Test for interlayer coherence in a quasi-two-dimensional superconductor

Peaks in the magnetoresistivity of the layered superconductor $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu(NCS)$_2$, measured in fields $\leq 45$ T applied within the layers, show that the Fermi surface is extended in the interlayer direction and enable the interlayer transfer integral ($t_{\perp} \approx 0.04$ meV) to be deduced. However, the quasiparticle scattering rate $\tau^{-1}$ is such that $\hbar/\tau \sim 6t_{\perp}$, implying that $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu(NCS)$_2$ meets the criterion used to identify interlayer incoherence. The applicability of this criterion to anisotropic materials is thus shown to be questionable.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Evidence for structural and electronic instabilities at intermediate temperatures in κ\kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2_{2}X for X=Cu[N(CN)2_{2}]Cl, Cu[N(CN)2_{2}]Br and Cu(NCS)2_{2}: Implications for the phase diagram of these quasi-2D organic superconductors

We present high-resolution measurements of the coefficient of thermal expansion $\alpha (T)=\partial \ln l(T)/\partial T$ of the quasi-twodimensional (quasi-2D) salts $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$X with X = Cu(NCS)$_2$, Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br and Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Cl. At intermediate temperatures (B), distinct anomalies reminiscent of second-order phase transitions have been found at $T^\ast = 38$ K and 45 K for the superconducting X = Cu(NCS)$_2$ and Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br salts, respectively. Most interestingly, we find that the signs of the uniaxial pressure coefficients of $T^\ast$ are strictly anticorrelated with those of $T_c$. We propose that $T^\ast$ marks the transition to a spin-density-wave (SDW) state forming on minor, quasi-1D parts of the Fermi surface. Our results are compatible with two competing order parameters that form on disjunct portions of the Fermi surface. At elevated temperatures (C), all compounds show $\alpha (T)$ anomalies that can be identified with a kinetic, glass-like transition where, below a characteristic temperature $T_g$, disorder in the orientational degrees of freedom of the terminal ethylene groups becomes frozen in. We argue that the degree of disorder increases on going from the X = Cu(NCS)$_2$ to Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br and the Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Cl salt. Our results provide a natural explanation for the unusual time- and cooling-rate dependencies of the ground-state properties in the hydrogenated and deuterated Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br salts reported in the literature.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure

A statistical model for the intrinsically broad superconducting to normal transition in quasi-two-dimensional crystalline organic metals

Although quasi-two-dimensional organic superconductors such as $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu(NCS)$_2$ seem to be very clean systems, with apparent quasiparticle mean-free paths of several thousand \AA, the superconducting transition is intrinsically broad (e.g $\sim 1$ K wide for $T_c \approx 10$ K). We propose that this is due to the extreme anisotropy of these materials, which greatly exacerbates the statistical effects of spatial variations in the potential experienced by the quasiparticles. Using a statistical model, we are able to account for the experimental observations. A parameter $\bar{x}$, which characterises the spatial potential variations, may be derived from Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation experiments. Using this value, we are able to predict a transition width which is in good agreement with that observed in MHz penetration-depth measurements on the same sample.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, submitted to J. Phys. Condens. Matte

Isotope effect in superconductors with coexisting interactions of phonon and nonphonon mechanisms

We examine the isotope effect of superconductivity in systems with coexisting interactions of phonon and nonphonon mechanisms in addition to the direct Coulomb interaction. The interaction mediated by the spin fluctuations is discussed as an example of the nonphonon interaction. Extended formulas for the transition temperature Tc and the isotope-effect coefficient alpha are derived for cases (a) omega_np omega_D, where omega_np is an effective cutoff frequency of the nonphonon interaction that corresponds to the Debye frequency omega_D in the phonon interaction. In case (a), it is found that the nonphonon interaction does not change the condition for the inverse isotope effect, i.e., mu^* > lambda_ph/2, but it modifies the magnitude of alpha markedly. In particular, it is found that a giant isotope shift occurs when the phonon and nonphonon interactions cancel each other largely. For instance, strong critical spin fluctuations may give rise to the giant isotope effect. In case (b), it is found that the inverse isotope effect occurs only when the nonphonon interaction and the repulsive Coulomb interaction, in total effect, work as repulsive interactions against the superconductivity. We discuss the relevance of the present result to some organic superconductors, such as kappa-(ET)2Cu(NCS)2 and Sr2RuO4 superconductors, in which inverse isotope effects have been observed, and briefly to high-Tc cuprates, in which giant isotope effects have been observed.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, (with jpsj2.cls, ver.1.2), v2:linguistic correction

Electronic Collective Modes and Superconductivity in Layered Conductors

A distinctive feature of layered conductors is the presence of low-energy electronic collective modes of the conduction electrons. This affects the dynamic screening properties of the Coulomb interaction in a layered material. We study the consequences of the existence of these collective modes for superconductivity. General equations for the superconducting order parameter are derived within the strong-coupling phonon-plasmon scheme that account for the screened Coulomb interaction. Specifically, we calculate the superconducting critical temperature Tc taking into account the full temperature, frequency and wave-vector dependence of the dielectric function. We show that low-energy plasmons may contribute constructively to superconductivity. Three classes of layered superconductors are discussed within our model: metal-intercalated halide nitrides, layered organic materials and high-Tc oxides. In particular, we demonstrate that the plasmon contribution (electronic mechanism) is dominant in the first class of layered materials. The theory shows that the description of so-called ``quasi-two-dimensional superconductors'' cannot be reduced to a purely 2D model, as commonly assumed. While the transport properties are strongly anisotropic, it remains essential to take into account the screened interlayer Coulomb interaction to describe the superconducting state of layered materials.Comment: Final version (minor changes) 14 pages, 6 figure

Распространенность инфекции HPV/p16+ среди пациентов с орофарингеальной плоскоклеточной карциномой в центре высокоспециализированной медицинской помощи в Южной Индии

Introduction. Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas are often found to be associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. The prevalence of HPV infection among oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas patients in India is comparatively lower to that of the same worldwide. Aim. To find out the prevalence of HPV infection among oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas patients who presented in our hospital.Settings and design. Retrospective cross-sectional study.Materials and methods. Tissue block of 60 patients with biopsy-proven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas were subjected to immunohistochemistry for evaluating p16 expression. The p16 expression pattern was correlated with the demographic details. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and Statistical Analysis was done with the help of SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp. Released, 2013. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.).Results. Prevalence of HPV infection in our study was found to be 11.7 %. 85.8 % of all p16-positive patients had moderate-well differentiated disease. 6 out of 7 p16-positive patients had higher T stage (T3–4). All the patients who were p16+ were found to have a higher Nodal stage (N2–3). 100 % of all p16+ patients were found to have stage IV disease.Conclusion. Prevalence of HPV infection was found to be similar to that of previous studies conducted in India. These patients also presented with advanced nodal disease at presentation and thereby, an advanced overall stage.Введение. Орофарингеальная плоскоклеточная карцинома часто связана с заражением вирусом папилломы человека (ВпЧ). Распространенность инфекции ВпЧ среди пациентов с данной патологией в Индии сравнительно ниже, чем в других странах.Цель исследования – определить распространенность инфекции ВпЧ среди пациентов с орофарингеальной плоскоклеточной карциномой, получавших лечение в нашей больнице.Дизайн исследования. Ретроспективное одномоментное исследование.Материалы и методы. Образцы тканей 60 пациентов с подтвержденным биопсией диагнозом «орофарингеальная плоскоклеточная карцинома» были исследованы иммуногистохимически на экспрессию p16. Было проведено сравнение профиля экспрессии p16 с демографическими данными. полученные результаты оценены с помощью программы Microsoft Excel. Статистический анализ выполнен с использованием программного обеспечения SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp. Released, 2013. IBM SPSS Statistics для Windows, версия 22.0, Армонк, Нью-Йорк: IBM Corp.).Результаты. Частота встречаемости ВпЧ в нашем исследовании составила 11,7 %. Среднеи высокодифференцированное заболевание наблюдалось у 85,8 % пациентов с положительной экспрессией p16. Шесть из 7 больных с такой экспрессией p16 имели более высокую T-стадию (T3–4), а все больные с таким показателем – высокую N-стадию (N2–3). У всех пациентов с положительной экспрессией p16 наблюдалось заболевание стадии IV.Заключение. Распространенность инфекции ВпЧ была близкой к значениям, полученным в других исследованиях в Индии. Для пациентов с этой инфекцией также были характерны вовлеченность лимфатических узлов (N-стадия) в патологический процесс и более высокая общая стадия заболевания

Comparative magnetotransport and Tc measurements on kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(SCN)2 under pressure

We compare magnetotransport measurements under pressure on the organic superconductor $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_{2}$Cu(SCN)$_{2}$ with different pressure-media and discover that the results are pressure media dependent. This pressure-medium dependence is thought to originate from the difference in thermal contraction between the very soft and highly anisotropic sample and the isotropically contracting, but solid pressure medium, thus resulting in non-hydrostatic pressure on the sample. However, comparison of pressure measurements with different media reveals a pressure-medium independent correlation between the superconducting transition temperature, T$_{\rm c}$, and the size of the quasi 2-dimensional Fermi surface pocket and thus the quasi 2-dimensional carrier density in $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_{2}$Cu(SCN)$_{2}$. The observed pressure-induced increase in the quasi 2-dimensional carrier density can be interpreted as a transfer of carriers from quasi 1-dimensional Fermi surface sections, reminiscent of a mechanism in cuprate superconductors, where pressure is known to transfer carriers from the insulating charge reservoir layers into the conducting cuprate sheets.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

Identification and Structural Characterization of a New Three-Finger Toxin Hemachatoxin from Hemachatus haemachatus Venom

10.1371/journal.pone.0048112PLoS ONE710

Electronic Structure Calculation by First Principles for Strongly Correlated Electron Systems

Recent trends of ab initio studies and progress in methodologies for electronic structure calculations of strongly correlated electron systems are discussed. The interest for developing efficient methods is motivated by recent discoveries and characterizations of strongly correlated electron materials and by requirements for understanding mechanisms of intriguing phenomena beyond a single-particle picture. A three-stage scheme is developed as renormalized multi-scale solvers (RMS) utilizing the hierarchical electronic structure in the energy space. It provides us with an ab initio downfolding of the global band structure into low-energy effective models followed by low-energy solvers for the models. The RMS method is illustrated with examples of several materials. In particular, we overview cases such as dynamics of semiconductors, transition metals and its compounds including iron-based superconductors and perovskite oxides, as well as organic conductors of kappa-ET type.Comment: 44 pages including 38 figures, to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. as an invited review pape

Incoherent Interplane Conductivity of kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br

The interplane optical spectrum of the organic superconductor kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br was investigated in the frequency range from 40 to 40,000 cm-1. The optical conductivity was obtained by Kramers-Kronig analysis of the reflectance. The absence of a Drude peak at low frequency is consistent with incoherent conductivity but in apparent contradiction to the metallic temperature dependence of the DC resistivity. We set an upper limit to the interplane transfer integral of tb = 0.1 meV. A model of defect-assisted interplane transport can account for this discrepancy. We also assign the phonon lines in the conductivity to the asymmetric modes of the ET molecule.Comment: 7 pages with embedded figures, submitted to PR