Peculiarities of pseudogap in Y0.95Pr0.05Ba2Cu3O7−δ single crystals under pressure up to 1.7 GPa

The effect of hydrostatic pressure up to P = 1.7 GPa on the fluctuation conductivity σ′(T) and pseudogap ∆*(T) in Y0.95Pr0.05Ba2Cu3O7-δ single crystal with critical temperature Тс = 85.2 K (at P=0) was investigated. The application of pressure leads to the increase in Tc with dTc/dP = +1.82 K∙GPa-1 while the resistance decreases as dlnρ(100K)/dP = - (10.5±0.2) %∙GPa-1. Regardless of the pressure, in the temperature interval from Tc to T0 (~ 88 K at P = 0) the behaviour of σ′(T) is well described by the Aslamazov – Larkin (AL – 3D) fluctuation theory, and above the T0 by the Lawrence – Doniach theory (LD). The Maki-Thompson (MT – 2D) fluctuation contribution is not observed. This indicates the presence of structural defects in the sample induced by Pr. Here it is determined for the first time that when the pressure is applied to the Y1-xPrxBa2Cu3O7-δ single crystal, the pseudogap increases as dlnΔ*/dP = 0.17 GPa–1

Effect of annealing on a pseudogap state in untwinned YBa2Cu3O7-δ single crystals

The effect of annealing both in the oxygen atmosphere and at room temperatures on physical properties such as the pseudogap (Δ*(T)) and excess conductivity (σ΄(T)) of untwined YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) single crystal with a small deviation from oxygen stoichiometry is studied. It was revealed that as the charge carrier density, nf, increases, Тс also slightly increases, whereas the temperature of the pseudogap opening, T*, decreases noticeably, which is consistent with the phase diagram (PD) of cuprates. The excess conductivity in the vicinity of Tc is represented by the Aslamazov-Larkin and Hikami-Larkin fluctuation theories, illustrating the three-dimensional to two-dimensional (i.e. 3D-2D) crossover with an increase in temperature. The crossover temperature T0 determines the coherence length, which in the c axis is ξc(0) = 0.86 Å, that is 2.6 times larger than for optimally doped YBCO single crystals with defects. Taking into account the short coherence length in high-temperature superconductors, in the model of free charge carriers the phase relaxation time of fluctuating Cooper pairs is determined, τφ (100 K)= (4.55 ± 0.4) ·10-13 s, which is slightly (1.2 times) larger than in well-structured YBCO films, and as in films, does not depend on nf. It is shown that Δ*(T) at different annealing stages practically does not change its shape. As in the well-structured YBCO films, Δ*(T) demonstrates maximum at Tpair~ 124 K which depends weakly on nf. However, the maximum value of Δ*(Tpair) increases with increasing nf, as it follows from the PD of cuprates. Comparing the experimental data with the Peters-Bauer theory we estimated the density of local pairs ≈ 0.3 near Tc that is a common value for high-temperature superconductors

Microstructure and superconducting properties of Ca substituted Y(Ba1−xCax)2Cu3O7−δ ceramics prepared by thermal treatment method

The effect of Ca substitution in Ba site of Y(Ba1−xCax)2Cu3O7−δ, (x = 0.00, 0.04, 0.08, 0.1 and 0.125), ceramics prepared by thermal treatment method was investigated. Surface morphology, structural and superconducting were studied using field emission electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and four-probe method. FESEM analysis showed an increasing of samples’ grain size, homogeneity and compactness with increasing of Ca substitution. From XRD, the samples had orthorhombic crystal structure of space group Pmmm besides small amount of unknown peaks. The critical temperature (Tc R=zero) decreased from 87 K for the pure sample to 80 K for sample with x = 0.08, and it remained the same for samples with x ⩾ 0.08. Sample with x = 0.04 showed the sharpest superconducting transition (ΔTc), which could be due to good microstructure morphology and better crystallinity. Keywords: YBa2Cu3O7−δ, Ca substitution, Thermal treatment, X-ray Diffraction, Orthorhombic, Critical temperatur