Superconducting energy gap and c-axis plasma frequency of (Nd,Sm)FeAsO0.82F0.18 superconductors from infrared ellipsometry

We present far-infrared ellipsometric measurements of polycrystalline samples of the pnictide superconductor RFeAsO0.82F0.18 (R=Nd and Sm). We find evidence that the electronic properties are strongly anisotropic such that the optical spectra are dominated by the weakly conducting c-axis response similar to the cuprate high-temperature superconductors. We deduce an upper limit of the c-axis superconducting plasma frequency of omega pl,c(SC)< or =260 cm(-1) corresponding to a lower limit of the c-axis magnetic penetration depth of lambda c > or =6 microm and lambda c/lambda ab > or =30 as compared to lambda ab=185 nm from muon spin rotation [A. Drew, arXiv:0805.1042 [Phys. Rev. Lett. (to be published)]]. We also observe a gaplike suppression of the conductivity in the superconducting state with a shoulderlike feature at omegaSC* approximately 300 cm(-1) and spectral shape which is consistent with an unconventional order parameter with 2Delta approximately omegaSC* approximately 37 meV.     

(Al,Ga,In)和2N择优位向重共掺对ZnO导电性能影响的研究

目前,虽然Zn1-xT Mx O1-y Ny(TM=Al,Ga,In)p型掺杂的理论计算研究已有报道,但是,掺杂均是随机的,没有考虑ZnO的非对称性进行择优位向掺杂.因此,本研究采用基于密度泛函理论框架下的第一性原理平面波超软赝势方法,构建TM:N=1:2比例择优位向共掺,共设六种不同的Zn1-xT Mx O1-y Ny(TM=Al,Ga,In.x=0.03125,y=0.0625)超胞模型,并分别进行几何结构优化、态密度分布和能带结构分布的计算.结果表明,重掺杂条件下,择优位向共掺后,同类择优位向共掺的体系中,TM-N沿c轴方向成键体系的电导率大于垂直于c轴方向成键体系的电导率.不同类TM-N沿c轴方向成键共掺的体系中,In-N沿c轴方向成键共掺时ZnO的电导率最强,电离能最小,Bohr半径最大,In-N沿c轴方向成键共掺对ZnO p型导电更有利.因此,TM:N=1:2比例择优位向共掺,对设计和制备导电性能更强的ZnO功能材料具有一定的理论指导作用.     

磁场对La2－xSrxCuO4单晶热导的影响研究

报道了系列欠掺杂La_2-xSr_xCuO₄（x=0063,0070,0 090,0110,0125）单晶的零场和加磁场情况下ab面和c方向的热导率与温度的关系曲线，测量 温度范围从2到45K. 研究发现ab面和c方向的热导率都受到磁场的压制. 而且在磁场 的作用下，热导压制率随温度变化的关系和场致反铁磁有序的增强与温度的依赖关系有高度 相似性. 认为磁场引起的ab面的热导压制主要是电子热导的变化所致，而c方向的 压制则可能主要来源于声子热导的变化，它们均可能与磁场诱导下欠掺杂La_2-x Sr_xCuO₄的某种电荷有序和磁有序的增强密切相关. 关键词： 热导 电荷有序 磁有序     

Incoherent c-axis interplane response of the iron chalcogenide FeTe(0.55)Se(0.45) superconductor from infrared spectroscopy

We report on the interplane c-axis electronic response of FeTe(0.55)Se(0.45) investigated by infrared spectroscopy. We find that the normal-state c-axis electronic response of FeTe(0.55)Se(0.45) is incoherent and bears significant similarities to those of mildly underdoped cuprates. The c-axis optical conductivity σ(c)(ω) of FeTe(0.55)Se(0.45) does not display well-defined Drude response at all temperatures. As temperature decreases, σ(c)(ω) is continuously suppressed. The incoherent c-axis response is found to be related to the strong dissipation in the ab-plane transport: a pattern that holds true for various correlated materials as well as FeTe(0.55)Se(0.45).     

New Josephson plasma modes in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6.6 induced by a parallel magnetic field

The c-axis reflectivity spectrum of underdoped YBa2Cu3O6.6 (YBCO) is measured below T(c)=59 K in parallel magnetic fields H parallel CuO2 up to 7 T. Upon application of a parallel field, a new peak appears at finite frequency in the optical conductivity at the expense of suppression of c-axis condensate weight. We conclude that the dramatic change originates from different Josephson coupling strengths between bilayers with and without Josephson vortices. We find that the 400 cm(-1) broad conductivity peak in YBCO gains the spectral weight under parallel magnetic field; this indicates that the condensate weight at omega=0 is distributed to this peak as well as to the new optical Josephson mode.     

Nb 1-y Fe 2+y thin film growth and characterization

We report on the growth of c-axis oriented thin films of NbFe(2) prepared by pulsed laser deposition. Variation of the deposition conditions results in variation of the composition of the Nb(1-y)Fe(2+y) films in the range from Nb rich to Fe rich films. Films near the stoichiometric composition (y?≈?0) are the most interesting. However, microstructural investigations of these films reveal two kinds of grain, which exhibit different shape, epitaxial relation and chemical composition. The different chemical compositions of opposing doping character result in two magnetic phases confirmed by means of magnetization and Hall measurements. This investigation demonstrates the possibility of NbFe(2) thin film growth and discusses the microstructural inhomogeneities occurring.     

一维离子导体α—LiIO3中空间电荷涨落导致的光衍射现象的理论解释(Ⅰ)——各向异性模

实验观察到,在沿α-LiIO₃的c向加不太强的静电场后,当一激光束接近垂直于c轴地通过晶体后,会产生具有许多特异性质的广角幅衍射带。这时c向电流引起晶体内电荷密度涨落δρ(r)和伴随的内场δE(r),通过线性电光效应,导致介电张量δε_ij的涨落。根据实验事实,我们假定δρ(r)=δρ(x,y)与c向坐标z无关,因而在晶体中形成了各向异性的相位光栅。由此,推导出的衍射效应定量地或定性地解释了观测到的现象,包括:衍射光的偏振面转90°,衍射带强度分布的不对称性以及强度极小的存在及其角位置的确定;两种绝对构形的晶体产生的衍射带的不对称性呈现左右相反的关系;带的形状和其相对于透射光斑的位置的确定等。理论中没有引入任何参数,而且首次推定静场的电光张量元γ₄₂γ₄₁之比值为1.6。 关键词：     

c-axis optical response in the static stripe ordered phase of the cuprates

The c-axis far-infrared reflectivity spectra in the superconducting state were investigated for La1.85-yNd(y)Sr0.15CuO4. The Josephson plasma edge rapidly shifts towards lower frequency with increasing y, and almost disappears when y exceeds a critical value ( y(c) approximately 0.12) above which the low-temperature-tetragonal (LTT) deformation switches on, stabilizing the spin/charge ordered stripe phase. In the vicinity of y(c), a "normal state" reentrant behavior was observed with lowering temperature below Tc. This clearly demonstrates that the static stripe order pinned by the LTT distortion suppresses the interlayer phase coherence.     

Fermi surface topology and the upper critical field in two-band superconductors: application to MgB2

Recent measurements of the anisotropy of the upper critical field B(c2) on MgB2 single crystals have shown a puzzling strong temperature dependence. Here, we present a calculation of the upper critical field based on a detailed modeling of band structure calculations that takes into account both the unusual Fermi surface topology and the two gap nature of the superconducting order parameter. Our results show that the strong temperature dependence of the B(c2) anisotropy can be understood as an interplay of the dominating gap on the sigma band, which possesses a small c-axis component of the Fermi velocity, with the induced superconductivity on the pi-band possessing a large c-axis component of the Fermi velocity. We provide analytic formulas for the anisotropy ratio at T=0 and T=T(c) and quantitatively predict the distortion of the vortex lattice based on our calculations.     

Surface of underdoped YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7-</Subscript><Subscript>δ</Subscript> as revealed by STM/STS

We performed scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy on untwinned crystals of underdoped YBa₂Cu₃O_{7- δ} at δ = 0.4. A comprehensive statistical analysis of our topographic data indicates a doping dependent cleaving behavior of this material. We find in particular that at δ = 0.4 the material primarily cleaves in multiples of one unit cell along the c-axis with a high corrugation of the topmost layer. Our data suggest that the low temperature cleaving mainly results in a disruption of the CuO chain layers involving a redistribution of the layer atoms onto the two cleaving planes. In a few instances, fractional step heights (in terms of the c-axis lattice constant) are observed as well. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals that such fractional steps connect surfaces which differ significantly in their tunneling conductance.     

Interdependence of magnetism and superconductivity in the borocarbide TmNi2B2C

We have discovered a new antiferromagnetic phase in TmNi2B2C by neutron diffraction. The ordering vector is Q(A) = (0.48,0,0) and the phase appears above a critical in-plane magnetic field of 0.9 T. The field was applied in order to test the assumption that the zero-field magnetic structure at Q(F) = (0.094,0.094,0) would change into a c-axis ferromagnet if superconductivity were destroyed. We present theoretical calculations which show that two effects are important: a suppression of the ferromagnetic component of the RKKY exchange interaction in the superconducting phase and a reduction of the superconducting condensation energy due to the periodic modulation of the moments at Q(A).     

Li掺杂熔融织构YBCO晶体的面内磁阻

在0～9T范围内测量了磁场平行于c-轴时Li掺杂熔融织构YBCO样品面内电阻的温度关系.我们用A～H模型拟合实验数据.结果表明,以R/Rn=20%作为高阻区和低阻区的分界线,R～T曲线可分别用R=Rn{I0[CH-p(1-t)q]}-2来描述,其中Rn是正常态的电阻Rn=-5.36 0.145T.p=0.78,1.88 和q=1.5, 3.5分别是高阻区和低阻区的拟合参数.     

Evidence for universal signatures of Zeeman-splitting-limited pseudogaps in superconducting electron- and hole-doped cuprates

We probe the "normal" state in electron-doped (n-type) Sm2-xCexCuO4-delta through interlayer tunneling transport in magnetic fields up to 45 T. The behavior of intrinsic high-field c-axis negative magnetoresistance (MR), which is accessed in small 30 nm-high mesa structures, is characteristic of the pseudogap state. It follows a universal correlation between the excess low-energy dissipation due to the pseudogap and its closing field Hpg and is in close correspondence with the hole-doped (p-type) Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y. The MR in the mesas and in the bulk crystals consistently gives a Zeeman relation between the pseudogap temperature T* and its closing field, pointing to a preeminent role of spin-singlet correlations in forming the pseudogap in cuprates, regardless of their n or p type.     

光束通过在静电场作用下的α-碘酸锂单晶产生的垂直于c向的散射带

激光束通过c向静电场作用下的α-碘酸锂单晶时,观察到与c向正交而且张角很大的散射带,其强度在透射光斑的两侧并不对称。当入射光的电向量垂直于c向时,散射光的电向量则平行于c向;而前者平行于c向时,后者则垂直于c向。如果入射光的电向量既不垂直也不平行于c向,则出现电向量分别平行和垂直于c向的两条散射带,在特定条件下它们相重合。本工作详细研究了散射带的偏振态、强度分布的类准周期结构及其弛豫行为等。我们认为这种散射带很可能是由于晶体中载流子沿c向运动产生的某种效应所引起。同时用显微镜观察了解电场作用下α-腆酸锂单 关键词：     

Anisotropic field dependence of the magnetic transition in Cu2Te2O5Br2

In this paper, we present the results of measurements of the thermal conductivity of Cu2Te2O5Br2, a compound where tetrahedra of Cu2+ ions carrying S=1/2 spins form chains along the c-axis of the tetragonal crystal structure. The thermal conductivity was measured along both the c- and the a-direction as a function of temperature between 3 and 300 K and in external magnetic fields H up to 69 kOe, oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis. Distinct features of (T) were observed in the vicinity of TN=11.4 K in zero magnetic field. These features are unaltered in external fields which are parallel to the c-axis, but are more pronounced when a field is applied perpendicularly to the c-axis. The transition temperature increases upon enhancing the external field, but only if the field is oriented along the a-axis.     

Nickel impurity-induced enhancement of the pseudogap of cuprate high-T(c) superconductors

The influence of magnetic Ni and nonmagnetic Zn impurities on the normal-state pseudogap (PG) in the c-axis optical conductivity of (Sm,Nd)Ba(2){Cu(1-y)(Ni,Zn)(y)}(3)O(7-delta) crystals was studied by spectral ellipsometry. We find that these impurities, which strongly suppress superconductivity, have a profoundly different impact on the PG. Zn gives rise to a gradual and inhomogeneous PG suppression while Ni strongly enhances the PG. Our results challenge theories that relate the PG either to precursor superconductivity or to other phases with exotic order parameters, such as flux phase or d-density wave states, that should be suppressed by potential scattering. The apparent difference between magnetic and nonmagnetic impurities instead points towards an important role of magnetic correlations in the PG state.     

Uniaxial pressure effects on CeIrIn5 and CeCoIn5 studied by low-temperature thermal expansion

We report low-temperature thermal expansion measurements on the tetragonal heavy-fermion superconductors CeMIn5 (M=Ir,Co) in magnetic fields up to 8 T which allow for the analysis of the uniaxial pressure effects on both normal-state and superconducting properties. Our study reveals that T(c) is strongly affected by at least two factors, the lattice anisotropy and the 4f-conduction-electron hybridization strength which is most sensitive to c-axis lattice distortions. Non-Fermi-liquid behavior caused by quantum-critical fluctuations is observed for both systems, most pronounced for CeCoIn5.     

快淬(Er1-xSmx)2Fe17Cy化合物的结构与磁性

用快速急冷方法制备了(Er_1-xSm_x)₂Fe₁₇C_y(x≤0.8,1.5≤y≤2.5)化合物,它们具有菱方Th₂Zn₁₇型结构,并且在高温是稳定的。与相应的不含C的(Er_1-xSm_x)₂Fe₁₇化合物比较,当C含量y=2.5时,引起单胞体积增加～6.3％,居里温度增     

Effects of vortex pinning and thermal fluctuations on the Josephson plasma resonance in Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 and YBa2Cu3O6.5

We investigated the temperature dependence and c-axis magnetic field dependence of the Josephson plasma resonance in optimally doped Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 thin films and underdoped YBa2Cu3O6.5 (YBCO) ortho-II single crystals using infrared spectroscopy. We obtained the c-axis penetration depths, at low temperature, in zero fields of about 20 and 7 microm, respectively. While the temperature dependencies of the resonances in the two compounds are very similar, the magnetic field dependence in YBCO is much weaker. We attribute this weak magnetic field dependence to the lower anisotropy of YBCO and interpret the observed behaviors in terms of thermal fluctuations and pinning of pancake vortices.     

Evidence of a precursor superconducting phase at temperatures as high as 180 K in RBa2Cu3O(7-δ) (R=Y, Gd, Eu) superconducting crystals from infrared spectroscopy

We show that a multilayer analysis of the infrared c-axis response of RBa2Cu3O(7-δ) (R=Y, Gd, Eu) provides important new information about the anomalous normal-state properties of underdoped cuprate high temperature superconductors. In addition to competing correlations which give rise to a pseudogap that depletes the low-energy electronic states below T*?T(c), it enables us to identify the onset of a precursor superconducting state below T(ons)>T(c). We map out the doping phase diagram of T(ons) which reaches a maximum of 180 K at strong underdoping and present magnetic field dependent data which confirm our conclusions.