Universal heat transport in Sr2RuO4

We present the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity kappa(T) of the unconventional superconductor Sr2RuO4 down to low temperatures ( approximately 100 mK). In the T-->0 K limit we found a finite residual term in kappa/T, providing clear evidence for the superconducting state with an unconventional pairing. The residual term remains unchanged for samples with different T(c), demonstrating the universal character of heat transport in this spin-triplet superconductor. The low-temperature behavior of kappa suggests the strong impurity scattering with a phase shift close to pi/2. A criterion for the observation of universality is experimentally deduced.     

Quasiparticles in the superconducting state of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta)

Recent improvements in momentum resolution lead to qualitatively new angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy results on the spectra of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) (Bi2212) along the (pi,pi) direction, where there is a node in the superconducting gap. We now see the intrinsic line shape, which indicates the presence of true quasiparticles at all Fermi momenta in the superconducting state, and lack thereof in the normal state. The region of momentum space probed here is relevant for charge transport, motivating a comparison of our results to conductivity measurements by infrared reflectivity.     

Line nodes in the superconducting gap function of noncentrosymmetric CePt3Si

The superconducting gap structure of recently discovered heavy fermion CePt(3)Si without spatial inversion symmetry was investigated by thermal transport measurements down to 40 mK. In zero field a residual T-linear term was clearly resolved as T --> 0, with a magnitude in good agreement with the value expected for a residual normal fluid with a nodal gap structure, together with a T2 dependence at high temperatures. With an applied magnetic field, the thermal conductivity grows rapidly, in dramatic contrast to fully gapped superconductors, and exhibits one-parameter scaling with T/sqrt[H]. These results place an important constraint on the order parameter symmetry; that is, CePt(3)Si is most likely to have line nodes.     

Novel anisotropy in the superconducting gap structure of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8+delta) probed by quasiparticle heat transport

Since the nature of pairing interactions is manifested in the superconducting gap symmetry, the exact gap structure, particularly any deviation from the simple d(x(2)-y(2)) symmetry, would help in elucidating the pairing mechanism in high- T(c) cuprates. Anisotropic heat transport measurement in Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) reveals that the quasiparticle populations are different for the two nodal directions and thus the gap structure must be uniquely anisotropic, suggesting that pairing is governed by interactions with a rather complicated anisotropy. Intriguingly, it is found that the "plateau" in the magnetic-field dependence of the thermal conductivity is observed only in the b-axis transport.     

Fermi surface and quasiparticle excitations of overdoped Tl2Ba2CuO6 + delta

The high-T(c) superconductor Tl(2)Ba(2)CuO(6 + delta) is studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. For a very overdoped T(c) = 30 K sample, the Fermi surface consists of a single large hole pocket centered at (pi, pi) and is approaching a topological transition. Although a superconducting gap with d(x(2)-y(2)) symmetry is tentatively identified, the quasiparticle evolution with momentum and binding energy exhibits a marked departure from the behavior observed in under and optimally doped cuprates. The relevance of these findings to scattering, many-body, and quantum-critical phenomena is discussed.     

Raman scattering from a superconductivity-induced bound state in MgB2

It is shown that the sharp peak in the E(2g) Raman spectrum of superconducting MgB2 is due to a bound state caused by the electron-phonon coupling. Our theory explains why this peak appears only in the spectra with E(2g) symmetry and only in the sigma but not the pi bands. The properties of the bound state and the Raman spectrum are investigated, also in the presence of impurity scattering.     

d-wave induced zero-field resonances in dc pi-superconducting quantum interference devices

A dc pi SQUID consists of a superconducting ring interrupted by two Josephson junctions, one of which carries in equilibrium a pi phase difference, caused, for example, by the d-wave pairing symmetry of the high- T(c) cuprates. If this phase shift is maintained in the voltage state, anomalous resonance currents are expected in the SQUIDs transport characteristics. Here we report the observation of such resonances for high- T(c) dc pi SQUIDs, providing evidence for the influence of the d-wave symmetry on the voltage state of a Josephson junction for frequencies of several tens of GHz.     

Twofold spontaneous symmetry breaking in the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt3

The field-orientation dependent thermal conductivity of the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt3 was measured down to very low temperatures and under magnetic fields throughout the distinct superconducting phases: B and C phases. In the C phase, a striking twofold oscillation of the thermal conductivity within the basal plane is resolved reflecting the superconducting gap structure with a line of node along the a axis. Moreover, we find an abrupt vanishing of the oscillation across a transition to the B phase, as a clear indication of a change of gap symmetries. We also identify extra two line nodes below and above the equator in both B and C phases. From these results together with the symmetry consideration, the gap function of UPt3 is determined as a E(1u) representation characterized by a combination of two line nodes at the tropics and point nodes at the poles.     

Coincidence of checkerboard charge order and antinodal state decoherence in strongly underdoped superconducting Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 + delta)

The doping dependence of nanoscale electronic structure in superconducting Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8 + delta) is studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. At all dopings, the low energy density-of-states modulations are analyzed according to a simple model of quasiparticle interference and found to be consistent with Fermi-arc superconductivity. The superconducting coherence peaks, ubiquitous in near-optimal tunneling spectra, are destroyed with strong underdoping and a new spectral type appears. Exclusively in regions exhibiting this new spectrum, we find local "checkerboard" charge ordering of high energy states, with a wave vector of Q = (+/- 2pi/4.5a(0),0); (0, +/- 2pi/4.5a(0)) +/- 15%. Surprisingly, this spatial ordering of high energy states coexists harmoniously with the low energy Bogoliubov quasiparticle states.     

高温超导直接冷却的氮化铝与无氧铜接触界面热阻的实验研究

氮化铝(AlN)具有高热导性、高电绝缘性,是超导二元电流引线热截流结构中常用的材料之一。根据稳态导热法建立低温真空实验装置,实验研究了超导冷却系统热截流结构中,界面温度和接触压力对AlN块材与无氧铜(OFHC-Cu)块材间接触界面热阻的影响。在实验温度(90K-210K)和压力(0.273MPa-0.985MPa)条件下,AlN/OFHC-Cu接触界面热阻随接触压力的提高而降低,而当界面温度上升时界面热阻由于热载子热运动的强化而降低,温度较高时,接触界面热阻随压力变化的速率趋缓。低温下AlN/OFHC-Cu间的接触界面热阻是直接冷却超导系统的设计和超导系统的热稳定性方面必需解决的问题。     

Absence of a loss of in-plane infrared spectral weight in the pseudogap regime of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta)

The ab-plane reflectance of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) (Bi-2212) thin films was measured in the 30-25 000 cm(-1) range for one underdoped ( T(c) = 70 K), and one overdoped sample ( T(c) = 63 K) down to 10 K. We find similar behaviors in the temperature dependence of the normal-state infrared response of both samples. Above T(c), the effective spectral weight, obtained from the integrated conductivity, does not decrease when T decreases, so that no opening of an optical pseudogap is seen. We suggest that these are consequences of the pseudogap opening in the k = (0,pi) direction and of the in-plane infrared conductivity being mostly sensitive to the k = (pi,pi) direction.     

Observation of band renormalization effects in hole-doped high-Tc Superconductors

We report a systematic high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on high-T(c) superconductors Bi(2)Sr(2)Ca(n-1)Cu(n)O(2n+4) (n=1-3) to study the origin of many-body interactions responsible for superconductivity. For n=2 and 3, a sudden change in the energy dispersion, so called "kink", becomes pronounced on approaching (pi,0) in the superconducting state, while a kink appears only around the nodal direction in the normal state. For n=1, the kink shows no significant temperature dependence even across T(c). This could suggest that the coupling of electrons with Q=(pi,pi) magnetic mode is dominant in the superconducting state for multilayered cuprates, while the interactions at the normal state and that of single-layered cuprates have a different origin.     

Hall conductivity of a spin-triplet superconductor

We calculate the Hall conductivity for a spin-triplet superconductor, using a generalized pairing symmetry dependent on an arbitrary phase phi. A promising candidate for such an order parameter is Sr2RuO4, whose superconducting order parameter symmetry is still subject to investigation. The value of this phase can be determined through Kerr rotation and dc Hall conductivity measurements. Our calculations impose significant constraints on phi.     

Possible Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov inhomogeneous superconducting state in CeCoIn5

We present specific heat and thermal conductivity of the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn5 in the vicinity of the superconducting critical fieldH _c2, measured with magnetic field in the plane of this quasi-2D compound and at temperatures down to 50 mK. The superconducting phase diagram and the first order nature of the superconducting phase transition at high fields close to a critical fieldH _c2 indicate the importance of the Pauli limiting effect in CeCoIn₅. In the same range of magnetic field we observe a second specific heat anomaly within the superconducting state, and interpret it as a signature of a Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) inhomogeneous superconducting state. In addition, the thermal conductivity data as a function of field display a kink at a fieldH _k below the superconducting critical field, which closely coincides with the low temperature anomaly in specific heat tentatively identified with the appearance of the FFLO superconducting state. The enhancement of thermal conductivity within the FFLO state calls for further theoretical investigations of the real space structure of the order parameter (and in particular, the structure of vortices) and of the thermal transport within the inhomogeneous FFLO state.     

Effective electrical and thermal conductivity of multifilament twisted superconductors

The effective electrical and thermal conductivity of composite wire with twisted superconducting filaments embedded into normal metal matrix is calculated using the extension of Bruggeman method. The resistive conductivity of superconducting filaments is described in terms of symmetric tensor, whereas the conductivity of a matrix is assumed to be isotropic and homogeneous. The dependence of the resistive electrical conductivity of superconducting filaments on temperature, magnetic field, and current density is implied to be parametric. The resulting effective conductivity tensor proved to be non-diagonal and symmetric. The non-diagonal transverse–longitudinal components of effective electrical conductivity tensor are responsible for the redistribution of current between filaments. In the limits of high and low electrical conductivity of filaments the transverse effective conductivity tends to that of obtained previously by Carr. The effective thermal conductivity of composite wires is non-diagonal and radius-dependent even for the isotropic and homogeneous thermal conductivities of matrix and filaments.     

Transport in the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt3

We report new theoretical results and analysis for the transport properties of superconducting UPt₃ based on the leading models for the pairing symmetry. We use Fermi surface data and the measured inelastic scattering rate to show that the low-temperature thermal conductivity and transverse sound attenuation in the A- and B-phase of UPt₃ are in excellent agreement with pairing states belonging to the two-dimensional orbital E_2u representation.     

Superconducting gap anisotropy in Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4: results from photoemission

We have performed angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy on the electron doped cuprate superconductor Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4. A comparison of the leading edge midpoints between the superconducting and normal states reveals a small, but finite shift of 1.5-2 meV near the ( pi,0) position, but no observable shift along the zone diagonal near ( pi/2, pi/2). This is interpreted as evidence for an anisotropic superconducting gap in the electron doped materials, which is consistent with the presence of d-wave superconducting order in this cuprate superconductor.     

Phase modulated thermal conductance of Josephson weak links

We present a theory for quasiparticle heat transport through superconducting weak links. The thermal conductance depends on the phase difference (phi) of the superconducting leads. Branch-conversion processes, low-energy Andreev bound states near the contact, and the suppression of the local density of states near the gap edge are related to phase-sensitive transport processes. Theoretical results for the influence of junction transparency, temperature, and disorder, on the conductance, are reported. For high-transmission weak links, D-->1, the formation of an Andreev bound state leads to suppression of the density of states for the continuum excitations, and thus, to a reduction in the conductance for phi approximately pi. For low-transmission (D<1) barriers resonant scattering leads to an increase in the thermal conductance as T drops below T(c) (for phase differences near phi=pi).     

Quantum criticality and minimal conductivity in graphene with long-range disorder

We consider the conductivity sigma of graphene with negligible intervalley scattering at half filling. We derive the effective field theory, which, for the case of a potential disorder, is a symplectic-class sigma model including a topological term with theta=pi. As a consequence, the system is at a quantum critical point with a universal value of the conductivity of the order of e(2)/h. When the effective time-reversal symmetry is broken, the symmetry class becomes unitary, and sigma acquires the value characteristic for the quantum Hall transition.     

用于射频超导腔制造的大晶粒铌材热导研究（英）

大晶粒铌材由于声子峰效应在2 K温度具有良好的热导,这有助于提高超导腔的热稳定性。对宁夏东方钽业股份有限公司（OTIC）生产的大晶粒铌材在不同热处理条件下的热导和晶格缺陷开展了研究,结果表明经过超过800 ℃的热处理,OTIC的大晶粒铌材能够恢复声子峰,这与之前DESY的测量结果不同。认为用其加工的超导腔有望具备较好热稳定性。