3,216 research outputs found
Electron-Phonon Coupling Origin of the resistivity in YNi_{2}B_{2}C Single Crystals
Resistivity measurements from 4.2 K up to 300 K were made on YNi_{2}B_{2}C
single crystals with Tc=15.5 K. The resulting rho(T) curve shows a perfect
Bloch-Grueneisen (BG) behavior, with a very small residual resistivity which
indicates the low impurity content and the high cristallographic quality of the
samples. The value lambda_{tr}=0.53 for the transport electron-phonon coupling
constant was obtained by using the high-temperature constant value of d(rho)/dT
and the plasma frequency reported in literature. The BG expression for the
phononic part of the resistivity rho_{ph}(T) was then used to fit the data in
the whole temperature range, by approximating alpha^{2}_{tr}F(Omega) with the
experimental phonon spectral density G(Omega) multiplied by a two-step
weighting function to be determined by the fit. The resulting fitting curve
perfectly agrees with the experimental points. We also solved the real-axis
Eliashberg equations in both s- and d-wave symmetries under the approximation
alpha^{2}F(Omega)= alpha^{2}_{tr}F(Omega). We found that the value of
lambda_{tr} here determined in single-band approximation is quite compatible
with Tc and the gap Delta experimentally observed. Finally, we calculated the
normalized tunneling conductance, whose comparison with break-junction tunnel
data gives indication of the possible s-wave symmetry for the order parameter
in YNi_{2}B_{2}C.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Proceedings of SATT10 Conference, to be published
in Int. J. Mod. Phys.
The role of carbon for superconductivity in MgCNi from specific heat
The influence of carbon deficiency on superconductivity of MgCNi is
investigated by specific heat measurements in the normal and superconducting
state. In order to perform a detailed analysis of the normal state specific
heat, a computer code is developed which allows for an instantaneous estimate
of the main features of the lattice dynamics. By analyzing the evolution of the
lattice vibrations within the series and simultaneously considering the visible
mass enhancement, the loss in the electron-phonon coupling can be attributed to
significant changes of the prominent Ni vibrations. The present data well
supports the recently established picture of strong electron-phonon coupling
and ferromagnetic spin fluctuations in this compound.Comment: 4 pages, latex, corrections to the text, one reference added, one
figure correcte
New insight into the physics of iron pnictides from optical and penetration depth data
We report theoretical values for the unscreened plasma frequencies Omega_p of
several Fe pnictides obtained from DFT based calculations within the LDA and
compare them with experimental plasma frequencies obtained from reflectivity
data. The sizable renormalization observed for all considered compounds points
to the presence of many-body effects beyond the LDA. From the large empirical
background dielectric constant of about 12-15, we estimate a large arsenic
polarizability of about 9.5 +- 1.2 Angstroem^3 where the details depend on the
polarizabilities of the remaining ions taken from the literature. This large
polarizability can significantly reduce the value of the Coulomb repulsion U_d
about 4 eV on iron known from iron oxides to a level of 2 eV or below. In
general, this result points to rather strong polaronic effects as suggested by
G.A. Sawatzky et al., in Refs. arXiv:0808.1390 and arXiv:0811.0214 (Berciu et
al.). Possible consequences for the conditions of a formation of bipolarons are
discussed, too. From the extrapolated muon spin rotation penetration depth data
at T= 0 and the experimental Omega_p we estimate the total coupling constant
lambda_tot for the el-boson interaction within the Eliashberg-theory adopting a
single band approximation. For LaFeAsO_0.9F_0.1 a weak to intermediately strong
coupling regime and a quasi-clean limit behaviour are found. For a pronounced
multiband case we obtain a constraint for various intraband coupling constants
which in principle allows for a sizable strong coupling in bands with either
slow electrons or holes.Comment: 34 pages, 10 figures, submitted to New Journal of Physics
(30.01.2009
Comment on ``Superconducting PrBa_2Cu_3O_x''
Recently, Zou et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 1074, 1998) reported the
observation of bulk superconductivity (SC) for a PrBa_2Cu_3O_x (Pr123) single
crystal grown by the traveling-solvent floating zone (TSFZ) method. The aim of
this Comment is to show the inconsistency of the value of effective magnetic
moment \mu_{eff} reported by Zou et al. (2.92\mu_B) with their magnetic
susceptibility data. The estimation made directly from their data points gives
a considerably smaller value of \mu_{eff}=2.09\mu_B. At the same time the
values of mu_{eff}=2.9\mu_B and 3.1\mu_B were obtained for our Pr123 single
crystals grown by flux method for H||ab-plane and H||c-axis, respectively. This
suggests that Pr occupies only about a half of the RE sites in TSFZ crystal.
The other half of the RE sites is occupied most probably by the nonmagnetic Ba.
Noteworthy, SC with T_c=43 K was observed earlier for
Pr_{0.5}Ca_{0.5}Ba_2Cu_3O_{7-y} thin films. Ba^{2+} has a larger ionic radius
than Pr^{3+} and so the substitution of Ba for Pr could give a natural
explanation not only for the SC in TSFZ Pr123 but also for the elongation of
the distance between the CuO_2 planes observed by Zou et al.Comment: Slightly extended version of Comment accepted to Phys. Rev. Lett.
(v.81, N24, 1998), tentatevely to be publ. 14Dec98. 1 page, REVTex; 1 EPS fi
Field-induced gapless electron pocket in the superconducting vortex phase of YNi2B2C as probed by magnetoacoustic quantum oscillations
By use of ultrasound studies we resolved magneto-acoustic quantum oscillation
deep into the mixed state of the multiband nonmagnetic superconductor YNi2B2C.
Below the upper critical field, only a very weak additional damping appears
that can be well explained by the field inhomogeneity caused by the flux-line
lattice in the mixed state. This is clear evidence for no or a vanishingly
small gap for one of the bands, namely, the spheroidal alpha band. This
contrasts de Haas--van Alphen data obtained by use of torque magnetometry for
the same sample, with a rapidly vanishing oscillation signal in the mixed
state. This points to a strongly distorted flux-line lattice in the latter case
that, in general, can hamper a reliable extraction of gap parameters by use of
such techniques.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Point-contact spectroscopy of the antiferromagnetic superconductor HoNi2B2C in the normal and superconducting state
Point-contact (PC) spectroscopy measurements on antiferromagnetic (AF)
(T_N=5.2K) HoNi2B2C single crystals in the normal and two different
superconducting (SC) states (T_c=8.5K and T_c^*=5.6K<T_c, with 2\Delta/kT_c^*=3.9. The strong coupling
Eliashberg analysis of the low-temperature SC phase with T_c^*=5.6K =T_N,
coexisting with the commensurate AF structure, suggests a sizable value of the
EPI constant \lambda_s=0.93. We also provide strong support for the recently
proposed by us ''Fermi surface (FS) separation'' scenario for the coexistence
of magnetism and superconductivity in magnetic borocarbides, namely, that the
superconductivity in the commensurate AF phase survives at a special (nearly
isotropic) FS sheet without an admixture of Ho 5d states. Above T_c^* the SC
features in the PC characteristics are strongly suppressed pointing to a
specific weakened SC state between T_c* and T_c.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figs, to be published in PRB, Vol.75, Iss.2
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