Anomalous pinning behaviour in thin Nb3Ge films

Results concerning the pinning behaviour of thin Nb₃Ge films prepared by sputtering and evaporation onto hot sapphire substrates are reported. The validity of scaling laws in the range of magnetic fields up to 13 T has been verified. We have found that the pinning dependence in evaporated films obeys these laws, however, the maximum of the volume pinning force occurs at constant magnetic field value for sputtered Nb₃Ge films. A different microstructure of these two types of films is made responsible for the anomalous pinning behaviour described.     

Exafs measurements on Nb3Ge thin films

We have measured the Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectra for superconducting thin films of Nb₃Ge prepared at variable deposition temperature by sputtering and electron beam coevaporation. As the deposition temperature is varied from 1050 K to 875 K, the film structure changes continuously from the A15 phase to a quasi-amorphous phase. This amorphous phase is characterized by a mean Ge-Nb distance of 2.66 A, as compared to the A15 distance, 2.87 A. The mean coordination of the Ge sites is reduced from 12 to 8±2, and the mean square spread in Ge-Nb distances (thermal + spatial) has decreased by only 0.01 A².     

Superconductivity with onset above 23° K in NbGe sputtered films

Sputtered films of nominal composition Nb₃Ge deposited onto hot substrates, of the type recently found by Gavaler to have superconductivity onsets at 22.3° K, have now been obtained with a maximum onset temperature of 23.2 ± 0.2° K and a transition width of ～ 1.2° K. The sputtering conditions necessary to achieve these results are discussed and suggest that the high T_c phase may be detrimentally affected by the presence of high energy particles present under normal sputtering conditions.     

The sputtering of high Tc A15 Nb3Si and V3Ge

We report some initial results on the preparation of A15 Nb₃Si and V₃Ge using a getter sputtering technique. Under sufficiently clean conditions we observe an increase in the superconducting transition temperature. DC onsets in excess of 14 and 11 K have been observed for Nb₃Si and V₃Ge respectively. In each case a positive identification of the A15 phase has been made.     

Extended x-ray absorption fine structure investigations of Nb3Ge0.26Al0.74

We have performed Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) studies of the high-T_c ternary superconducting alloy Nb₃Ge_0.26Al_0.74 above the Ge K-edge. The EXAFS indicates that the local environment surrounding the Ge atoms is characterized by a high degree of structural order, similar to that found in previous investigations of high-T_c Nb₃Ge thin films. We also present direct “microscopic” structural evidence that this material is a solid solution of Nb₃Ge and Nb₃Al. No evidence of Nb₃Ge microcrystals is observed.     

Specific heat of single phase Nb3Ge

For the first time, the specific heat of single phase, stoichiometric, high transition temperature (21.8 K) A-15 Nb₃Ge has been measured. From the data between 4 and 29 K, the linear term coefficient, γ, of the specific heat is found to be 30.3±1. mJ/mole-K² and the Debye temperature, ?_D, is 302±2 K. The bulk energy gap parameter, 2Δ/kT_c, is found to be 4.2±0.2, in agreement with tunneling measurements.     

Iron silicide-based ferromagnetic metal/semiconductor nanostructures

Ferromagnetic single-crystal epitaxial Fe₃Si films and polycrystalline Fe₅Si₃ films are obtained on Si substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy with in situ control of the structure, optical, and magnetic properties. The results of the structural, magnetic, and optical measurements are discussed. The experimental data are compared to the results of the microscopic calculation of the spin-polarized structure, the permittivity, and the optical conductivity spectra.     

Anomalous behavior of superconducting transition temperature of amorphous and crystalline Nb3Ge under pressure

The superconducting transition temperature (T_c) of amorphous Nb₃Ge was studied under both hydrostatic and quasihydrostatic pressure to 3.5 and 13 GPa, respectively. Whereas hydrostatic pressure causes T_c to initially decrease, T_c is found to increase under higher quasihydrostatic pressures. T_c(p) was also studied on an A-15 crystalline Nb₃Ge sample obtained from the amorphous sample by annealing.     

Variation of properties of superconducting Nb3Ge prepared by chemical vapor deposition

We discuss how some of the properties of chemically vapor deposited Nb₃Ge depend on deposition conditions. Strong variations of transition temperature and A-15 lattice parameter occur with changes in gas composition. Rather broad transition onsets up to 23.0 ± 0.2°K have been observed.     

Effect of electric field on the smeared phase transition in crystals PbIn1/2Nb1/2O3-28PbTiO3 and PbIn1/2Nb1/2O3-37PbTiO3

The effect of a direct-current electric field (0 < E < 3 kV/cm) on the smearing of the phase transition and the Curie-Weiss exponent (γ) for two PbIn_1/2Nb_1/2O₃-28PbTiO₃ and PbIn_1/2Nb_1/2O₃-37PbTiO₃ crystals lying at different distances from the morphotropic phase boundary has been investigated. The universal Curie-Weiss law has been used to approximate the temperature dependences of the dielectric permittivity. It has been shown that the more remote is the crystal from the morphotropic phase boundary, the larger is the exponent γ and, consequently, the more smeared is the phase transition (in the zero field, γ = 1.67 and 1.49 for PbIn_1/2Nb_1/2O₃-28PbTiO₃ and PbIn_1/2Nb_1/2O₃-37PbTiO₃, respectively). It has been found that a weak electric field (no greater than 2–3 kV/cm) in the case of the more smeared phase transition almost does not affect the Curie-Weiss exponent, whereas for the PbIn_1/2Nb_1/2O₃-37PbTiO₃ crystal, this exponent decreases with increasing electric field strength and approaches γ = 1, which is characteristic of the conventional ferroelectric.     

Room-temperature epitaxial growth of V2O3 films

Herein we report the room-temperature epitaxial growth of V2O3 films by laser molecule beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction profiles show the room-temperature epitaxial V2O3 films orient in the [110] direction on α-Al2O3(0001) substrates. Atomic force microscopy measurements reveal that the ultra-smooth surfaces with root-mean-square surface roughness of 0.11 nm and 0.28 nm for 10-nm-thick and 35-nm-thick V+2O3 film, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate the V3 oxidation state in the films. Typical metal-insulator transition is observed in films at about 135 K. The resistivities at 300 K are approximately 0.8 mΩ cm and 0.5 mΩ cm for 10-nm-thick and 35-nm-thick V2O3 film, respectively.     

Formation of near stoichiometric A15Nb3Si from annealing an amorphous alloy under high pressure

The A15Nb₃Si with a composition closed to stoichiometric compound has been synthesized under high pressure from a starting material of Nb₇₇Si₂₃ amorphous alloys. High pressure annealing was carried out in Bridgman anvils apparatus. The amorphous alloy would decompose into A15Nb₃Si, bcc Nb solid solution and hexagonal phase when it was annealed under a pressure lower or a temperature higher than that for forming single phase A15Nb₃Si. The yielded A15Nb₃Si exhibited a superconducting transition temperatureT _c of 19.1 K, and has been indexed unambiguously with a lattice parameter ofa=0.5093 nm. Moreover, a nonlinear relationship betweenT _c anda has been constructed from our experimental data, and aT _c of 27 K for stoichiometric A15Nb₃Si can be expected.     

High T c,structural instabilities and electronic properties of Nb3Ge

Abstract

A number of Nb₃Ge samples with rather high T _c,on (T _c,on ? 22.5 K) were prepared by CVD and characterized by the electrical resistance, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope patterns. It was found that the crystal growth patterns are roughly divided into two categories, (i) a particles-pattern in a nearly single phase of Nb₃Ge and (ii) a network pattern with a fairly large amount of the Nb₅Ge₃ phase but with rather a large resistance ratio and a small resistivity at T ? T _c,on. The latter type of samples shows generally higher T _c,on. It is deduced that the origin of high T _c,on comes mainly from a deformation of the atomic potential at the Nb-site into an anharmonic and rather unstable shape due to the coexistence of the Nb₅Ge₃ phase. The mechanism of the formation of different patterns is discussed on the basis of the theory of non-equilibrium thermodynamics of Prigogine.     

Heteroepitaxial GaN films on silicon substrates with porous buffer layers

New complex buffer layers based on a porous material have been developed for epitaxial growth of GaN films on Si substrates. The characteristics of gallium nitride heteroepitaxial layers grown on silicon substrates with new buffer layers by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy are investigated. It is shown that the porous buffer layers improve the electric homogeneity and increase the photoluminescence intensity of epitaxial GaN films on Si substrates to the values comparable with those for reference GaN films on Al₂O₃ substrates. It is found that a fianite layer in a complex buffer is a barrier for silicon diffusion from the substrate into a GaN film.     

Synthesis of superconducting compounds by thermolysis of volatile hydrides and organometallic compounds on glowing wires

The synthesis of high temperature superconducting phases in the NbGe, NbSn, VSi, VGe, VSn, NbC and MoC systems is described by method consisting in the thermolysis of volatile hydrides or organometallic compounds on resistively heated wires. For face-centred cubic NbC a higher transition temperature than previously reported was obtained. The A15 phase boundary of NbGe is extended towards the stoichiometric 3:1 composition, affording samples of Nb₃ Ge with a T_c onset of 15.8°K.     

Synthesis and characteristics of KTa0.5Nb0.5O3 thin films

KTa_0.5Nb_0.5O₃ thin films were synthesized via a metal-organic solution. Characteristics were measured, such as X-ray diffraction pattern, surface morphology and roughness, and electric properties. The synthesized films have a (100) preferential growth orientation on Si (100) substrate. The homogeneous microstructure and smooth surface benefit to the good electric properties of the thin films. The current density-voltage characteristic shows an unexpected feature of the transition from linear to nonlinear, which can be explained by the space-charge-limited mode. Dielectric constant and loss of the thin films decrease with the increase of frequency. The decrease of dielectric loss is related to the decrease of net polarization in material. The decrease of dielectric constant can be explained by Debye formula. The phase transition temperature T _c is about 102 °C for KTa_0.5Nb_0.5O₃ materials.     

Ultrasonic attenuation by a thin film of high transition temperature Nb3Ge

The electron-phonon contribution to the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient of a 0.5 μm Nb₃Ge film has been measured using 1.2 GHz surface acoustic waves. Analysis of the attenuation data shows that the largest part of the film has a superconducting transition near the bulk transition temperature, 18 K, even though the total film has a high transition temperature, namely 21.5 K. The electron mean free path is calculated from the electron-phonon attenuation data and is found to be an order of magnitude higher than expected for high transition temperature Nb₃Ge films.     

Growth and structural characterization of YMnO3 thin films grown by pulsed liquid injection MOCVD on Si and SrTiO3 substrates

Optimum parameters for the growing of YMnO₃ films by pulsed liquid injection metalorganic chemical vapor deposition have been studied. Si substrates were used for the optimization of the deposition process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results show that polycrystalline single phase YMnO₃ films can be obtained for an optimal ratio of Y and Mn on the injected solution and either amorphous, metastable orthorhombic, and/or hexagonal YMnO₃ phases can be obtained depending on the deposition temperature and precursors ratio. In a second stage, YMnO₃ films were grown on SrTiO₃ substrates. Pure epitaxial orthorhombic YMnO₃ phase was confirmed by XRD. The films microstructure, characterized by scanning electron microscopy and TEM, shows a columnar growth. Each columnar grain grows epitaxially with three possible orientations.     

Bulk A15, high TC Nb3Si synthesized by shock compression

A shock wave compression technique has been used to convert bulk quantities of Nb₃Si into the A15 phase. The recovered material has a lattice parameter of 5.091 ± 0.006 Å. It also has an inductive T_C of 18.6 K and shows a large specific heat transition at 18.0 K.     

Optical absorption by Nd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Gd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> ions in epitaxial films grown on Gd<Subscript>3</Subscript>Ga<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> substrates from a lead-containing solution melt

Epitaxial films of composition (Gd,Nd)₃Ga₅O₁₂ or (Gd,Y,Nd)₃Ga₅O₁₂ with a neodymium content varying from 0.3 to 15 at. % are grown by liquid-phase epitaxy from a supercooled PbO-B₂O₃-based solution melt on Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂(111) substrates. The optical absorption spectra of the epitaxial films grown are measured in the wavelength range 0.2–1.0 µm. The results of interpreting the absorption bands observed in the spectra are used to construct the energy level diagrams of Nd³⁺ and Gd³⁺ ions in the matrices of the epitaxial films.