Microscopic observation of superconducting fluctuations in κ\kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2_{2}Cu[N(CN)2_{2}]Br by 13^{13}C NMR spectroscopy

We performed $^{13}$C-NMR experiment and measured spin-lattice relaxation rate divided by temperature $1/T_{1}T$ near the superconducting (SC) transition temperature $T_{c}$ in $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_{2}$Cu[N(CN)$_{2}$]Br ($\kappa$-Br salt), and $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_{2}$Cu(NCS)$_{2}$ ($\kappa$-NCS salt). We observed the reduction of $1/T_{1}T$ starting at the temperature higher than $T_c$ in $\kappa$-Br salt. Microscopic observation of quasi-particle density of states in the fluctuating SC state revealed the effects of short-range Cooper pairs induced in the normal state to the quasi-particle density of states. We also performed systematic measurements in the fields both parallel and perpendicular to the conduction plane in $\kappa$-Br and $\kappa$-NCS salts, and confirmed that the reduction of $1/T_{1}T$ above $T_{c}$ is observed only in $\kappa$-Br salt regardless of the external field orientation.Comment: Accepted for publication in PR

Electron-Phonon mechanism for Superconductivity in Na0.35_{0.35}CoO2_2: Valence-Band Suhl-Kondo effect Driven by Shear Phonons

To study the possible mechanism of superconductivity in Na$_{0.35}$CoO$_2$, we examine the interaction between all the relevant optical phonons (breathing and shear phonons) and $t_{2g}(a_{1g}+e_g')$-electrons of Co-ions, and study the transition temperature for a s-wave superconductivity. The obtained $T_{\rm c}$ is very low when the $e_g'$-valence-bands are far below the Fermi level. However, $T_{\rm c}$ is strongly enhanced when the top of the $e_g'$-valence-bands is close to the Fermi level (say -50meV), thanks to interband hopping of Cooper pairs caused by shear phonons. This ``valence-band Suhl-Kondo mechanism'' due to shear phonons is significant to understand the superconductivity in Na$_{0.35}$CoO$_2$. By the same mechanism, the kink structure of the band-dispersion observed by ARPES, which indicates the strong mass-enhancement ($m^\ast/m\sim3$) due to optical phonons, is also explained.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; v2:Added references, published in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Anisotropic Behavior of Knight Shift in Superconducting State of Na_xCoO_2yH_2O

The Co Knight shift was measured in an aligned powder sample of Na_xCoO_2yH_2O, which shows superconductivity at T_c \sim 4.6 K. The Knight-shift components parallel (K_c) and perpendicular to the c-axis (along the ab plane K_{ab}) were measured in both the normal and superconducting (SC) states. The temperature dependences of K_{ab} and K_c are scaled with the bulk susceptibility, which shows that the microscopic susceptibility deduced from the Knight shift is related to Co-3d spins. In the SC state, the Knight shift shows an anisotropic temperature dependence: K_{ab} decreases below 5 K, whereas K_c does not decrease within experimental accuracy. This result raises the possibility that spin-triplet superconductivity with the spin component of the pairs directed along the c-axis is realized in Na_xCoO_2yH_2O.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Journal of Physical Society of Japan vol. 75, No.

Incidence of the Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid state on the NMR spin lattice relaxation in Carbon Nanotubes

We report 13C nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) bundles. The temperature dependence of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate, 1/T1, exhibits a power-law variation, as expected for a Tomonage-Luttinger liquid (TLL). The observed exponent is smaller than that expected for the two band TLL model. A departure from the power law is observed only at low T, where thermal and electronic Zeeman energy merge. Extrapolation to zero magnetic field indicates gapless spin excitations. The wide T range on which power-law behavior is observed suggests that SWCNT is so far the best realization of a one-dimensional quantum metal.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

23Na NMR study of non-superconducting double-layer hydrate NaxCoO2.yH2O

We report 23Na NMR studies of the polycrystalline samples of double-layer hydrated cobalt oxides NaxCoO2.yH2O (x ~ 0.35 and y ~ 1.3) with the superconducting transition temperatures Tc < 1.8K and ~4.5K, and the dehydrated NaxCoO2 (x ~ 0.35). The hyperfine field and the electric field gradient at the Na sites in the non-hydrated Na0.7CoO2 and the dehydrated Na0.35CoO2 are found to be significantly reduced by the hydration, which indicates a strong shielding effect of the intercalated water molecules on the Na sites. The temperature dependence of 23 Na nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/23T1 of the non-superconducting double-layer hydrate NaxCoO2.yH2O is found to be similar to that of the non-hydrated Na0.7CoO2, whose spin dynamics is understood by A-type (intra-layer ferromagnetic and inter-layer antiferromagnetic) spin fluctuations. The superconducting phase is located close to the quantum critical point with the A-type magnetic instability.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Spin Dynamics at the Mott Transition and in the Metallic State of the Cs_{3}C_{60} Superconducting Phases

We present here ^{13}C and ^{133}Cs NMR spin lattice relaxation T_{1} data in the A15 and fcc-Cs_{3}C_{60} phases for increasing hydrostatic pressure through the transition at p_{c} from a Mott insulator to a superconductor. We evidence that for p>> p_{c} the (T_{1}T)^{-1} data above T_{c} display metallic like Korringa constant values which match quantitatively previous data taken on other A_{3}C_{60} compounds. However below the pressure for which T_{c} goes through a maximum, (T_{1}T)^{-1} is markedly increased with respect to the Korringa values expected in a simple BCS scenario. This points out the importance of electronic correlations near the Mott transition. For p > p_{c} singular T dependences of (T_{1}T)^{-1} are detected for T >> T_{c}. It will be shown that they can be ascribed to a large variation with temperature of the Mott transition pressure p_{c} towards a liquid-gas like critical point, as found at high T for usual Mott transitions.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, submitted to EP

Superconductivity induced by longitudinal ferromagnetic fluctuations in UCoGe

From detailed angle-resolved NMR and Meissner measurements on a ferromagnetic (FM) superconductor UCoGe (T_Curie ~ 2.5 K and T_SC ~ 0.6 K), we show that superconductivity in UCoGe is tightly coupled with longitudinal FM spin fluctuations along the c axis. We found that magnetic fields along the c axis (H || c) strongly suppress the FM fluctuations and that the superconductivity is observed in the limited magnetic field region where the longitudinal FM spin fluctuations are active. These results combined with model calculations strongly suggest that the longitudinal FM spin fluctuations tuned by H || c induce the unique spin-triplet superconductivity in UCoGe. This is the first clear example that FM fluctuations are intimately related with superconductivity.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to appear in PR

Lifetime-Extended MCP-PMT

In order to develop a long-lifetime MCP-PMT under high rates of circumstance, we investigated the degradation of the quantum efficiency (QE) of PMT's with a multialkali photocathode. We found that not only positive ions, but also neutral residual gases would damage the photocathode resulting in an enhancement of the work function; their countermeasures were established in newly manufactured square-shaped MCP-PMT's with 4 or 4x4 multi-anodes. The performances of the PMT's were measured: QE was stable up to an integrated amount of anode output charge of 2-3 C/cm^2, while keeping other basic performances steady, such as the time resolution for single photons of ~40 ps, a photoelectron collection efficiency (CE) of 60%, a multiplication gain (G) of a few x 10^6, and dark counts of 20-300 Hz. The causes of QE degradation are discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure

CoO2-Layer-Thickness Dependence of Magnetic Properties and Possible Two Different Superconducting States in NaxCoO2.yH2O

In order to understand the experimentally proposed phase diagrams of NaxCoO2.yH2O, we theoretically study the CoO2-layer-thickness dependence of magnetic and superconducting (SC) properties by analyzing a multiorbital Hubbard model using the random phase approximation. When the Co valence (s) is +3.4, we show that the magnetic fluctuation exhibits strong layer-thickness dependence where it is enhanced at finite (zero) momentum in the thicker (thinner) layer system. A magnetic order phase appears sandwiched by two SC phases, consistent with the experiments. These two SC phases have different pairing states where one is the singlet extended s-wave state and the other is the triplet p-wave state. On the other hand, only a triplet p-wave SC phase with dome-shaped behavior of Tc is predicted when s=+3.5, which is also consistent with the experiments. Controversial experimental results on the magnetic properties are also discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Journal of the Physical Society of Japa