Thermal fluctuations in high-temperature superconductors

The effect of fluctuations and anisotropy on the transition from the normal to the superconducting state are studied. Neglecting magnetic fluctuations, which is justified as long as the Ginzburg-Landau parameter 1, the critical behavior belongs to thexy-universality class including superfluid helium. Since (t)=₀ t ^2/3, wheret=1-T/T _c , upon approachingT _c further, the intrinsic fluctuating magnetic field might change the nature of the transition. Concentrating on thexy-regime, we derive with the aid of the helicity modulus a universal relation betweenT _c and the amplitudes of the phase correlation length and penetration depth. We also extend the universal critical point amplitude relations to the case of superconductors with uniaxial mass anisotropy. Our analysis of recent specific heat and excess dc conductivity measurement suggest that for both static and dynamic properties three-dimensional critical behavior has been observed. The -like specific heat singularity points to criticalxy-behavior. Further evidence is provided in terms of the universal amplitude relations, providing estimates for the amplitudes of the correlation lengths for the magnitude and phase of the order parameter and the London penetration depth. We find remarkable agreement with experiment and the correlation volume is comparable to that in superfluid helium.     

Hysteresis losses of fine filamentary superconductors including field dependent critical current density

Using the force versus displacement curve for the flux lines, the hysteresis losses of thin superconducting slabs in transverse magnetic field were calculated. Especially, Kim's model for the field dependence of the critical current densityJ _c 1/(B _m+B _o) was used (B _m- the applied field,B _o = const.). The results are compared with the corresponding model usingJ _c = const., as well as with the critical state model without the force versus displacement curve. It is shown that the losses per volume are always decreasing with decreasing slab thickness. In the case of large background fieldB ₀ and small amplitude of the ripple fieldb ₀, the corrections are small with respect to the caseJ _c= const. Without background field, the hysteresis losses are somewhat larger than for field independentJ _c. Therefore, in accordance with our previous paper, the strong decrease of hysteresis losses with decreasing filament diameter in lower magnetic fields cannot be explained by the reversible motion of flux lines in the superconductors. It is suggested that this strong decrease is connected with the reversible motion of flux not connected with flux lines in superconductors, the diameter of which is comparable with the London penetration depth .     

Specific heat and thermal expansion of the Bi and Tl high temperature superconductors nearT c

We present measurements of the specific heat and of the thermal expansion of the most prominent phases of the Bi and Tl high temperature superconductors (Bi-2212, Bi-2223, Tl-2212, Tl-2223) in the neighbourhood ofT _c . In all these systems we observe small but sharp anomalies which have very little similarity with the mean field jump found in the conventional superconductors. The analysis of these anomalies shows clear evidence for the presence of strong fluctuations of the order parameter. For temperatures more than 5 K away fromT _c ,2D Gaussian fluctuations are found, while within ±5 K ofT _c the fluctuation contribution is best fitted by critical fluctuations. The shape of the thermal expansion anomalies is similar to that of the specific heat. Combination of both measurements predicts dT _c /dp+0.2 K/kbar for Bi- and Tl-2223 systems.     

Spatially-resolved characterization of HTSC-films near T c by laser raster microscopy with thermal excitation

A method (laser raster microscopy with thermal excitation, LRMTE) for characterizing high-T _c thin-film superconductors (HTSC) with microscopic resolution is described. By means of spatially resolved laser excitation and subsequent monitoring of the time dependence of the film resistivity at a base temperature near the transition temperature T _c, spatial variations of the transition temperature (T _c), of the temperature coefficient of the resistivity (dQ/dT), of the heat conductivity and heat capacity of the film and of the heat conductivity between film and substrate can be detected with high spatial resolution (15 m have been achieved so far).     

Anomalous low-temperature behavior of the thermal characteristics of MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript>

We have studied the behavior of the thermal expansion coefficient α(T) (in a zero magnetic field and at H≈4 T), the heat capacity C(T), and the thermal conductivity κ(T) of magnesium boride (MgB₂) in the vicinity of T_c and at lower temperatures. It was established that MgB₂, like oxide-based high-temperature superconductors, exhibits a negative thermal expansion coefficient at low temperatures. The anomaly of α(T) in MgB₂ is significantly affected by the magnetic field. It was established that, in addition to the well-known superconducting transition at T_c≈40 K, MgB₂ exhibits an anomalous behavior of both heat capacity and thermal conductivity in the region of T≈10–12 K. The anomalies of C(T) and κ(T) take place in the same temperature interval where the thermal expansion coefficient of MgB₂ becomes negative. The low-temperature anomalies are related to the presence of a second group of charge carriers in MgB₂ and to an increase in the density of the Bose condensate corresponding to these carriers at T_c2≈10–12 K.     

The vortex-like excitations detected by Nernst signals in high-Tc superconductors

The nature of the pseudogap state and its relation to the d-wave superconductivity in high-T _c superconductors is still an open issue. The vortex-like excitations detected by the Nernst effect measurements exist in a certain temperature range above superconducting transition temperature T _c, which strongly support that the pseudogap phase is characterized by finite pairing amplitude with strong phase fluctuations and imply that the phase transition at T _c is driven by the loss of long-range phase coherence. We first briefly introduce the electronic phase diagram and pseudogap state of high-T _c superconductors, and then review the results of Nernst effect for different high-T _c superconductors. Related theoretical models are also discussed.     

Spin fluctuations and high temperature superconductivity

Theory of spin fluctuations for itinerant magnetism and its application to high temperature superconductivity are reviewed. After a brief introduction to the whole subject the developments of the self-consistent renormalization theory of spin fluctuations are summarized with particular emphasis on critical properties at the quantum phase transitions. Most of the anomalous properties in the normal state of high-T_c cuprates are understood as due to the critical behaviours for the two dimensional antiferromagnetic metals. By analysing the nuclear magnetic relaxation rate and the T-linear term of resistivity, the set of parameters to specify the spin fluctuations are determined. It is shown that by using the parameters thus obtained one can describe other quantities as well, e.g. optical conductivity. Then we proceed to the theory of superconductivity by the spin fluctuation mechanism. After some discussion on the weak coupling treatments, the strong coupling theory is reviewed. It is shown that the set of parameters determined by the normal state properties of the high-T _c cuprates just give a transition temperature of the right order of magnitude. Among the parameters, the most sensitive one for T _c is the frequency spread of the spin fluctuations. This fact enables us to present a possible unified picture of the antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation-induced superconductors, including heavy fermion superconductors and organic superconductors. This point of view may be confirmed to a certain extent by microscopic calculations based on the fluctuation exchange approximation for the two-dimensional Hubbard models representing not only the cuprates but also organic and trellis lattice compounds. The review is concluded with some discussions on future problems, e.g. the pseudo spin-gap in the under-doped region.     

A thermodynamic description of the irreversibility line in strongly type-II superconductors

The one-component dense vortex plasma theory, which describes thermal motion of the magnetic vortices in strongly type-II superconductors in a magnetic field, is used to study the irreversibility line in high-T _c superconductors. We propose a possible universal form for the irreversibility line, and examine some recent experiments.     

Enhancement of pseudogap anomalies induced by nanoscale structural inhomogeneity in YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>6.93</Subscript> high-<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>c</Subscript> superconductor

The magnetization M(H) in the superconducting state, dc magnetic susceptibility χ(T) in the normal state, and specific heat C(T) near the superconducting transition temperature T _c have been measured for a series of fine-crystalline YBa₂Cu₃O _y samples having nearly optimum values of y = 6.93 ± 0.3 and T _c = (91.5 ± 0.5) K. The samples differ only in the degree of nanoscale structural inhomogeneity. The characteristic parameters of superconductors (the London penetration depth and the Ginzburg–Landau parameter) and the thermodynamic critical field H _c are determined by the analysis of the magnetization curves M(H). It is found that the increase in the degree of nanoscale structural inhomogeneity leads to an increase in the characteristic parameters of superconductors and a decrease in H _c(T) and the jump of the specific heat ΔC/T _c. It is shown that the changes in the physical characteristics are caused by the suppression of the density of states near the Fermi level. The pseudogap is estimated by analyzing χ(T). It is found that the nanoscale structural inhomogeneity significantly enhances and probably even creates the pseudogap regime in the optimally doped high-T _c superconductors.     

Critical disorder effects in Josephson-coupled quasi-one-dimensional superconductors

Effects of non-magnetic randomness on the critical temperature T _c and diamagnetism are studied in a class of quasi-one dimensional superconductors. The energy of Josephson-coupling between wires is considered to be random, which is typical for dirty organic superconductors. We show that this randomness destroys phase coherence between the wires and T _c vanishes discontinuously when the randomness reaches a critical value. The parallel and transverse components of the penetration depth are found to diverge at different critical temperatures T _c ⁽¹⁾ and T _c , which correspond to pair-breaking and phase-coherence breaking. The interplay between disorder and quantum phase fluctuations results in quantum critical behavior at T = 0, manifesting itself as a superconducting-normal metal phase transition of first-order at a critical disorder strength.     

The c-axis fluctuation conductivity in layered superconductors in a strong electric field under a magnetic field

The effect of a high electric field on the c-axis fluctuation conductivity in layered superconductors near the superconducting transition is investigated by the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation. The c-axis fluctuation conductivity is calculated in self-consistent Gaussian approximation for an arbitrarily strong electric field and a magnetic field perpendicular to the layers. Our results include all Landau levels and have refined analytical form. The results in linear response are in good agreement with the experimental data in a wide region around T _c in high T _c superconductor. We also show that high electric fields can be effectively used to suppress the c-axis fluctuation conductivity in high-temperature superconductors.     

Microwave absorption in high-Tc superconductors studied by the EPR method

Dependences of the microwave absorption on temperature, magnetic field and microwave power obtained for the high-T _c superconductors are presented. Shape of the magnetically modulated microwave absorption, low-field phase diagram and overheating of the Josephson junction system induced by microwave irradiation are discussed. The model of the Josephson junction system interacting with microwaves has been used to explain the behavior of the high-T _c superconductors in low magnetic field.     

Superconductivity and magnetism and their interplay in quaternary borocarbides RNi2B2C

Since 1986, most of the interest in superconductivity became focused on high-T _c cuprates. The discovery of the superconducting quaternary borocarbide system Y–Ni–B–C with T _c as high as?～12?K inspired research into intermetallic superconductors (IMS) once again. Several reasons can be attributed to this revival of interest in IMS: (i) In the tetragonal quaternary magnetic superconductors RNi₂B₂C, superconductivity and magnetism occur with T _c and T _N?～?10?K, thereby allowing studies of exotic phenomena associated with, and arising from, the interplay of superconductivity and magnetism. (ii) High T _N's and a variety of commensurate and incommensurate magnetic structures in RNi₂B₂C (Fermi surface nesting playing a central role) strongly suggest that R-spins are coupled via the RKKY-exchange interaction. Hence, unlike in most other magnetic superconductors known so far, conduction electrons take part in superconductivity and magnetism. (iii) Quaternary borocarbides open up new pathways to try and synthesize multicomponent intermetallic superconductors. Their remarkable intrinsic superconducting and magnetic properties and the availability of high quality samples (bulk polycrystalline, large single crystals and thin films) make RNi₂B₂C particularly special to investigate. Several unusual phenomena have been reported, such as, to name a few, dramatic phonon mode softening at T _c, H _c2(T) exhibiting a positive curvature near T _c and a four-fold anisotropy in the basal plane; a variety of exceptional and fascinating flux line lattice (FLL) related effects — FLL-symmetry transformations and alignments with the underlying crystal lattice as a function of applied field (manifestation of nonlocal electrodynamics despite high κ?～?10, and thermal fluctuation effects even though T _c,?～?16?K, is not too high) and a four-fold symmetric star-shaped (in real space) vortex core. RNi₂B₂C are strong coupling s-wave BCS superconductors and, remarkably, have a superconducting gap with extreme anisotropy. Strong experimental evidence shows that the four-fold symmetric superconducting gap has point nodes along the 100 Carter, S, Batlogg, B, Cava, R, Krajewski, J, Peck, W Jr and Takagi, H. 1994. Phys. Rev. B, 50: 4216[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]- and 10 Baltensperger, W and Strässler, S. 1963. Phys. Kondens Materie, 1: 20 [Google Scholar]-directions, a feature that has been shown consistent with (s?+?g)-Cooper pairing. An energy gap with such strong anisotropy is unusual for an s-wave superconductor and, hence, calls for a pairing mechanism different from conventional electron–phonon coupling. Antiferromagnetic fluctuations possibly play an important role in the mechanism. Magnetic superconductors RNi₂B₂C (R?=?Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) reveal several phenomena, not observed earlier, associated with the interplay of superconductivity and magnetism. Microscopic evidence (via square FLL interacting with magnetism) of the coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity; intrinsic FLL-pinning by magnetic ions; weak ferromagnetism (local moment) coexisting with superconductivity (down to the lowest temperature) and the spontaneous vortex phase (ErNi₂B₂C); superconductivity setting in an already magnetically ordered lattice (DyNi₂B₂C) and pair-breaking by nonmagnetic ions in such materials; rich and complex magnetic structures and double (nearly) re-entrant superconductivity (HoNi₂B₂C) and changes in the FLL-symmetry in the vicinity of magnetic transition (TmNi₂B₂C) and 4f-quadrupole ordering (TmNi₂B₂C) are several exciting phenomena that magnetic superconductors RNi₂B₂C exhibit.

At the end of this review are indicated some possible further studies in quaternary borocarbide superconductors. These studies may turn out to be important not only with respect to borocarbides themselves but also from the standpoint of superconductivity in general.     

Relationship between T c and electronegativity differences in compound superconductors

The electronegativity differences, N, between the anions and the cations in suggested resonating elements of some representative high-temperature superconductors with T _c - 10 K are evaluated adopting Pauling's scale. The relationship between N and T _c was found to separate all the examined high-T _csuperconductors onto two curves: One for the cuprate superconductors having two-dimensional layered structures was a straight line, T _c=29.8+4.1N; the other correlation curve representing the remaining compound superconductors including the doped 113 perovskite and the perovskite-related 214 structures was at lower T _c values but also suggested that increasing electronegativity differences was related to increasing T _c.This work was supported by the Director, Office of Energy Research, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences Division of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC03-76SF00098     

Singlet-groundstate magnetism in TbP

Elastic neutron scattering and magnetic susceptibility data are reported for temperatures around the Neél-point,T _N=7.3 K, and for zero magnetic field. AboveT _N, the temperature dependence of the magnetic central peak intensity can adequately be described within the RPA assuming isotropic exchange between nearest and next-nearest neighbours as the only parameters. This two-parameter model is quantitatively confirmed by the susceptibility data. AtT _N, magnetic Bragg-intensities arise almost discontinuously (reaching 70% of the saturation within 0.1 K) accompanied by thermal hysteresis. For all temperatures belowT _N the sublattice magnetic moment is explained by solutions of meanfield equations, if an effective quadrupole-quadrupole interaction is included. The quadrupolar coupling parameter is fully consistent with a value determined recently from the softening of thec ₄₄-mode. These results show, that earlier suggestions of renormalization group results upon the origin of the first order phase transition in TbP are not needed.A project of the Sonderforschungsbereich 65 Festkörperspektroskopie Darmstadt-Frankfurt, supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Dimensional crossover in cuprate superconductors

A central concern in understanding the mechanism for the occurrence of superconductivity in cuprates is the interaction driving the phase transition and their dimensionality. As physical systems near a phase transition have a marked dependence on dimensionality, this can be explored with symples where one of the physical dimensions is reduced and becomes comparable to the correlation length. Recently, it became possible to fabricate sufficiently thin cuprate slabs, revealing a fall ofT _c with reduced thickness, becoming pronounced for slabs a few unit cells thick. Related effects have been observed in the YBCO bulk compounds 123, 124 and 247. We analyze the experimental data by invoking finite size scaling and a Ginzburg-Landau treatment. The main conclusions include the following: the fall ofT _c with decreasing thickness corresponds to a dimensional crossover, revealing the three-dimensional nature of the interaction mediating superconductivity; there is a predominance of two-dimensional fluctuations and boundaries with reduced thickness; there are crossover phenomena reminiscent of⁴He films and thin slabs of conventional super-conductors.     

Magnetic field effects in the onset of superconductivity

Using the time dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory the influence of a finite and even strong magnetic field on the fluctuations in superconductors aboveT _c is studied. We calculate the dynamical conductivity, the Hall angle, and the static magnetisation from the fluctuations of the charge current associated with the fluctuations of the order parameter. It is found that the magnetic field generally enhances the singular contributions of the fluctuations to the conductivity and the susceptibility. Associated with this enhancement is a reduction of the characteristic frequency scale close toT _c .     

The superconducting transition and the behavior of the ac susceptibility

The ac susceptibility behavior of superconductors close to the superconducting transition temperature is explained on the basis of the BCS theory. Previous approaches to this problem were based on the average conductivity model, the London and the two-fluid models. It is shown that they are not able to explain the observed χPrime;-peak at T_c and are basically, not adequate for the treatment of such a problem.     

杂质对K2ZnCl4晶体无公度结构相变的影响

对K₂ZnCl₄铁电晶体在无公度-公度转变的相变点附近的孤子行为进行了研究。发现在相变点附近杂质使介电函数明显偏离居里-外斯定律,并导致介电峰值的明显下降;同时还发现杂质对升温相变点T_c^h较之对降温相变点T_c^c有更大的影响,这与Rb₂ZnCl₄等晶体中的情况恰好相反。采用朗道自由能理论可较好地描述杂质在相变点附近对介电函数的影响。分 关键词：