Vortex glass scaling in Pb-doped Bi-2223 single crystal

We report on study of the vortex liquid in Pb-doped Bi-2223 single crystal using the in-plane resistivity measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field up to 6 T applied perpendicular to CuO planes. Below T _c at the upper part of superconducting transition we found Arrhenius-like resistivity behavior. With further temperature decrease close to onset of dissipation resistivity shows power law dependence on temperature signaling approaching vortex-glass transition. The critical exponents ν(z − 1) = 4.6 ± 0.5 are found to be field independent within experimental errors. We also present magnetic phase diagram defining region of nonzero critical current for Pb-doped Bi-2223 single crystal.     

Quasi two-dimensional electronic properties of the lithium molybdenum bronze,Li0.9Mo6O17

Four probe electrical resistivity measurements between 0.3K and 300K were made on single crystals of the violet-red bronze Li_0.9Mo₆O₁₇ grown by a temperature gradient flux technique. The temperature variation of the resistivity shows metallic conductivity and highly anisotropic behavior similar to K_0.9Mo₆O₁₇. The room temperature resistivity, measured in the direction parallel to the plate axis, is 9.5×10^-3Ωcm and 2.47Ωcm perpendicular to that axis. A phase transition observed at ～24K is possibly related to the onset of a charge density wave. A transition to the superconducting state is observed at Tc ～ 1.9K.     

Anisotropy of the upper critical field in c-axis oriented MgB2 thin films

C-axis oriented MgB_2 thin films were synthesized on single-crystal MgO (111) substrates using a chemical vapour deposition technique. The as-formed films revealed a sharp superconducting transition temperature of 38K with the transition width 0.2K. The temperature dependence of the upper critical magnetic field H_{c2}(T) in the films was determined via resistivity for magnetic field H parallel and perpendicular to the c axis of the films. Using the Werthamer－Helfand－Hohenberg formula, we obtained the anisotropy ratio of the upper critical field γ=1.2.     

Effects of interlayer coupling on the irreversibility lines of NbN/AlN superconducting multilayers

We have studied the temperature dependence of the in-plane resistivity of NbN/AlN multilayer samples with varying insulating layer thickness in magnetic fields up to 7 T parallel and perpendicular to the films. The upper critical field shows a crossover from 2D to 3D behavior in parallel fields. The irreversibility lines have the form (1-T/T(c))(alpha), where alpha varies from 4 / 3 to 2 with increasing anisotropy. The results are consistent with simultaneous melting and decoupling transitions for the low anisotropy sample, and with melting of decoupled pancakes in the superconducting layers for higher anisotropy samples.     

MgB2 thin film fabrication with excess Mg by sequential e-beam evaporation and transport properties under magnetic fields

Superconducting MgB₂ thin films with different thicknesses were fabricated by excess Mg using sequential electron beam evaporation technique. The flux rate of Mg and B were chosen as 3 nm/sn and 0.5 nm/sn respectively. The thickness of Mg/B layer was determined as 3/1 which causes an excess Mg for MgB₂ formation. After two-step preparation process, the superconducting transition temperatures were found in the range of 32–37 K with a sharp transition to zero resistance state. The irreversibility fields, upper critical fields and activation energies were derived from magneto resistivity curves. The transport critical current densities of films were determined from I–V characteristics under different applied fields and the data was extrapolated for determination of value of the 0 K.     

吸气溅射Mo1-xSix薄膜的超导性能

对于四个Mo_1-xSi_x薄膜样品进行了超导转变温度、临界温度附近的临界磁场以及在4.2K下的临界电流的测试,并且测量了室温(300K)及低温(8K)下的电阻率,结果显示四个样品具有非晶的特征,其中Mo₇₈Si₂₂薄膜样品有较好的非晶特性。 关键词：     

Deposition of superconducting CeCoIn5 thin films by co-sputtering and evaporation

Thin superconducting films of CeCoIn₅ were prepared in situ by simultaneous thermal evaporation of indium and dc magnetic field assisted sputtering of planar metallic Ce and Co targets. To achieve an effective sputtering of the magnetic Co target a special geometry with two facing planar targets (Ce and Co) and magnetic field perpendicular to the targets was used. The stoichiometric (0 0 1)-oriented CeCoIn₅ films were grown on r-cut sapphire substrates with a high-rate of 100 nm/min. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity revealed the characteristic heavy-fermion behavior and a superconducting transition at about 2 K in agreement with the literature data for CeCoIn₅ bulk material and thin films.     

Structure property correlations in superconducting Ti-Nb alloys

Titanium-rich transition metal alloys are metastable in their quenched boc β phase. The instability is relieved by low temperature structural transformations. We have investigated this in a series of Ti-Nb alloys, through the measurements of electrical resistivity (ρ), superconducting transition temperature and upper critical field. Supporting structural evidence has been obtained from transmission electron microscopy (tem) and x-ray studies. It is shown that both ρ and dρ/dT can be used as useful indices of this instability. The enhanced value of resistivity on account of the instability results in the enhancement of upper critical field as shown from dH _c2/dT measurements.     

Phase front motion in uniaxial ferromagnet

It is well known that in the uniaxial ferromagnet in the presence of an external magnetic field perpendicular to the easy axis (h_x) a continuous phase transition occurs for a critical value of this field. There are metastable and stable states if one includes a small field parallel to the easy axis (h_z). The motion of the relaxation front of the metastable state is investigated. It is found that an “interphase wall of Neel-type” exists, its velocity is proportional to h_z and increases when the critical point is approached.     

Upper critical fields of ferromagnet/superconductor layered structures

The temperature dependence of the upper critical fields, both perpendicular H_c2 and parallel H_c2 to layer planes of ferromagnet/superconductor bi- and multilayers, is theoretically investigated. The secular equation of the superconducting order parameter for determining the phase diagram (H, T) is obtained by solving exactly the linearized Usadel equations in the multimode method taking into account the material parameter values. For the bilayers system, the influence of the boundary resistivity on the critical fields, and the dimensional crossover behavior of H_c2(T) are studied in details. For the multilayered structure, the effects of the π-phase state on both the superconducting transition temperature T_c and the upper critical fields (H_c2, and H_c2) are also considered. The nonmonotonic T_c behaviors are predicted. The interplay between 0- and π-phases leading to the strong oscillations of T_c as well as the temperature dependence of the zero temperature critical fields on the ferromagnetic layer thickness are investigated theoretically.     

Magnetic susceptibility and superconductivity of (Pb<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>Sn<Subscript>0.8</Subscript>)<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>In<Subscript>x</Subscript>Te alloys as a function of in content

Experimental data on the superconductivity of In-doped Pb_zSn_1?zTe alloys (z=0.2) are discussed. The superconducting transition was detected from simultaneous measurements of the resistivity and magnetic susceptibility of a series of samples with different indium contents (2–12 mol % InTe). The superconducting transition detected by the magnetic susceptibility was observed at a temperature which was, on the average, 0.1 K below that determined from the resistivity. The increase in the superconducting transition temperature T _c with increasing indium content is of a threshold character, with T _c being proportional to the inverse electronic density of states at the Fermi level. The observed features in the experimental data are accounted for in terms of indium impurity resonance states in the material.     

Superconducting and magnetic properties of Nb/Pd 1-xFex/Nb triple layers

The superconducting and magnetic properties of Nb/Pd_1-xFe_x/Nb triple layers with constant Nb layer thickness d_Nb=200 ? and different interlayer thicknesses 3 ?≤ d_PdFe ≤ ? are investigated. The thickness dependence of the magnetization and of the superconducting transition temperature shows that for small iron concentration x the Pd_1-xFe_x layer is likely to be in the paramagnetic state for very thin films whereas ferromagnetic order is established for x ≥ 0.13. The parallel critical field B_c2||(T){B_{c2||}}(T) exhibits a transition from two-dimensional (2D) behavior where the Nb films are coupled across the interlayer, towards a 2D behavior of decoupled Nb films with increasing d_PdFeand/or x. This transition allows a determination of the penetration depth x_F{\xi _F} of Cooper pairs into the Pd_1-xFe_x layer as a function of x. For samples with a ferromagnetic interlayer x_F{\xi _F} is found to be independent of x.     

Origin of nonlinear transport across the magnetically induced superconductor-metal-insulator transition in two dimensions

We have studied the effect of perpendicular magnetic fields and temperatures on nonlinear electronic transport in amorphous Ta superconducting thin films. The films exhibit a magnetic field-induced metallic behavior intervening the superconductor-insulator transition in the zero temperature limit. We show that the phase-identifying nonlinear transport in the superconducting and metallic phases arises from an intrinsic origin, not from an electron heating effect. The nonlinear transport is found to accompany an extraordinarily long voltage response time.     

Paramagnetic intrinsic Meissner effect in a bulk

We calculate the free energy of a quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) superconductor with ξ_⊥ < d in a parallel magnetic field, where ξ_⊥ is a perpendicular to the conducting layer coherence length and d is the interlayer distance. It is shown to be different from that in the famous Lawrence-Doniach model. In particular, at high enough magnetic fields, the Meissner currents are found to create an unexpected paramagnetic moment due to the shrinking of the Cooper pairs “sizes” in a direction perpendicular to the conducting layers. We suggest measuring this paramagnetic intrinsic Meissner effect in Q2D superconductors and superconducting superlattices. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Quantum theory of radiation-pressure induced electrical currents: I. Free electrons

The maximum superconducting transition temperatures,T _c , of noncrystalline (Ti, Zr and Hf)-(3d metal) alloys are reported. The alloys have been produced by low temperature implantation of the 3d metals. The systematic behavior ofT _c as a function of 3d element content is discussed in comparison with metallic glasses and vapor-quenched films. A correlation between the recently observedd-band splitting in metallic glasses and superconducting behavior is pointed out.     

块体金属玻璃Zr46.75Ti8.25Cu7.5Ni10Be27.5的超导与负电阻温度系数

测量了块体金属玻璃Zr_46.75Ti_8.25Cu_7.5Ni₁₀Be_27.5在退火前后其电阻值随温度的变化,测量的温度范围为1.5—300K.样品在退火前后都发现有超导现象.零磁场下其超导转变温度T_c分别为1.84和3.76K.在5—300K温度范围内,原始样品具有负的电阻温度系数.如果取Zr, Ti, Cu, Ni及Be分别贡献出1.5, 1.5, 0.5, 0.5及两个传导 关键词： 块体金属玻璃 超导 电阻温度系数     

Superconductivity of (Sn1−z Pbz)1−x InxTe alloys

The temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity of (Sn_1?z Pb_z)_1?x In_xTe alloys with different concentrations of lead (z=0–0.60) and indium (x=0.03–0.20) were studied at temperatures T=0.4–4.2 K in magnetic fields from zero to H=15 kOe. A resistivity drop of no less than three-four orders of magnitude was observed in this range of alloy compositions. Application of a magnetic field above a critical level resulted in a recovery of the sample resistivity to the original value. The observed resistivity drop is identified with a superconducting transition. The critical parameters of the superconducting transition (T _c and H _c2) were determined at the drop to one half the normal resistivity level. Experimental dependences of the critical supercon-ducting-transition temperature T _c and of the second critical magnetic field H _c2 on the contents of lead (z) and indium (x) were measured. The data obtained confirm a strong localization of the In impurity states and are evidence of the extrinsic nature of superconductivity in the class of materials under study. It was established that as the Pb content in (Sn_1?z Pb_z)_1?x In_xTe increases, T _c and H _c2 decrease as the Fermi level E _F (fixed in the In impurity resonance band) leaves the Δ extremum and the superconductivity breaks down when E _F leaves the LΣ saddle point in the valence-band energy spectrum.     

Dependence of temperature-dependent electrical resistivity of SrIrO3 on hydrostatic pressure to 9.1 kbar

Non-Fermi-liquid behavior and close proximity to a quantum critical point in the 5d transition metal iridate SrIrO₃ at ambient pressure motivate our search for possible anomalous behavior in its transport properties under pressure. The electrical resistivity in the ab-plane of a single crystal of SrIrO₃ has been measured over the temperature range 1.35–285 K at both ambient and 9.1 kbar hydrostatic pressure. The resistivity decreases slightly over the entire temperature range, but no superconducting transition or changes in the non-Fermi-liquid behavior are observed under pressure. It is estimated that significantly higher pressures are likely required before sizable changes in the properties of SrIrO₃ will occur.     

Manipulating superconductivity in perpendicularly magnetized FSF triple layers

We investigate the superconducting transition temperature T_c of epitaxial ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet (FSF) triple layers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Due to the different coercive fields of the top and bottom F layers (F=[Co/Pt] multilayer) different magnetized states can be achieved: a fully magnetized state where the F layer magnetizations are parallel oriented, a state DM where one layer is demagnetized, and a state DD where both layers are demagnetized. T_c is maximum in the fully magnetized state and decreases consecutively from the DM to the DD state due to the different contributions from magnetic stray fields originating from the domain walls present in the demagnetized layers. The role of the proximity effect and the effect of the stray fields on the superconductivity in the S layer can be distinguished by analyzing the temperature dependence of the upper critical field and by comparison with data taken on an FISIF multilayer where I is an insulating SiO₂ barrier. Hence, we demonstrate that T_c can be manipulated by the intentional creation of different stray-field configurations in the F layers. PACS 68.55.JK; 74.45.+c; 74.78.Db; 74.78.Fk; 75.47.-m     

Low-temperature conductivity and the Hall effect in (PbzSn1 ? z)0.84In0.16Te semiconducting solid solutions

The temperature dependences of the conductivity and the Hall effect in heavily doped polycrystalline samples of the (Pb _z Sn_{1 − z} )_0.84In_0.16Te solid solutions with lead content varied within the 0 ≤ z ≤ 0.9 interval have been studied. For x ≤ 0.65, the material undergoes a superconducting transition at a critical temperature T _c ≤ 4.2 K in a magnetic field H _c2(0 K) ∼ 50 kOe. As the lead concentration is increased to z ≤ 0.9, a clearly pronounced trend to transfer of the material to the dielectric state is observed at helium temperatures. The observed behavior is related to the variation in the band structure of the solid solutions with variations in the material composition, doping level, and position of the indium impurity band. The dependences of the resistivity, Hall effect, and superconducting characteristics of (Pb _z Sn_{1 − z} )_0.84In_0.16Te on the temperature and the composition of the solid solutions is observed to be related to the variation in its band structure as tin atoms are replaced with lead in the metallic sublattice of the compound. Original Russian Text ? D.V. Shamshur, S.A. Nemov, R.V. Parfen’ev, M.S. Kononchuk, V.I. Nizhankovskii, 2008, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2008, Vol. 50, No. 11, pp. 1948–1952.