Transport properties of single crystals of CeCu2Si2 and CeNi2Ge2

The resistivity, thermopower and thermal conductivity were measured on single crystals of CeCu₂Si₂ and CeNi₂Ge₂ between 60mK and 300 K. All transport anomalies associated with the unstable 4f-shell in Ce are strongly anisotropic in these noncubic systems.     

Calorimetric investigation under high pressure of the heavy fermion superconductor CeCu2Si2

The heavy fermion compound CeCu₂Si₂ is commonly regarded as a Kondo lattice system. Though it has been shown that the heavy mass quasiparticles participate in its superconductivity below ～ 0.7 K, a detailed understanding of the interdependence of the superconducting and the Kondo lattice parameters is still to be developed. The application of pressure is one useful approach to study this problem. In this paper we present results of specific heat measurements between 0.3 K and 2 K under pressures up to 5.9 kbar. While in our sample T_c hardly changes, the normal state specific heat, which is exclusively of electronic origin in the present temperature range, is rapidly decreased in a monotonous way, qualitatively corresponding to the expected rise of the Kondo temperature with pressure. In contrast to this behaviour, a strong nonlinear change of the jump Δc(T_c) passing through a maximum near 3 kbar is observed. We suggest that this reflects changes of the Kondo lattice coherence structure in the quasiparticle density of states near E_F.     

CeCu2Si2的超导临界温度随压力变化的理论解释

在BCS机制下,采用Anderson模型,在低压区域内,我们解释了CeCu₂Si₂的超导临界温度随压力变化的实验结果。 关键词：     

Upper critical field of a superconductor with arbitrary spin-orbit scattering: CeCu2Si2 and UBe13

The upper critical field is determined for an even-parity singlet pairing state in the presence of arbitrary spin-orbit scattering. Comparison with critical field experiments suggests that superconductivity in CeCu₂Si₂ is a singlet pairing state, and in UBe₁₃ is either a triplet pairing state or is a singlet state with restrictive conditions that the pair orbital be nearly isotropic and that strong spin-orbit scattering increase strongly as the field increases.     

Magnetic field dependence of spin-flip cross section for polarized neutron scattering of CeCu2Si2

The magnetic field dependence of the spin-flip cross section for quasielastic polarized neutron scattering is investigated for the Ce Kondo system at zero temperature. An exact calculation is done for the differential cross section with a small energy transfer and also for the total cross section. In particular the latter case is discussed in detail in order to investigate the recent experiment done for the polycrystalline CeCu₂Si₂. With the use of the obtained results, two possibilities are discussed about the wavefunction for the crystal-field ground doublet of the f-electron in CeCu₂Si₂.     

Unusual behavior of nuclear relaxation in CeCu2Si2 “possible evidence for triplet superconductivity”

Nuclear relaxation of ⁶³Cu in the superconducting state of the Kondo-lattice system CeCu₂Si₂ has been studied with the use of the ⁶³Cu nuclear quadrupole resonance technique under zero field and down to 65mK. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T₁) decreases drastically just below T_c=0.67 K down to 0.5T_c without the apparent enchanced behavior and then is found to be almost temperature independent below 0.3T_c. These results suggest that the superconductivity in CeCu₂Si₂ is not in the usual BCS regime. The analysis based upon the existing triplet pairing model with an anisotropic energy gap describes well the behavior from T_c down to 0.5T_c, while the temperature independence below 0.3T_c remains unexplained.     

Magnetic ordering in NdRh2Si2 and ErRH2Si2

Neutron diffraction and magnetization study of polycrystalline NdRh₂Si₂ and ErRh₂Si₂ was performed in the temperature range from 4.2 to 293 K. Both compounds are of ThCr₂Si₂ type crystal structure and exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering below T_N = 53 K and T_N = 12.8 K respectively. The magnetic structure wave vector is τ = [0, 0, 1].     

CeCu2Si2和UBe13的超导理论(Ⅰ) ——模型,Tc及序参量

本文从周期性的Anderson晶格模型出发,考虑到局域电子与局域晶格形变的作用,对CeCu₂Si₂和UBe₁₃的重费密子超导现象进行了理论研究。通过计算,得到了合理的超导转变温度T_c;给出了描述同位素效应大小的参数α<1/2,甚至等于零(在BCS理论中α=1/2),说明现在的理论给出的同位素效应比BCS理论小,甚至可以不存在同位素效应,这与重费密子超导的实验相符合;此外还给出了序参量随温度及态密度变化的关系曲线,由此可 关键词：     

Magnetic structures of PrCO2Si2 and TbCo2Si2 compounds

Neutron diffraction studies of polycrystalline PrCo₂Si₂ and TbCo₂Si₂ compounds were carried out at 4.2 and 293 K. Both samples have collinear antiferromagnetic order below T_N(31(1) and 46(1) K for Pr and Tb compound respectively), with their magnetic moments parallel to the c axis. The ordered magnetic moment values of Pr and Tb at 4.2 K (3.19 and 9.12 μ_B respectively), are close to the saturation value of the free ions. The corresponding magnetic space group P_l4/mnc (Sh⁴¹⁰₁₂₈) is body-anticentered ($\text{k =}\text{111}\text{222}$ refering to P_l cell).     

CeCu2Si2和UBe13的超导理论(Ⅱ)——热力学量的计算

根据文献[1]中给出的模型和能隙方程,计算了超导态的热力学临界磁场,T_c处的比热跃变以及T_c以下的比热行为。结果表明:有关热力学量的临界值与实验结果定性相符;T_c以下的比热行为在整个温区与CeCu₂Si₂和UBe₁₃的实验结果符合。 关键词：     

Neutron diffraction studies of the magnetic ordering in the rare earth compounds TbNi2Si2, HoCo2Si2 and TbCo2Si2

Neutron diffraction studies and magnetic measurements on the compounds TbNi₂Si₂ (1), HoCo₂Si₂ (2) and TbCo₂Si₂ (3) revealed a collinear antiferromagnetic order below T_N = 10 ± 1 K (1), T_N = 13 ± 1 K (2) and T_N = 30 ± 2 K (3) with the rare earths moments oriented along the c-axis [m₀ = 8.8 ± 0.2 μ_B (1), m₀ = 8.1 ± 0.2 μ_B (2), m₀ = 8.8 ± 0.2 μ_B (3)] and the corresponding wavevector are $\text{k}\text{= [}\text{1}\text{2}\text{1}\text{2}\text{0] (1)}\text{and}\text{k}\text{= [ 0 0 1] (2) (3)}$. The magnetic structure of the compounds HoCo₂Si₂ and TbCo₂Si₂ consists of ferromagnetic layers perpendicular to the c-axis coupled antiferromagnetically (+?+?) while for TbNi₂Si₂ the ordering within (0 0 1) plane is antiferromagnetic and the planes (0 0 1) are indeed decoupled.     

Neutron diffraction study of magnetic ordering in ErMn2Si2, ErMn2Ge2 and ErFe2Si2

Neutron diffraction study of polycrystalline compounds ErMn₂Si₂, ErMn₂Ge₂ and ErFe₂Si₂ was performed in the temperature range between 1.8 and 293 K. All compounds have tetragonal, ThCr₂Si₂-type crystal structure. The antiferromagnetic collinear structure of ErMn₂Si₂ and ErMn₂Ge₂ at both RT and LNT, consists of a sequence + - + - of ferromagnetic layers of Mn atoms. The magnetic moment of an Mn atom (≈2μ_B) is parallel to the c-axist. At low temperatures (LHT and lower), the ferromagnetic ordering within the Er sublattice is observed. The magnetic moment (μ_Er ≈ 9μ_B) is perpendicular to the c-axis. From the temperature dependence of the intensities of the magnetic peaks, the following values for the Curie temperatures were obtained: (10±5) K for ErMn₂Si₂ and (8.5±3) K for ErMn₂Ge₂. For ErFe₂Si₂ a collinear antiferromagnetic structure of the + - - + type was found, the magnetic unit cell consisting of the chemical one, doubled along the c-axis.     

Knight shifts and magnetic susceptibilities of the intermetallic compounds CeCu4 and CeCu5

The magnetic susceptibility and Knight shift of the compounds CeCu₄ and CeCu₅ have been measured over the temperature ranges 80–800 and 140–400 K, respectively. The most important contributions to the magnetic susceptibility are the Curie-Weiss term, expressing the paramagnetism of the localized ?-electrons, and a temperature independent term, which have both been determined. The phenomenological exchange integral F_s? between the 4?-electron spins and conduction electron spins was found to be ?10.43× 10^?3 eV for CeCu₄ and 3.9 × 10^?3 eV for CeCu₅. A reversal in the sign of the s?? coupling for CeCu₅ is noted.     

Neutron diffraction determination of the magnetic structures of NpCo2Si2 and NpCu2Si2

A small polycrystalline ingot sample of NpCo₂Si₂ (weight ≈ 1.5 g) has been studied by neutron diffration between 2 and 160 K on the multi-detector D1B of ILL, Grenoble. At 100 K, the crystal structure is body-centered tetragonal (space group 14/mmm) with a = 3.886 Å and c =9.649 Å. Below T_N = (44 ± 2) K, seven superlattice lines are observed which correspond to a simple tetragonal lattice with lattice constants as above. They are consistent with a type I antiferromagnetic structure of the Np (2a) sublattice, with (001) ferromagnetic sheets coupled antiferromagnetically according to the sequence +-+-. At 6 K, the neptunium moment obtained from the diffracted intensities is: (1.48 ± 0.20)_μuB, and makes an angle 52° ± 15° with the c axis. The cobalt moment is certainly smallet than 0.3_μuB. The Np moment correlates well with the ²³⁷Np hyperfine field deduced from Mos?sbauer spectroscopy; the sublattice magnetization-temoperature curve follows very well the $\text{J=}\text{1}\text{2}$ brillouin curve. The magnetism is therefore probably of lovalized character in this compound. An isomorphous sample of NpCu₂Si₂ (a = 3.990 Å c = 9.920 Å) was shown to be ferromagnetic below (41 ± 2) K, with the Np moment [1.5 ± 0.2)_μuB] aligned along the c axis.     

Superconductivity of TaV2

Specific heat measurements show that the cubic Laves phase TaV₂ becomes superconducting at 3.6 K. Values of γ and θ_D for this compound are compared with those for ZrV₂ and HfV₂.     

Superconductivity in porous MgB2

Porous magnesium diboride samples have been prepared by the heat treatment of a pressed mixture of Mg and MgB₂ powders. It was found that linked superconducting structure is formed down to the minimum normalized density γ_c=d/d₀≅0.16 (percolation threshold), where d is the density of MgB₂ averaged over the sample, d₀=2.62 g/cm³ is the X-ray density. Lattice parameters and critical temperature of the porous sample decrease with increasing porosity (decreasing γ) and T_c2≅32 K is minimal at γ_c. The grain boundaries in the porous samples are transparent for the current and J_c∼3×10⁵ A/cm² in self field at T=20 K in the samples with γ∼0.24.     

Magnetic phase transitions in PrCo2Si2

Magnetic phases in PrCo₂Si₂ have been studied by measurements of magnetization, neutron diffraction and electrical resistivity. For <9 K, the magnetic structure with a propagation vector k = (0,0,1) [2π/c] is stable. Incommensurate structures k = (0,0,0.926) and (0,0,0.777) appear for 9 K < T <17 K and 17 K < T <30 K, respectively.     

Superconductivity in Mo5SiB2

In the Mo-Si binary system, Mo₅Si₃ crystallizes in the W₅Si₃ (T₁ phase) structure type. However, when boron replaces silicon in this compound, a structural transition occurs from the W₅Si₃ prototype structure to the Cr₅B₃ prototype structure (T₂ phase) at the composition Mo₅SiB₂. Mo₅SiB₂ has received much attention in the literature as a candidate for structural application in high-temperature turbines, but its electronic and magnetic behavior has not been explored. In this work, we show that Mo₅SiB₂ is a bulk superconducting material with critical temperature close to 5.8 K. The specific-heat, resistivity and magnetization measurements reveal that this material is a conventional type II BCS superconductor.     

Magnetocaloric effect in high-energy ball-milled Gd5Si2Ge2 and Gd5Si2Ge2/Fe nanopowders

Evolution of structure and magnetocaloric properties in ball-milled Gd₅Si₂Ge₂ and Gd₅Si₂Ge₂/0.1 wt% Fe nanostructured powders were investigated. The high-energy ball-milled powders were composed of very fine grains (70–80 nm). Magnetization decreased with milling time due to decrease in the grain size and randomization of the magnetic moments at the surface. The magnetic entropy change (ΔS_M) was calculated from the isothermal magnetization curves and a maximum value of 0.45 J/kg K was obtained for 32 h milled Gd₅Si₂Ge₂ alloy powder for a magnetic field change of 2 T while it was still low in Fe-contained alloy powders. The thermo-magnetic measurements revealed that the milled powders display distribution of magnetic transitions, which is desirable for practical magnetic refrigerant to cover a wide temperature span.     

X-ray absorption spectroscopic study of mixed valence systems EuCu2Si2, YbCu2Si2 and Sm4Bi3

X-ray absorption spectroscopy technique is employed to determine the valence of the rare earth ions in EuCu₂Si₂, YbCu₂Si₂ and Sm₄Bi₃. In each case, two absorption peaks corresponding to two different valence states of respective rare earth ions have been observed. Low temperature (77 K) study of EuCu₂Si₂ indicates distinct change in the relative intensities of the absorption peaks compared to those registered at room temperature (300 K). It is inferred from the change in the relative intensities that the population of Eu²⁺ in EuCu₂Si₂ decreases at liquid nitrogen temperature compared to Eu³⁺. Conclusions drawn from these results agree well with those reported by others using different experimental techniques. In Sm₄Bi₃, Sm²⁺ and Sm³⁺ are found to occur in the ratio of 3:1.