c-axis Raman Scattering in MgB2: Observation of a Dirty-Limit Gap in the pi-bands

Raman scattering spectra from the ac-face of thick MgB2 single crystals were measured in zz, xz and xx polarisations. In zz and xz polarisations a threshold at around 29 cm^{-1} forms in the below Tc continuum but no pair-breaking peak is seen, in contrast to the sharp pair-breaking peak at around 100 cm^{-1} seen in xx polarisation. The zz and xz spectra are consistent with Raman scattering from a dirty superconductor while the sharp peak in the xx spectra argues for a clean system. Analysis of the spectra resolves this contradiction, placing the larger and smaller gap magnitudes in the sigma and pi bands, and indicating that relatively strong impurity scattering is restricted to the pi bands.Comment: Revised manuscript accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Correlated enhancement of Hc2 and Jc in carbon nanotube-doped MgB2

The use of MgB2 in superconducting applications still awaits for the development of a MgB2-based material where both current-carrying performance and critical magnetic field are optimized simultaneously. We achieved this by doping MgB2 with double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) as a source of carbon in polycrystalline samples. The optimum nominal DWCNT content for increasing the critical current density, Jc is in the range 2.5-10%at depending on field and temperature. Record values of the upper critical field, Hc2(4K) = 41.9 T (with extrapolated Hc2(0) ~ 44.4 T) are reached in a bulk sample with 10%at DWCNT content. The measured Hc2 vs T in all samples are successfully described using a theoretical model for a two-gap superconductor in the dirty limit first proposed by Gurevich et al.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Finger patterns produced by thermomagnetic instability in superconductors

A linear analysis of thermal diffusion and Maxwell equations is applied to study the thermomagnetic instability in a type-II superconducting slab. It is shown that the instability can lead to formation of spatially nonuniform distributions of magnetic field and temperature. The distributions acquire a finger structure with fingers perpendicular to the screening current direction. We derive the criterion for the instability, and estimate its build-up time and characteristic finger width. The fingering instability emerges when the background electric field is larger than a threshold field, $E>E_c$, and the applied magnetic field exceeds a value $H_fing \propto 1/\sqrt{E}$. Numerical simulations support the analytical results, and allow to follow the development of the fingering instability beyond the linear regime. The fingering instability may be responsible for the nucleation of dendritic flux patterns observed in superconducting films using magneto-optical imaging.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev. B; (new version: minor changes

Evidence for two-dimensional nucleation of superconductivity in MgB2_{2}

According to the crystal structure of MgB$_{2}$ and band structure calculations quasi-two-dimensional (2D) boron planes are responsible for the superconductivity. We report on critical fields and resistance measurements of 30 nm thick MgB$_{2}$ films grown on MgO single crystalline substrate. A linear temperature dependence of the parallel and perpendicular upper critical fields indicate a 3D-like penetration of magnetic field into the sample. Resistivity measurements, in contrast, yield a temperature dependence of fluctuation conductivity above T$_{c}$ which agrees with the Aslamazov-Larkin theory of fluctuations in 2D superconductors. We consider this finding as an experimental evidence of two-dimensional nucleation of superconductivity in MgB$_{2}$.Comment: 5 RevTex pages, 3 PostScript Figures ZIPed in archive Sidoren.zip. Submitted to EuroPhys. Lett. December 3, 200

Thin film growth by pulsed laser deposition and properties of 122-type iron-based superconductor AE(Fe1--xCox)2As2 (AE = alkaline earth)

This paper reports comprehensive results on thin-film growth of 122-type iron-pnictide superconductors, AE(Fe1-xCox)2As2 (AE = Ca, Sr, and Ba, AEFe2As2:Co) by a pulsed laser deposition method using a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser as an excitation source. The most critical parameter to produce the SrFe2As2:Co and BaFe2As2:Co phases is the substrate temperature (Ts). It is difficult to produce highly-pure CaFe2As2:Co phase thin film at any Ts. For BaFe2As2:Co epitaxial films, controlling Ts at 800-850 {\deg}C and growth rate to 2.8-3.3 {\AA}/s produced high-quality films with good crystallinity, flat surfaces, and high critical current densities > 1 MA/cm2, which were obtained for film thicknesses from 100 to 500 nm. The doping concentration x was optimized for Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 epitaxial films, leading to the highest critical temperature of 25.5 K in the epitaxial films with the nominal x = 0.075.Comment: will be published in the special issue of Superconductor Science and Technology, `Iron12

Specific heat of single crystal MgB_2: a two-band superconductor with two different anisotropies

Heat-capacity measurements of a 39 microgramm MgB_2 single crystal in fields up to 14 T and below 3 K allow the determination of the low-temperature linear term of the specific heat, its field dependence and its anisotropy. Our results are compatible with two-band superconductivity, the band carrying the small gap being isotropic, that carrying the large gap having an anisotropy of ~ 5. Three different upper critical fields are thus needed to describe the superconducting state of MgB2.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures - V2: Bibliography updated and some typo corrected. One reference added - V3: version accepted for publication in PRL, changes made in the tex

Vortex Imaging in the pi-Band of Magnesium Diboride

We report scanning tunneling spectroscopy imaging of the vortex lattice in single crystalline MgB2. By tunneling parallel to the c-axis, a single superconducting gap (Delta = 2.2 meV) associated with the pi-band is observed. The vortices in the pi-band have a large core size compared to estimates based on Hc2, and show an absence of localized states in the core. Furthermore, superconductivity between the vortices is rapidly suppressed by an applied field. These results suggest that superconductivity in the pi-band is, at least partially, induced by the intrinsically superconducting sigma-band.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Current percolation and anisotropy in polycrystalline MgB2_2

The influence of anisotropy on the transport current in MgB$_2$ polycrystalline bulk samples and wires is discussed. A model for the critical current density is proposed, which is based on anisotropic London theory, grain boundary pinning and percolation theory. The calculated currents agree convincingly with experimental data and the fit parameters, especially the anisotropy, obtained from percolation theory agree with experiment or theoretical predictions.Comment: 5 pages, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters (http://prl.aps.org/