The superconducting properties of YBa2(Cu1−xMx)3O7 for M=Zn and Ni

Transverse and zero-field μSR measurements were made on YBa₂(Cu_1−xNi_x)₃O_7−y withx=0.1 and 0.2, and YBa₂(Cu_1−x Zn _x )₃O_7−y withx=0.03, 0.06, 0.1, and 0.16, wherey≈0.1. Since doping may lead to magnetic ordering this was searched for with both zero and transverse field μSR, but no evidence was found over the temperature range studied: 10–100 K. However, depolarization rates as functions of temperature were obtained, and the low temperature values of these are σ=3.2 μs⁻¹.1.6μs⁻¹, and 1 μs⁻¹ forx=0.01, and 0.2 Ni, respectively, and σ=0.8 μs⁻¹, 0.75 μs⁻¹, 0.65 μs⁻¹, and 0.4 μs⁻¹ forx=0.03, 0.06, 0.1, and 0.16 Zn, respectively. Estimates for the effect of decreasing electron concentration for Zn are made, but these alone do not account for the drop in σ. Estimates for the effect of scattering on λ and hence σ are made. The reduction in σ for Ni dopant is in surprisingly good agreement with these estimates. For Zn the order of magnitude is correct, but the relative lack of further change in σ after the effect of the first 0.03 addition seems to imply a saturation of the effect of scattering.     

Search for exotic contributions to atmospheric neutrino oscillations

The energy spectrum of neutrino-induced upward-going muons in MACRO has been analyzed in terms of effects of violating relativity principles, keeping standard mass-induced atmospheric neutrino oscillations as the dominant source of ν _μ → ν _τ transitions. The data disfavor these exotic possibilities even at a subdominant level, and stringent 90% C.L. limits are placed on the Lorentz invariance violation parameter |Δυ| < 6 × 10⁻²⁴ at sin(2ϑ_υ) = 0 and |Δυ| < (2.5–5) × 10⁻²⁶ at sin(2ϑ_υ) = ±1. These limits can also be reinterpreted as upper bounds on the parameters describing violation of the equivalence principle. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Synthesis and electrical characterisation of the perovskite niobate-titanates,Sr1−x/2Ti1−xNbxO3−δ

The synthesis and electrical characterisation over a range of oxygen partial pressures (10⁻²⁰ to 1 atm) are reported for the cubic perovskite niobate-titanates Sr_1−x/2Ti_1−xNb_xO_3−δ, which are proposed as potential anode materials for solid oxide fuel cells. Single phase samples were observed for 0≤x≤0.4, and phase purity was retained on annealing at both high and low oxygen partial pressures. Good electrical conductivity was observed on reduction in low oxygen partial pressures, with a maximum for the sample with 25% Nb (x=0.25), σ=5.6 Scm⁻¹ at 930°C (P (O₂)=10⁻¹⁸ atm). For dense samples the higher the Nb content the more resistant the reduced sample was to reoxidation as the oxygen partial pressure was increased. Paper presented at the 3rd Euroconference on Solid State Ionics, Teulada, Sardinia, Italy, Sept. 15–22, 1996     

Electronic superconductor Pr2CuO4−x Fx: Magnetic correlations at high temperatures (150<T<600 K) according to 19F NMR data

The longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates of ¹⁹F nuclei in Pr₂CuO_4−x F_x (x=0.20) samples are measured at high temperatures (150 K<T<600 K). A feature is found in the temperature dependence of the relaxation rates at temperature T′≅300 K. The magnetic properties of the electronic superconductor Pr₂CuO_4−x F_x as a possible system with a stripe ordering of carriers and spins are discussed. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 4, 328–332 (25 February 1997)     

Effect of partial Nd-substitution on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in spin-reorientation PrCo<Subscript>4</Subscript>Al alloy

Partial Nd-substitution effects on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in spin-reorientation Pr_1−x Nd _x Co₄Al (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) alloys are investigated. All these alloys undergo two successive spin-reorientation transitions. Accordingly, the successive positive and negative magnetic entropy changes (Δ S _M ) for all these alloys are obtained. With the increase of Nd content, the spin reorientation transition temperatures increase from about 170 and 186 K for x = 0 to room temperature (276 and 294 K) for x = 0.8, covering a wide temperature interval. More interestingly, the values of positive Δ S _M values increase gradually from 0.1 to 0.9 J/kg K⁻¹, while the negative Δ S _M decrease from 1.3 to 0.2 J/kg K⁻¹ in the field change of 10 kOe. In addition, the series has an appreciable relative cooling power, which is therefore suitable to be used in a magnetic refrigerator.     

Influence of nickel on iron-deficient spinel ferrites

A detailed study of the electric and magnetic properties of ceramic nickel-ferrites, Ni _x Fe_3−x−ΔO₄ withX≧0.8 and Δ≦10⁻² is presented. The physical interpretation of the results, the x-ray structural analysis and the magnetic aftereffects spectra allow us to define the substitution mechanism Ni↔Fe and explain the progressive variation of the properties in the samples with increasing concentrations of nickel.     

Effect of Fe substitution on the thermal expansion of the highT c superconductor Y1Ba2Cu3O y

Thermal expansion measurements have been carried out on Fe substituted superconducting compounds Y₁Ba₂(Cu_1−x Fe _x )₃O _y (0<x<4%) using a high resolution dilatometer employing the three terminal capacitance technique. The experimental set up is sensitive enough to detect changes in α of less than 10⁻⁸K⁻¹. Results show that the jump Δα in the coefficient of linear thermal expansion at the superconducting transition temperature,T _c, increases almost linearly with Fe concentration. The normal state thermal expansion coefficient α first decreases, attains a minimum value aroundx=1% and then increases for higher Fe concentrations. The oxygen content per unit formula is almost constant up tox=1% and then increases rapidly withx. It has also been observed that the anomalous behaviour of α around 260 K observed by Meingastet al [22] for Fe concentrationx=5% is due to inadequate annealing of the sample.     

Di-pion emission in heavy quarkonia decays

The dipion spectrum for the ϒ(nS) → ϒ(n′S) transition with n < 4 has the form dw/dq ∼ (phase space) |η − x|², with x = q ² − 4m _π² / (ΔM)² − 4m _π² < q ² ≡ M _ππ², and ΔM = M(nS) − M(n′S). The parameter η is calculated and the spectrum is shown to reproduce the experimental data for all three types of decays: 3 → 1, 2 → 1, and 3 → 2 with η ≈ 0.5, 0, and −3, respectively. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Temperature dependences of the high-field magnetization of dilute frustrated ferrimagnetic spinels

Results are presented of an investigation of the magnetic properties of dilute frustrated ferrimagnetic spinels Li_0.5Fe_2.5−x Ga_xO₄ (x=0.8–1.2), which characterize the main parameters of the ferrimagnetic state and provide evidence of local violation of collinear spin ordering and frustrations. In particular, measurements were made of the concentration dependences of the magnetic moment n ₀(x) and the Curie point T _c (x), the magnetization isotherms σ _T (H) at T=4.2 K and H⩽10 kOe, and also the low-and high-field magnetization polytherms σ _H (T). It was established that for x⩾0.8 in fields exceeding the technical saturation field H _s ∼2 kOe, the temperature dependences of the high-field magnetization σ _H (T) between 4.2 and 230 K cannot be described by the Bloch T ^3/2 law whereas this law is satisfied for undiluted Li spinel (x=0). Over the entire temperature range (4.2–230 K) the experimental curves σ _H (T) may be approximated by σ _H (T)=σ ₀(1−AT ^3/2 − BT ^5/2) for x=0.8–1.0 and σ _H (T)=σ ₀[1−CT ^3/2exp(μ(H−H ₀)/k _B T)] for x=1.1, 1.2, where μH ₀∼15 K is the internal field produced by competition between exchange interactions and frustrations. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1075–1079 (June 1998)     

Dielectric properties of perovskite ceramics of (1–x)BiFeO3 ? x(KBi)1/2TiO3 (0.40 < x < 0.85) solid solutions from impedance spectroscopy data

The dielectric properties of the ceramics of (1 − x)BiFeO₃ − x(KBi)_1/2TiO₃ (0.40 < x < 0.85) solid solutions with an orthorhombic structure have been studied using impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range 25–10⁶ Hz at different temperatures. It has been shown that these solid solutions undergo a diffuse ferroelectric phase transition. The Curie temperature is found to be in the range 620–640 K. The activation energies of dielectric polarization relaxation (δE _M ) and dc charge carriers (ΔE _dc) are determined. It has been established that, in the vicinity of 460 K, ΔE _dc increases jumpwise as the temperature increases.     

Superconductivity and magnetic ordering in YBa2(Cu1−x Fe x )3O7

Transverse-and zero-field μSR measurements have been made for YBa₂(Cu_1−x Fe _x )₃O₇ withx=0.04, 0.08 and 0.12. The temperature range studied was from approximately 7.5 K to 100 K. The onset of magnetic ordering commences at about 7.5 K forx=0.04, 10 K forx=0.08 and 20 K forx=0.12. The Gaussian depolarization parameter, σ ofG _x (t) = exp(−σ² t ²/2), is depressed by a factor of about 0.6 forx=0.04, but for thex=0.08 sample σ is depressed by a factor of 10 and increasing suppression is seen as the temperature is lowered below 45 K. This decrease in σ is interpreted in terms of decreasing electronic mean free paths.     

Electroluminescent characteristics of InGaAsSb/GaAlAsSb heterostructure Mid-IR LEDs at high temperatures

The electroluminescent characteristics of an InGaAsSb/GaAlAsSb heterostructure LED emitting at 1.85 μm are studied in the temperature range 20–200°C. It is shown that the emission power exponentially drops as P ≅ 0.4exp(2.05 × 10³/T) with a rise in temperature primarily because of an increase in the Auger recombination rate. It is found that band-to-band radiative recombination goes in parallel with recombination through acceptor levels, the latter causing the emission spectrum to broaden. With a rise in temperature, the activation energy of the acceptor levels decreases by the law ΔE≅ 32.9 − 0.075T and the maximum of the LED’s emission spectrum shifts toward the long-wavelength range (hν _max = 0.693 − 4.497 × 10⁻⁴ T). Based on the dependence E _g = hν _max − 0.5kT and experimental data, an expression is derived for the temperature variation of the bandgap in the In_0.055Ga_0.945AsSb active area, E _g ≅ 0.817 − 4.951 × 10⁻⁴ T, in the range 290 K < T < 495 K. The resistance of the heterostructure decreases exponentially with rising temperature as R ₀ ≅ 5.52 × 10⁻²exp(0.672/2kT), while cutoff voltage U _cut characterizing the barrier height of a p−n junction decreases linearly with increasing temperature (U _cut = −1.59T + 534). It is found that the current through the heterostructure is due to the generation-recombination mechanism throughout the temperature interval.     

Dielectric properties and phase transitions in crystals of TlInS x Se2 − x solid solutions

This paper reports on a study of the dielectric permittivity and electrical conductivity of single-crystal TlInS _x Se_{2 − x} solid solutions as functions of temperature and composition. It has been found that the dielectric permittivity ɛ and electrical conductivity σ decrease with increasing x and increase with growing temperature. The temperature dependences ɛ = f(T) and σ = f(T) for TlInS _x Se_{2 − x} crystals have been demonstrated to reveal anomalies in the form of maxima, which suggests that these crystals undergo phase transitions. The temperatures of the phase transitions increase with increasing x.     

Ferrimagnetic phase transition in the system Li0.5Fe2.52−x GaxO4 in the vicinity of the multicritical point of the x-T phase diagram

In connection with the problem of identifying magnetic states in the vicinity of x ₀ (the multicritical point of the x-T diagrams of spin-glass systems) a study has been made of properties that can be exploited to determine the presence of a thermodynamic phase transition at the Curie point T _C and the distinctive features of the transition, specifically, the temperature dependence of the magnetic part of the specific heat C _m(T), the temperature dependence of the low-field magnetization σ _H(T), and (with a view toward examining critical behavior in a magnetic field) the magnetization isotherms σ _H(T). The investigated object is the system of dilute ferrimagnetic spinels Li_0.5Fe_2.5−x Ga_xO₄, in which every type of magnetic state has spatially inhomogeneous cluster structures. The results obtained for a sample with x=1.45 indicate that the classical criteria of a ferrimagnetic second-order phase transition at T _C=(97±2) K occur for x∼x ₀. The results of similar investigations for a sample with x=1.6, which exists in the cluster spin-glass state for T<T _f=22 K and in an uncorrelated cluster state of the superparamagnetic type for T>T _f, are also given for comparison with the preceding case. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 114, 2065–2077 (December 1998)     

Superconductivity and possible overdoping in Lu1−x Ca x Ba2Cu3O7−δ

Structural and superconducting properties of the system Lu_1−x Ca _x Ba₂ Cu₃O_7−δ, both in bulk as well as thin film form, have been investigated. Presence of large Ca-ions at the Lu-sites is responsible for phase stability (in 1–2–3 phase) in bulk. In argon annealed tetragonal samples (δ:1) superconductivity is reinstated as in these samples, presence of Ca-ions lead to the generation of holes in the Cu−O planes. In oxygen annealed bulk samples and thin films, there is a large depression ofT _c due to divalent Ca-ions present in concentrationx<0.2. Our data indicate that this depression ofT _c is likely due to overdoping effect.     

Magnetic properties and magnetic entropy change in Heusler alloys Ni50Mn35?xCuxSn15

The influence of Cu substitution for Mn on magnetic properties and magnetic entropy change has been investigated in Heusler alloys, Ni₅₀Mn_35−x Cu _x Sn₁₅ (x=2,5 and 10). With increasing Cu content from x=2 to x=5, the martensitic transition temperature, T _M , decreases from 220 K to 120 K. Further increasing Cu up to x=10 results in the disappearance of T _M . For samples Ni₅₀Mn₃₃Cu₂Sn₁₅ and Ni₅₀Mn₃₀Cu₅Sn₁₅, both martensitic and austenitic states exhibit ferromagnetic characteristics, but the magnetization of martensitic phase is notably lower than that of austenitic phase. The magnetization difference, ΔM, across the martensitic transition leads to a considerably large Zeeman energy, μ ₀ΔM⋅H, which drives a field-induced metamagnetic transition. Associated with the metamagnetic behavior, a large positive magnetic entropy change ΔS takes place around T _M . For the sample Ni₅₀Mn₃₃Cu₂Sn₁₅,ΔS reaches 13.5 J/kg⋅K under a magnetic field change from 0 to 5 T.     

Magnetocaloric effect in the Sm<Subscript>0.55</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.45</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> manganite

The magnetocaloric effect ΔT has been studied by a direct method in two samples of the manganite Sm_0.55Sr_0.45MnO₃, namely, a single crystal (sample A) and a ceramic sample (sample C). The temperature dependences of the ΔT effect of both samples exhibit a maximum at T _max = 143.3 K for the sample A and T _max = 143 K for the sample C. In these maxima, the values of the ΔT effect are 0.8 and 0.4 K in the magnetic field H = 14.2 kOe for the samples A and C, respectively. In addition, the ΔT(T) curve of the sample A has a minimum at T _min = 120 K, in which ΔT = −0.1 K. The maximum value of the ΔT effect increases with an increase in the magnetic field H in the range of magnetic fields up to 14.2 kOe, and the rate of this increase at H > 8 kOe is higher than that at H < 8 kOe. These features of the ΔT effect are explained by the presence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic A- and CE-type clusters in the samples.     

Fluctuation-Induced Conductivity of Polycrystalline (Ho–Ce)Ba2Cu3O$_{7-\boldsymbol\delta}$ Superconductor

We report on systematic conductivity fluctuation measurements on samples of Ho_1 − x Ce _x Ba₂Cu₃O_7 − δ with x = 0.00, 0.05, and 0.10. The samples were produced by a standard solid-state reaction method, and the microstructure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. To identify power-law divergences of the conductivity, the results were analyzed in terms of the temperature derivative of the resistivity dρ/dT and with the logarithmic derivative of the conductivity with respect to temperature − dln (Δσ)/dT. It was observed that the critical temperature decreases and that the transition width increases with increasing Ce doping. The data showed the occurrence of a two-stage transition besides the pairing transition splitting, associated with Ce doping and related with the occurrence of a phase separation. Above the critical temperature, the Gaussian and critical regimes were observed. On approaching the zero resistance state, our results showed a power-law behavior that corresponds to a phase transition from a paracoherent to a coherent state of the granular array.     

Dielectric properties of solid solutions (1 ? x)(KBi)1/2TiO3-xNa1/4Bi3/4Fe1/2Ti1/2O3 near the morphotropic phase boundary

The dielectric properties of solid solution ceramics (1 − x)(KBi)_1/2TiO₃-(x/2)(NaBi)_1/2TiO₃-(x/2)BiFeO₃ near the morphotropic phase boundary lying near x = 0.75 and separating the compositions with the orthorhombic (x < 0.75) and rhombohedral (x > 0.75) structures have been studied. The solid solutions are shown to undergo a diffuse phase transition with the Curie temperature T _C = 640–650 K. Based on an analysis of the frequency dependence of the imaginary component of the electric modulus in the range T > T _C, it is concluded that the transition of the system of solid solutions near the morphotropic phase boundary (x = 0.75) to the dipole-ordered state is accompanied by the formation of heterophase microregions with different relaxation times of the dielectric polarization. The activation energies of the relaxation of the dielectric polarization (ΔE _M ) in the aforementioned temperature range and of the dc charge carriers (ΔE _dc ) are determined. It is found that ΔE _dc stepwise increases near 570 K in going toward higher temperatures. It is shown that the behavior of the characteristics of the dielectric response of the solid solutions below 400 K corresponds to a relaxor ferroelectric. For the compositions 0.7 ≤ x ≤ 0.8, the estimated freezing temperature of dipole clusters of the relaxation state is about 240 K, and their activation energy decreases with increasing x.