Angle-resolved photoemission study of the cobalt oxide superconductor Na(x)CoO(2) x yH(2)O: observation of the Fermi surface

The cobalt oxide superconductor Na(x)CoO(2) x yH(2)O is studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We report the Fermi surface (FS) topology and electronic structure near the Fermi level (E(F)) in the normal state of Na(x)CoO(2) x yH(2)O. Our result indicates the presence of the hexagonal FS centered at the Gamma point, while the small pocket FSs along Gamma-K direction are absent, similar to Na(x)CoO(2). The top of the e(g)(') band, which is expected in band calculations to form the small pocket FSs, extends to within approximately 30 meV below E(F), closer to E(F) than in Na(x)CoO(2). We discuss its possible role in superconductivity, comparing with other experimental and theoretical results.     

Determination of the Co valence in bilayer hydrated superconducting NaxCoO2 · yH2O by soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy

We addressed the so-far unresolved issue concerning the Co valence in the superconducting bilayer hydrated Na(x)CoO(2) · yH(2)O (x～0.35, y～1.3) using soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Co-L(2,3) and O-K edges. We find that the valence state of the Co lies in a narrow range from +3.3 to +3.4 for all studied Na(x)CoO(2) · yH(2)O samples and their deuterated analogue with T(c)'s ranging from 3.8 to 4.7 K. These valence values are far from the often claimed +3.7, the number based on the Na content only. We propose to modify the phase diagram accordingly, where the basic electronic structure of the superconducting phase is very close to that of the Na(0.7)CoO(2) system, suggesting that the presence of in-plane spin fluctuations could play an important role for the superconductivity.     

Nodal d + id pairing and topological phases on the triangular lattice of Na(x)CoO(2).yH(2)O: evidence for an unconventional superconducting state

We show that finite angular momentum pairing chiral superconductors on the triangular lattice have point zeroes in the complex gap function. A topological quantum phase transition takes place through a nodal superconducting state at a specific carrier density x(c) where the normal state Fermi surface crosses the isolated zeros. For spin-singlet pairing, we show that the second-nearest-neighbor (d+id)-wave pairing can be the dominant pairing channel. The gapless critical state at x (c) approximately 0.25 has six Dirac points and is topologically nontrivial with a T3 spin relaxation rate below T(c). This picture provides a possible explanation for the unconventional superconducting state of Na(x)Co O(2). yH(2)O. Analyzing a pairing model with strong correlation using the Gutzwiller projection and symmetry arguments, we study these topological phases and phase transitions as a function of Na doping.     

Five-fold way to new high <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>c</Subscript> superconductors

Discovery of high T _c superconductivity in La_2?x Ba _x CuO₄ by Bednorz and Muller in 1986 was a breakthrough in the 75-year long search for new superconductors. Since then new high T _c superconductors, not involving copper, have also been discovered. Superconductivity in cuprates also inspired resonating valence bond (RVB) mechanism of superconductivity. In turn, RVB theory provided a new hope for finding new superconductors through a novel electronic mechanism. This article first reviews an electron correlation-based RVB mechanism and our own application of these ideas to some new noncuprate superconducting families. In the process we abstract, using available phenomenology and RVB theory, that there are five directions to search for new high T _c superconductors. We call them five-fold way. As the paths are reasonably exclusive and well-defined, they provide more guided opportunities, than before, for discovering new superconductors. The five-fold ways are (i) copper route, (ii) pressure route, (iii) diamond route, (iv) graphene route and (v) double RVB route. Copper route is the doped spin-½ Mott insulator route. In this route one synthesizes new spin-½ Mott insulators and dopes them chemically. In pressure route, doping is not external, but internal, a (chemical or external) pressure-induced self-doping suggested by organic ET-salts. In the diamond route we are inspired by superconductivity in boron-doped diamond and our theory. Here one creates impurity band Mott insulators in a band insulator template that enables superconductivity. Graphene route follows from our recent suggestion of superconductivity in doped graphene, a two-dimensional broadband metal with moderate electron correlations, compared to cuprates. Double RVB route follows from our recent theory of doped spin-1 Mott insulator for superconductivity in iron pnictide family.     

Magnetic ordering and spin waves in Na0.82CoO2

NaxCoO2, the parent compound of the recently synthesized superconductor Na(x)CoO(2):yH(2)O, exhibits bulk antiferromagnetic order below approximately 20 K for 0.75相似文献   

Revised superconducting phase diagram of hole-doped Na(x)(H3O)(z)CoO2 x yH(2)O

We have studied the superconducting phase diagram of NaxCoO2.yH(2)O as a function of electronic doping, characterizing our samples both in terms of Na content x and the Co valence state. Our findings are consistent with a recent report that intercalation of H3O+ ions into NaxCoO2, together with water, acts as an additional dopant, indicating that Na substoichiometry alone does not control the electronic doping of these materials. We find a superconducting phase diagram where optimal T(C) is achieved through a Co valence range of 3.24-3.35, while T(C) decreases for materials with a higher Co valence. The critical role of dimensionality in achieving superconductivity is highlighted by similarly doped nonsuperconducting anhydrous samples, differing from the superconducting hydrate only in interlayer spacing.     

Unconventional superconductivity and electron correlations in the cobalt oxyhydrate Na0.35CoO2.yH2O from nuclear quadrupole resonance

We report a careful 59Co nuclear quadrupolar resonance measurement on the recently discovered cobalt oxyhydrate Na0.35CoO2.yH(2)O superconductor from T=40 K down to 0.2 K. We find that in the normal state the spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T(1) follows a Curie-Weiss type temperature (T) variation, 1/T(1)T=C/(T-theta), with theta=-42 K, suggesting two-dimensional antiferromagnetic spin correlations. Below T(c)=3.9 K, 1/T(1) decreases with no coherence peak and follows a T(n) dependence with n approximately 2.2 down to approximately 2.0 K but crosses over to a 1/T(1) proportional to T variation below T=1.4 K, which suggests non-s-wave superconductivity. The data in the superconducting state are most consistent with the existence of line nodes in the gap function.     

Superconductivity close to the Mott state: From condensed-matter systems to superfluidity in optical lattices

Since the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in 1986 by Bednorz and Müller, great efforts have been devoted to finding out how and why it works. From the d-wave symmetry of the order parameter, the importance of antiferromagnetic fluctuations, and the presence of a mysterious pseudogap phase close to the Mott state, one can conclude that high-T_c superconductors are clearly distinguishable from the well-understood BCS superconductors. The d-wave superconducting state can be understood through a Gutzwiller-type projected BCS wavefunction. In this review article, we revisit the Hubbard model at half-filling and focus on the emergence of exotic superconductivity with d-wave symmetry in the vicinity of the Mott state, starting from ladder systems and then studying the dimensional crossovers to higher dimensions. This allows to confirm that short-range antiferromagnetic fluctuations can mediate superconductivity with d-wave symmetry. Ladders are also nice prototype systems allowing to demonstrate the truncation of the Fermi surface and the emergence of a Resonating Valence Bond (RVB) state with preformed pairs in the vicinity of the Mott state. In two dimensions, a similar scenario emerges from renormalization group arguments. We also discuss theoretical predictions for the d-wave superconducting phase as well as the pseudogap phase, and address the crossover to the overdoped regime. Finally, cold atomic systems with tunable parameters also provide a complementary insight into this outstanding problem.     

Electronic correlations in CoO2, the parent compound of triangular cobaltates

A 59Co NMR study of CoO2, the x=0 end member of AxCoO2 (A=Na,Li,...) cobaltates, reveals a metallic ground state, though with clear signs of strong electron correlations: low-energy spin fluctuations develop at wave vectors q not equal to 0 and a crossover to a Fermi-liquid regime occurs below a characteristic temperature T* approximately 7 K. Despite some uncertainty over the exact cobalt oxidation state in this material, the results show that electronic correlations are revealed as x is reduced below 0.3. The data are consistent with NaxCoO2 being close to the Mott transition in the x-->0 limit.     

17O NMR studies of a triangular-lattice superconductor NaxCoO2 x yH(2)O

We report the first 17O NMR studies of a triangular-lattice superconductor Na(1/3)CoO2 x 4/3H(2)O and the host material Na(x)CoO2 (x=0.35 and 0.72). Knight shift measurements reveal that p-d hybridization induces sizable spin polarization in the O triangular-lattice layers. Water intercalation makes CoO2 planes homogeneous and enhances low frequency spin fluctuations near T(c)=4.5 K at some finite wave vectors different from both the ferromagnetic and "120 degree" modes.     

Vortex state in NaxCoO2.yH2O: px+/-ipy-wave versus d(x2-y2)+/-id xy-wave pairing

Based on an effective Hamiltonian specified in the triangular lattice with possible p(x)+/-ip(y)- or dx(2)(-y(2))+/-id(xy)-wave pairing, which has close relevance to the newly discovered Na0.35CoO2.yH(2)O, the electronic structure of the vortex state is studied by solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations. It is found that p(x)+/-ip(y) wave is favored for the electron doping as the hopping integral t<0. The lowest-lying vortex bound states are found to have, respectively, zero and positive energies for p(x)+/-ip(y)- and dx(2)(-y(2))+/-id(xy)-wave superconductors, whose vortex structures exhibit the intriguing sixfold symmetry. In the presence of strong on-site repulsion, the antiferromagnetic order and local ferromagnetic moment are induced around the vortex cores for the former and the latter, respectively, both of which cause the splitting of the local density of states peaks due to the lifting of spin degeneracy.     

Bi2Sr2Co2O8体系中Pb替代及I插层对其结构和物性的影响

自今年3月在NaxCo2O4 Yh2o中发现超导电性以来,具有层状结构的Co系氧化物又受到人们广泛的关注.本文在成功合成具有misfit层状结构Bi2Sr2Co2Oy单相样品的基础上,通过Pb对Bi的部分替代、以及I的插层,成功地使其c轴由1.49nm增至1.87nm,并对其输运性质和磁性质进行了系统研究.结果发现:Pb的部分替代并没有使该体系的电阻-温度关系行为发生显著变化,但在低温下使样品呈现自旋玻璃态行为;I的插入不仅使其c轴长度增加,而且样品变为半导体,并不呈现超导电性,在低温下同样呈现自旋玻璃态行为.同时对Pb替代及I插层效应进行了讨论.     

ARPES on Na0.6CoO2: Fermi surface and unusual band dispersion

The electronic structure of single crystals Na0.6CoO2, which are closely related to the superconducting Na0.3CoO2.yH(2)O (T(c) approximately 5 K), is studied by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. While the measured Fermi surface (FS) is consistent with the large FS enclosing the Gamma point from the band theory, the predicted small FS pockets near the K points are absent. In addition, the band dispersion is found to be highly renormalized, and anisotropic along the two principal axes (Gamma-K, Gamma-M). Our measurements also indicate that an extended flatband is formed slightly above E(F) along Gamma-K.     

Unified origin for the 3D magnetism and superconductivity in NaxCoO2

We analyze the origin of the three-dimensional (3D) magnetism observed in nonhydrated Na-rich Na(x)CoO2 within an itinerant spin picture using a 3D Hubbard model. The origin is identified as the 3D nesting between the inner and outer portions of the Fermi surface, which arise due to the local minimum structure of the a(1g) band at the Gamma-A line. The calculated spin wave dispersion strikingly resembles the neutron scattering result. We argue that this 3D magnetism and the spin fluctuations responsible for superconductivity in the hydrated systems share essentially the same origin.     

A new mechanism of high Tc superconductivity

On the assumption that doping creates holes on the O rather than the Cu sites, a new model to describe the CuO₂ planes in the high T_c superconductor is proposed. It is shown that the RVB state of the holes on Cu sites at half-filling will lead to an effective attraction of the holes on the O sites which is responsible for superconductivity. Specific heat and susceptibility are discussed briefly and are consistent with experimental results.     

The resonating valence bond state and high temperature superconductivity

A fluctuation theory is developed for the RVB state of high temperature superconductors in the Anderson model of high temperature superconductivity. The energy spectrum of fermion pairs in the RVB state is calculated by summing up a selected class of planar diagrams over all orders of perturbation theory. It is explicitly shown that the fermion pairs of the RVB state are pre-existing Cooper pairs which by undergoing a Bose condensation can become super-conducting Copper pairs. A part of the phase diagram is constructed showing conditions under which the RVB state becomes unstable with respect to both superconducting and magnetically ordered states.     

Thermodynamic and transport measurements of superconducting Na0.3CoO2.1.3H2O single crystals prepared by electrochemical deintercalation

Superconducting single crystal samples of Na0.3CoO2.1.3H(2)O have been produced using an electrochemical technique which dispenses with the usual bromine chemical deintercalation method. In fully hydrated crystals, susceptibility and specific heat measurements confirm that bulk superconductivity has been achieved. The extracted normal state density of states indicates Fermi-liquid behavior with strong mass enhancement and a modest Wilson ratio. Measurements of H(c2) for H parallel c and H parallel ab reveal significant anisotropy, and the extracted value for the coherence length is about 100 A, consistent with an extremely narrow bandwidth.     

Coexistence of f-wave superconductivity, charge order, and spin antiferromagnetism around nonmagnetic impurities in Na0.33CoO2.1.3H2O

To check whether charge dynamics is responsible for the superconductivity in NaxCoO2.yH2O, we investigate local electronic and magnetic structure around nonmagnetic impurities embedded in this material at x=0.33 in the vicinity of charge instability, by using a phenomenological model within the slave-boson framework including competitions among a square root of 3 x square root of 3 charge order, antiferromagnetism, and f-wave superconductivity. Around the repulsive impurities, it is found that both local charge and spin orders are induced. Furthermore, the f-wave pairing order parameter is decreased on one sublattice but increased on another honeycomb sublattice. If the charge dynamics is responsible for the superconductivity, the predicted local electronic and magnetic structure could be observed by the STM and spatial resolved NMR experiments.     

Ferromagnetic fluctuation and possible triplet superconductivity in NaxCoO2.yH2O: fluctuation-exchange study of the multiorbital Hubbard model

Spin and charge fluctuations and superconductivity in NaxCoO2.yH(2)O are studied based on a multiorbital Hubbard model. Tight-binding parameters are determined to reproduce the results of band calculations. By applying the fluctuation-exchange approximation, we show that the Hund's-rule coupling between the Co t(2g) orbitals causes ferromagnetic (FM) spin fluctuation. Triplet fy((y(2)-3x(2)))-wave and p-wave pairings are favored by this FM fluctuation on the hole-pocket band. We propose that, in NaxCoO2.yH(2)O, the Co t(2g) orbitals and interorbital Hund's-rule coupling play important roles on the triplet pairing, and this compound can be a first example of the triplet superconductor in which the orbital degrees of freedom play substantial roles.     

Role of hybridization in NaxCoO2 and the effect of hydration

Density functional theory is used to understand the electronic properties of Na(1/3)CoO2 and Na(1/3)CoO2(H2O)(4/3). Comparing the charge density of CoO2 and the Na doped phases indicates that doping does not simply add electrons to the t(2g) states. In fact, the electron added in the t(2g) state is dressed by hole density in the e(g) state and electron density in the oxygen states via rehybridization. In order to fully understand this phenomenon, a simple extension of the Hubbard Hamiltonian is proposed and solved using the dynamical mean-field theory. This model confirms that the rehybridization is driven by a competition between the on-site Coulomb interaction and the hybridization, and results in an effective screening of the low-energy excitations. Finally, we show that hydration causes the electronic structure to become more two dimensional.