Thermopower and electrical resistivity of La0.875Sr0.125MnO3 single crystals under hydrostatic pressure

The thermopower α and the electrical resistivity ρ of La_1?x Sr_xMnO₃ single crystals with a strontium content x=0.125, which corresponds to the stoichiometric composition of the new charge-ordered (CO) phase, are measured in the temperature range 77–300 K at pressures up to 12 kbar. The dependence α(T) exhibits two maxima. The first low-temperature maximum is associated with the formation of the charge-ordered phase. The second high-temperature maximum is attributed to the O → O′ structural transition between the orthorhombic phases and the formation of ferromagnetic clusters. It is found that the phase transition observed at P>9.2 kbar is accompanied by a substantial shift of both maxima toward the low-temperature range.     

TEP studies on Fe80B20 under pressure

The amorphous to crystalline transformation in the ferromagnetic metallic glass Fe₈₀B₂₀ has been studied up to 30 kbar pressure and 1000K. A previous study at ambient pressure revealed no change in thermoelectric power (TEP) at the crystallization temperature (T_x) while the resistivity showed a sudden decrease at the same temperature. The present experimental results show a distinct anomaly in TEP at T_x even at ambient pressure. This anomaly gets enhanced under pressure.     

Low temperature magnetoresistance in La1.32Sr1.68Mn2O7 layered manganite under hydrostatic pressure

The La_1.32Sr_1.68Mn₂O₇ layered manganite system has been studied by the low temperature electrical resistance and magnetoresistance under hydrostatic pressure up to 25 kbar. We have observe both, a Curie temperature (T_C) and a metal-insulator transition (T_MI) at 118 K in the ambient pressure. The applied pressure shifts the T_MI to higher temperature values and induces a second metal-insulator transition (T²_MI) at 90 K, in the temperature dependence of resistivity measurements. Also, the pressure suppresses the peak resistance abruptly at T_C. When an external field of 5 T is applied, we have observed a large negative magnetoresistance of 300% at the transition temperature and a 128% at 4.5 K. However, the increased pressure decreases the magnetoresistance ratio gradually. When the pressure reaches its maximum available value of 25 kbar, the magnetoresistance ratio decreases at a rate of 1.3%/kbar. From our experimental results, the decrease of magnetoresistance ratio with pressure is explained by the pressure induced canted spin state which is not favor for the spin polarized intergrain tunneling in layered manganites.     

Effect of pressure on electrical resistance of Pd82−xVxSi18 metallic glasses

Measurements have been made of the effect of hydrostatic pressure to 10 kbar, at room ambient temperatures, on the electrical resistance of a series of Pd_82?xV_xSi₁₈ metallic glasses with x varying from 0 to 6 at.%. These glasses show positive temperature coefficients of resistance at low vanadium concentrations, varying monotonically to negative coefficients at high concentrations. It is found that, independent of vanadium concentration, the pressure coefficient of resistance of all the glasses is identically zero to one part in 10⁴, indicating that the pressure derivative of the logarithm of the resistivity is exactly equal to the negative of the linear compressibility. The implication of this result with respect to theoretical models is discussed; only the Ziman liquid metal model provides a consistent explanation.     

Double metal-insulator peaks and effect of Sm substitution on magnetic and transport properties of hole-doped La0.85Ag0.15MnO3

La_0.85−xSm_xAg_0.15MnO₃ (x=0−0.2) ceramics were prepared using the conventional solid-state synthesis method to investigate the effect of Sm³⁺ substitution on magnetic and electrical transport properties. Magnetic susceptibility versus temperature measurements showed all samples exhibit ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition with Curie temperature, T_c decreasing from 283 K (x=0) to 164 K (x=0.2) with increasing Sm³⁺. The observed slope in susceptibility, χ′ versus temperature curves below T_c indicates the possible presence of FM and AFM phases in the metallic region. In addition, a deviation from the Curie-Weiss law above T_c in 1/χ′ versus T curves indicates the existence of a Griffith's phase in the x=0.05−0.2 samples due to the Sm³⁺ ion substitution. The Griffith temperature, T_G was found to decrease from 295 K (x=0.05) to 229 K (x=0.2). Electrical resistivity measurements of the samples in zero field showed transition from metallic behavior to insulating behavior as the temperature was increased. For x=0, two metal-insulator, MI transition peaks were observed at T_p1=282 K and at T_p2=250 K. Both peaks shifted to lower temperatures with the increase in Sm³⁺. The relative resistivity of the first peak to the second peak decreases with increasing Sm³⁺ for x>0.05 while at x=0.2 the T_p1 peak was strongly suppressed. Magnetoresistance, MR was observed to weaken with Sm³⁺ substitution. The metallic region of the ρ(T) curve of the x=0−0.15 samples was fitted to the model of electron-electron and electron-magnon scattering while the insulating region was fitted to the variable range hopping, VRH model. The resistivity behavior indicated that the substitution of Sm³⁺ weakened the double exchange process and enhanced the Jahn-Teller effect. Our results indicated that the T_p1 peak is strongly related to the double-exchange mechanism while the T_p2 peak is suggested to originate from magnetic inhomogeneity.     

Dependence of temperature-dependent electrical resistivity of SrIrO3 on hydrostatic pressure to 9.1 kbar

Non-Fermi-liquid behavior and close proximity to a quantum critical point in the 5d transition metal iridate SrIrO₃ at ambient pressure motivate our search for possible anomalous behavior in its transport properties under pressure. The electrical resistivity in the ab-plane of a single crystal of SrIrO₃ has been measured over the temperature range 1.35–285 K at both ambient and 9.1 kbar hydrostatic pressure. The resistivity decreases slightly over the entire temperature range, but no superconducting transition or changes in the non-Fermi-liquid behavior are observed under pressure. It is estimated that significantly higher pressures are likely required before sizable changes in the properties of SrIrO₃ will occur.     

The suppression of structural phase transformation in LaVO3 and La1−xSrxVO3 thin films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

Highly oriented (100) thin films of LaVO₃ and La_1−xSr_xVO₃ have been fabricated by pulsed laser deposition in a reducing atmosphere. The films show a transition from insulating to metallic behaviour in the composition region of x, 0.175<x<0.200. In the single crystals of the antiferromagnetic insulating phase, a first-order structural phase transition is observed few degrees below the magnetic transition, which manifests itself as a kink in the temperature dependence of resistivity. In the highly oriented thin films of LaVO₃ and La_1−xSr_xVO₃ fabricated on lattice matched substrates in this study, the structural phase transformation in the insulating phase has been suppressed. The electrical conduction is found to take place via hopping through localized states at low temperatures. The metallic compositions show a non-linear (T^1.5) behaviour in the temperature dependence of resistivity. V (2p) core level spectra of these films show a gradual change in the relative intensities of V³⁺ and V⁴⁺ ions as the value of x increases.     

TEP anomalies in metglas 2204

The thermoelectric power and resistivity of the metallic glass Ti₅₀Be₄₀Zr₁₀ has been studied up to 700°C and 23 kbar pressure encompassing the two-step crystallization process. The important findings of this experimental work are that while TEP exhibits marked anomalies near the glass transition temperature and the two crystallization temperatures, the resistivity shows no perceptible anomaly near the second crystallization temperature. Further the effect of pressure on TEP has been observed to be negligible while resistivity decreases smoothly by about three percent over a 20 kbar pressure interval. These results are analysed on the basis of a modified formulation of the Ziman-Faber theory.     

Temperature and composition dependence of vibrational modes in Sm1−xLaxAlO3

At room temperature and for x₀ ～ 0.43, the system Sm_1?xLa_xAlO₃ undergoes a first order phase transition in which an orthorhombic structure transforms into a rhomboedral structure as x increases. This phase transition was investigated by Raman scattering experiments on polycrystalline compounds in the range 0 ? x ? 1. The dependence of low frequency modes on x is reported and compared with their well known temperature dependence. Soft modes have been observed in the orthorhombic (D_2h¹⁶) and rhomboedral (D_3d⁶) phases. It was found that the first order phase transition is probably driven by a double degenerate mode whose two components in the low symmetry phase display a linear composition dependence of their squared frequencies. The source of anomalous behaviour of Raman bands near the phase transition is discussed.     

Compositionally controlled semimetal to superconducting transition in NaF doped LaOFeAs: Enhancement in Tc due to Na-doping

We report the synthesis of LaOFeAs based oxypnictide superconductors (La_1?xNa_xO_1?xF_xFeAs) using sodium fluoride as a fluorinating agent. NaF doping leads to a systematic decrease in both the a and c lattice parameters. Resistivity measurements show the onset resistivity transition temperature at 30.9 (±0.05) K and corresponding Meissner transition at 28 (±0.05) K in La_0.85Na_0.15O_0.85F_0.15FeAs which is highest in LaOFeAs type superconductors synthesized at ambient pressure. Further increase of NaF content in LaOFeAs leads to suppression of T_c. The above superconductors show a negative value of the Seebeck coefficient which indicates that electrons are the dominant charge carriers.     

Effects of pressure and magnetic field on the electrical resistivity of La0.8Ba0.2MnO3 in rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases

A structural transition from the orthorhombic phase to the rhombohedral one is observed and investigated on a La_0.8Ba_0.2MnO₃ single crystal. In the region of the coexistence of two phases, the effects of magnetic field (up to 12 T) and hydrostatic pressure (up to 5 kbar) on the temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity are studied. It is shown that magnetic field and pressure reduce the transition temperature and produce qualitatively similar effects on the electrical resistivity in the region of the structural transition.     

Hydrostatic pressure effect on the metal-insulator transition in LaO0.7Ca0.3Mn1−x(Fe/Ge)xO3 perovskites

Abstract

The temperature dependences of the resistivity of La_0.7Ca_0.3Mn_1?xFe_xO₃ and La_0.7Ca_0.3Mn_1?xFe_xO₃ (0 < × < 0.04) mixed crystals were studied under hydrostatic pressures up to 15kbar. The substitution of Fe for Mn results in an increase of the resistivity and a continuous decrease of the metal-insulator transition temperature T_mi while the substitution of Ge for Mn leads to a more complicated T_mi(x)-curve. In all cases T_mi shifts under pressure with a rate between 1.6 and 2.9K/kbar and a correlation between T_mi and its pressure derivative dT_mi/dP is observed which is in accordance with the general trend of dT_mi/dP versus T_mi as derived for other manganites and is discussed in terns of a competition between superexchange and double exchange.     

Anomalous resistivity maxima in some magnetic systems

The electrical resistivity of the metallic magnetic system with a periodic array of non-interacting localized spins has been calculated by employing the T-matrix formulation. It has been shown that only the spin-flip part of the T-matrix contributes to the resistivity. Within the Suhl and Wong approximation, our calculation shows that a resistivity maximum in the resistivity-temperature curve appears at low temperature. This result qualitatively explains the anomalous resistivity maxima in Pr_xLa_1-xSn₃ and Tb_xY_1-xAs. It can also be applied to interpretate the similar anomalous resistivity maxima in concentrated and diluted CeAl₃.     

Effects of uniaxial pressure and annealing on the resistivity of Ba(Fe1−xCox)2As2

Single crystals of underdoped Ba(Fe_1−xCo_x)₂As₂ were detwinned by applying uniaxial pressure. The anisotropic in-plane resistivity was measured using the Montgomery method without releasing pressure. The resistivity along the a-axis shows metallic behavior down to 5 K, while the resistivity along the b-axis shows an insulator-like behavior in some temperature range. Annealing the sample radically reduces the residual resistivity for x=0, and at the same time the anisotropy becomes much smaller at low temperatures.     

Staggered spin order of localized π-electrons in the insulating state of the organic conductor κ-(BETS)<Subscript>2</Subscript>Mn[N(CN)<Subscript>2</Subscript>]<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The magnetic properties of the conduction π-electron system of κ-(BETS)₂Mn[N(CN)₂]₃ have been probed using ¹³C NMR. At ambient pressure, the metal-insulator transition observed in the resistivity measurements below T ? 23 K is shown to be accompanied by ordering of the π-spins in a long-range staggered structure. As the metal-insulator transition is suppressed by applying a small pressure of ～0.5 kbar, the π-spin system maintains the properties of the metallic state down to 5 K.     

Specific features of magnetic and transport properties of La1−x Mn1+x O3 manganites

The magnetic and transport properties of La_1?x Mn_1+x O₃ manganites with excess manganese are studied. It is shown that magnetic and charge ordering heavily depends on the superstoichiometric manganese content, magnetic field, and pressure. The magnetoresistive effect (MRE) is enhanced as the manganese concentration increases. In addition to the paramagnet-ferromagnet transition, the temperature dependences of the magnetization exhibit anomalies at low temperatures in samples with x=0.1–0.4. The magnetization decreases at T<45 K in fields H<0.2 kOe and increases as H changes from 0.2 to 10 kOe. An analysis shows that the features observed at low temperatures are most probably related to the transition from the ferromagnetic state to the canted spin structure in clusters of mixed-valence manganese ions. The temperature dependences of the magnetization and resistivity remain unchanged as the pressure increases. It is demonstrated that the Curie and metal-dielectric transition temperatures shift to higher values as the manganese concentration increases under pressure. The temperature of the MRE peak increases under pressure, while the MRE decreases.     

Resistance measurements at high pressure in the system BaPb1-xBixO3

Resistance measurements have been made in the system BaPb_1-xBi_xO₃ at pressures of up to ～ 125 kbar at room temperature. A distinct change in slope of R/R₀ vs P indicates the onset of a transition, possibly to the metallic state, which takes place continuously over a wide range of pressure.     

Evidence of glassy ferromagnetic phase and kinetic arrest of electronic phase in Sm0.35Pr0.15Sr0.5MnO3 manganites

The effect of doping of rare earth Pr³⁺ ion as a replacement of Sm³⁺ in Sm_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ is investigated. Temperature dependent dc and ac magnetic susceptibility, resistivity, magnetoresistance measurements on chemically synthesized (Sm_0.5−xPr_x)Sr_0.5MnO₃ show various unusual features with doping level x=0.15. The frequency independent ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition at higher temperature (∼191 K) followed by a frequency dependent reentrant magnetic transition at lower temperature (∼31 K) has been observed. The nature of this frequency dependent reentrant magnetic transition is described by a critical slowing down model of spin glasses. From non-linear ac susceptibility measurements it has been confirmed that the finite size ferromagnetic clusters are formed as a consequence of intrinsic phase separation, and undergo spin glass-like freezing below a certain temperature. There is an unusual observation of a 2nd harmonic peak in the non-linear ac susceptibility around this reentrant magnetic transition at low temperature (∼31 K). Arrott plots at 10 and 30 K confirm the existence of glassy ferromagnetism below this low temperature reentrant transition. Electronic- and magneto-transport measurements show a strong magnetic field—temperature history dependence and strong irreversibility with respect to the sweeping of magnetic field. These results are attributed to the effect of phase separation and kinetic arrest of the electronic phase in this phase separated manganite at low temperatures.     

Pseudogap and metal-insulator transitions in doped semiconductors

The electronic spectrum of a doped semiconductor described by the Anderson-Holstein impurity model and its conductivity derived from the Kubo linear response theory are calculated. Two characteristic temperatures depending on the doping level x are found in the phase diagram, T _PG and T _λ(x). The pseudogap that opens in the single-particle spectrum at low doping levels and temperatures closes at the lower one, T _PG. The pseudogap state of an insulator is attributed to spin fluctuations in a doped compound. At the higher characteristic temperature T _λ(x),, spin fluctuations vanish and the doped compound becomes a paramagnetic poor metal. Two distinct metal-insulator crossovers between semiconductor-like and metallic temperature dependence of resistivity are found. An insulator-to-poor-metal transition occurs at T ^*(x) ≈ T _λ(x). A poor-metal-to-insulator transition at a lower temperature is attributed to the temperature dependence of density of states in the pseudogap. It is shown that both transitions are observed in La_2?x Sr_xCUO₄.     

Effect of Si/Ge ratio on resistivity and thermopower in Gd5SixGe4−x magnetocaloric compounds

The effect of Si/Ge ratio on resistivity and thermopower behavior has been investigated in the magnetocaloric ferromagnetic Gd₅Si_xGe_4−x compounds with x=1.7-2.3. Microstructural studies reveal the presence of Gd₅(Si,Ge)₄-matrix phase (5:4-type) along with traces of secondary phases (5:5 or 5:3-type). The x=1.7 and 2.0 samples display the presence of a first order structural transition from orthorhombic to monoclinic phase followed by a magnetic transition of the monoclinic phase. The alloys with x=2.2 and 2.3 display only magnetic transitions of the orthorhombic phase. A low temperature feature apparent in the AC susceptibility and resistivity data below 100 K reflects an antiferromagnetic transition of secondary phase(s) present in these compounds. The resistivity behavior study correlates with microstructural studies. A large change in thermopower of −8 μV/K was obtained at the magneto-structural transition for the x=2 compound.