Superconductivity and magnetic ordering in YBa2(Cu1−x Fe x )3O7

Transverse-and zero-field μSR measurements have been made for YBa₂(Cu_1−x Fe _x )₃O₇ withx=0.04, 0.08 and 0.12. The temperature range studied was from approximately 7.5 K to 100 K. The onset of magnetic ordering commences at about 7.5 K forx=0.04, 10 K forx=0.08 and 20 K forx=0.12. The Gaussian depolarization parameter, σ ofG _x (t) = exp(−σ² t ²/2), is depressed by a factor of about 0.6 forx=0.04, but for thex=0.08 sample σ is depressed by a factor of 10 and increasing suppression is seen as the temperature is lowered below 45 K. This decrease in σ is interpreted in terms of decreasing electronic mean free paths.     

Interactions of stopped π− and of fast π− and π+ near the Δ(1232) resonance with calcium

Prompt γ-rays from the interactions of stopped π^? and of fast π^? and π⁺ near the Δ(1232) resonance with ^natCa were detected with a Ge(Li) detector in coincidence with incident pions. Yields and cross sections for excitation of residual states as well as recoil momenta were determined and were corrected for γ-feeding. The results of the three experiments show the same general pattern but differ in some specific features.     

Muon diffusion in Nb−H systems

We have studied the muon diffusion in various Nb−H_X systems with 0.75<x<0.95, with special attention to the concentrations x<0.9. For x>0.9 the muon linewidth as function of temperature has a smooth behaviour and the muon mobility is strongly correlated to the hydrogen diffusion in the beta phase. The activation energy for the μ⁺ diffusion is 160 meV, which is lower than that for protons. At hydrogen concentrations below 0.9, the muon diffusion behaviour is more complicated, and the influence of Nb−H phase transitions is evident. The implications for the local environment of the muon are discussed.     

Aromatische Substanzen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Muon spin relaxation in CeCu2Si2 and muon knight shift in various heavy-fermion systems

Positive muon spin precession has been observed in various heavy-fermion systems in the transverse external magnetic field. In the superconductor CeCu_2.1Si₂, the relaxation rate of muon spins increases rapidly with decreasing temperature below T_C. This is interpreted as the results of the inhomogeneous fields due to the imperfect penetration of the external field into the type-II superconducting state. The magnetic-field penetration depth λ is derived from the observed muon spin relaxation rate. λ is about 1200 ∢ at T∼0.5T_C, and the temperature dependence of λ is consistent with the relation expected for a BCS superconductor. We have also measured the muon Knight shift K_μ in the normal (or paramagnetic) state of various heavy-fermion systems. K_μ is large and negative (about −1000∼−3000 ppm at T=10 K) for CeCu₂Si₂, UPt₃ and CeAl₃, while more complicated signals are measured in CePb₃ and CeB₆. The negative muon Knight shift in the non-magnetic heavy-fermion systems is discussed in terms of the Kondo-coupling between the conduction- and f-electrons.     

μSR measurements of off-axis internal magnetic fields in anisotropic superconductors

A systematic procedure which enables the study of complicated internal field distributions is discussed. It is proposed that this may be useful for studying the fields due to the flux line lattice (FLL) of the high temperature superconductors. Moment distributions of the Fourier transform of the internal field components can be obtained. We have used the London theory as developed by Kogan and others to calculate the internal field distributions, explicitly including those field components which are transverse to the average internal field. We have used this to make estimates of the expected frequency dependence of these moment distributions.     

Muon hyperfine fields in iron and its dilute alloys

The temperature dependence (240 to 633 K) of the interstitial magnetic field, B_μ, as determined by the rotation of the spin of the μ⁺, has been measured for dilute polycrystalline iron alloys with Mo, Ti and Nb additions. In all cases the behaviours differ from one another and from the Fe(A1) alloys previously studied. B_μ, which is negative with respect to the magnetization, is increased in magnitude by A1 and Mo, and decreased greatly by Ti. The addition of Nb creates a two- phase alloy from which we can assess the role of heterogeneity and/or strain on B_μ in iron. If the temperature dependence of the hyperfine field B_hf extracted from B_μ for Fe(Mo) alloys is interpreted on the model previously used to discuss the Fe(A1) data, we would conclude that the muon is attracted to the Mo atom while repelled by the A1 atoms as the temperature decreases. Measurements giving room temperature values of B_μ for iron alloys with Mn, Cr, V and W taken after annealing above the recrystallization temperature are also reported.     

Sites and diffusion for muons and hydrogen in titanium hydrides

Low temperature sites for muons implanted in TiHx have been found to be a mixture of interstitial and substitutional sites, with substitutional occupancy determined by the probability that a muon in an interstitial site will have a vacant nearest neighbor substitutional site. As with ZrHx, activation from the interstitial site is observed below 300 K. From the depolarization rate in the substitutional site, the muon likely displaces the neighboring H atoms by about 0.1 A. Diffusion for the substitutional muons occurs above room temperature with an activation of about 0.38 eV, which is less than the 0.505 eV for hydrogen vacancy motion observed by NMR. To explain this the muon transition rate to a vacancy must be less than that of hydrogen.     

Magnetic ordering in Nd2-xCexCuO4-y

The n-type cuprate superconductor and closely related samples of the general form Nd_2−x Ce _x CuO_4−y have been studied with the muon spin relaxation technique. Non-super-conducting samples display antiferromagnetism (AFM) withT _N below 150 K, the value being dependent upon both Ce concentration and oxygen depletion. The results are interpreted in terms of carrier concentration.     

Enantioselective total synthesis and absolute configuration of apiosporic acid

The first total synthesis of the polyketide apiosporic acid is presented. Key steps are a Julia-Kocienski olefination, a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, and an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction. The absolute configuration of the natural product was determined.