406 research outputs found
Quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surfaces of the heavy-fermion superconductor CePdIn
We report low-temperature de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) effect measurements in
magnetic fields up to 35 T of the heavy-fermion superconductor CePdIn.
The comparison of the experimental results with band-structure calculations
implies that the 4 electrons are itinerant rather than localized. The
cyclotron masses estimated at high field are only moderately enhanced, 8 and 14
, but are substantially larger than the corresponding band masses. The
observed angular dependence of the dHvA frequencies suggests
quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surfaces in agreement with band-structure
calculations. However, the deviation from ideal two dimensionality is larger
than in CeCoIn, with which CePdIn bears a lot of similarities. This
subtle distinction accounts for the different superconducting critical
temperatures of the two compounds.Comment: accepted to Phys. Rev.
Anomalous superfluid density in quantum critical superconductors
When a second-order magnetic phase transition is tuned to zero temperature by
a non-thermal parameter, quantum fluctuations are critically enhanced, often
leading to the emergence of unconventional superconductivity. In these `quantum
critical' superconductors it has been widely reported that the normal-state
properties above the superconducting transition temperature often exhibit
anomalous non-Fermi liquid behaviors and enhanced electron correlations.
However, the effect of these strong critical fluctuations on the
superconducting condensate below is less well established. Here we report
measurements of the magnetic penetration depth in heavy-fermion, iron-pnictide,
and organic superconductors located close to antiferromagnetic quantum critical
points showing that the superfluid density in these nodal superconductors
universally exhibit, unlike the expected -linear dependence, an anomalous
3/2 power-law temperature dependence over a wide temperature range. We propose
that this non-integer power-law can be explained if a strong renormalization of
effective Fermi velocity due to quantum fluctuations occurs only for momenta
close to the nodes in the superconducting energy gap .
We suggest that such `nodal criticality' may have an impact on low-energy
properties of quantum critical superconductors.Comment: Main text (5 pages, 3 figures) + Supporting Information (3 pages, 4
figures). Published in PNAS Early Edition on February 12, 201
Giant crystal-electric-field effect and complex magnetic behavior in single-crystalline CeRh3Si2
Single-crystalline CeRh3Si2 was investigated by means of x-ray diffraction,
magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, electrical resistivity, and specific
heat measurements carried out in wide temperature and magnetic field ranges.
Moreover, the electronic structure of the compound was studied at room
temperature by cerium core-level x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The
physical properties were analyzed in terms of crystalline electric field and
compared with results of ab-initio band structure calculations performed within
the density functional theory approach. The compound was found to crystallize
in the orthorhombic unit cell of the ErRh3Si2 type (space group Imma -- No.74,
Pearson symbol: oI24) with the lattice parameters: a = 7.1330(14) A, b =
9.7340(19) A, and c = 5.6040(11) A. Analysis of the magnetic and XPS data
revealed the presence of well localized magnetic moments of trivalent cerium
ions. All physical properties were found to be highly anisotropic over the
whole temperature range studied, and influenced by exceptionally strong
crystalline electric field with the overall splitting of the 4f1 ground
multiplet exceeding 5700 K. Antiferromagnetic order of the cerium magnetic
moments at TN = 4.70(1)K and their subsequent spin rearrangement at Tt =
4.48(1) K manifest themselves as distinct anomalies in the temperature
characteristics of all investigated physical properties and exhibit complex
evolution in an external magnetic field. A tentative magnetic B-T phase
diagram, constructed for B parallel to the b-axis being the easy magnetization
direction, shows very complex magnetic behavior of CeRh3Si2, similar to that
recently reported for an isostructural compound CeIr3Si2. The electronic band
structure calculations corroborated the antiferromagnetic ordering of the
cerium magnetic moments and well reproduced the experimental XPS valence band
spectrum.Comment: 32 pages, 12 figures, to appear in Physical Review
Evidence of momentum dependent hybridization in Ce2Co0.8Si3.2
We studied the electronic structure of the Kondo lattice system Ce2Co0.8Si3.2
by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). The spectra obtained
below the coherence temperature consist of a Kondo resonance, its spin-orbit
partner and a number of dispersing bands. The quasiparticle weight related to
the Kondo peak depends strongly on Fermi vectors associated with bulk bands.
This indicates a highly anisotropic hybridization between conduction band and
4f electrons - V_{cf} in Ce2Co0.8Si3.2.Comment: 6 page
Influence of carbon on spin reorientation processes in Er_{2-x}R_{x}Fe_{14}C (R = Gd, Pr) - Mössbauer and magnetometric studies
The (R=Gd, Pr) polycrystalline compounds have been synthesized and investigated with Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. The spin reorientation phenomena were studied extensively by narrow step temperature scanning in the neighborhood of the spin reorientation temperature. Obtained Mössbauer spectra were analyzed using a procedure of simultaneous fitting and the transmission integral approach. Consistent description of Mössbauer spectra were obtained, temperature and composition dependencies of hyperfine interaction parameters and subspectra contributions were derived from fits and the transition temperatures were determined for all the compounds studied. Initial magnetization versus temperature measurements (in zero and non-zero external field) for compounds allowed to establish the temperature regions of reorientation, change of magnetization value during the transition process. The results obtained with different methods were analyzed and the spin arrangement diagrams were constructed. Data obtained for were compared with those for series
Influence of carbon on spin reorientation processes in Er 2-xRxFe14C (R = Gd, Pr) - Mossbauer and magnetometric studies
The Er2¡xRxFe14C (R=Gd, Pr) polycrystalline compounds have been synthesized and investigated with
57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. The spin reorientation phenomena were studied
extensively by narrow step temperature scanning in the neighborhood of the spin reorientation temperature.
Obtained Mössbauer spectra were analyzed using a procedure of simultaneous fitting and the transmission integral approach. Consistent description of Mössbauer spectra were obtained, temperature and composition dependencies of hyperfine interaction parameters and subspectra contributions were derived from fits and the transition temperatures were determined for all the compounds studied. Initial magnetization versus temperature measurements (in zero and non-zero external field) for Er2¡xGdxFe14C compounds allowed to establish the temperature regions of reorientation, change of magnetization value during the transition process. The results obtained with different methods were analyzed and the spin arrangement diagrams were constructed. Data obtained for Er2¡xGdxFe14C were compared with those for Er2¡xGdxFe14B series
The Importance of Being Profiled: Improving Drug Candidate Safety and Efficacy Using Ion Channel Profiling
Profiling of putative lead compounds against a representative panel of relevant enzymes, receptors, ion channels, and transporters is a pragmatic approach to establish a preliminary view of potential issues that might later hamper development. An early idea of which off-target activities must be minimized can save valuable time and money during the preclinical lead optimization phase if pivotal questions are asked beyond the usual profiling at hERG. The best data for critical evaluation of activity at ion channels is obtained using functional assays, since binding assays cannot detect all interactions and do not provide information on whether the interaction is that of an agonist, antagonist, or allosteric modulator. For ion channels present in human cardiac muscle, depending on the required throughput, manual-, or automated-patch-clamp methodologies can be easily used to evaluate compounds individually to accurately reveal any potential liabilities. The issue of expanding screening capacity against a cardiac panel has recently been addressed by developing a series of robust, high-throughput, cell-based counter-screening assays employing fluorescence-based readouts. Similar assay development approaches can be used to configure panels of efficacy assays that can be used to assess selectivity within a family of related ion channels, such as Nav1.X channels. This overview discusses the benefits of in vitro assays, specific decision points where profiling can be of immediate benefit, and highlights the development and validation of patch-clamp and fluorescence-based profiling assays for ion channels (for examples of fluorescence-based assays, see Bhave et al., 2010; and for high-throughput patch-clamp assays see Mathes, 2006; Schrøder et al., 2008)
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