Superconducting properties of ZnCr and ZnMn alloys

Measurements on the superconducting critical temperature T_c and critical field, H_c, of $\text{Zn}$Cr and $\text{Zn}$Mn alloys, down to 0.037°K are presented.The variation of T_c with increasing concentration depends strongly on T_cp/θ, with θ a characteristic temperature, while effects of H_c are similar to previously studied alloys.     

ψ1 of FexNi80−xB18Si2 alloys near the percolation threshold

Accurate measurements of the static magnetic susceptibility of amorphous Fe_xNi_80?xB₁₈Si₂ alloys with a concentration just above the critical one for the onset of ferromagnetism are reported. The effective critical exponent ψ¹ is found to vary non-monotonically with temperature. Shallow maxima in ψ¹ occur at increasing reduced temperatures (t=(T?T_c)/T_c) for decreasing Fe content (x). At elevated temperatures ψ¹ decreases with t but it does not reach the mean field value even for t=13. The results are consistent with the predictions of recent theoretical models.     

Electron localization during an electronic-topological transition in Mo-Re alloys

Oscillations in the superconducting transition temperature ΔT _c (P), in the critical magnetic field ΔH _c (P), in the thermopower α / T (T ²), and in electrical resistivity ρ(T) (P is pressure) of Mo_1?x -Re _x alloys are observed at low temperatures against the background of specific features related to an electronic-topological transition (ETT) in these alloys. The oscillations are sensitive to the impurity concentration: they increase when the Re impurity concentration is close to the critical concentration C _c at which the ETT occurs. Oscillations are also detected in the concentration dependences of the temperature coefficient of resistivity (?ρ / ?T (C)) and the thermopower derivative (?(α/T) / ?T ² (C)) of Mo_1?x -Re _x alloys at low temperatures. The former and latter oscillations are shown to correlate with each other. These specific features are assumed to result from the ETT and to be related to the localization of the part of the electrons that fill a new cavity in the Fermi surface during this transition.     

Nuclear spin relaxation in itinerant electron antiferromagnetic Cr1−xVx system

Nuclear spin relaxation rate T^?1₁ for ⁵¹V in an incommensurate antiferromagnetic Cr_1?xV_x system has been measured in a temperature range between 1.3 and 4.2 K and in a range of magnetic field from 0 to 13.3 kOe by using a field-cycling nuclear magnetic resonance technique. In the (T₁T)^?1 vs x curve a pronounced maximum was observed near the critical concentration (x_c～0.040). Furthermore for alloys with x = 0.038 and 0.040 a deviation from the Korringa relation, T₁T = constant, was observed. The experimental results of (T₁T)^?1 are interpreted in terms of the spin-fluctuation and d-orbital contributions.     

A neutron small angle scattering study of the onset of ferromagnetism in TiBe2-xCux alloys

The onset of ferromagnetic order in TiBe_2-xCu_x alloys, with x = 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.15, has been examined using the technique of neutron small-angle scattering. The Curie temperature, T_c, for these alloys has been determined from the temperature dependence of the magnetic critical scattering. A linear extrapolation of T_c versus copper concentration yields a critical concentration for ferromagnetic order of x_c = 0.05 ± 0.02. For the alloys with x = 0.4, 0.5 the lineshape of the magnetic critical scattering, at and above T_c, is well explained by the Ornstein-Zernicke form of the spin correlation function. For the lower concentration alloys the exact form of the spin correlation function is still unclear.     

Upper critical fields of NbxGa1-x: A binary high temperature superconductor

The upper critical fields, H_C2, of several Nb_xGa_1-x alloys with values of T_c from 13.3 K to 20.2 K have been measured at temperatures from 4.2 to 20.4 K with dc and pulsed magnet fields. For the highest T_c material, H_C2(4.2 K) = 340 kG. The data are consistent with almost complete suppression of Pauli paramagnetic limiting. Comparisons with other high T_c materials, Nb₃Al and NbAlGe are presented.     

Comparison of amorphous melt-spun and vapor-quenched Zr-Rh alloys

Amorphous Zr-Rh alloys produced by melt spinning have a higher superconducting transition temperature T_c than materials generated by r.f. cosputtering techniques. However, the temperature dependence of the upper critical field H_c²(T is consistent with the GLAG theory for both materials. The T_c differences, as well as variations in the electronic density of states, can be partially understood in terms of slight differences in the average density, perhaps due to the inclusion of Ar gas during sputtering.     

Improved critical current density in Zn doped YBCO single crystals

Magnetic measurements were made using pure YBCO and Zn doped YBa₂(Cu_1?xZn_x)₃O_7?σ. Single crystals with Zn concentration of 0.5%, 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.3%. The magnetic hysteresis loops for these samples were measured in the temperature range 0.1 ? T/T_c ? 0.96 under magnetic fields of 5 T using SQUID. It was found that the critical current density J_c increased for low Zn content samples up to 3% Zn concentration compared to pure YBCO sample and decreased for the higher Zn content samples. These values varied consistently when compared at magnetic fields of 1 T and 3 T. Moreover Zn doped samples showed significant values of J_c in the temperature range of 0.7–0.9T_c, close to critical temperature compared to pure YBCO sample. The irreversibility field H_irr was also enhanced in this temperature range showing consistent decrease with increase of Zn concentration. The peak field H_p above H_c1 and irreversibility field H_irr, both show power law dependence of the form H = m₁(1 ? T/T_c)^m2 in the temperature range of 0.75–0.96T_c. The values of parameter m₂ increased from 1.44 to 1.95 for the samples up to 3% Zn content and decreased to 1.37 for higher Zn contents. The ratio H_irr/H_p was found to be 3–4 for the lower Zn content samples and was 7–8 for the sample with high Zn content indicating more disorder for higher Zn content samples. The region between peak field H_p and irreversibility field H_irr was broadened with the increase of Zn concentration. The strong effect of Zn substitution in modifying behavior of these samples even at elevated temperatures is possibly due to the changes in the anisotropy of our samples with the increase of Zn concentration and also due to the locally induced changes in magnetic moments by Zn substitution.     

Electrical resistivity of iron-vanadium alloys between 78 and 1200 K

Electrical resistivity (?) of FeV alloys containing 0.5, 0.9, 2.7, and 6.1 at% V has been measured as a function of temperature (T) between 78 and 1200 K. The ? vs. T curves exhibit a change in the slope at the ferromagnetic Currie temperature (T_c). The d?/dT vs. T curves in the neibhorhood of T_c are similar to the corresponding plot for pure Fe. Our studies confirm the previously observed anomalous effect of V on T_c of Fe, i.e., that T_c increase with small additions of V to Fe. The critical index λ⁺ associated with the power law of d?/dT just above T_c has been determined as a function of V concentration.     

Effect of structural water on the critical characteristics of highly textured YBa2Cu3O6.9

The effect of low-temperature treatment (200°C) in a humid argon atmosphere and subsequent annealing (930°C) on the critical parameters of a highly textured YBa₂Cu₃O_6.9 has been studied. During annealing at T = 200°C, the absorbed water is incorporated into the structure of the compound, which is accompanied by the deterioration of its superconducting properties. However, after the recovery annealing at T = 930°C and subsequent oxidation, the superconducting characteristics (j _c , B _1c , and F _p ) are improved. This is explained by the formation of 124-type planar defects, which are effective pinning centers, especially in high fields applied perpendicular to the c axis (⊥ c). The optimum conditions of double annealing substantially increasing the critical current density (j _c ≥ 10⁴ A/cm²) in an external magnetic field up to 10 T and also the first critical fields have been found. In fields up to ～3 T, the critical current density j _c is isotropic despite the conservation of high texture in the samples.     

Normal state resistivity and Tç studies of superconducting Ti1−xSbx system

The superconducting transition temperature (T_c) and the temperature dependence of the normal state resistivity of the Ti_1?xSb_x system between T_c and 300 K have been studied. The T_c values are found to depend on the heat treatment of the samples. Below 40 K, all alloys show a T² dependence of the resistivity. However, the sample with x = 0.53 is not superconducting and shows a different behaviour of the resistivity.     

Properties of parallel upper critical field within continuous Ginzburg–Landau model

In this paper, we employ a continuous Ginzburg–Landau model to study the behaviors of the parallel upper critical field of an intrinsically layered superconductor. Near T_c where the order parameter is nearly homogeneous, the parallel upper critical field is found to vary as (1−T/T_c)^1/2. With a well-localized order parameter, the same field temperature dependence holds over the whole temperature range. The profile of the order parameter at the parallel upper critical field is of a Gaussian type, which is consistent with the usual Ginzburg–Landau theory. In addition, the influences of the unit cell dimension and the average effective masses on the parallel upper critical field and the associated order parameter are also addressed.     

Precursor diamagnetism in superconducting Al films

The precursor diamagnetism is studied in a stack of Al films whose thickness is much smaller than the coherence length. The magnetization shows the (T ? T_c)^?1 behavior in a finite range of temperature above T_c. At T_c, in low magnetic fields constant magnetization independent of the field strength is observed. The results are in agreement with the theories of the two-dimensional superconductor.     

The influence of crystal field split impurities (Tb) on the superconducting properties of LaAl2

The superconducting transition temperatures of the system La_1-xTbxAl₂ have been measured. By making use of the theory of Keller and Fulde the energy splitting between the ground state and the first excited state of Tb³⁺ is found to be 5 ± 1 K. Furthermore, we have determined the upper critical field H_c2(T) of these alloys and compared the results with those found for La_1-xGd_xAl₂. In this way the influence of the crystal field splitting of Tb³⁺ on the critical field data is clearly demonstrated.     

Angular dependence of the upper critical field in Bi2Sr2CuO6+δ

The angular dependence of the upper critical magnetic field was investigated in a wide range of temperatures in very high-quality Bi₂Sr₂CuO_6+δ single crystals with critical temperature T _c (midpoint) ? 9 K in magnetic fields up to 28 T. Although the typical value of the normal state resistivity ratio ρ_c/ρ_ab≈10⁴, the anisotropy ratio H _c2∥ab/H _c2⊥ab of the upper critical fields is much smaller and shows an unexpected temperature dependence. A model based on strong anisotropy and small transparency between superconducting layers is proposed.     

Superconducting properties of amorphous sputtered Zr70Mo30

Specific heat, resistivity and critical superconducting fields (H_c and H_c2) measurements show that amorphous Zr₇₀Mo₃₀ is an intermediate superconductor (T_c = 4.3 K; λ = 0.77). The coupling strength is mainly governed by the electronic properties. Like in the Zr?3d alloys previously investigated, a discrepancy between the measured and calculated upper critical field slope is reported. The effect of two-level systems (TLS) needs to be clarified.     

Magnetic and electrical properties of amorphous PdCoP alloys

Magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity measurements were performed (Pd_100?xCo_x)₈₀P₂₀ alloys where 15 < x < 50. The magnetic properties show that these alloys undergo a ferromagnetic transition between 272 and 399 K as the cobalt concentration increases from 15 to 50 atomic %. Below 20 atomic % Co the short-range exchange interactions which produce the ferromagnetism are unable to establish a long-range magnetic order and a peak in the magnetization shows up at the lowest temperature range under an applied field of 6.0 kOe. The electrical resistivity of these alloys has been measured from 4.2 K up to the vinicity of the melting point (900 K). The electrical resistivity data could be interpreted by the coexistence fo a Kondo-like minimum and ferromagnetism. The minimum becomes less important as the transition metal concentration increases. The coefficients of In T and T² become smaller and concentration dependent. The spin ordering in such alloys can be simulated as either the ordering due to an applied “external field” or as an increase in “internal fields”. These are due to an increase in transition metal concentration. The negative magnetoresistivity is a strong indication of the existence of localized moment.     

Re-entrant superconductivity in a magnetically ordered superconductor: La1-xGdxRu2

We have measured the critical temperature (T_c) and the upper critical magnetic field (H_c2) of La_1-xGdxRu₂. At low concentrations of the magnetic impurity (Gd), the suppression of T_c follows the expected Abrikosov-Gorkov (A-G) pair breaking curve. However, for larger concentrations, strong deviations below A-G are observed. Samples in this region (4. ? × ? 5. at. %) exhibit two T_c's. La_1-xGd_xRu₂ is known to order magnetically, probably as a spin glass, and the magnetic ordering temperature (T_M) has been measured in the normal state. This T_M curve intersects the T_c curve in the concentration range where the T_c curve is re-entrant and we therefore attribute the re-entrant T_c behavior to the magnetic ordering of the Gd³⁺ ions.     

Diamagnetic shielding and Meissner effect in the high Tc superconductor Sr0.2La1.8CuO4

SQUID susceptibility measurements of the high T_c superconductor Sr_0.2La_1.8CuO₄, with a 40 K resistive onset, are reported for fields from 1 μT to 4.5 T (10 mG to 45 kG). Data show an average lower critical field of 30 mT at 5 K, but with nonlinearities appearing as low as 100 μT. Zero field cooling and subsequent application of a field shows a diamagnetic shielding effect reaching 100% in the lowest fields with a 37 K onset and 31 K midpoint. The observed Meissner effect in single phase material exceeds 40% but decreases with oxygen annealing even though T_c increases.     

Upper critical fields of superconducting Gd and Tm doped LaSn3: Effects of crystalline electric fields

The temperature dependence of the upper critical fields, H_c²(T), are presented for (La_1-xGd_x)Sn₃ and (La_1-xTm_x)Sn₃. For samples with nearly the same T_c, H_c²(T) of the Tm-doped LaSn₃ samples are always larger than those for the Gd-doped samples. The results are interpreted in terms of crystalline electric field splitting of magnetic levels of the Tm³⁺. Pure LaSn₃ is found to be a Type I superconductor.