The transition temperature of CuCr/Pb proximity sandwiches in the cooper limit

The temperature dependence of the conduction electron spin-flip lifetime in CuCr Kondo alloys can be determined from T_c measurements in CuCr/Pb proximity sandwiches. When the thin film sandwich is in the Cooper limit, a great sensitivity of the magnetic depairing effect upon T_c is observed. The temperature dependence of the calculated pair breaking parameter deviates markedly from the theoretical predictions.     

Another approach to mechanism of ferromagnetic superconductor UGe2

We study the ferromagnetic superconductor of UGe₂ applying our previous model [Phys. Rev. B 61 (2000), 4289] for the high transition temperature superconductivity (HTSC). The Coulomb interaction for triplet electron pairs is reduced by a difference of the exchange interaction. In the case of UGe₂ including other heavy fermion superconductors, coexistence of triplet superconductivity and ferromagnetism is possible in the case of our scheme. We also investigate the pressure-dependence of Curie temperature, T_c and superconducting temperature, T_sc.     

Electronic state on the surface in the strongly correlated electron systems

In order to clarify the tunneling spectroscopy in high-T_c cuprates, we study electronic state of the surface in the strongly correlated electron systems. First, we obtain Green's function of strongly correlated normal bulk system using the fluctuation exchange (FLEX) approximation. Next, we insert infinite potential into the bulk system and obtain Green's function of surface. We find that the density of states (DOS) in strongly correlated bulk systems are different from that on the surface, and the difference decreases as the magnitude of Coulomb interaction (U) increases.     

Proximity effect in Nb/Zr multilayers with variable Nb/Zr ratio

We have investigated the effect of varying the individual layer thickness on the superconducting transition temperature (T_C) of Nb/Zr multilayers. These thin film multilayer structures were deposited using UHV magnetron sputtering with layer thickness ranging from 0.5 to 8 nm. In conformity with the predictions of the de Gennes equations in the Cooper limit (layer thickness small compared to coherence length), we find that the T_C increases with increasing thickness of the Nb layer (when the Zr layer thickness is constant), and decreases with increasing thickness of the Zr layer (when the Nb layer thickness is constant). The possible effect of the existence of an interfacial Nb-Zr layer is discussed. We also point out the marked influence of the in-plane grain dimension on the T_C in these multilayers.     

AuB2 in comparison to superconducting MgB2-an ab initio study

The noble metal diboride AuB₂, a potential candidate for superconductor, is studied by an ab initio method in comparison to the superconducting MgB₂. The results, described in terms of equilibrium lattice constants, bulk modulus, pressure derivative of bulk modulus and their in- and out-of-plane linear values, volume coefficient of T_c, density of states, band structure, show some similarity as well as dissimilarity between the behaviour of the two compounds. The implications for the behaviour are discussed.     

Superconductivity of thin films of lead,indium, and tin prepared in the presence of oxygen

We have studied the influence of oxygen on the superconducting properties of thin films of lead, indium and tin deposited on glass or sapphire substrates. In addition, the morphological microstructure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The film thickness was 1.0 μm, and the partial pressure of O₂ during the film deposition was raised up to 1×10⁻⁴ Torr. In all three materials the development of a granular structure and a strong increase in the residual electric resistivity was observed due to the O₂-treatment. Whereas in the Pb films no change of the critical temperature was found, the In films deposited on glass substrates showed a slight increase ofT _c due to the oxygen. The strongest increase ofT _c (up to 8%) was observed in the O₂-treated Sn films. These results are discussed in terms of the McMillan theory. From our measurements of the critical current densityj _c we conclude that edge pinning is dominant in the undoped films. All three materials showed a strong increase ofj _c due to the O₂-treatment which must be interpreted in terms of bulk pinning.     

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.     

Superconductivity of vapour quenched beryllium and beryllium-based alloys

The properties of Be films, quench-condensed upon a³He cooled substrate, have been investigated by resistance and tunneling measurements. The superconducting transition temperature,T _c , of Be films increased with thickness and a thick film limit of 9.95 K could be estimated. Alloying with Al or Pb decreasedT _c. The ratios between energy gaps andT _c 's indicated that Be is a weak coupling superconductor, and no phonon induced structure could be traced in tunneling curves neither in pure Be nor in the Be based alloys. Resistance change during annealing as well as superconducting data indicated that the vapour quenched Be films were amorphous as deposited.     

具有—U中心的非简单金属与BCS超导体的邻近效应(Ⅱ)

本文讨论了具有-U中心的非简单金属薄膜与BCS超导体薄膜夹层邻近效应的传导电子能隙函数、态密度及超导转变温度T_c随各参量的变化规律。结果表明,-U中心的存在使激发谱“能隙”内出现很小值的态密度。在一定参数范围内,这种夹层系统的T_c是有可能高于大块BCS超导体的转变温度。 关键词：     

Effect of annealing on the magnetic and superconducting properties of single-crystalline UCoGe

Single-crystals of the new ferromagnetic superconductor UCoGe have been grown. The quality of as-grown samples can be significantly improved by a heat-treatment procedure, which increases the residual resistance ratio (RRR) from ∼5 to ∼30. Magnetization M(T) and resistivity ρ(T) measurements show the annealed samples have a sharp ferromagnetic transition with a Curie temperature T_C is 2.8 K. The ordered moment of 0.06 μ_B is directed along the orthorhombic c-axis. Superconductivity is found below a resistive transition temperature T_s=0.65 K.     

The upper critical magnetic field of lead as a function of the mean free path of the electrons

The transition curves of quenched lead films are measured in a perpendicular magnetic field as a function of the field strength. We vary the mean free path of the electrons by different condensation temperatures and by the annealing of the films. An influence of the edge of the film on the resistance measurement is suppressed by the superposition of iron onto the lead film. We will show, that the measured critical fieldB _{c ⊥} of the film is the upper critical fieldB _c2 of a bulk superconductor with the sameeffective mean free path. As a result of the measurements we obtain ?B _c2/?T as a function of the degree of disorder (the mean free path of the electrons) of the films. The results are compared with the theory of Gor'kov for the weak coupling superconductor and the theory of Eilenberger and Ambegaokar for the strong coupling superconductor. They disagree with both theories. From the magnetic measurement we can determine the coherence length of lead. An independent determination at the same film is given by the proximity effect of the system Pb/Fe. The results of both methods are compared.     

Magnetization reversal in Gd0.67Ca0.33MnO3: Comparison between epitaxial thin films and bulk

Rare-earth-based manganites ABO₃ may present interesting properties when the lanthanide (A-site) and/or the manganese (B-site) are partially substituted by divalent elements. Heavy lanthanides are particularly appealing because of the expected interplay between the intrinsic magnetic properties of the rare-earth element (Ln) and those of the ferromagnetic manganese sublattice. As such, a spin reorientation has been observed during magnetization-versus-temperature cycles due to a negative exchange interaction between Mn and Ln. We present herein high-quality epitaxial thin films (∼200 nm thick) of Gd_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ deposited onto (1 0 0) SrTiO₃ substrates by pulsed-laser deposition. Enhanced properties were observed in comparison with bulk samples. The magnetic transition temperature T_c of the as-grown films is much higher than the corresponding bulk values. Most interesting, magnetization measurements performed under small applied fields, exhibit magnetization reversals below T_c, no matter whether the film is field-cooled (FC) or zero-field-cooled (ZFC). The reversal mechanism is discussed in terms of a negative exchange f-d interaction and magnetic anisotropy, this latter enhanced by strain effects induced by the lattice mismatch between the film and the substrate.     

Internal structure of fluctuating Cooper pairs

In order to obtain information about the internal structure of fluctuating Cooper pairs in the pseudogap state and below the transition temperature of high T_c superconductors, we solve the Bethe-Salpeter equation for the two-electron propagator in order to calculate a “pair structure function” that depends on the internal distance between the partners and on the center of mass momentum P of the pair. We use an attractive Hubbard model with a local potential for s-wave and a separable potential for d-wave symmetry. The amplitude of g_P for small ρ depends on temperature, chemical potential and interaction symmetry, but the ρ dependence itself is rather insensitive to the interaction strength. Asymptotically g_P decreases as an inverse power of ρ for weak coupling, but exponentially when a pseudogap develops for stronger interaction. Some possibilities of observing the pair structure experimentally are mentioned.     

Entanglement degree of electron pairs out of Andreev reflection

We study the entanglement degree of electron pairs emitted from an s-wave superconductor, which couples to two normal leads via a single-level quantum dot. Within the framework of scattering matrix theory, the concurrence is used to quantify the entanglement. And the result shows that the entanglement degree is generally influenced by the initial separation of the two electrons in a Cooper pair and the normal transmission eigenvalues T₁, T₂. But it is only determined by the eigenvalues in the tunnelling limit, T₁,T₂?1, what is more, it is measurable.     

Specific heat of A-15 Nb3Si produced by explosive compression

The specific heat from 1.2 to 23 K has been measured on a new high T_c superconductor, A-15 Nb₃Si. The sample was prepared by explosive compression and has an onset of bulk superconductivity at 18.0 K, with a transition width of 0.7 K. The density of states for pure A-15 Nb₃Si implied from the specific heat data is 0.94 ± 0.20 states/eV-atom, ΔC/γ T_c is 2.0 ± 0.2.     

Critical behaviour of magnetic thin film with Heisenberg spin-S model

The magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic thin film of face centered cubic (FCC) lattice with Heisenberg spin-S are examined using the high-temperature series expansions technique extrapolated with Padé approximations method. The critical reduced temperature of the system τ_c is studied as function of thickness of the film and the exchange interactions in the bulk, and within the surfaces J_b, J_s and J_⊥ respectively. A critical value of surface exchange interaction above which surface magnetism appears is obtained. The dependence of the reduced critical temperature on the film thickness L has been investigated.     

The superconducting transition temperature of bulk samples of the niobium-germanium A15-phase after implantation of Ge,Si, O and Ar ions

Bulk material of Nb₃ (Ge_0.8Nb_0.2) with A15 structure and a superconducting transition temperature T_c of 6.5 K has been implanted with Ge, Si, Ar and O ions and subsequently annealed at high temperatures. After annealing between 700 and 750°C the Ge implanted samples showed a strong increase in T_c up to 16.2 K. With Si ions only a T_c of 13 K was obtained, with Ar and O ions T_c remained below 9 K. From X-ray measurements carried out on high T_c Ge implanted samples it could be concluded that the implanted surface layer grows up to a high degree epitaxially on the single crystallites of the bulk material. The lattice constant $\text{a}$₀ of the implanted film was reduced by 0.02 Å with respect to the bulk material. This reduction in $\text{a}$₀ is stronger than expected from the transition temperature of the implanted surface layer.     

Phase transition in Ising, XY and Heisenberg magnetic films

The phase transition and magnetic properties of a ferromagnet spin-S, a disordered diluted thin and semi-infinite film with a face-centered cubic lattice are investigated using the high-temperature series expansions technique extrapolated with Padé approximants method for Heisenberg, XY and Ising models. The reduced critical temperature of the system τ_c is studied as function of the thickness of the thin film and the exchange interactions in the bulk, and within the surfaces J_b, J_s and J_⊥, respectively. It is found that τ_c increases with the exchange interactions of surface. The magnetic phase diagrams (τ_c versus the dilution x) and the percolation threshold are obtained. The shifts of the critical temperatures T_c(l) from the bulk value (T_c(∞)/T_c(l) − 1) can be described by a power law l^−λ, where λ = 1/υ is the inverse of the correlation length exponent.     

Behaviour of superconductivity energetic characteristics in electron-doped cuprates. A simple model

A simple model to describe the energetic phase diagram of electron-doped cuprate superconductor is developed. Interband pairing operates between the UHB and the defect states created by doping and supplied by both extincting HB-s. Two defect subbands correspond to the (π,0) and (π/2,π/2) momentum regions. Extended doping quenches the bare normal state gaps (pseudogaps). Maximal transition temperature corresponds to overlapping bands ensemble intersected by the chemical potential. Illustrative results for Tc, pseudo- and superconducting gaps are calculated on the whole doping scale. Major characteristic features on the phase diagram are reproduced. Anticipated manifestation of gaps doping dynamics is discussed.     

Thickness-dependent effective surface resistances of nearly ferroelectric superconductors

The effective surface resistance of nearly ferroelectric superconducting film in the dielectriclike response is theoretically investigated based on the electrodynamics of the nearly ferroelectric superconductors. We calculate the intrinsic film surface resistance for isolated thin film and the effective surface resistance for a superconductor/dielectric layered structure. It is found that the thickness-dependent surface resistance has two different behaviors separated by a critical film thickness being equal to the London penetration length. That is, a nonresonant dependence is seen when the film thickness is less than the London penetration length, and an anomalously resonant behavior is found when the film thickness is larger than the London penetration length. The nonresonant dependence is similar to that of a cuprate superconductor and it further is characterized by some other critical thicknesses. As for the anomalous resonant region it is seen only in a nearly ferroelectric superconductor.