740 research outputs found
Enhanced electron correlations in FeSb
FeSb has been recently identified as a new model system for studying
many-body renormalizations in a -electron based narrow gap semiconducting
system, strongly resembling FeSi. The electron-electron correlations in
FeSb manifest themselves in a wide variety of physical properties including
electrical and thermal transport, optical conductivity, magnetic
susceptibility, specific heat and so on. We review some of the properties that
form a set of experimental evidences revealing the crucial role of correlation
effects in FeSb. The metallic state derived from slight Te doping in
FeSb, which has large quasiparticle mass, will also be introduced.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures; submitted to Annalen der Physi
Unchanged thermopower enhancement at the semiconductor-metal transition in correlated FeSbTe
Substitution of Sb in FeSb by less than 0.5% of Te induces a transition
from a correlated semiconductor to an unconventional metal with large effective
charge carrier mass . Spanning the entire range of the semiconductor-metal
crossover, we observed an almost constant enhancement of the measured
thermopower compared to that estimated by the classical theory of electron
diffusion. Using the latter for a quantitative description one has to employ an
enhancement factor of 10-30. Our observations point to the importance of
electron-electron correlations in the thermal transport of FeSb, and
suggest a route to design thermoelectric materials for cryogenic applications.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Appl. Phys. Lett.
(2011
A Tale Of Two Countries: What The United States Can Learn From Brazil About Reducing Dependence On Foreign Oil
Dependence on foreign oil by the United States of America creates massive problems from the economic, environmental, and national security perspectives. In recognition of this reality, the USA embarked upon an energy independence plan in the mid-1970s, following the Arab oil embargo that accompanied the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Unfortunately, this effort has failed to the extent that the USA is more dependent upon foreign oil today than it was in 1976. At about the same time that the USA initiated its energy effort, a similar effort was also initiated in the South American nation of Brazil, which like the USA was alarmingly dependent upon foreign oil and had sustained substantial economic hardship as a result of the Arab embargo. Today, Brazil is substantially energy independent, and in fact exports oil to the USA. Obviously, Brazil implemented a more effective energy independence effort than did the USA. Lessons which the author believes may be learned from the Brazilian experience are that solving the problem requires that all possible solutions be pursued simultaneously with maximum vigor, that maximum use should be made of existing usable technology rather than waiting for laboratory-scale technologies to be perfected, and that solutions will be reached much faster if the private sector is actively engaged in a cooperative rather than adversarial manner. With these principles in mind, we review available alternatives and propose a comprehensive energy strategy that reduces the USA’s dependence on foreign oil in the short run, and ultimately eliminates that dependence in the long run. We further enunciate reasons for believing that such an integrated strategy is far superior to any effort to address the problem by focusing solely upon conservation, or alternative fuels, or “drill here, drill now,” to the exclusion or minimization of the other approaches. We conclude with a proposed plan for implementing the “all hands on deck” approach to energy independence
Highly Dispersive Electron Relaxation and Colossal Thermoelectricity in the Correlated Semiconductor FeSb
We show that the colossal thermoelectric power, , observed in the
correlated semiconductor FeSb below 30\,K is accompanied by a huge Nernst
coefficient and magnetoresistance MR. Markedly, the latter two
quantities are enhanced in a strikingly similar manner. While in the same
temperature range, of the reference compound FeAs, which has a
seven-times larger energy gap, amounts to nearly half of that of FeSb, its
and MR are intrinsically different to FeSb: they are smaller
by two orders of magnitude and have no common features. With the charge
transport of FeAs successfully captured by the density functional theory,
we emphasize a significantly dispersive electron-relaxation time
due to electron-electron correlations to be at the heart of
the peculiar thermoelectricity and magnetoresistance of FeSb.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Vortex avalanches in the non-centrosymmetric superconductor Li2Pt3B
We investigated the vortex dynamics in the non-centrosymmetric superconductor
Li_2Pt_3B in the temperature range 0.1 K - 2.8 K. Two different logarithmic
creep regimes in the decay of the remanent magnetization from the Bean critical
state have been observed. In the first regime, the creep rate is
extraordinarily small, indicating the existence of a new, very effective
pinning mechanism. At a certain time a vortex avalanche occurs that increases
the logarithmic creep rate by a factor of about 5 to 10 depending on the
temperature. This may indicate that certain barriers against flux motion are
present and they can be opened under increased pressure exerted by the
vortices. A possible mechanism based on the barrier effect of twin boundaries
is briefly discussed
Polaronic state and nanometer-scale phase separation in colossal magnetoresistive manganites
High resolution topographic images obtained by scanning tunneling microscope
in the insulating state of Pr0.68Pb0.32MnO3 single crystals showed regular
stripe-like or zigzag patterns on a width scale of 0.4 - 0.5 nm confirming a
high temperature polaronic state. Spectroscopic studies revealed inhomogeneous
maps of zero-bias conductance with small patches of metallic clusters on length
scale of 2 - 3 nm only within a narrow temperature range close to the
metal-insulator transition. The results give a direct observation of polarons
in the insulating state, phase separation of nanometer-scale metallic clusters
in the paramagnetic metallic state, and a homogeneous ferromagnetic state
Kondo effect in Ce(x)La(1-x)Cu(2.05)Si(2) intermetallics
The magnetic susceptibility and susceptibility anisotropy of the quasi-binary
alloy system Ce(x)La(1-x)Cu(2.05)Si(2) have been studied for low concentration
of Ce ions. The single-ion desc ription is found to be valid for x < 0.1. The
experimental results are discussed in terms of t he degenerate
Coqblin-Schrieffer model with a crystalline electric field splitting Delta =
330 K. The properties of the model, obtained by combining the lowest-order
scaling and the pertur bation theory, provide a satisfactory description of the
experimental data down to 30 K. The e xperimental results between 20 K and 2 K
are explained by the exact solution of the Kondo mode l for an effective
doublet.Comment: 11 pages, 13 Postscript figures, 1 tabl
A precursor state to unconventional superconductivity in CeIrIn
We present sensitive measurements of the Hall effect and magnetoresistance in
CeIrIn down to temperatures of 50 mK and magnetic fields up to 15 T. The
presence of a low temperature coherent Kondo state is established. Deviations
from Kohler's rule and a quadratic temperature dependence of the cotangent of
the Hall angle are reminiscent of properties observed in the high temperature
superconducting cuprates. The most striking observation pertains to the
presence of a \textit{precursor} state--characterized by a change in the Hall
mobility--that appears to precede the superconductivity in this material, in
similarity to the pseudogap in the cuprate high superconductors.Comment: 4 figure
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