Mode-mode coupling theory of itinerant electron antiferromagnetism in superconducting state

It has been considered since the first discovery of a high-T(c) cuprate that an antiferromagnetic (AF) state and a superconducting (SC) state are separated in it. However, it is very intriguing that the coexistence of the AF and SC states has recently been observed in HgBa(2)Ca(4)Cu(5)O(12+) (Hg-1245). Moreover, it is very novel that this coexistence of these two states appears if the SC-transition temperature T(c) is higher than the AF-transition temperature T(N). The mode-mode coupling theory can provide a clear elucidation of this novel phenomenon. A key point of this theory is that the AF susceptibility consists of the random-phase-approximation (RPA) term and the mode-mode coupling one. The RPA term works to make a positive contribution to the emergence of the antiferromagnetic critical point (AF-CP). In contrast, the mode-mode coupling term works to make a negative contribution to the emergence of the AF-CP. However, the growth of the SC-gap function in the d(x(2)-y(2))-wave SC state works to suppress the negative contribution of the mode-mode coupling term to the emergence of the AF-CP. Moreover, the effect of SC fluctuations near the SC-transition temperature T(c) suppresses the mode-mode coupling term of the AF susceptibility that works to hinder the AF ordering. For these two reasons, there is a possibility that the d(x(2)-y(2))-wave SC state is likely to promote the emergence of the AF-CP. Namely, the appearance of the above-mentioned novel coexistence of the AF and SC states observed in Hg-1245 can be explained qualitatively on the basis of this idea.     

On the order of itinerant antiferromagnetic phase transitions and superconducting phase transitions in an exchange field

The coefficients of the second and fourth order terms in a Landau expansion of the free energy are evaluated for an itinerant antiferromagnetic transition. The choice of spatial dependence is found to play an important role. A first order transition is obtained for a range of values of the band structure parameters. However if values appropriate to Cr are used it is found that the contribution from the shift in the Fermi level is sufficiently large to give second order transitions even when magnetostrictive effects are included. In the mathematically similar problem of a superconductor in an exchange field it is found that the transition from normal to superconducting states is first order near the triple point with an upper and possibly a lower critical point where the transition changes to second order.     

Coexistence of superconductivity and itinerant-antiferromagnetism in CrRe alloys

Zero field Re NMR of CrRe alloy with more than 18%Re in superconducting state has been observed. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time (T₁) of Re in the vortex state increases exponentially with decreasing temperature as in the case of BCS superconductor. The result shows a coexistence of superconductivity and itinerant-electron antiferromagnetism.     

BCS-like density of states in superconducting A3C60 surfaces

We show that the sensitivity of wave speckle patterns in disordered nonlinear media to changes of scattering potential increases with sample size. For large sizes the sensitivity diverges, which implies that for a given coherent wave incident on a sample there are multiple solutions for the spatial distribution of the wave density. The number of solutions increases exponentially with the sample size.     

Temperature dependence of the magnetization in the mixed state of superconducting alloys

The theory of Abrikosov of the immediate subcritical region in the mixed state is extended by means of the generalized Ginzburg-Landau theory to temperatures belowT _c and arbitrary mean free pathl of the electrons. The results for the magnetization and the free energy can still be presented in the form derived by Abrikosov apart from the fact thatκ is replaced by a new parameterκ ₂(T). The slope of the curveκ ₂/κ versust=T/T _c att=1 is found to decrease monotonically from ?0.105 to — (1.367-0.136κ ^?2) asl increases from zero to infinity. The results for short mean free paths are consistent with experiment, in particular,κ ₂ is always larger thanκ in the vicinity ofT _c . But the experimental temperature dependence ofκ ₂/κ in pure Nb is much higher than the theoretical one.     

Screening-dependent superconducting state parameters of transition metals-based binary alloys

Study of the screening-dependent superconducting state parameters, namely, electron-phonon coupling strength λ, Coulomb pseudopotential μ*, transition temperature T _C , isotope effect exponent α, and effective interaction strength N ₀ V of 3d-transition metals-based binary alloys is made extensively using a model potential. A considerable influence of different exchange and correlation functions on λ and μ* is found. The obtained results are in qualitative agreement with the available experimental data wherever exist.     

Specific heat jump for superconducting virtual bound state alloys

Using Anderson model in the non-magnetic limit, we have calculated the jump in specific heat at T_c, (ΔC), for superconducting virtual bound state alloys. It is found that the normalized (ΔC) vs normalized T_c curves deviate considerably from the BCS value. A more significant result of the present study is that the initial slope of such a curve has a maximum value of 3.638. It is the highest value reported in literature for the impurity problem and is much larger than obtained even in a large pair breaking situation like Kondo effect (2.481).     

Exploring the fragile antiferromagnetic superconducting phase in CeCoIn5

CeCoIn5 is a heavy fermion type-II superconductor showing clear signs of Pauli-limited superconductivity. A variety of measurements give evidence for a transition at high magnetic fields inside the superconducting state, when the field is applied either parallel to or perpendicular to the c axis. When the field is perpendicular to the c axis, antiferromagnetic order develops on the high-field side of the transition. This order remains as the field is rotated out of the basal plane, but the associated moment eventually disappears above 17°, indicating that anomalies seen with the field parallel to the c axis are not related to this magnetic order. We discuss the implications of this finding.     

Modelling magnetic defects in antiferromagnetic alloys

A model for the distribution of magnetic moment in antiferromagnetic alloys is developed from a model for ferromagnetic alloys including a magnetic environment effect which has been successful for Ni alloys [5]. This model is compared with the Marshall model for neutron scattering from antiferromagnetic alloys, and the effect of atomic short range order on both models is discussed.     

Ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic fluctuations of pi-d itinerant electrons disclosed by band-selective NMR

We present a band-selective NMR method to probe the constituent electronic bands separately in the condensed molecular matter. This method is applied to an organic-inorganic pi-d hybrid metal, and its utility to give the static and dynamic spin susceptibilities for the constituent bands is demonstrated. The analysis of the results uncovers an exotic feature; the antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic correlations are enhanced in separate bands in a single material. This finding provides a novel scope connecting the metal-insulator transitions in this system and the manganese oxides.     

Transport properties of antiferromagnetic fcc-iron alloys

A study is reported of the electrical resistance and thermopower of Fe_xNi_80−x Cr₂₀ fcc alloys within the 44⩽x⩽70 at. % range. It is shown that, at low temperatures, they typically exhibit minima in the temperature dependences of electrical resistance. The appearance of these anomalies is attributed to the formation of a gap in the conduction electron spectrum due to the onset of long-or short-range antiferromagnetic order in the alloys. The effect of magnetic field on the magnetic states appearing in frustrated antiferromagnetic alloys has been studied, and an H-T magnetic phase diagram constructed. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 101–105 (January 1998)     

Elastic constants of antiferromagnetic chromium-vanadium alloys

Single crystals of chromium alloys containing 0.67 and 1.5% vanadium were prepared by the floating-zone technique. Elastic constants and attenuation were measured by the pulse-echo method between 77 and 300 K. The changes of the elastic properties in the paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic states and in particular at the magnetic transition are described and discussed.     

Correlation between the superconducting and normal state properties of amorphous molybdenum - silicon alloys

Measurements on amorphous Mo_1?xSi_x (0.27 ≤ × ≤ 0.77) show that with increasing x the superconducting transition temperature, T_c, decreases linearly with x for x ≤ x₀ ≡ 0.63 ± 0.05. The superconducting transition width and normal state resistivity increase rapidly with increasing x as x approaches x₀. For x > x₀, T_c drops below 1.5K. Transmission electron diffraction measurements (0.65 ≤ × ≤ 0.75) detect the presence of a second amorphous phase which resembles a-Si only for samples with x ? 0.75. The behavior near x₀ could be attributed to the onset of an electronic transition involving the conversion of metallically bonded Si to covalently bonded Si.     

On the dynamics of itinerant electron magnets in the paramagnetic state

It is shown how disordered local-moment states, in a metal such as Fe, may be stabilized by constraining magnetic fields. Effective interaction parameters between moments are defined in terms of spin density functional theory. On removing the constraints the moments initially precess but then decay rapidly, the latter process leading to an energy width of S(q, ω) at large q of order $\text{(k}{}_{\mathrm{B}}\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{C}}\text{W)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$, where T_C is the Curie temperature and W is the width of the d-band. T he consequences for neutron scattering experiments are discussed and the rather different case of Ni is considered.     

Interfaces in superconducting hybrid heterostructures with an antiferromagnetic interlayer

The structural, X-ray diffraction, and electrophysical studies of hybrid superconducting hetero-structures with an interlayer of cuprate antiferromagnetic Ca_{1 ? x} Sr _x CuO₂ (CSCO) with the upper electrode Nb/Au and the lower electrode Y_Ba₂Cu₃O_{7 ? δ} (YBCO) have been carried out. It has been experimentally shown that the epitaxial growth of two cuprates, YBCO and CSCO, results in the formation of an interface on which the enrichment of the CSCO interlayer with charge carriers proceeds to a depth of about 20 nm. In this case, the conduction of the enriched CSCO region proves to be closer to metallic, whereas the CSCO film deposited onto the NdGaO₃ substrate is a Mott insulator with hopping conduction.     

Magnetic behaviour of interacting antiferromagnetic nanoparticles

Magnetic properties of interacting La(0.2)Ca(0.8)MnO(3) nanoparticles have been investigated. The field-induced transition from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) state in the La(0.2)Ca(0.8)MnO(3) bulk has been observed at exceptionally high magnetic fields. For large particles, the field-induced transition widens while magnetization progressively decreases. In small particles the transition is almost fully suppressed. The thermoremanence and isothermoremanence curves constitute fingerprints of irreversible magnetization originating from nanoparticle shells. We have ascribed the magnetic behaviour of nanoparticles to a core-shell scenario with two main magnetic contributions; one attributed to the formation of a collective state formed by FM clusters in frustrated coordination at the surfaces of interacting AFM nanoparticles and the other associated with inner core behaviour as a two-dimensional diluted antiferromagnet.     

Photoinduced change in the spin state of itinerant correlated electron systems

A photoinduced spin-state change in the itinerant correlated electron system is studied. A photon introduced in the low-spin band insulator induces a bound state of the high-spin state and a photoexcited hole. This bound state brings a characteristic peak in the pump-probe optical absorption spectra which are completely different from the spectra in thermal-excited states. The present results well explain the recent experiments of the ultrafast optical spectroscopy in perovskite cobaltites.     

A note on magnon life-time in itinerant electron ferromagnetic alloys

A model of a binary ferromagnetic alloy A_1?cB_c is discussed in terms of a single band Hubbard type hamiltonian. It is shown by summing up contribution of single-site scattering to all orders, that the inverse life time of long-wavelength magnons due to disorder scattering is proportional to q⁵ and, in the limit c ? 1, to the concentration c.     

Multicritical behaviour of the antiferromagnetic spin- Blume-Capel model

The multicritical behaviour of the spin- Ising model on the square lattice with nearest-neighbour antiferromagnetic exchange interaction (J<0), a crystal-field interaction (D) and an external magnetic field (H) is studied within mean field approximation (M.F.A.). The phase diagram exhibits a rich variety of behaviour: second order, first order and critical points of different order.