetism in the theory of superconductivity. A review is given of the theoretical and experimental work available until now with respect to this problem. It includes a study of the excitation spectrum of thin films in a parallel magnetic field and the experimental evidence of Zeeman splitting of superconducting quasiparticles. The role of spin-orbit interaction is discussed in detail. The application of spin selective tunnelling is shown. Furthermore, it includes a study of the order of phase transition between the normal state and the paramagnetically limited superconducting state. A detailed discussion is given of the generalized Ginzburg-Landau equation including numerical evaluations. The applicability of Tinkham's formula is discussed, which is relevant for the determination of critical fields of arbitrary orientations to the film. Finally, account is given of the work which deals with the influence of spin paramagnetism on superconducting fluctuations. Recent experimental and theoretical work is described and discussed.     

Depth-resolved profile of the magnetic field beneath the surface of a superconductor with a few nm resolution

The variation of a magnetic field as a function of depth beneath the surface of an YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) thin film in the Meissner state has been measured using low energy muons. The depth of implantation was varied from 20-150 nm by tuning the energy of the implanted muons from 3-30 keV. These are direct measurements of the penetration of a magnetic field beneath a superconducting surface which illustrate the power of low energy muons for near surface studies in superconductivity and magnetism.     

FeSe基超导单晶与薄膜研究新进展:自旋向列序、电子相分离及高临界参数

FeSe基超导体的超导临界温度可大范围调控,物理现象丰富,是非常规超导机理研究的热点.由于较高的超导临界参数及易于加工等特点,FeSe基超导体在超导应用开发方面也日益受到重视.大尺寸高质量的单晶和薄膜形态的FeSe基超导材料,对于相关基础科学研究和应用开发都极为重要.作者近年来先后开发和发明了水热离子交换（ion-exchange）、离子脱插（ion-deintercalation）、基底辅助水热外延生长方法,成功解决了二元FeSe和插层（Li,Fe）OHFeSe超导体高质量单晶和薄膜的生长和物性调控难题.进而在相关物理问题的研究中取得新进展,包括发现二元FeSe中自旋向列序与超导电性密切相关,观测到（Li,Fe）OHFeSe中的电子相分离现象.此外,（Li,Fe）OHFeSe超导薄膜呈现很高的超导临界电流密度和上临界磁场,其应用前景值得关注.     

Change of the effective fluctuation dimensionality in vanadium thin films in a magnetic field

Lowering of the effective fluctuation dimensionality in the critical region has been found for thin superconducting vanadium films placed in strong perpensicular magnetic fields. The effect shows itself as a change of the critical index characterizing the temperature dependence of the excess film conductivity. By varying the magnetic field, one can observe both two-dimensional and zero-dimensional critical fluctuations on the same specimens.     

Ginzberg-Landau理论对超导薄膜的适用性

本文指出虽然三十年来Ginzberg-Landau理论(以下简称G-理论)被人们广泛地用于描述超导薄膜的临界场,而且它还是描述强耦合超导薄膜临界场的唯一理论,但G-L关于薄膜临界场的理论不仅一直未得到实验证明,而且它既不能用于描述结晶态的弱耦合超导薄膜的临界场,也不适用于描述强耦合超导薄膜的临界场。本文还提出了一个在薄膜极限下定域的新判据:ξ<<λ,ξ<关键词：     

EuS/Ta异质结的极大磁电阻效应

在铁磁/超导异质结中,铁磁体的交换场通过近邻效应将导致超导体准粒子态密度的塞曼劈裂.基于该效应,在外磁场不强的情况下,通过外加磁场可以有效地调节铁磁/超导界面处的交换作用,从而实现超导体在正常态和超导态之间转换,产生极大磁电阻.本文利用脉冲激光沉积方法制备了EuS/Ta异质结并研究了其电磁特性.Ta在3.6 K以下为超导态,EuS在20 K以下为铁磁态.在2 K时,EuS/Ta异质结中可观测蝴蝶型磁滞回线,证明在低磁场下(<±0.18 T)异质结中EuS铁磁态和Ta超导态共存.磁输运测试表明,通过施加外磁场可以有效调节EuS的交换场,随着交换场的增大,同时也加强了界面处的交换作用,从而抑制Ta的超导态,实现了Ta在超导态和正常态之间的转变,在EuS/Ta异质结中观测到了高达144000%的磁电阻.本文制备的EuS/Ta异质结具有极大磁电阻效应,在自旋电子学器件中有潜在的应用前景.     

Observation of lateral long range order in superconducting FeTe thin films

<正>We find that the superconductivity in the thin films of the formerly believed non-superconducting parent compound FeTe is accompanied by an emergence of second order with a correlation length of 742 nm and 258 nm at 10 K and 300 K,respectively.The structural phase transition found in iron pnictide superconductors,in non-superconducting FeTe bulk samples,and in FeSe superconducting thin films is not observed in the superconducting FeTe thin films.The interplay between superconductivity and long range order may suggest the crucial role of competition between electronic localization and itinerancy which leads to strong quantum fluctuations in the FeTe system.     

Anomalous properties of thin films of ferromagnetic superconductors

Anomalous magnetic and superconducting behavior which originates from the electromagnetic interaction between the persistent current and the rare earth magnetic moments is theoretically predicted in thin films of ferromagnetic superconductors. It is shown that the ferromagnetic ordering can coexist with superconductivity for films of thickness smaller than the London penetration depth. The ferromagnetic phase transition is of the second order and its critical temperature depends on the thickness of the film.     

Nanoengineered magnetic-field-induced superconductivity

The perpendicular critical fields of a superconducting film have been strongly enhanced by using a nanoengineered lattice of magnetic dots (dipoles) on top of the film. Magnetic-field-induced superconductivity is observed in these hybrid superconductor/ferromagnet systems due to the compensation of the applied field between the dots by the stray field of the dipole array. By switching between different magnetic states of the nanoengineered field compensator, the critical parameters of the superconductor can be effectively controlled.     

低维超导的实验进展

超导自发现以来, 已成为凝聚态物理领域最重要的方向之一. 近年来, 低维材料制备技术的进步使得一维或二维的超导特性实验研究成为可能. 本文在简要介绍超导现象的基础上, 重点回顾了近些年二维超导薄膜和一维超导纳米线的制备和电输运研究, 以及在低维超导体中发现的相移、近邻效应、铁磁超导相互作用和高温超导等新奇的现象, 并对该领域的进一步发展做出了展望.     

Molecular beam epitaxy and superconductivity of stoichiometric FeSe and KxFe2_ySe2 crystalline films

Our recent progress in the fabrication of FeSe and KxFe2_ySe2 ultra thin films and the understanding of their superconductivity properties is reviewed. The growth of high-quality FeSe and KxFe2_ySe2 films is achieved in a well controlled manner by molecular beam epitaxy. The high-quality stoichiometric and superconducting crystalline thin films allow us to investigate the intrinsic superconductivity properties and the interplay between the superconductivity and the film thickness, the local structure, the substrate, and magnetism. In situ low-temperature scanning tunneling spectra reveal the nodes and the twofold symmetry in FeSe, high-temperature superconductivity at the FeSe/SrTiO3 interface, phase separation and magnetic order in KxFe2_ySe2, and the suppression of superconductivity by twin boundaries and Fe vacancies. Our findings not only provide fundamental information for understanding the mechanism of unconventional superconductivity, but also demonstrate a powerful way of engineering superconductors and raising the transition temperature.     

Effects of Boundary Curvature on Surface Superconductivity

We investigate, within 2D Ginzburg-Landau theory, the ground state of a type-II superconducting cylinder in a parallel magnetic field varying between the second and third critical values. In this regime, superconductivity is restricted to a thin shell along the boundary of the sample and is to leading order constant in the direction tangential to the boundary. We exhibit a correction to this effect, showing that the curvature of the sample affects the distribution of superconductivity.     

二维应变作用下超导薄膜LiFeAs的磁性和电子性质

基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算,研究了二维应变作用下LiFeAs超导薄膜的磁性结构、电子能带和态密度变化,分析了应变对其超导电性的作用.结果显示,对体系施加1%—6%的二维平面张、压应变均不改变其基态条形反铁磁性结构,费米面附近的电子态密度主要来自于Fe-3d轨道电子以及少量的As-4p电子.研究发现,与无应变情形相比,当施加压应变时,体系中Fe离子的反平行的电子自旋局域磁矩减小,薄膜反铁磁性受到抑制,费米面上电子态密度增加,超导电性来自于以反铁磁超交换耦合作用为媒介的空穴型费米面和电子型费米面间嵌套的Cooper电子对.而在张应变作用时,局域反铁磁性增强,费米面上电子态密度减小,金属性减弱,特别是张应变时费米面上空穴型能带消失, Cooper电子对出现概率显著降低,将抑制超导相变.     

Magnetization of the ferromagnetic-superconductor structures

The magnetization of a structure consisting of a thin superconducting film lying on a thin ferromagnetic substrate with uniaxial anisotropy is considered. It is shown that if a ferromagnet is in a multidomain state, then due to the presence of a superconducting film, the period of its domain structures decreases, which is caused by the increase of the magnetostatic energy of the system owing to Meissner currents. In a certain range of the constant of uniaxial anisotropy, under the action of a superconducting film, a domain structure may transform from a strip structure to the structure with closure domains. It is found that due to the nonuniform magnetic field of a multidomain ferromagnet, Abrikosov vortices may exist in a thin film only at certain parameters of the magnetic field.     

铁硒基超导研究新进展:高质量(Li,Fe)OHFeSe单晶薄膜

单晶薄膜形态的高温超导材料对于相关基础科学研究和应用开发都极为重要.多带的铁基高温超导体往往呈现丰富的物理现象,并具有较高的超导临界参数.特别是近年发现的插层（Li,Fe）OHFeSe超导体,无论对高温超导机理还是应用研究而言,都日益受到重视,已成为铁基家族中重要的典型材料.但是,该化合物含有OH键,加热易分解.因此,现有的常规高温成膜技术均不适用于生长该薄膜材料.为解决这一生长难题,我们最近发明了基体辅助水热外延生长法,实现了超导薄膜制备技术上的突破.本文简要介绍用此软化学成膜技术首次成功制备出（Li,Fe）OHFeSe单晶薄膜.该薄膜材料具有优良的结晶质量和较高的超导临界参数,特别是其高的临界电流密度和上临界场对应用开发有实际价值.因此,（Li,Fe）OHFeSe超导单晶薄膜的成功合成,为机理研究和应用开发分别提供了重要的实验载体和备选材料.另外,该薄膜技术也有望应用于其他功能材料的探索与合成,尤其是对常规手段难以获取的材料更具重大价值.