27,991 research outputs found
Superconductivity in pure and electron doped MgB2: Transport properties and pressure effects
The normal state and superconducting properties of MgB2 and Mg1-xAlxB2 are
discussed based on structural, transport, and high pressure experiments. The
positive Seebeck coefficient and its linear temperature dependence for Tc<T<160
K provide evidence that the low-temperature transport in MgB2 is due to
hole-like metallic carriers. Structural and transport data show the important
role of defects as indicated by the correlation of Tc, the residual resistance
ratio, and the microstrain extracted from x-ray spectra. The decrease of Tc
with hydrostatic pressure is well explained by the strong-coupling BCS theory.
The large scatter of the pressure coefficients of Tc for different MgB2
samples, however, cannot be explained within this theory. We speculate that
pressure may increase the defect density, particularly in samples with large
initial defect concentration.Comment: Presented at NATO Advanced Research Workshop "New Trends in
Superconductivity", Yalta (Ukraine) 16-20 September, 200
Water Content and Superconductivity in Na0.3CoO2*yH2O
We report here the correlation between the water content and
superconductivity in Na0.3CoO2*yH2O under the influences of elevated
temperature and cold compression. The x-ray diffraction of the sample annealed
at elevated temperatures indicates that intergrowths exist in the compound at
equilibrium when 0.6 < y < 1.4. Its low-temperature diamagnetization varies
linearly with y, but is insensitive to the intergrowth, indicative of quasi-2D
superconductivity. The Tc-onset, especially, shifts only slightly with y. Our
data from cold compressed samples, on the other hand, show that the water-loss
non-proportionally suppresses the diamagnetization, which is suggestive of weak
links.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures; submitted to Physica C (August 13, 2003
Magnetoelectricity and Magnetostriction due to the Rare Earth Moment in TmAl(BO)
The magnetic properties, the magnetostriction, and the magnetoelectric effect
in the d-electron free rare-earth aluminum borate TmAl(BO) are
investigated between room temperature and 2 K. The magnetic susceptibility
reveals a strong anisotropy with the hexagonal c-axis as the hard magnetic
axis. Magnetostriction measurements show a large effect of an in-plane field
reducing both, the a- and c-axis lattice parameters. The magnetoelectric
polarization change in a- and c-directions reaches up to 300 C/m at 70
kOe with the field applied along the a-axis. The magnetoelectric polarization
is proportional to the lattice contraction in magnetic field. The results of
this investigation prove the existence of a significant coupling between the
rare earth magnetic moment and the lattice in Al(BO) compounds
( = rare earth). They further show that the rare earth moment itself will
generate a large magnetoelectric effect which makes it easier to study and to
understand the origin of the magnetoelectric interaction in this class of
materials.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
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