Revised superconducting phase diagram of hole-doped Na(x)(H3O)(z)CoO2 x yH(2)O

We have studied the superconducting phase diagram of NaxCoO2.yH(2)O as a function of electronic doping, characterizing our samples both in terms of Na content x and the Co valence state. Our findings are consistent with a recent report that intercalation of H3O+ ions into NaxCoO2, together with water, acts as an additional dopant, indicating that Na substoichiometry alone does not control the electronic doping of these materials. We find a superconducting phase diagram where optimal T(C) is achieved through a Co valence range of 3.24-3.35, while T(C) decreases for materials with a higher Co valence. The critical role of dimensionality in achieving superconductivity is highlighted by similarly doped nonsuperconducting anhydrous samples, differing from the superconducting hydrate only in interlayer spacing.     

Angle-resolved photoemission study of the cobalt oxide superconductor Na(x)CoO(2) x yH(2)O: observation of the Fermi surface

The cobalt oxide superconductor Na(x)CoO(2) x yH(2)O is studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We report the Fermi surface (FS) topology and electronic structure near the Fermi level (E(F)) in the normal state of Na(x)CoO(2) x yH(2)O. Our result indicates the presence of the hexagonal FS centered at the Gamma point, while the small pocket FSs along Gamma-K direction are absent, similar to Na(x)CoO(2). The top of the e(g)(') band, which is expected in band calculations to form the small pocket FSs, extends to within approximately 30 meV below E(F), closer to E(F) than in Na(x)CoO(2). We discuss its possible role in superconductivity, comparing with other experimental and theoretical results.     

Vortex state in NaxCoO2.yH2O: px+/-ipy-wave versus d(x2-y2)+/-id xy-wave pairing

Based on an effective Hamiltonian specified in the triangular lattice with possible p(x)+/-ip(y)- or dx(2)(-y(2))+/-id(xy)-wave pairing, which has close relevance to the newly discovered Na0.35CoO2.yH(2)O, the electronic structure of the vortex state is studied by solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations. It is found that p(x)+/-ip(y) wave is favored for the electron doping as the hopping integral t<0. The lowest-lying vortex bound states are found to have, respectively, zero and positive energies for p(x)+/-ip(y)- and dx(2)(-y(2))+/-id(xy)-wave superconductors, whose vortex structures exhibit the intriguing sixfold symmetry. In the presence of strong on-site repulsion, the antiferromagnetic order and local ferromagnetic moment are induced around the vortex cores for the former and the latter, respectively, both of which cause the splitting of the local density of states peaks due to the lifting of spin degeneracy.     

Phase diagrams of (d x 2−y 2+id xy) superconductors on a square lattice

A model of strongly coupled electrons on a square lattice with attraction of the electrons to nearest-neighbor and next-nearest neighbor lattice sites is studied. For this model, the phase diagrams containing d _x ²−y ², d _xy, and (d _x ²−y ²+id _xy) states are constructed in the variables temperature versus chemical potential for different ratios of the corresponding potentials. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 5, 356–360 (10 March 1998)     

Nodal quasiparticle lifetime in the superconducting state of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta)

We have measured the complex conductivity sigma of a Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) thin film between 0.2 and 0.8 THz. We find sigma in the superconducting state to be well described as the sum of contributions from quasiparticles, condensate, and order parameter fluctuations which draw 30% of the spectral weight from the condensate. An analysis based on this decomposition yields a quasiparticle scattering rate on the order of k(B)T/Planck's over 2pi for temperatures below T(c).     

Local quasiparticle density of states of superconducting SmFeAsO(1-x)F(x) single crystals: evidence for spin-mediated pairing

We probe the local quasiparticles density of states in micron-sized SmFeAsO(1-x)F(x) single crystals by means of scanning tunnelling spectroscopy. Spectral features resemble those of cuprates, particularly a dip-hump-like structure developed at energies larger than the gap that can be ascribed to the coupling of quasiparticles to a collective mode, quite likely a resonant spin mode. The energy of the collective mode revealed in our study decreases when the pairing strength increases. Our findings support spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing in pnictides.     

Quasiparticles in the superconducting state of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta)

Recent improvements in momentum resolution lead to qualitatively new angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy results on the spectra of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) (Bi2212) along the (pi,pi) direction, where there is a node in the superconducting gap. We now see the intrinsic line shape, which indicates the presence of true quasiparticles at all Fermi momenta in the superconducting state, and lack thereof in the normal state. The region of momentum space probed here is relevant for charge transport, motivating a comparison of our results to conductivity measurements by infrared reflectivity.     

Fermi surface evolution and Luttinger theorem in Na(x)CoO2: a systematic photoemission study

We report a systematic angle-resolved photoemission study on Na(x)CoO2 for a wide range of Na concentrations (0.3 < or = x < or = 0.72). In all the metallic samples at different x, we observed (i) only a single holelike Fermi surface centered around gamma and (ii) its area changes with x according to the Luttinger theorem. We also observed a surface state that exhibits a larger Fermi surface area. The e'(g) band and the associated small Fermi surface pockets near the K points predicted by band calculations are found to sink below the Fermi energy in a manner almost independent of the doping and temperature.     

High-field quasiparticle tunneling in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8+delta): negative magnetoresistance in the superconducting state

We report on the c-axis resistivity rho(c)(H) in Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) that peaks in quasistatic magnetic fields up to 60 T. By suppressing the Josephson part of the two-channel (Cooper pair/quasiparticle) conductivity sigma(c)(H), we find that the negative slope of rho(c)(H) above the peak is due to quasiparticle tunneling conductivity sigma(q)(H) across the CuO2 layers below H(c2). At high fields (a) sigma(q)(H) grows linearly with H, and (b) rho(c)(T) tends to saturate ( sigma(c) not equal0) as T-->0, consistent with the scattering at the nodes of the d-wave gap. A superlinear sigma(q)(H) marks the normal state above T(c).     

59Co NMR evidence for charge ordering below T_(CO) approximately 51 K in Na0.5CoO2

The CoO2 layers in NaxCoO2 may be viewed as a spin S=1/2 triangular-lattice doped with charge carriers. The underlying physics of the cobaltates is very similar to that of the high T_(c) cuprates. We will present unequivocal 59Co NMR evidence that below T_(CO) approximately 51 K, the insulating ground state of the itinerant antiferromagnet Na0.5CoO2 (T_(N) approximately 86 K) is induced by charge ordering.     

Calorimetric evidence for a Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov superconducting state in the layered organic superconductor kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2

The specific heat of the layered organic superconductor kappa-(BEDT-TTF)(2)Cu(NCS)(2), where BEDT-TTF is bisethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalene, has been studied in magnetic fields up to 28 T applied perpendicular and parallel to the superconducting layers. In parallel fields above 21 T, the superconducting transition becomes first order, which signals that the Pauli-limiting field is reached. Instead of saturating at this field value, the upper-critical-field increases sharply and a second first-order transition line appears within the superconducting phase. Our results give strong evidence that the phase, which separates the homogeneous superconducting state from the normal state is a realization of a Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state.     

Electron-hole asymmetry in GdBaCo2O(5+x): evidence for spin blockade of electron transport in a correlated electron system

In RBaCo2O(5+x) compounds (R is rare earth), the variability of the oxygen content allows precise doping of CoO2 planes with both types of charge carriers. We study transport properties of doped GdBaCo2O(5+x) single crystals and find a remarkable asymmetry in the behavior of holes and electrons doped into a parent insulator GdBaCo2O(5.5). The doping dependencies of resistivity, Hall response, and thermoelectric power reveal that the doped holes greatly improve the conductivity, while the electron-doped samples always remain poorly conducting. This doping asymmetry provides strong evidence for a spin blockade of the electron transport in RBaCo2O(5+x).     

Andreev reflections on Y(1-x)Ca(x)Ba(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta): evidence for an unusual proximity effect

We have measured Andreev reflections between an Au tip and Y(1-x)Ca(x)Ba(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) thin films in the in-plane orientation. The conductance spectra are best fitted with a pair potential having the d(x2-y2)+is symmetry. We find that the amplitude of the is component is enhanced as the contact transparency is increased. This is an indication for an unusual proximity effect that modifies the pair potential in the superconductor near the surface with the normal metal.     

Off-site repulsion-induced triplet superconductivity: a possibility for chiral p(x+y)-wave pairing in Sr2RuO4

In order to probe the effect of charge fluctuations on triplet pairing, we study the pairing symmetry in the one-band Hubbard model having the off-site Coulomb repulsion (V) on top of the on-site repulsion as a model for the gamma band of Sr2RuO4, a strong candidate for a triplet pairing superconductor. The result, obtained with the dynamical cluster approximation combined with the quantum Monte Carlo method, and confirmed from the fluctuation exchange approximation, shows that while d(x(2)-y(2)) pairing dominates over p in the absence of V, introduction of V makes p(x+y) and d(xy) dominant. The gap function for the chiral p(x+y)+ip(x-y) has nodes that are consistent with the recent measurement of specific heat in rotated magnetic fields in the ruthenate. This suggests that the off-site repulsion may play an essential role in triplet superconductivity in this material.     

Coulomb-Gas scaling law for a superconducting Bi(2+y)Sr(2-x-y)La(x)CuO(6+delta) thin films in magnetic fields

The electrical transport properties of epitaxial superconducting Bi(2+y)Sr(2-x-y)La(x)CuO(6+delta) thin films have been studied in magnetic fields. Using a modified Coulomb-gas scaling law, we can fit all the magnetic field dependent low resistance data with a universal scaling curve, which allows us to determine a relation between the activation energy of the thermally activated flux flow resistance and the characteristic temperature scaling parameters.     

Relation between the superconducting gap energy and the two-magnon raman peak energy in Bi(2)Sr(2)Ca(1-x)Y(x)Cu(2)O(8+delta)

The relation between the electronic excitation and the magnetic excitation for the superconductivity in Bi(2)Sr(2)Ca(1-x)Y(x)Cu(2)O(8+delta) was investigated by wide-energy Raman spectroscopy. In the underdoping region the B(1g) scattering intensity is depleted below the two-magnon peak energy due to the charge-spin interactions. The depleted region decreases according to the decrease of the two-magnon peak energy, as the carrier concentration increases. This two-magnon peak energy also determines the B(1g) superconducting gap energy as 2Delta approximately alphaPlanck's over 2piomega(two-magnon) approximately J(eff) (alpha = 0.34-0.41) from under to overdoping hole concentration.