Comparative study of structure disordering effects in fine-crystalline HTSC YBa2Cu3O6.9 samples obtained by different methods

A comparative study of the structure-sensitive magnetic properties of fine-crystalline YBa₂Cu₃O _y samples obtained by different methods (the sol-gel technique and mechanical activation) is performed. It is shown that a peculiar type of structural disordering extrinsical of macrocrystalline samples of the same compound, is a general property of fine-crystalline samples. This is due to the stabilization of the quasi-equilibrium state with incomplete atomic ordering when synthesizing this compound with a fine-crystalline microstructure.     

Mössbauer emission study of57Co: YBa2Cu3O7−y HTSC

Mössbauer emission spectroscopy is performed on⁵⁷Co:YBa₂Cu₃O_7–y oxides in a temperature range from 300 K to 77 K. The spectra show, at least two different location for the⁵⁷Co(⁵⁷Fe) impurities. The isomer shift and quadrupole splitting values of the⁵⁷Fe daughter are coincident with those observed in⁵⁷Fe absorption experiments. From the analysis of theIS andQS values as well as from the relative location of Fe impurity levels in the HTSC matrix it is argued that:a) Co impurities enters into the lattice mainly in the Cu1 sites, but some of them have a higher coordination number.b) The daughter⁵⁷Fe exists as localized Fe⁴⁺ state.c) The parent⁵⁷Co enter as a localized Co³⁺ state. These conclusions appear consistent with the observed increase ofN(0) on doping with Fe or Co ions and with the existence of localized magnetic moments as determined from paramagnetic susceptibility measurements.     

Critical current measurements on extruded YBa2Cu3O y wires

The successful extrusion of short lengths of brittle wires of YBa₂Cu₃O _y that are superconducting above 77 K is reported. Detailed critical current measurements are presented on wires having undergone different physical treatments. The highest critical current obtained from V-I data is ⋍ 90 A/cm², but this particular wire shows clear evidence of flux-pinning forces corresponding to ⋍ 130 A/cm².     

YBa2Cu3O7−y composites for improved fabricability

Composites of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−y with silver powder have been investigated for their fabricability and superconductivity. Silver does not react with the oxide powder. The composites can be easily rolled into thin strips. There is no appreciable degradation inT _c either during sintering or rolling.     

On the origin of orthorhombic deformations in YBa2Cu3O7−y

It is shown that orthorhombic deformations (ODs) in YBa₂Cu₃O_7?y agree with the hypothesis of the proper ferroelastic transition in the praphase when the value of y decreases from 0.65 to 0.07. For 0.07<y<0.45, ODs are probably of the improper ferroelastic type.     

A muon spin rotation study of hydrogen in YBa2Cu3O y

Superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O _y samples were doped with hydrogen and investigated by the muon spin rotation technique. For hydrogen concentrations above a thresholdx, which depends on the oxygen stoichiometry, we find a well defined precession signal in zero external field. This is a clear indication of magnetic ordering in these samples. In samples with a smaller hydrogen content no magnetic ordering was found. For these samples however, the depolarization rate σ(T→0) as measured in a transverse external field depends strongly on the hydrogen content. Our data are consistent with the assumption that hydrogen acts as an electron donor, filling the hole states in YBa₂Cu₃O _y .     

Cu nuclear spin-spin relaxation in YBa2Cu3O6.98 and YBa2Cu4O8

We have measured the temperature (T) dependence of the transverse relaxation rate (T _G ^–1 ) of the Cu(1) nuclear spin in YBa₂Cu₃O_6.98 (T _c=92 K) and YBa₂Cu₄O₈ (T _c=82 K). From the scaling ratio ofT _G ^–2 (Cu1) toT _G ^–2 (Cu2), we have estimated the strength of a covalent bonding between the CuO₂ plane and the CuO chain to be B0.38×A _zz. The experimentalT _G ^–1 (Cu1) in YBa₂Cu₄O₈ was of the same order of magnitude as the estimated one fromT _G ^–1 (Cu2). These results appear to indicate that the electrons in the CuO₂ plane fairly spread out of the plane in both compounds.     

Schottky Anomalies in the Low-Temperature Specific Heat of YBa2Cu3Oy HTSC

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics - The evolution of the Schottky anomalies in the temperature dependence of the specific heat (in the temperature range T = 2–10 K and the...     

Evolution of atomic ordering in fine-grained YBa2Cu3O y high-temperature superconductors and its effect on superconducting transition temperature

Regularities of changes in unit cell parameters and superconducting properties of the optimally doped fine-grained YBa₂Cu₃O _y (y ≈ 6.92) high-temperature superconductors (HTSC) at the initial stage of the high-rate formation of orthorhombic crystal structure from the activated mixture of initial components are investigated. The orthorhombic distortion degree σ and the superconducting transition temperature T _c are characterized by uncommon correlation being different from that characteristic for coarse-grained samples. It is shown that there are much higher T _c values in fine-grained samples for a given parameter σ. It is concluded that all of the observed regularities are related to specific features of atomic disorder characteristic for fine-grained samples.     

Ac-Josephson effect in YBa2Cu3O7/YBa2Cu3O7 point contact junctions

The ac-Josephson effect could be demonstrated up to dc voltages of 20 mV on the I–V characteristic of adjustable YBa₂Cu₃O₇/YBa₂Cu₃O₇ point contacts at 4.2 K. A detailed analysis of the rf power dependence of the size of microwave-induced constant voltage steps is given for microwave frequencies of 70 and 90 GHz. The results prove that electron pairing is responsible for the superconductivity in YBa₂Cu₃O₇.     

Vortex glass phase and flux creep in YBa2Cu3O y epitaxial film

Nonlinear I–V characteristics of YBa₂Cu₃O _y epitaxial film at different temperatures in a magnetic field of up to 5T and angles between the direction of the field and the a–b plane of 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° were measured. We find that there are the vortex glass phase and vortex liquid phase in the mixed state. The flux creep exists in the vortex glass phase, and it obviously appears in the area around the boundary between the vortex glass phase and the vortex liquid phase.     

Geometry effect on the nonlinear magnetic response of YBa2Cu3O7−y

Results are presented for study of nonlinear magnetization of a sintered YBa₂Cu₃O_7−y pellet of different thickness of a sample subjected to very low magnetic field. On cooling the sample belowT _c in zero field a change, in the oscillatory structure of harmonics in increasing dc field is observed in very low ac magnetic field. The effect of finiteness of the sample on the oscillatory structure and on the hysteresis of harmonics is also studied. The results are explained qualitatively.     

Theoretical study ofμ + site in YBa2Cu3O x site in YBa2Cu3O x

The muon is a useful probe of magnetic fields in superconductors, but knowing the field seen by the muon is often of limited value until we know where the muon is in the crystal lattice. Here we employ two independent theoretical methods to search for candidate muon sites:the potential energy field method, which seeks the minimum of the electrostatic potential of theμ ⁺, and themagnetic dipolar field method, which compares the calculated magnetic field (due to host electronic or nuclear dipolar fields) with the observed local fields at the muon. Work supported by Canadian NRC and NSERC.     

Geometry effects on the electronic properties of YBa2Cu3O7

We have performed electronic structure calculations for the high T _c compound YBa₂Cu₃O₇ with a 3% reduced unit-cell volume. The effect on band structure and Fermi surface is investigated. The predominant features are van Hoove singularities at the Fermi level. Keeping the experimental lattice parameters, nearly the same effects occur when replacing the local-density approximation by a generalized gradient correction scheme.     

Calculated effects of charge fluctuations on the phonon dispersion of YBa2Cu3O6 and YBa2Cu3O7. II. Results

Using the model presented in the preceding paper we investigate the effects of charge fluctuations (CF) on the phonon dispersion of YBa₂Cu₃O₆ (O₆) and YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (O₇). Starting from an ab-initio rigid-ion model as a reference system, CF are allowed for at the copper- and oxygen ions. The CF are treated as adiabatic electronic degrees of freedom. Within the rigid-ion model (RIM) the structural parameters are calculated by minimization of the energy. The results agree reasonably well with the experiment, indicating the suitability of the ionic model as a starting point and the importance of ionic forces for the properties of the high-temperature superconductors (HTSC) in general. Next, the phonon dispersion is calculated in the RIM as well as including CF additionally and the renormalization of the individual modes is discussed. By restricting the CF optionally to the planes, effects arising specifically from CF in the planes on the one hand and from CF in the chain as well as at the axial bridging oxygens (O4) on the other hand can be separated. We find the oxygen axial modes at the γ- and Z point (A_1g/A_2μ in O₆, A_g/B_1μ in O₇) particularly interesting. Most of these modes show considerable renormalizations. Moreover, the γ/Z-axial modes are characterized by the possibility of having CF of the same sign in the whole CuO planes what distinguishes them from the modes at other symmetry points. In particular, the Z-point axial modes are singular in having CF of alternating sign in consecutive structural units in c direction. Such a “c-direction-charge-transfer” has been shown previously to be an effective screening mechanism in La₂CuO₄. Indeed, we find a drastic renormalization of the plane-oxygen A_g mode at the Z point (A_g(O23;Z)) in O₇ (oxygen ions in neighboring planes vibrating in-phase), at least in the adiabatic approximation used here. In the insulating phase this mode exhibits, on the other hand, very large changes of the potential at the ion sites, whereas its renormalization is moderate only. The reason for this behaviour is that in the insulating phase in case of a two-dimensional electronic structure the charge transfer (screening) is restricted locally in the structural unit and long-range charge transfer is not possible as in the metal. However, a strong suppression of screening for this mode can also be expected for the metallic phase in O₇ in case non-adiabatic electron-phonon coupling would be important. The A_g (O23;Z)-mode thus seems to be by far the most interesting mode in O₇. These features are directly related to the layered structure of the HTSC compounds considered here. The O4-axial-breathing modes show significant renormalizations too, and are characterized by plane-chain charge transfer. Moreover, besides the O23- and O4-modes, the yttrium modes appear to be important too. In addition to the phonon-dispersion curves, we present values for the CF amplitudes and screened site-potential changes at the copper-and oxygen ions. Finally, we give transverse effective charges and dielectric constants for the insulating phase (O₆) as calculated within our formalism.     

Obtaining YBa2Cu3O y crystals via YO1.5-BaO-CuO x melt electrolysis

Mass transfer during the melt electrolysis of Y_0.02Ba_0.30Cu_0.70O _y and Y_0.02Ba_0.25Cu_0.75O _y samples is investigated at a temperature of 950°C (0.5 h) and a current of 5–10⁵⁰ A in a cell. Crystal deposits of YBa₂CVu₃O_{6 + δ} tetragonal oxide (123) are grown, and their cation composition and structure are investigated by means of X-ray phase analysis, electron diffraction, elemental analysis, and high resolution on a transmission electron microscope. Deviation of the cation composition of oxide (123) from the stoichiometric ratio and its nanostructured state at nanocrystallite sizes of 2–5 nm are observed. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility after oxygen annealing (450°C, 1 h) has four curve bends, indicating there are four superconducting phases with T _s = 45, 52, 75, and 86 K.     

63Cu and17O NMR studies on the magnetic and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7−y

Results of⁶³Cu and¹⁷O NMR experiments in YBa₂Cu₃O₇ and YBa₂Cu₃O_6.63 are reviewed. The normal state data revealed two important aspects of the magnetic properties of these materials, namely, the temperature dependent antiferromagnetic Cu spin correlations and the spin gap behavior, the latter being observed in the reduced oxygen material. These features appear to be the general properties of many high-T _c cuprates. Anomalous temperature dependence of the anisotropy of the Cu relaxation rate was found in the superconducting state of YBa₂Cu₃O₇, which can be explained by a d-wave pairing model.