Effect of Sb substitution on the superconductivity of Bi2(Ca,Sr) n+1Cu n O4n+2 (n=1, 2 and 3) systems

Effect of incorporation of Sb in place of Bi in the bismuth cuprate superconductors has been examined. The nominal compositions studied are MCa_1·5Sr_1·5Cu₂O_8+δ and MCa₂Sr₂Cu₃O_10+δ, whereM=Bi_2−x Sb _x or Bi_1·5−x Sb _x Pb_0·5. Different preparative routes such as the ceramic method, the matrix route as well as the melt route were employed to prepare the materials. No indication of either Sb entering the lattice or enhancement ofT _c is noted from resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and microwave absorption measurements. Communication No. 162 from Materials Research Centre.     

Pressure-tuned collapse of the Mott-like state in Ca(n+1)Ru(n)O(3n+1) (n=1,2): Raman spectroscopic studies

We report a Raman scattering study of the pressure-induced collapse of the Mott-like phases of Ca3Ru2O7 (T(N)=56 K) and Ca2RuO4 (T(N)=110 K). The pressure dependence of the phonon and two-magnon excitations in these materials indicate (i) a T approximately 0 pressure-induced collapse of the antiferromagnetic (AF) insulating phase above P(*) approximately 55 kbar in Ca3Ru2O7 and P(*) approximately 5-10 kbar in Ca2RuO4, (ii) a remarkable insensitivity of the exchange interaction to pressure in both systems, and (iii) evidence for persistent AF correlations above the critical pressure of Ca2RuO4, suggestive of phase separation involving AF insulator and ferromagnetic metal phases.     

Electronic structure of charge- and spin-controlled Sr(1-(x+y))La(x+y)Ti(1-x)Cr(x)O3

We present the electronic structure of Sr(1-(x+y))La(x+y)Ti(1-x)Cr(x)O3 investigated by high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy. In the vicinity of the Fermi level, it was found that the electronic structure was composed of a Cr 3d local state with the t(2g)3 configuration and a Ti 3d itinerant state. The energy levels of these Cr and Ti 3d states are well interpreted by the difference of the charge-transfer energy of both ions. The spectral weight of the Cr 3d state is completely proportional to the spin concentration x irrespective of the carrier concentration y, indicating that the spin density can be controlled by x as desired. In contrast, the spectral weight of the Ti 3d state is not proportional to y, depending on the amount of Cr doping.     

Low energy excitation and scaling in Bi(2)Sr(2)Ca(n-1)Cu(n)O(2n+4) (n=1-3): angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) has been performed on the single- to triple-layered Bi-family high-T (c) superconductors (Bi(2)Sr(2)Ca(n-1)Cu(n)O(2n+4), n=1-3). We found a sharp coherent peak as well as a pseudogap at the Fermi level in the triple-layered compound. Comparison among three compounds has revealed a universal rule that the characteristic energies of superconducting and pseudogap behaviors are scaled with the maximum T (c).     

Structure and microstructure of epitaxial Sr n Fe n O3 n −1 films

Thin films of SrFeO_{3??? x} (0?≤?x?≤?0.5) (SFO) grown on a (LaAlO₃)_0.3 (SrAl_0.5Ta_0.5O₃)_0.7 (LSAT) substrate by pulsed laser deposition have been structurally investigated by electron diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy for different post-deposition oxygen treatments. During the deposition and post-growth oxidation, the oxygen-reduced SFO films accept extra oxygen along the tetrahedral layers to minimize the elastic strain energy. The oxidation process stops at a concentration SFO_2.875 and/or SFO_2.75 because a zero misfit with the LSAT substrate is reached. A possible growth mechanism and phase transition mechanism are suggested. The non-oxidized films exhibit twin boundaries having a local perovskite-type structure with a nominal composition close to SFO₃.     

Interplay of self-doping and disorder in epitaxial Bi2Sr2Ca(n-1)Cu(n)O(2n+4+x) (n = 1,2) thin films under heavy-Ion irradiation

We propose a novel mechanism for the modification of T(c) in Bi(2)Sr(2)Ca(n-1)Cu(n)O(2n+4+x) epitaxial thin films (2212 and 2201) under energetic heavy-ion irradiation. By irradiating films with various oxygen content, we show from the temperature dependence of the resistance that irradiation always produces a doping effect superimposed on the damage caused to the sample. The effect is larger in 2201 than in 2212 thin films. The T(c) decrease observed by irradiating optimally doped films is partially due to this doping effect. Irradiation of semiconducting samples restores metallic superconducting behavior.     

(Ba,Mg,Sr)O·nAl2O3:Mn2+的合成及发光性质研究

用高温固相反应合成了Ba0.04Mg0.16Sr0.8O@nAl2O3:Mn2+0.07(n=4.1,4.2…4.9)和Ba0.1Mg0.1Sr0.8O@nAl2O3:Mn2+0.07(n=4.1,4.2…4.9)铝酸盐体系发光材料.X射线衍射呈单相,说明生成了完全互溶的连续固溶体.经检测发现Mg2+,Sr2+的引入有效地优化了发光基质,使Mn2+在真空紫外激发下的发射明显增强.在Ba0.04Mg0.16Sr0.8O@nAl2O3:Mn2+0.07体系中,在一定范围内改变Al3+含量(n值)可适当调整激发光谱峰位;适当调整Al3+和Mn2+的含量比可以改变体系的发光强度,以满足等离子平板显示(PDP)技术的需求.     

Nature of e(g) electron order in La(1-x)Sr(1+x)MnO(4)

X-ray scattering measurements of the low-temperature structure of La(1-x)Sr(1+x)MnO(4) ( 0.33< or =x< or =0.67) indicate the existence of three distinct regions: a disordered phase (x<0.4), a charge-ordered phase (x> or =0.5), and a mixed phase (0.4< or =x<0.5). For x>0.5, the modulation vector associated with the charge order is incommensurate with the lattice and depends linearly on the concentration of e(g) electrons. The primary superlattice reflections are strongly suppressed along the modulation direction and the higher harmonics are weak, implying the existence of a largely transverse and nearly sinusoidal structural distortion, consistent with a charge-density wave of the e(g) electrons.     

Example of order and disorder:x n+1=(Ax n +B) modC

A simple model with discrete dynamics is studied. The behavior of this model is very sensitive to the particular choice of parameters determining the system.     

A comparative study of the Ruddlesden-Popper series,Lan+1NinO3n+1 (n = 1, 2 and 3), for solid-oxide fuel-cell cathode applications

A comparative investigation of the much-studied La₂NiO_4+δ (n = 1) phase and the higher-order Ruddlesden-Popper phases, La_n+1Ni_nO_3n+1 (n = 2 and 3), has been undertaken to determine their suitability as cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells. As n is increased, a structural phase transition is observed from tetragonal I4/mmm in the hyperstoichiometric La₂NiO_4.15 (n = 1) to orthorhombic Fmmm in the oxygen-deficient phases, La₃Ni₂O_6.95 (n = 2) and La₄Ni₃O_9.78 (n = 3). High temperature d.c. electrical conductivity measurements reveal a dramatic increase in overall values from n = 1, 2 to 3 with metallic behavior observed for La₄Ni₃O_9.78. Impedance spectroscopy measurements on symmetrical cells with La_0.9Sr_0.10Ga_0.80Mg_0.20O_3−δ (LSGM-9182) as the electrolyte show a systematic improvement in the electrode performance from La₂NiO_4.15 to La₄Ni₃O_9.78 with ∼ 1 Ω cm² observed at 1073 K for the latter. Long-term thermal stability tests show no impurity formation when La₃Ni₂O_6.95 and La₄Ni₃O_9.78 are heated at 1123 K for 2 weeks in air, in contrast to previously reported data for La₂NiO_4.15. The relative thermal expansion coefficients of La₃Ni₂O_6.95 and La₄Ni₃O_9.78 were found to be similar at ∼ 13.2 × 10^− 6 K^− 1 from 348 K to 1173 K in air compared to 13.8 × 10^− 6 K^− 1 for La₂NiO_4.15. Taken together, these observations suggest favourable use for the n = 2 and 3 phases as cathodes in intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells when compared to the much-studied La₂NiO_4+δ (n = 1) phase.     

First-principles study of electronic structure and optical properties of Sr(Ti,Zr)O3

Electronic and optical properties of Sr(Ti,Zr)O₃ crystals in the cubic (Pm-3m) and tetragonal (I4/mcm) phase were calculated by the first-principles calculations using the density functional theory and the local density approximation. The band structure of cubic and tetragonal phases show an indirect band gap at (R-Γ) point and at (M-Γ) point in the Brillouin zone, respectively. The linear photon-energy dependent dielectric functions and some optical properties such as the absorption coefficient, energy-loss function and reflectivity are calculated for both phases. The optical properties of tetragonal phase of Sr(Ti,Zr)O₃ were investigated by theoretical methods for the first time. We have also made some comparisons with the available related experimental and theoretical data.     

Quasi two-dimensional magnetic order of Tb3+ spins in Pb2Sr2Tb1−x Ca x Cu3O8 (x = 0 and 0.5)

Neutron diffraction experiments were performed to study the magnetic ordering of the Tb⁺³ sublattice in the high-T _c superconductor Pb₂Sr₂Tb_1?x Ca _x Cu₃O₈ (x = 0.5) and the undoped parent compound (x = 0). For the parent compound, a quasi two dimensional (2D) phase with a finite antiferromagnetic correlation along the c-direction and a three dimensional phase with ferromagnetic correlation along the c-direction were found. The coexistence of the two phases is likely to be related to structural imperfections such as stacking faults, strains, oxygen disorder or cation vacancies. The superconductor with a superconducting transition temperature of T _c = 71K exhibits a quasi 2D magnetic ordering of the Tb sublattice with a finite ferromagnetic correlation along the c-direction. The correlation lengths along the c-direction for the quasi 2D phases are 32 and 26Å for x = 0 and 0.5, respectively. The magnetic saturation moments are with 9.1 and 8.8 μ _B in excellent agreement with our mean-field crystal-field calculations. 2D short range correlation could be observed up to about 8T _N and is described by a Lorentzian distribution of magnetic intensity perpendicular to the 2D rod in reciprocal space.     

Elastic constants of semiconducting Ti2O3 and metallic (Ti1−xVx)2O3 at 1.5 K

Ultrasonic measurements at 1.5 K reveal that the elastic constants of metallic (Ti_1-xV_x)₂O₃ differ from those of semiconducting Ti₂O₃. This is explained in terms of how vanadium influences the electronic energy band structure and the lattice parameters. The electronic effect is calculated as the strain-induced shift of Van Zandt's vanadium impurity band relative to the titanium valence band. The lattice parameter effect is compared with how pressure influences the elastic constants of Al₂O₃.     

An isomorphism between the Para-Fermi algebra and the algebra O(n,n+1)

It is shown that the relations which define the para-Fermi creation and annihilation operatorsb _i ,a _i (i = 1,...,n) can be considered as commutation relations of the algebra 0(n, n+1). It turns out that every representation of 0(n, n+1) determines a representation of the para-Fermi algebra and vice versa.     

Electromechanical properties of Ba(Ti1-xZrx)O3 thin films

The electromechanical properties of thin films of barium titanate zirconate were studied with the help of a double-beam interferometer. Thin films of barium titanate zirconate (Ba(Ti_1-xZr_x)O₃) of various compositions (x=0, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4) were deposited by chemical solution deposition on Pt/TiO₂/SiO₂/Si substrates. The thin films show a strain of around 0.05 (at 200 kV/cm) for the unsubstituted BaTiO₃ thin films. For higher Zr substitutions up to 5% the strain increases slightly and subsequently falls to 0.01 at 200 kV/cm for even higher Zr content. The d₃₃ values were found to vary between 30 pm/V and 10 pm/V for 0x0.4. PACS 77.65.-j; 77.55.+f; 77.84.Dy     

Investigation of 88Sr in the reaction Sr(n, n′γ)

With the aid of a beam of fast reactor neutrons, the gamma-ray spectrum and angular distributions of gamma rays with respect to the neutron-beam axis are measured in the reaction Sr(n, n′γ) along with the lifetimes of ⁸⁸Sr levels. Values of the multipole-mixture parameter δ are found for gamma transitions between levels.     

空穴掺杂铱氧化物Srn+1IrnO3n+1 (n=1,2)的角分辨光电子能谱研究

近年来, 与铜氧化物高温超导体具有类似电子结构的5d 轨道 Ruddlesden-Popper 类型铱氧化物由于体系中库伦排斥和自旋轨道耦合之间的合作效应被人们广泛探究. 其中, 金属绝缘体转变的关键影响因素是该方向的核心研究问题, 该结果对推进掺杂莫特绝缘体体系的研究具有重要作用. 因为铱氧化物与铜氧化物在单能带哈伯德模型的次 近 邻 跃 迁 项 具 有 不 同 符 号, 因 此 空 穴 掺 杂 铱 氧 化 物 类 比 电 子 掺 杂 铜 氧 化 物. 我 们 将 空 穴 掺 杂Ruddlesden-Popper 类型铱氧 化 物 系 统 依 据 几 种 不 同 的 掺 杂 元 素 进 行 分 类, 分 别 介 绍 其 角 分 辨 光 电 子 能 谱(ARPES) 探测到的电子结构, 对其中金属绝缘体转变类型进行了总结, 并对该领域中的未来研究方向做出了展望.