Effect of heat treatment on electronic phase in underdoped La2-xSrxCuO4 single crystal

Superconducting La1.937Sr0.063CuO4 crystals grown by the travelling-solvent floating-zone technique were thermally treated under various temperatures and oxygen pressures for moderately adjusting the oxygen content. The response of intrinsic electronic property of the crystals to the change of hole density in La2-xSrxCuO4 in the vicinity of the magic doping of x= 1/16 （= 0.0625） is studied in detail by magnetic measurements under various fields up to 1 T. It is found that when the superconducting critical temperature （Tc） increases with the oxygen content, there appears also a new subtle electronic state that can be detected from the differential curves of diamagnetic susceptibility dx/dT of the crystal sample. In contrast with the intrinsic state, the new subtle electronic state is very fragile under the magnetic fields. Our results indicate that a moderate change in oxygen doping does not significantly modify the intrinsic electronic state originally existing at the magic doping level.     

The effects of interstitial oxygen on superconducting electronic phases in strontium and oxygen co-doped La1.937Sr0.063CuO4＋δ

Strontium and oxygen co-doped La1.937Sr0.063CuO4＋δ superconductor with Tc≈ 40K, which is obtained by oxidizing strontium-doped starting ceramic sample La1.937Sr0.063CuO4 in NaC10 solution, is annealed under different conditions to allow interstitial oxygen to redistribute. The evolution of the intrinsic superconducting property with the oxygen redistribution is studied in detail by magnetic measurements in various fields. It is found that there occurs the electronic phase separation from the single superconducting phase with Tc ≈ 40 K into two coexisting superconducting states with values of Tc： 15 and 40K or of 15 and 35 K in this system, depending on annealing condition. Our results indicate that the 15, 35 and 40 K superconducting phases associated with the excess oxygen redistribution are all thermodynamically meta-stable intrinsic states in this Sr/O co-doped cuprate.     

Single crystal growth and characterizations of iron arsenide superconductor BaFe2-xNixAs2（0.0≤x≤0.12）

A series of big single crystals of BaFeFe_2-xNi_xAs₂ have been prepared by the FeAs self-flux method, with nominal nickel doping x = 0--0.12. The dimensions of the cleaved crystals are over 10~mm along ab plane and ～ 2~mm in maximum along the c direction. The measurements of x-ray diffraction, electrical resistance and magnetic property are carried out on the crystals. For the undoped parent compound BaFe₂As₂, both resistance and magnetization data display an anomaly associated with spin density wave and/or structural phase transition, with the transition temperatures at ～ 138~K. For Ni-doped BaFe_2-xNi_xAs₂ crystals, the superconducting critical temperature T_c ranges from 4.3~K for x=0.06 sample to 20~K for the optimally doped x=0.10 crystal.     

Structural and physical properties of undoped and nickel-doped BaFe2-xNixAs2（x = 0,0.04） single crystals

<正>Single crystals of undoped and nickel-doped BaFe_(2-x)Ni_xAs_2(x=0,0.04) have been grown by FeAs self-flux method.The maximum dimension of the crystal is as large as ~ 1 cm along the ab plane.The crystalline topography of a cleaved crystal surface is examined by scanning electron microscope(SEM).By x-ray powder diffraction(XRD) experiments using pure silicon as an internal standard,precise unit cell parameters(tetragonal at room temperature) are determined:a = 3.9606(4) A(1 A=0.1 nm),c = 13.015(2) A for BaFe_(1.96)Ni_(0.04)As_2 and a = 3.9590(5) A,c = 13.024(1) A for BaFe_2As_2.DC magnetization and transport measurements are performed to check superconducting transition(T_c=15 K for x=0.04) and other subtle anomalies.For BaFe_(0.96)Ni_(0.04)As_2 crystal,the resistance curve at normal state shows two distinct anomalies associated with spin and structure transitions,and its magnetization data above ~ 91 K exhibit a linear temperature dependence due to spin density wave(SDW) instability.     

Floating-zone growth and property characterizations of high-quality La2-хSrхCuO4 superconductor crystals

We have grown underdoped(x=0.11,0.12) and optimally doped(x=0.16) La2 x SrxCuO4 single crystals by the traveling-solvent floating-zone technique.In order to prepare good quality cuprate crystals,we have made much effort to optimize the preparation procedures.For example,we haveadopted the sol-gel route to prepare a highly fine and homogeneous La2xSrxCuO4 precursor powder for fabricating a very dense ceramic feed rod used for the floating-zone growth,and we have also used quite a slow growth rate.The high quality of the grown crystals has been verified by double-crystal x-ray rocking curves,with the full-width-at-half-maximum being only 113-150 arcseconds,which are the best data reported so far for La2xSrxCuO4 crystals.The superconducting critical temperatures of the grown crystals are 30,31 and 38.5 K for x=0.11,0.12 and 0.16 samples,respectively,according to magnetic measurements.