Spontaneous vortex phase (SVP) of ruthenocuprate highT c magneto-superconductors

The Ru_0.9Sr₂YCu_2.1O_7.9 compound synthesized by HPHT (high pressure high temperature) solid-state reaction route exhibits bulk superconductivity below 30 K. Also the Ru-spins are ordered magnetically above 143 K, with a ferromagnetic component at 5 K. Low field (<1000 Oe)M vs.H plots show that both the superconducting and ferromagnetic components are present in the compound at 5 K. At low temperatures, the compound though remains in spontaneous vortex phase, itsM vs.H hysteresis loop is symmetric instead of the theoretically expected asymmetric one. Our results cast doubts on either theoretical model or the intrinsic nature of ferromagnetic superconductivity in studied ruthenate.     

Effect of Cr substitution on the superconducting and magnetic properties of RuSr2Eu1.5Ce0.5Cu2O10−δ

In this paper we investigate the properties of polycrystalline series of Ru_1?xCr_xSr₂Eu_1.5Ce_0.5Cu₂O_10?δ (0.0 ? x ? 0.40) by resistivity, XRD and dc magnetization measurements. EuRu-1222 is a reported magneto superconductor with Ru spins magnetic ordering at temperatures near 100 K and superconductivity occurs in Cu–O₂ planes below T_c ? 40 K. The exact nature of Ru spins magnetic ordering is still being debated and no conclusion has been reached yet. In this work, we found the superconducting transition temperature T_c = 20 K from resistivity and dc magnetization measurements for pristine sample. DC magnetization measurements exhibited ferromagnetic like transition for all samples.     

Superconductivity in Pb-1212–Cu1−xPbxSr2Y0.6Ca0.4Cu2O7 (x = 0.5–0.9)

We report synthesis and superconductivity of Pb-1212–Cu_1?xPb_xSr₂Y_0.6Ca_0.4Cu₂O₇ (x = 0.5–0.9) compounds. These compounds were synthesized through solid-state reaction route with optimized sintering temperatures and conditions. In particular, one needs to employ reducing atmosphere conditions to achieve superconductivity in higher Pb content samples. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns reveals that all the compounds are crystallized in space group P4/mmm RE-123 structure. Superconductivity at 56 K (onset) is achieved for Pb content as high as 90%. Our study reveals that superconductivity and structure stabilization in Pb-based are more critical to synthesizing conditions than other cuprates. It is concluded that superconductivity can be introduced in Pb-1212 compounds by synthesizing the same in reducing atmosphere and thus the Pb in lower (<+4) valence state. This ensures the replacement of Cu–O_x chains of RE-123 by Pb–O_x sheets acting as charge reservoir carrier donating blocks.     

Structural order and disorder in Co-based layered cuprates CoSr2(Y,Ce)sCu2O5+2s (s=1-3)

Crystal structures of a homologous series of Co-based layered cuprates, CoSr₂(Y,Ce)_sCu₂O_5+2s (s=1-3), have been investigated by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and electron diffraction (ED) techniques. For all the three phases ED patterns showed double periodicity along a direction parallel to the CoO layers, indicating a regular alternation of two types of CoO₄-tetrahedra chains within the layers. Also seen was ordering of the chains along the layer-stacking direction for the s=1 phase (Co-1212); ED patterns simulated based on the proposed superstructure model well reproduced the observed patterns. For the s=2 (Co-1222) and s=3 (Co-1232) phases in which an additional fluorite-type layer-block is inserted between two CuO₂ planes, HREM and ED analysis revealed complete disorder of the CoO₄ chains along the layer-stacking direction. This implies that the interlayer ordering is mainly controlled by the distance between the neighboring CoO layers.     

Nonlinear magnetic response in ruthenocuprates

We have performed an investigation of the nonlinear magnetic response in ruthenocuprates. A negative, diverging-like peak at the main magnetic transition T_N in RuSr₂ RECu₂O₈ (RE = Gd, Y) indicates a possible canted antiferromagnetic order. Another well defined feature above T_N points to a blocking of superparamagnetic particles through the T^-3 dependence of the third harmonic at higher temperatures. Below T_N a nondiverging peak appears, which is strongly affected by the addition of 10% of Cu ions in the RuO₂ planes. In RuSr₂ RE _2-xCe_xCu₂O₁₀ the main magnetic transition T_M is accompanied by two characteristic temperatures in the third harmonic of the ac susceptibility, in agreement with recent studies from μSR and M?ssbauer spectroscopy. We find that the spin-spin correlation temperature is the same in both families of ruthenocuprates.     

Comment on magnetism and superconductivity in rutheno cuprates: RuSr2GdCu2O8 and RuSr2Gd1.5Ce0.5Cu2O10

Both RuSr₂GdCu₂O_8-δ (Ru-1212) and RuSr₂Gd_1.5Ce_0.5Cu₂O_10-δ (Ru-1222) exhibits magnetism and superconductivity, as seen by magnetization vs. temperature behavior measured in 5 Oe field. Zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) magnetization data show branching at around 140 K and 100 K with a cusp at 135 K and 80 K and a diamagnetic transition around 20 K and 30 K in the ZFC part, for Ru-1212 and Ru-1222, respectively. The isothermal magnetization possesses a non-linear contribution due to a ferromagnetic component at low temperatures below 50 K for both samples. The resistance vs. temperature behavior of the samples in applied fields of 0, 3 and 7 T confirmed superconductivity, with a different type of broadening of the superconductivity transition under magnetic fields for Ru-1212 from that known for conventional high-T _c superconductors. The magnetoresistance (MR) is negative above the Ru magnetic ordering temperature at 135 K. Below the Ru magnetic ordering temperature, MR displays a positive peak at low fields and becomes negative at higher fields for Ru-1212. For Ru-1222, MR remains negative both above and below the ordering temperature. A maximum of 2% is observed for the negative MR value at the Ru magnetic ordering temperature. An electron diffraction pattern obtained for the Ru-1212 sample shows two types of superstructure: one has a weak spot at the centre of the a–b rectangle, and the other only along the b direction. Interestingly, Ru-1222 shows only clean a–b and a–c planes, without any superstructures.     

Physical property characterization of single step synthesized NdFeAsO<Subscript>0.80</Subscript>F<Subscript>0.20</Subscript> bulk 50 K superconductor

We report an easy single step synthesis route of title compound NdFeAsO_0.80F_0.20 superconductor having bulk superconductivity below 50 K. The title compound is synthesized via solid-state reaction route by encapsulation in an evacuated (10^-3 Torr) quartz tube. Rietveld analysis of powder X-ray diffraction data shows that compound crystallized in tetragonal structure with space group P4/nmm. R(T)H measurements showed superconductivity with T _c (R = 0) at 48 K and a very high upper critical field (H _c2) of up to 345 T. Magnetic measurements exhibited bulk superconductivity in terms of diamagnetic onset below 50 K. The lower critical field (H _c1) is around 1000 Oe at 5 K. In normal state i.e., above 60 K, the compound exhibited purely paramagnetic behavior and thus ruling out the presence of any ordered FeO _x impurity in the matrix. In specific heat measurements a jump is observed in the vicinity of superconducting transition (T _c ) along with an upturn at below T = 4 K due to the AFM ordering of Nd⁺³ ions in the system. The Thermo-electric power (TEP) is negative down to T _c , thus indicating dominant carriers to be of n-type in NdFeAsO_0.80F_0.20 superconductor. The granularity of the bulk superconducting NdFeAsO_0.8F_0.2 sample is investigated and the intra and inter grain contributions have been individuated by looking at various amplitude and frequencies of the applied AC drive magnetic field.     

Interplay of Sm and Co spins in SmCoAsO

We present detailed magnetization and magneto-transport studies on the title compound SmCoAsO. In a recent paper we reported (Awana et al., 2010 [1]) the complex magnetism of this compound. SmCoAsO undergoes successive paramagnetic (PM)-ferro-magnetic (FM)-anti-ferro-magnetic (AFM) transitions with decrease in temperature. This is mainly driven via the c-direction interaction of Sm^4f (SmO layer) spins with adjacent (CoAs layer) ordered Co^3d spins. In this article we present an evidence of kinetic arrest for FM-AFM transition. The isothermal magnetization (MH) loops for SmCoAsO exhibited the meta-magnetic transitions at 6, 8 and 10 K at around 80, 60 and 50 kOe fields, respectively, with characteristic hysteresis shoulders along with the non-zero moment at the origin, thus suggesting the possibility of kinetic arrest. Suggested kinetic arrest is further evident in zero field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) hysteresis under high fields of up to 140 kOe magnetization (MT) and the magneto-transport measurements R(T)H during FM-AFM transition. The time dependent moment experiments exhibited very small (∼2-3%) increase of the same below 20 kOe and decrease for 30 kOe at 15 K.