19,034 research outputs found
Strategies to guide HIV prevention approaches: Correlation of sexually transmitted infections and sexual behaviour with risk of HIV infection
Evidence for a quantum phase transition in electron-doped PrCeCuO from Thermopower measurements
The evidence for a quantum phase transition under the superconducting dome in
the high- cuprates has been controversial. We report low temperature
normal state thermopower(S) measurements in electron-doped
PrCeCuO as a function of doping (x from 0.11 to
0.19). We find that at 2K both S and S/T increase dramatically from x=0.11 to
0.16 and then saturate in the overdoped region. This behavior has a remarkable
similarity to previous Hall effect results in
PrCeCuO . Our results are further evidence for an
antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic quantum phase transition in electron-doped
cuprates near x=0.16.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Comment on "Spectroscopic Evidence for Multiple Order Parameter Components in the Heavy Fermion Superconductor CeCoIn"
Recently, Rourke et al. reported point-contact spectroscopy results on the
heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn [1]. They obtained conductance spectra
on the c-axis surfaces of CeCoIn single crystals. Their major claims are
two-fold: CeCoIn has i) d-wave pairing symmetry and ii) two coexisting
order parameter components. In this Comment, we show that these claims are not
warranted by the data presented. [1] Rourke et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 107005
(2005).Comment: accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett., final for
Point-contact spectroscopy in heavy-fermion superconductors
We develop a minimal model to calculate point-contact spectra between a
metallic tip and a superconducting heavy-fermion system. We apply our tunneling
model to the heavy fermion CeCoIn5, both in the normal and superconducting
state. In point-contact and scanning tunneling spectroscopy many heavy-fermion
materials, like CeCoIn5, exhibit an asymmetric differential conductance, dI/dV,
combined with a strongly suppressed Andreev reflection signal in the
superconducting state. We argue that both features may be explained in terms of
a multichannel tunneling model in the presence of localized states near the
interface. We find that it is not sufficient to tunnel into two itinerant bands
of light and heavy electrons to explain the Fano line shape of the differential
conductance. Localized states in the bulk or near the interface are an
essential component for quantum interference to occur when an electron tunnels
from the metallic tip of the point contact into the heavy-fermion system.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review
Evidence for Antiferromagnetic Order in LaCeCuO from Angular Magnetoresistance Measurements
We investigated the in-plane angular magnetoresistivity (AMR) of -phase LaCeCuO (LCCO) thin films () fabricated by a pulsed laser deposition technique. The in-plane
AMR with shows a twofold symmetry instead of the
fourfold behavior found in other electron-doped cuprates such as PrCeCuO and NdCeCuO. The twofold AMR
disappears above a certain temperature, . The is well above
for ( K), and decreases with increasing doping,
until it is no longer observed above at . This twofold AMR
below is suggested to originate from an antiferromagnetic or spin
density wave order.Comment: to be published in Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 80 (2009
Design and construction of a point-contact spectroscopy rig with lateral scanning capability
The design and realization of a cryogenic rig for point-contact spectroscopy
measurements in the needle-anvil configuration is presented. Thanks to the use
of two piezoelectric nano-positioners, the tip can move along the vertical
() and horizontal () direction and thus the rig is suitable to probe
different regions of a sample \textit{in situ}. Moreover, it can also form
double point-contacts on different facets of a single crystal for achieving,
e.g., an interferometer configuration for phase-sensitive measurements. For the
latter purpose, the sample holder can also host a Helmholtz coil for applying a
small transverse magnetic field to the junction. A semi-rigid coaxial cable can
be easily added for studying the behavior of Josephson junctions under
microwave irradiation. The rig can be detached from the probe and thus used
with different cryostats. The performance of this new probe has been tested in
a Quantum Design PPMS system by conducting point-contact Andreev reflection
measurements on Nb thin films over large areas as a function of temperature and
magnetic field.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, published in Rev. Sci. Instru
Andreev Reflection in Heavy-Fermion Superconductors and Order Parameter Symmetry in CeCoIn_5
Differential conductance spectra are obtained from nanoscale junctions on the
heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn along three major crystallographic
orientations. Consistency and reproducibility of characteristic features among
the junctions ensure their spectroscopic nature. All junctions show a similar
conductance asymmetry and Andreev reflection-like conductance with reduced
signal (~ 10%-13%), both commonly observed in heavy-fermion superconductor
junctions. Analysis using the extended Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model indicates
that our data provide the first spectroscopic evidence for
symmetry. To quantify our conductance spectra, we propose a model by
considering the general phenomenology in heavy fermions, the two-fluid
behavior, and an energy-dependent density of states. Our model fits to the
experimental data remarkably well and should invigorate further investigations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; Phys. Rev. Lett., published versio
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