Reduced anti-ferromagnetism promoted by Zn 3d substitution at CuO2 planar sites of Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca3Cu4O12−δ superconductors

The role of charge carriers in ZnO₂/CuO₂ planes of Cu_0.5Tl_0.5Ba₂Ca₃Cu_4−yZn_yO_12−δ material in bringing about superconductivity has been explained. Due to suppression of anti-ferromagnetic order with Zn 3d¹⁰ (S=0) substitution at Cu 3d⁹ sites in the inner CuO₂ planes of Cu_0.5Tl_0.5Ba₂Ca₃Cu₄O_12−δ superconductor, the distribution of charge carriers becomes homogeneous and optimum, which is evident from the enhanced superconductivity parameters. The decreased c-axis length with the increase of Zn doping improves interlayer coupling and hence the three dimensional (3D) conductivity in the unit cell is enhanced. Also the softening of phonon modes with the increased Zn doping indicates that the electron–phonon interaction has an essential role in the mechanism of high-T_c superconductivity in these compounds.     

Thermogalvanic power and fast ion conduction in δ-Bi2O3 and δ-(Bi2O3)1−x(R2O3)x with R = Y, Tb---Lu

The thermogalvanic power (Seebeck coefficient) of O^2- conducting δ-Bi₂O₃ and δ-(Bi₂O₃)_1−x(Y₂O₃)_x has been measured directly as a function of temperature and partial oxygen pressure in N₂---O₂ mixtures. The of δ-(Bi₂O₃)_0.75(R₂O₃)_0.25 with R = Tb---Lu was indirectly determined using an isothermal concentration cell technique. Except for pure δ-Bi₂O₃, the heat of transport is much smaller than the activation energy for O^2- conduction for all materials. The vibrational freedom of O²⁻ ions in all δ-stabilized materials is reflected in their IR spectra at room temperature. Two prototypes of a thermogalvanic P_O2 meter were tested.     

Structure and superconducting properties of Bi2Ba2−xMxCuO6+δ

The effect of oxygen nonstoichiometry and barium cation substitution on the structure and superconducting properties of Bi₂Ba_2−xM_xCuO_{6 +δ}(M = Sr, Ru, Rh, Pd, In, Sb or Pb;xchanged from 0 to 0.2) were studied. The cation-substituted samples annealed in oxygen flow contain a superconducting phase withT_c^initnear 95 K.     

Dependence of property, crystal structure and electric conductivity on substitution content and synthetic process of T′-La2−xRExCuO4−δ (RE = Sm and Tb)

We synthesized T′-La_2−xRE_xCuO_4−δ (RE = Sm and Tb) by a co-precipitation method and sintering in vacuum at various temperatures, and investigated relationship among the crystal structure, average valence of Cu, oxygen content and electric conductivity. From X-ray diffraction measurements, it was confirmed that a main phase of the product was T′ structure (S. G.: I4/mmm) regardless of the rare earth element and its concentration, although an impurity phase was observed in a part of samples. In the samples with low average valence of Cu, the resistivity showed a metallic behavior and remarkably decreased at low temperature. Rietveld analyses using synchrotron X-ray diffractions suggested that the electric conductivity was improved by decreasing a bond length of Cu–O1 in the case of La_2−xSm_xCuO_4−δ.     

Systematic thermopower measurements of the thallium cuprates Tl(Ba,Sr)2Cam−1CumO2m+3−δ and Tl2Ba2Cam−1CumO2m+4+δ

The thermoelectric power (TEP) S versus temperature has been systematically investigated for several series of the superconducting cuprates Tl(Ba,Sr)₂Ca_m−1Cu_mO_2m+3−δ (m = 2, 3) and Tl₂Ba₂Ca_m−1Cu_mO_2m+4+δ (m = 1, 2, 3). The consideration of the S(T_c) curves allows two important points to be found evidence for. The first one deals with the fact that all these superconducting thallium cuprates are systematically overdoped whatever T_c, and whatever the number of Cu or Tl layers; no underdoped superconducting cuprate could be obtained. The second point shows that there exist two classes of Tl cuprates: the weakly overdoped cuprates that exhibit a T_{c max} ≥ 100 K (all the triple copper layer cuprates and the 2212 cuprates) and those which can be heavily doped that exhibit a T_{c max} ≤ 90 K (the 2201 and the 1212 cuprates). The different behavior of thallium cuprates compared to YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ and to bismuth cuprates is discussed.     

Enhanced superconductivity in Sr2CuO4−v

A critical review of previous investigations of the superconductivity with enhanced T_c ∼ 95 K found in Sr₂CuO_4−v shows that new physics occurs in a highly overdoped region of the cuprate phase diagram. Moreover, evidence is adduced from the literature that 30% of the oxygen sites in the CuO₂ layers are vacant; a conclusion which is at odds with the universally made assumption that superconductivity originates in stoichiometric CuO₂ layers. While further research is needed in order to identify the pairing mechanism(s) responsible for the enhanced T_c, we suggest possible candidates.     

Oxygen nonstoichiometry of Sr(Co,Fe)O3−δ-based perovskites: I. Coulometric titration of SrCo0.85Fe0.10Cr0.05O3−δ by the two-electrode technique

The p(O₂)–T–δ diagram of perovskite-type SrCo_0.85Fe_0.10Cr_0.05O_3−δ was determined by the coulometric titration technique in the temperature range 770–1250 K at oxygen partial pressures from 8 10⁻¹⁰ to 0.5 atm. Stability of the cubic perovskite phase of SrCo_0.85Fe_0.10Cr_0.05O_3−δ, existing down to the oxygen pressures of 10⁻³–10⁻⁵ atm, was found to be slightly higher than that of SrCo_0.80Fe_0.20O_3−δ, probably due to stabilization of oxygen octahedra neighboring Cr⁴⁺ cations. When the oxygen nonstoichiometry of the Cr-containing perovskite decreases from 0.47 to 0.38, the partial molar enthalpy and entropy for overall oxygen incorporation reaction vary in the ranges −165 to −60 kJ mol⁻¹ and 90 to 150 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. Within the stability limits of the single perovskite phase, the p(O₂)–T–δ diagram can be adequately described by equilibrium processes of oxygen incorporation, cobalt disproportionation and interaction of cobalt and iron cations, with the thermodynamic functions independent of defect concentrations. Increasing grain size in SrCo_0.85Fe_0.10Cr_0.05O_3−δ ceramics from submicron size to 100–200 μm has no effect on the oxygen thermodynamics. The two-electrode coulometric titration technique, based on the alternate use of electrodes for oxygen pumping and e.m.f. measurements, is described and verified by studying oxygen nonstoichiometry of La_0.3Sr_0.7CoO_3−δ and PrO_x.     

Transport properties of a and c axis oriented (Y1?xCax)Ba2Cu3Oy thin films

Anisotropy and Hall effect measurements have been performed in calcium-doped, i.e., overdoped YBa₂Cu₃O_y ((Y_1−xCa_x)Ba₂Cu₃O_y) thin films witha andc axis orientations. In highly overdoped films (x=0.4), the anisotropy of the normal resistivity decreases and a drastic change in Hall conductivity in the mixed state is observed. The change in Hall conductivity in the overdoped region is consistent with recent experimental results for La_2−xSr_xCuO₄ films and seems to be common in highT _c superconductors.     

High-resolution FTIR spectroscopy of HNSO—Analysis of the highly perturbed ν4, ν6 and 2ν5 bands

We report a rovibrational analysis of the ν₄ and ν₆ fundamentals and the 2ν₅ overtone of HNSO from high-resolution Fourier transform infrared spectra. The ν₆ band (out-of-plane bend) centred at 757.5 cm⁻¹ is c-type. The ν₄ band (HNS bend) centred at 905.9 cm⁻¹ is predominantly a-type with a very weak b-type component (). Numerous global perturbations and localized avoided crossings affecting the v₄ = 1 rotational levels were successfully treated by inclusion of Fermi and c-axis Coriolis resonance terms between v₄ = 1 and v₅ = 2, and a b-axis Coriolis resonance term between v₄ = 1 and v₆ = 1. The latter term gives rise to an avoided crossing with an extraordinary ΔK_a = 5 selection rule. The Fermi resonance between v₄ = 1 and v₅ = 2 gives rise to strong mixing of their rotational wavefunctions in the vicinity of K_a = 18. The resultant borrowing of intensity made it possible for 2ν₅ transitions in the range K_a = 16–19 to be assigned and included in a global rovibrational treatment of all three band systems.     

Line Positions and Intensities of the ν1+ ν2+ 3ν3, ν2+ 4ν3, and 3ν1+ 2ν2Bands of Ozone

Using a Fourier transform spectrometer, we have recorded the spectra of ozone in the region of 4600 cm⁻¹, with a resolution of 0.008 cm⁻¹. The strongest absorption in this region is due to the ν₁+ ν₂+ 3ν₃band which is in Coriolis interaction with the ν₂+ 4ν₃band. We have been able to assign more than 1700 transitions for these two bands. To correctly reproduce the calculation of energy levels, it has been necessary to introduce the (320) state which strongly perturbs the (113) and (014) states through Coriolis- and Fermi-type resonances. Seventy transitions of the 3ν₁+ 2ν₂band have also been observed. The final fit on 926 energy levels withJ_max= 50 andK_max= 16 gives RMS = 3.1 × 10⁻³cm⁻¹and provides a satisfactory agreement of calculated and observed upper levels for most of the transitions. The following values for band centers are derived: ν₀(ν₁+ ν₂+ 3ν₃) = 4658.950 cm⁻¹, ν₀(3ν₁+ 2ν₂) = 4643.821 cm⁻¹, and ν₀(ν₂+ 4ν₃) = 4632.888 cm⁻¹. Line intensities have been measured and fitted, leading to the determination of transition moment parameters for the two bands ν₁+ ν₂+ 3ν₃and ν₂+ 4ν₃. Using these parameters we have obtained the following estimations for the integrated band intensities,S_V(ν₁+ ν₂+ 3ν₃) = 8.84 × 10⁻²²,S_V(ν₂+ 4ν₃) = 1.70 × 10⁻²², andS_V(3ν₁+ 2ν₂) = 0.49 × 10⁻²²cm⁻¹/molecule cm⁻²at 296 K, which correspond to a cutoff of 10⁻²⁶cm⁻¹/molecule cm⁻².     

Asymmetric phase diagram and phase separation in Pr0.5−δCa0.2+δSr0.3MnO3 (−0.04δ0.04)

We present electric and magnetic properties of polycrystalline Pr_0.5−δCa_0.2+δSr_0.3MnO₃, for δ between −0.04 and 0.04, where the hole concentration is n=0.5+δ. In this series, we study the effects of moving n away from 0.5 on both, the phase diagram and phase separated state. We found that the low temperature ferromagnetic fraction X_FM continuously decreases when n increases. As a result, the samples with n<0.5 (large X_FM) exhibit metallic resistivity at low T while for n>0.5 the insulating state predominates. We construct a detailed T–n phase diagram showing the asymmetries around half-doping.     

Analysis of the Coriolis-coupled band system of ν5, ν2, and 2ν3 of methyl-d3 iodide

The Coriolis-coupled band system of ν₅, ν₂, and 2ν₃ of CD₃I was analyzed by making use of all of the experimental data now available. These data included the high-resolution infrared spectra, microwave spectra, and laser Stark spectra. The analysis gave values, more precise than before, of the spectroscopic constants for ν₅, ν₂, and 2ν₃ and the interaction constants. The determination of the rotational constant A for 2ν₃ gave a value for , with which all of the α^A constants for CD₃I have been completed. These α^A values were incorporated with the known value of A₆ to give a value for A₀.     

High-Resolution Infrared Spectra of the ν2, ν3, ν4, and 2ν3 Bands of SO3

New measurements are reported for the infrared spectrum of sulfur trioxide, ³²S¹⁶O₃, with resolutions ranging from 0.0015 cm⁻¹ to 0.0025 cm⁻¹. Rovibrational constants have been measured for the fundamentals ν₂, ν₃, and ν₄ and the overtone band 2ν₃. Comparisons are made with the earlier high-resolution measurements on SO₃, and the high correlation among some of the constants related to the Coriolis coupling of the ν₂ and ν₄ levels is discussed in order to understand the areas of disagreement with the earlier work. Splittings of some of the levels are observed and the splitting constant for K=3 of the ground state is determined for the first time. Other observed splittings include the K=1 levels of 2ν₃ (l=2), the K=2 levels of ν₃ and ν₄, and the K=3 levels of ν₂. The analysis shows that there are level crossings between the l=0 and l=2 states of 2ν₃ that allow one to determine the separation of the subband centers for these two states even though access to the l=0 state from the ground state is electric-dipole forbidden. This is a generalized phenomenon that should be found for many other molecules with the same symmetry. The l-type resonance constant, q₃, that causes the splitting of the l₃=±1, k=±1 levels of ν₃ also couples the l₃=0 and 2 states of 2ν₃.     

MBE growth and properties of T′-La2CuO4 thin films

We prepared thin films of T′-La₂CuO₄, which usually crystallizes in the T structure, by MBE, and investigated their properties while systematically changing the post-reduction conditions with a view towards obtaining superconductivity along the lines of the parent compound superconductors we have recently reported (O. Matsumoto et al., Phys. Rev. B 79 (2009) 100508(R)). The results indicate that the optimal reduction window is very narrow, near which metallic conductivity is obtained down to 50 K. The resistivity of the T′-La₂CuO₄ films is in the range of 10⁻²–10⁻³ Ω cm, which is several orders of magnitude lower than that of the counterpart T-La₂CuO₄, the implication of which is briefly discussed from the viewpoint of the difference in electronic structure induced by different oxygen coordination.     

Self-broadening, self-shift and self-mixing in the ν2, 2ν2 and ν4 bands of NH3

Using Fourier-transform spectra (Bruker IFS 120 HR, resolution ≈0.004 cm⁻¹) of NH₃ in nine branches of the ν₂, 2ν₂ and ν₄ bands, self-broadening and self-shift as well as self-mixing coefficients have been determined at room temperature (T=295 K) for more than 350 rovibrational lines located in the spectral range 1000–1800 cm⁻¹. A non-linear least-squares multispectrum fitting procedure, including line mixing effects, has been used to retrieve successively the line parameters from 11 experimental spectra recorded at different pressures of pure NH₃. The accuracies of self-broadening coefficients are estimated to be better than 2% for most lines. The mean accuracies of line-mixing and line-shift data are estimated to be about 15% and 25%, respectively. The results are compared with previous measurements and with values calculated using a semiclassical model based upon the Robert–Bonamy formalism that reproduces rather well the systematic experimental J and K quantum number dependencies of the self-broadening coefficients.The results concerning line mixing demonstrate a large amount of coupling between the symmetric and asymmetric components of inversion doublets mainly in the ν₄ band. The line mixing parameters are both positive and negative. More than two thirds of the lines studied here have a positive shift coefficient. However, for most of them the shift coefficients are negative in the 2ν₂ band. They are positive for the R branch of the ν₂ band and for the ^PR and ^RP branches of the ν₄ band. For the other branches they are both positive and negative. Some components of inversion doublets illustrate a correlation between line mixing and shift phenomena demonstrated by a quadratic pressure dependence of line position.     

A pulsed synthesis of β-FeSi2 layers on silicon implanted with Fe ions

Continuous layers and fine-grained films of β-FeSi₂ were synthesized using the implantation of Fe⁺ ions into Si (1 0 0) with subsequent pulsed nanosecond ion-beam treatment of the implanted layers. The X-ray diffraction studies showed that the pulsed ion-beam treatment brings about the formation of a mixture of two phases: FeSi and β-FeSi₂ with strained crystal lattices. Subsequent rapid thermal annealing led to the complete transformation of the FeSi phase into the β-FeSi₂ phase with the formation of a textured layer. The data obtained using Raman spectroscopy corroborate the formation of the β-FeSi₂ phase with a high degree of silicon crystallinity.The results of measuring the optical absorption point to the formation of β-FeSi₂ layers and precipitates with a direct-gap structure, an optical gap of E_g≈0.83 eV. The photoluminescence band peaked at λ≈1.56 μm and caused by direct band-to-band transitions in β-FeSi₂ was observed at temperatures lower than 210 K.     

Surface reaction kinetics in oxygen nonstoichiometry re-equilibration of BaTiO3−δ

We report the (bare) surface redox-reaction rate constant that was determined, along with the chemical diffusivity , by a conductivity relaxation technique on Al-doped single crystal and undoped polycrystal BaTiO_3−δ as a function of oxygen activity in its range of −16≤log a_O2≤0 at elevated temperatures of 800–1100 °C. It takes a value in the range of −4<log( /cm s⁻¹)≤−1, which is even larger than that of the oxides that are considered best as oxygen membranes. It has been found that the surface reaction step grows more rate controlling as the electronic transference number gets smaller or the electronic stoichiometric composition (δ≈0) is approached. The oxygen potential drop due to the surface reaction was estimated by an oxygen concentration cell technique. The oxygen potential drop grows larger as the stoichiometric composition is approached, that is in accord with the variation of against oxygen activity.     

Magnetotransport and magnetotunneling in single-layer, two-layer, and three-layer Bi2Sr2Can−1CunOz (n=1,2,3) single crystals

In continuous magnetic fields H up to 28 T, we have studied the out-of-plane transport properties and tunneling characteristics of high-quality nondoped single crystals of the Bi-cuprate family: Bi₂Sr₂CuO_6+δ (Bi2201), Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ (Bi2212) and Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_10+δ (Bi2223) grown by an identical method. For all compounds the out-of-plane magnetotransport ρ_c(H) is negative in the temperature region where ρ_c(T) shows in the normal state a semiconducting-like temperature dependence. The negative magnetoresistance of ρ_c corresponds to the suppression of the semiconducting temperature dependence of ρ_c(T) which is found to be isotropic. For the Bi2201 compound, where the normal state can be reached in the available magnetic fields (28 T), a nearly complete suppression of the low-temperature upturn in ρ_c(T) is observed in the highest magnetic fields with a tendency towards a metallic behavior down to the lowest temperatures (0.4 K). Using the break-junction technique, especially for the Bi2212 and Bi2232 compounds, a clear superconducting gap structure can be observed. Both for temperatures above the critical temperature and for magnetic fields above the upper critical field, a pseudogap structure remains present in the tunneling spectra. The applied magnetic fields yield a stronger suppression of the superconducting state compared to that of the normal-state gap structures as manifested in ρ_c(T) transport and tunneling.     

The ν2, ν5 Raman band system of CH3F

The anisotropic and isotropic components of the ν₂, ν₅ rotation-vibrational Raman bands of ¹³CH₃F were obtained separately. The two upper states are coupled by a strong second-order Coriolis resonance. The anisotropic spectrum was analyzed by means of a program system due to R. Escribano. A contour simulation and a least-squares fit of 233 assigned transitions yielded values for ν₅, ΔA₅, ΔA₂, and Aζ_{5a, 5b^(z)}. The ¹³C shifts of ν₂ and ν₅ were obtained from the isotropic spectrum.     

Superconductivity magnetism and low temperature specific heat in YBa2(Cu1−xFex)3O7−δ with δ0 and δ1

Magnetic and low temperature specific heat measurements have been performed on iron doped YBa₂(Cu_1−xFe_x)₃O_7−δ samples with different oxygen contents (δ0 and δ1). Iron doping induces an orthorhombic to tetragonal transition and a decrease of both T_c and diamagnetic signal. Low temperature specific heat measurements reveal a Schottky type anomaly for δ0 samples with x=0.01 (1.8 K) and x=0.02 (3 K). This anomaly is attributed to magnetic interactions within iron limited chains. A numerical analysis of this effect is proposed.