Pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of the stage-2 potassium mercurographitide intercalation compound

Measurements of the pressure (P) dependence of the superconducting transition temperature T_c of stage-two KHgC₈ are reported. T_c is found to decrease with applied pressure from a room pressure value of 1.85K at a rate dT_c/dP=-6.5 × 10^-5K/bar, similar to typical superconducting elements such as Sn. No superconductivity was detected for stage-one KHgC₄ or K_0.5Hg_0.5 amalgam to a limiting temperature T = 1.3K and a limiting pressure P = 22 kbar. These results are discussed in reference to the possible occurence of structural and charge density wave transitions in these materials and recent theoretical models of superconducting graphire intercalation compounds.     

The zero-distribution of the great partition function in the complex fugacity plane of gases of point particles with logarithmic interaction

The equation of state for gases of point particles with logarithmic interaction is derived. The system exhibits a phase transition at a critical temperature T_c. The critical temperature is a function of the dimension of the system. A hard core must be added below T_c to prevent the system from collapsing. The specific heat diverges on both sides as |T_c - T|^-2 in any dimension.For T≤T_c there are no zeros of the grand partition function in the complex fugacity plane, for T >T_c all zeros occupy the whole negative real axis. The density of zeros will be calculated.     

Thermodynamics of SU(3) lattice gauge theory

The pressure and the energy density of the SU(3) gauge theory are calculated on lattices with temporal extent N_τ = 4, 6 and 8 and spatial extent N_σ = 16 and 32. The results are then extrapolated to the continuum limit. In the investigated temperature range up to five times T_c we observe a 15% deviation from the ideal gas limit. We also present new results for the critical temperature on lattices with temporal extent N_τ = 8 and 12. At the corresponding critical couplings the string tension is calculated on 32⁴ lattices to fix the temperature scale. An extrapolation to the continuum limit yields T_c/√σ = 0.629(3). We furthermore present results on the electric and magnetic condensates as well as the temperature dependence of the spatial string tension. These observables suggest that the temperature dependent running coupling remains large even at T ≅ 5T_c. For the spatial string tension we find √σ_s/T=0.566(13)g²2(T) with g² (5T_c) ≅ 1.5.     

Coherent state and superconductivity in the free carrier-bipolaron interacting system

In this paper a model to describe the free carrier-bipolaron interacting system is proposed. Effective hopping of the bipolaron is studied in the slave-boson approach, and a characteristic temperature T¹ is obtained, below which the system enters a coherent state. The density of states in the normal state and the superconductivity of the system are discussed in a quasiparticle picture. The results show that the mixing between the free carrier and the bipolaron results in an enhancement of the effective mass of the quasiparticle and meanwhile the renormalized coupling interaction, arising from the negative correlation energy in the bipolaron region, enhances the effective superconducting coupling interaction. Under the most favourable conditions, the superconducting transition temperature T_c ∼ ω_c, where ω_c is the Debye frequency related with local electron-phonon coupling. In general we have T¹ > T_c ⪢ T_c0 (T_c0 is the superconducting transition temperature of a usual superconductor). Therefore the system will firstly enter a coherent state before becoming a high-T_c superconductor.     

NMR investigations of dynamical processes in orientationally ordered and disordered NaCN,RbCN and CsCN

The nuclear spin lattice relaxation timeT ₁ of the²³Na,⁸⁵Rb,⁸⁷Rb,¹³³Cs,¹⁴N nuclei is measured in NaCN, RbCN and CsCN as a function of temperature below and above the ferroelastic phase transition temperatureT _c. BelowT _c the behaviour ofT ₁ of the alkali nuclei renders possible to determine the flip frequency of the CN molecules and its temperature dependence. AboveT _c from the¹⁴NT ₁ the correlation time τ_c of the rotational motions of the CN molecules and its temperature dependence is determined. An empirical rule is verified demonstrating that atT _c the correlation times take nearly the same values for all cyanides. For the high and low temperature phases one obtains atT _c about τ_c=5·10^?13s and τ_c=5·10^?11s, respectively. The results are discussed with respect to the mechanism of the phase transition.     

Experimental observation of Bose condensation in high-temperature superconductors

Emission Mössbauer spectroscopy on ⁶⁷Cu (⁶⁷Zn) and ⁶⁷Ga (⁶⁷Zn) isotopes was used to show that for the superconductors Nd_1.85Ce_0.15CuO₄, La_1.85 Sr_0.15CuO₄, and Tl₂Ba₂ CaCuO₈ in the temperature range T > T _c the temperature dependence of the center of gravity S of the Mössbauer spectrum is determined by the second-order Doppler shift, while in the range T < T _c the Bose condensation of Cooper pairs influences the value of S (here T _c is the superconducting transition temperature). The spatial nonuniformity produced in the electron density by a Bose condensate of Cooper pairs was observed for La_1.85 Sr_0.15CuO₄.     

Temperature dependence of the diffuse streak system in K2SnCl6

We have investigated the system of diffuse streaks in K₂SnCl₆ single crystals in the temperature interval from 4 to 640 K by the photographic registration of the scattered neutron intensity. The streak intensity decreases from T_{c¹ = 261 K} with increasing as well as with In the region of the phase transition at T_{c¹ = 261 K} and T_{c² = 255 K} the intensity decreases with falling temperature to one third. The high temperature behaviour is explained by a soft A_2g librational mode. Below T_{c² = 255 K} the intensity is proportional to ΔT. The streaks are detectable down to 230 K.     

The speed of sound in hadronic matter

We calculate the speed of sound c _s in an ideal gas of resonances, whose mass spectrum is assumed to have the Hagedorn form ρ(m)～m ^?a exp?{bm}, which leads to singular behavior at the critical temperature T _c =1/b. With a=4 the pressure and the energy density remain finite at T _c , while the specific heat diverges there. As a function of the temperature, the corresponding speed of sound initially increases similarly to that of an ideal pion gas, until near T _c resonance effects dominate, which causes c _s to vanish as (T _c ?T)^1/4. In order to compare this result to the physical resonance gas models, we introduce an upper cut-off M in the resonance mass integration. Although the truncated form still decreases somewhat in the region around T _c , the actual critical behavior in these models is no longer present.     

Superconducting phase transitions in ErcY1−cRh4B4

The superconducting transition temperature T_c1 and the reentering temperature T_c2 to the normal ferromagnetically ordered state in the system Er_cY_1?cRh₄B₄ were determined as a function of the concentration of Er. Comparing our results with the recent theory of Maekawa et al., the exchange interactions J′ among local spins and I between local spins and superconducting electrons were estimated as J′ ? 0.30 K and I²N(0) ? 0.046 K, where N(0) is the density of states. A sudden decrease of H_c2 at T_c2 was observed in a high concentration region suggesting the first order transition.     

Superconductivity of Li under pressure

The superconductivity of Li under pressure is studied by a density functional method. Structural and elastic properties, transition temperature (T_c), density of states (DOS), are considered for the material at ambient and at higher pressures. The calculations, particularly of T_c and DOS as a function of pressure, are compared with other available results. This is in view of the wide difference between the previously predicted maximum T_c-value and those observed by both magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity experiments. The present calculations yield better estimates of T_c and other parameters with respect to measured values.     

Superconducting properties of the atomically disordered MgB2 compound

The effect of disorder induced by neutron irradiation in a nuclear reactor (thermal neutron fluence 1×10¹⁹cm^?2) on the superconducting transition temperature T _c and the upper critical field H _c2 of polycrystalline MgB₂ samples was investigated. Despite the appreciable radiation-induced distortions (more than ten displacements per atom), the initial crystal structure (C32) was retained. The temperature T _c decreased from 38 to 5 K upon irradiation and was practically completely restored after the subsequent annealing at a temperature of 70°C. A weak change in the dH _c2/dT derivative upon irradiation is explained by the fact that the irradiated samples are described by the “pure” limit of the theory of disordered superconductors. The suppression of T _c upon disordering may be due to the isotropization of the originally anisotropic (or multicomponent) superconducting gap or to a decrease in the density of electronic states at the Fermi level.     

Perturbation calculations for the eight-vertex model around the Ising point for T → Tc+. II

The dispersion expansion for the two-point electric correlation function in the eight-vertex model is calculated to first order in the four-spin coupling in the scaling limit in the high-temperature regime. It is found that there is a close relation between the T_c⁻ and T_c⁺ spin-spin-energy density correlation function in the Ising model. This is used to simplify tremendously the calculation in the T_c⁺ case; the result can be obtained from the T_c⁻ result by deleting two variables in the expansion.     

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.     

Preparation and magnetic properties of LaMnO3 + δ (0 ≤ δ ≤ 0.154)

The structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of ceramic perovskite manganites LaMnO_{3 + δ} (δ = 0–0.154) are investigated. It is found that, in a weak magnetic field (B = 2 G), the LaMnO_{3 + δ} manganite with δ = 0.065 at temperatures below the Curie temperature T _C of the paramagnet-ferromagnet phase transition has a mixed (spin glass + ferromagnet) phase. In LaMnO_{3 + δ} manganites with the parameter δ = 0.100–0.154, this phase transforms into a frustrated ferromagnetic phase. A similar transformation was observed previously in La_1?x Ca_xMnO₃ compounds at calcium contents in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3. This similarity is explained by the fact that, in both materials, the Mn⁴⁺ concentration and, accordingly, the hole concentration c change equally in the concentration range from ～0.13 to 0.34 with an increase in x or δ. However, the magnetic irreversibility, the concentration dependences of the Curie temperature T _C(c) and the magnetic susceptibility X(c), and the critical behavior of the temperature dependence of the susceptibility X(T) in the vicinity of the Curie temperature T _C differ substantially for these two materials. The observed differences are associated with the distortion of the cubic perovskite structure, the decrease in the degree of lattice disorder, and a more uniform distribution of holes in the LaMnO_{3 + δ} manganites as compared to the La_{1 ? x} Ca_xMnO₃ compounds.     

Heat transfer under supercritical parameters of pulse-heated liquid

A technique based on pulse heating of a wire probe (resistance thermometer) in a constant-heating power regime is developed and used for studies of comparative heat-transfer intensity in supercritical fluids (SCFs) in the pressure and temperature ranges from 1p _c to 4–6p _c and from 0.6T _c to 1.6T _c , respectively (p _c and T _c are critical pressure and temperature). The characteristic parameters of the setup used are as follows: heating -pulse length, 1–10 ms; density of heat flux through the probe surface, 1–10 MW/m²; and repeatability of the selected power value in a series of pulses, not worse than 0.1%. A sharp decrease in the heat-transfer intensity in SCFs compared to that observed at subcritical temperatures is revealed.     

Fano interference between the E2 (17 cm−1) optical mode and one-phonon continuum scattering from β-AgI

Resonant interference between the E₂ (17 cm^?1) optical mode and the continuum of one-phonon partial density of states has been observed in β-AgI, and has been shown to follow Fano formalism. The temperature dependence of the coupling parameter q shows a substantial variation as T approaches T_c. A qualitative explanation of such behaviour is made in terms of phonon assisted activation of Frenkel defects, which increases more rapidly as the superionic transition temperature is approached.     

Doping effect on the carrier scattering in iron-pnictide superconductors studied by charge transport

In order to reveal the role of “carrier doping” in the iron-based superconductors, we investigated the transport properties of the oxygen-deficient iron-arsenides LnFeAsO_1−y (Ln=La, Ce, Pr and Nd) over a wide doping range. We found that the effect of “doping” in this system is mainly on the carrier scattering rather than carrier density, quite distinct from that in high-T_c cuprates. In the case of La system with lower T_c, the low temperature resistivity is dominated by T² term and fairly large magnetoresistance is observed. On the other hand, in the Nd system with higher T_c, carriers are subject to stronger scattering showing nearly T-linear resistivity and small magnetoresistance. Such strong scattering appears intimately correlated with high-T_c superconductivity in the iron-based system.     

The ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition of Fe studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Valence band x-ray photoelectron spectra from Fe(100) have been measured as a function of temperature to above the Curie temperature, T_c. The room temperature data can be reconciled with the theoretical one-particle density of states (DOS). At T = 1.034T_c, the data do not resemble the paramgnetic DOS of Fe as calculated in the disordered-local-moment limit.     

Variation of electronic density in the superconducting phase transition in Nb<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al

The variation of electronic density in the superconducting phase transition in the classical superconductor Nb₃Al with critical temperature T_c=18.6 K was studied using ⁷³Ge emission Mössbauer spectroscopy. A comparison of the results obtained and the data available for the ⁶⁷Zn isotope in the lattices of high-temperature superconductors revealed a correlation between the electronic density variation at the Mössbauer probe nuclei sites and the value of T_c. This correlation is assumed to be related to the dependence of the electronic density variation on the standard correlation length.     

A specific heat and magnetization study of highT c ceramic superconductors

From the temperature dependence of the specific heat of the semiconductor La₂CuO₄ and the high temperature superconductors La_1.8Sr_0.2CuO₄ (T _c =37.2 K) and YBa_1.9K_0.1Cu₃O_6.9 (T _c =91.5 K) in the range 1.5–30 K, a strong similarity of the lowfrequency part of their phonon density of states with a peak around 10 meV could be inferred. In the case of La_1.8Sr_0.2CuO₄ the thermodynamical critical field belowT _c has been determined and using the Rutger's formula and the BCS model, a Sommerfeld coefficient γ=9 mJ·mol^?1 K^?1 was obtained, which, taking into account recent results of band structure calculations leads to an electron-phonon enhancement factor γ=1.3, value compatible withT _c =36 K when using McMillan's formula forT _c . A systematic study of the magnetization offered evidence for strong flux trapping effects at higher fields and for Meissner shielding by superconducting Josephson currents in fields below 6 mT at 4.2 K.