Critical current behavior in locally illuminated superconducting lead strips

We have used guided optical waves to locally illuminate superconducting thin lead strips and measured the critical current as a function of optical power. The measured results resemble the predictions of a simple heating model more closely than the Parker T¹ model in the temperature range investigated (5.5 K to T_c) and several possible reasons for this behavior are discussed.     

Critical behaviour at the displacive limit of structural phase transitions

For a special critical point at zero temperature,T _c =0, which is called the displacive limit of a classical or of a quantum-mechanical model showing displacive phase transitions, we derive a set of static critical exponents in the large-n limit. Due to zero-point motions and quantum fluctuations at low temperatures, the exponents of the quantum model are different from those of the classical model. Moreover, we report results on scaling functions, corrections to scaling, and logarithmic factors which appear ford=2 in the classical case and ford=3 in the quantum-mechanical case. Zero-point motions cause a decrease of the critical temperature of the quantum model with respect to the classicalT _c , which implies a difference between the classical and the quantum displacive limit. However, finite critical temperatures are found in both cases ford>2, while critical fluctuations still occur atT _c =0 for 0<d≦2 in the classical case and for 1 <d≦2 in the quantum model. Further we derive the slope of the critical curve at the classical displacive limit exactly. The absence of 1/n-corrections to the exponents of the classical model is also discussed.     

A comparative spectroscopic investigation of21Ne and21F by pickup reactions

The reactions²²Ne(d, t)²¹Ne and²²Ne(d, τ)²¹F have been investigated in a parallel experiment atE _d=52MeV. Energy spectra of tritons andτ particles have been measured up to excitation energies of 18MeV in both²¹Ne and²¹F nuclei. Thel values could be determined, and spectroscopic factors have been obtained by a DWBA analysis of the measured angular distributions. Together with the results from a preceding \({}^{22}Ne(\vec d, \tau ){}^{21}F\) experiment, several spins could be determined in²¹F. From a comparison of the triton andτ particle spectra,T=3/2 states in²¹Ne could be identified and on this basis the new information on spins of²¹F states could be transferred to their analog states in²¹Ne. The completeT _< andT _> parts of the (2s, 1d) strengths could be observed. The 1p strength is highly fragmented. Of theT _< part only 60% of the 1p1/2 and 40% of the lp3/2 strength could be found, but the totalT _> part of the 1p strength could be localized. The spectroscopic results for positive parity states are in qualitatively good agreement with shell model predictions.     

Metal atom-induced diffuse scattering from short-range order among deuterium atoms in single crystal α-phase V2D

X-ray scattering has been studied above the critical ordering temperature, T_c (133°C), in b.c.c. α-phase V₂D. At 140 and 200°C quite weak diffuse intensity was observed centered on the reciprocal lattice points of the ordered superlattice. This intensity is due to short-range order among deuterium atoms which induces a local or short-range modulation of the parent vanadium lattice and suggests the possibility of local octahedral D—D fluctuations building up well above T_c.     

Charge and energy flow in π+ p,K + p andpp interactions at 250 GeV/c

We present data on the flow of energy and charge in π⁺ p,K ⁺ p andpp interactions at 250 GeV/c. The energy and charge flow in the beam c.m. hemisphere is analysed in terms of the cluster-invariant Bialas-Ochs-Stodolsky variable λ=cot θ/E _jet. The profile functionsdQ/dλ anddE/dλ indicate a widening inp _T of jets between 32 and 250 GeV/c incident laboratory momentum, whereas the ratiodQ/dE is energy independent. The data are compared to μp deep-inelastic scattering resutls and to expectations from the single string LUND model, the Dual Parton Model and the two-string LUND model (FRITIOF).     

Multicritical behavior of the phase diagrams of ferromagnet/superconductor layered structures

For ferromagnet/superconductor (F/S) layered structures, new 3D Larkin-Ovchinnikov-Fulde-Ferrell (LOFF) states are predicted. In most cases, these states are characterized by a higher critical temperature T _c than the known 1D LOFF states. It is shown that the nonmonotonic behavior of T _c is determined by the oscillations of the Cooper pair flux through the F/S boundary, which occur as a result of the 3D-1D-3D phase transitions at the Lifshits triple points. The appearance of the new 3D LOFF states and the presence of nonmagnetic impurities leads to a strong damping of the 1D oscillations of the LOFF pair amplitude and to a considerable smoothing of the dependence of T _c on the F layer thickness d _f . An interpretation of the behavior of the experimental dependences T _c (d _f ) obtained for F/S structures is proposed.     

Crystalline electric field effects on the resistivity of PrAl2

Calculations in the mean field approximation of the magnetic contribution to the resistivity of a J = 4 ion in a cubic lattice, considering the effects of the crystalline electric field, are presented for both T >T_c and T < T_c (excluding the critical region). The magnetic contribution to the resistivity of ferromagnetic PrAl₂ is discussed in terms of the above calculations and the total crystalline electric field splitting of this system is determined to be 100 K. Results are also presented for the critical behavior of d?/dT.     

High statistics inclusive ϕ meson production at SPS energies

Inclusive ? meson production has been measured for 100 GeV/c and 200 GeV/c incident π^?, \(\bar p\) andK ^?, and for 120 GeV/c and 200 GeV/c incident π⁺,p andK ⁺, using a Be target. A total of 630,000 ? mesons has been recorded in the kinematic range 0<x _F <0.4. Presented are the differential cross sectionsdσ/dx _F anddσ/dp _T ². The longitudinal momentum distributions show that the strange valence quarks of the incidentK mesons play an important role in ? meson production, even at smallx _F . The decay angular distribution of the ? meson is evaluated in the Gottfried-Jackson frame and is expressed in the elements of the density matrix. There is a small but significant cos² θ _GJ dependence for smallp _T , which decreases for increasingp _T .     

Electronic and superconducting properties of a superlattice of quantum stripes at the atomic limit

The superconducting gap, the critical temperature and the isotope coefficient in a superlattice of metallic quantum stripes is calculated as a function of the electron number density. We show that it is possible to design a particular artificial superlattice of quantum stripes that exhibits the curves of T _c and of the isotope coefficient as a function of the charge density as in cuprate superconductors. The shape of the superlattice is designed in order to tune the chemical potential near the bottom of the third subband for an electron number density of ρ ～ 5:810-²Å^-2. The superconducting critical temperature shows a resonant amplification as a function of electron number density ρ with a maximum at a critical value ρ _c. The isotope coefficient shows a sharp drop from a regime where α > 0:5 at ρ < ρ _c to a regime where α < 0:2 at ρ ≥ ρ _c. The underdoped and overdoped regime in cuprate superconductors is associated with a transition from a quasi 1D behavior for ρ > ρ _c to quasi 2D behavior for ρ < ρ _c with opening of a pseudogap at ρ ～ ρ _c.     

Piezoelectric properties of new ternary Bi1/2(Na, Li)1/2TiO3–(Bi1/2K1/2)TiO3–Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.90Zr0.10O3 ceramics

0.852[Bi_1/2(Na_1?x Li _x )_1/2]TiO₃?C0.110(Bi_1/2K_1/2)TiO₃?C0.038Ba_0.85Ca_0.15Ti_0.90Zr_0.10O₃ (BNLT?CBKT?CBCTZ-x) new ternary piezoelectric ceramics were fabricated by the conventional solid-state method, and their piezoelectric properties as a function of the Li content were mainly investigated. A?stable solid solution with a single perovskite structure has been formed, and the depolarization temperature (T _d) of these ceramics was identified by using the temperature dependence of the dielectric loss. The T _d value of these ceramics gradually decreases, while the T _m value increases with increasing the Li content. The dielectric constant increases and the dielectric loss decreases with increasing the Li content, and an enhanced piezoelectric behavior of d ₃₃??223 pC/N and k _p??35.2?% has been demonstrated in these ceramics with x=0.06.     

Relation between the critical magnetic field and energy gap of a superconductor

A dynamical model is used to derive a relationship between the slope of the reduced critical magnetic field for T = T_c and the energy gap Δ_o of a superconductor. Good agreement with the relation |dh/dt|_t=1 = Δ_o/ k T_c proposed by Toxen is found up to Δ_o/k T_c = 4.     

Magnetic interaction and the critical dynamics above the curie point

It is shown that near T_c, where 4πχ ? 1 magnetic interaction completely change the long-wave critical dynamics of the ferromagnets and the new dynamic critical exponent is z_d = (5 - η)/2 - ν^-1 ≈ 1.     

Decay properties of the 19/2− isomers in113,117Sb

By means of the generalized centroid-shift method, the following half-lives were determined:T _1/2(3045 keV)=3.7±0.3 ns in¹¹³Sb using the reaction¹⁰⁴Pd(¹²C,p2n) as well asT _1/2 (1322.8 keV)=3.5±0.3 ns,T _1/2(2779.8 keV) =0.50±0.15ns,T _1/2(2874.9 keV)<0.2 ns andT _1/2(3072.9 keV)<0.1 ns in¹¹⁷Sb using the¹¹⁶In(α, 2n) reaction. Three-quasiparticle configurations of the type πd _5/2ν(h_11/2 d _3/2) in^113,117Sb are found to dominate in the wave functions of the 19/2^? states at 3045 and 2780 keV in¹¹³Sb and¹¹⁷Sb, respectively. TheB(E2, 19/2^? → 15/2^?) values in^113–119Sb are discussed.     

The Si(111) 7 × 7 TO “1 × 1” transition

We have made a detailed study of the Si(111) 7 × 7 to “1 × 1” transition at 1140 K using low-energy electron diffraction. Excess diffuse scattering appears during the transition whose temperature dependence and magnitude are consistent with the loss of the 7th order superlattice intensities showing the transition is to a disordered surface phase rather than a true unreconstructed ×1. This strongly favors the class of models for the 7 × 7 selvedge involving an ordered arrangement of subunits like vacancies or adatoms rather than models with periodic distortion. The superlattice intensity shows the transition is continuous and reversible at least for temperatures below 0.995 T_c. The critical exponent for the long-range order is β = 0.11 ± 0.015 similar to those for 2D Ising or Potts models. However, the system does not show the critical scattering properties expected for simple models. The relaxation time seems to diverge near T_c but only for negative temperature increments.     

On the susceptibility exponent of random anisotropy magnets

The temperature dependence of the non-linear susceptibility ≈₂(T) of random anisotropy magnets in the Ising limit (speromagnets) is calculated for temperatures above the freezing temperature T_f within the framework of the correlated molecular field theory. For the effective susceptibility exponent λ_s(T) = (T?T_f)≈₂d^-1_≈2/dT a non-monotonic temperature dependence is found as for the case of spin glasses. This must be taken into account in order to obtain reliable values for the critical susceptibility exponent from experimental data.     

Description of the transport critical current density behavior of polycrystalline superconductors as a function of the applied magnetic field

A model to describe the critical current density behavior of high-T_c polycrystalline superconductors is proposed for all magnetic field values. The main features of the model are as follows: the transport critical current density is controlled by the weak-link network at grain boundaries. The size distribution of weak links is well represented by a Gamma-type distribution. Finally, the tunneling critical current between grains follows a Fraunhofer diffraction pattern or a modified pattern if the applied magnetic field is lower or higher than the first critical field H_c1.     

Critical behavior of dilute electrolyte solutions

A theory of the critical behavior of a dilute ionic solution is constructed. An expression for the susceptibility in a wide temperature range is obtained. It is shown that ionic solutions belong to the universality class of the Ising model. The Ginzburg parameter of the ionic solutions decreases with the increase of the solvent concentration. In the general case, the critical exponent of susceptibility nonmonotonically depends on the temperature in the crossover region from the Ising-like to the mean-field behavior. In the vicinity of the transition point, the Debye-Hückel screening radius is proportional to the correlation length. As T→T _c, the screening radius tends to infinity and the screening disappears. The voltage between the two phases of the ionic solution is proportional to the order parameter and changes as |T/T _c?1|^β in the vicinity of the phase transition point.     

Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation of impurities in ferromagnetic iron

Due to the development of Green's function method the calculation of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time of impurities in ferromagnets has become feasible in the last years. We present the result of calculations for allsp andd impurities in ferromagnetic iron. The calculations are based on the density functional formalism. They well, reproduce the experimental trend of the relaxation timeT ₁ for bothsp andd impurities. By decomposing the relaxation rate into various contributions, we explain the observed systematic behavior ofT ₁ T in terms of the local electronic structure.