721 research outputs found
Enhancement of the upper critical field in codoped iron-arsenic high-temperature superconductors
We present the first study of codoped iron-arsenide superconductors of the
122 family (Sr/Ba)_(1-x)K_xFe_(2-y)Co_yAs_2 with the purpose to increase the
upper critical field H_c2 compared to single doped (Sr/Ba)Fe_2As_2 materials.
H_c2 was investigated by measuring the magnetoresistance in high pulsed
magnetic fields up to 64 T. We find, that H_c2 extrapolated to T = 0 is indeed
enhanced significantly to ~ 90 T for polycrystalline samples of
Ba_0.55K_0.45Fe_1.95Co_0.05As_2 compared to ~75 T for Ba_0.55K_0.45Fe_2As_2 and
BaFe_1.8Co_0.2As_2 single crystals. Codoping thus is a promising way for the
systematic optimization of iron-arsenic based superconductors for
magnetic-field and high-current applications.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Journal of Applied Physic
Microscopic magnetic modeling for the =1/2 alternating chain compounds NaCuSbO and NaCuTeO
The spin-1/2 alternating Heisenberg chain system NaCuSbO features
two relevant exchange couplings: within the structural CuO
dimers and between the dimers. Motivated by the controversially
discussed nature of , we perform extensive density-functional-theory
(DFT) calculations, including DFT+ and hybrid functionals. Fits to the
experimental magnetic susceptibility using high-temperature series expansions
and quantum Monte Carlo simulations yield the optimal parameters =
217 K and = 174 K with the alternation ratio 1.25. For the closely related system
NaCuTeO, DFT yields substantially enhanced , but weaker
. The comparative analysis renders the buckling of the chains as the
key parameter altering the magnetic coupling regime. Numerical simulation of
the dispersion relations of the alternating chain model clarify why both
antiferromagnetic and ferrromagnetic can reproduce the experimental
magnetic susceptibility data.Comment: published version: 11 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables + Supplemental
materia
Crystal water induced switching of magnetically active orbitals in CuCl2
The dehydration of CuCl2*2(H2O) to CuCl2 leads to a dramatic change in
magnetic behavior and ground state. Combining density functional electronic
structure and model calculations with thermodynamical measurements we reveal
the microscopic origin of this unexpected incident -- a crystal water driven
switching of the magnetically active orbitals. This switching results in a
fundamental change of the coupling regime from a three-dimensional
antiferromagnet to a quasi one-dimensional behavior. CuCl2 can be well
described as a frustrated J1-J2 Heisenberg chain with ferromagnetic exchange J1
and J2/J1 ~ -1.5 for which a helical ground state is predicted.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 1 table (PRB, accepted
Evidence of surface transport and weak anti-localization in single crystal of Bi2Te2Se topological insulator
Topological insulators are known to their metallic surface states, a result
of strong-spin-orbital coupling, that show unique surface transport phenomenon.
But these surface transports are buried in presence of metallic bulk
conduction. We synthesized very high quality BiTeSe single crystals by
modified Bridgman method, that possess high bulk resistivity of
20~cm below 20~K, whereas the bulk is mostly inactive and surface
transport dominates. Temperature dependence resistivity follows the activation
law like a gap semiconductor in temperature range 20-300~K. We designed a
special measurement geometry, which aims to extract the surface transport from
the bulk. This special geometry is applied to measure the resistance and found
that BiTeSe single crystal exhibits a cross over from bulk to surface
conduction at 20~K. Simultaneously, the material also shows strong evidence of
weak anti-localization in magneto-transport due to the protection against
scattering by conducting surface states. This novel simple geometry is an easy
route to find the evidence of surface transport in topological insulators,
which are the promising materials for future spintronic applications.Comment: 6 Pages, 4 Figure
Superconductivity in the New Platinum Germanides MPt4Ge12 (M = Rare-earth and Alkaline-earth Metals) with Filled Skutterudite Structure
New germanium-platinum compounds with the filled-skutterudite crystal
structure were synthesized. The structure and composition were investigated by
X-ray diffraction and microprobe analysis. Magnetic susceptibility, specific
heat, and electrical resistivity measurements evidence superconductivity in
LaPt4Ge12 and PrPt4Ge12 below 8.3K. The parameters of the normal and
superconducting states were established. Strong coupling and a crystal electric
field singlet groundstate is found for the Pr compound. Electronic structure
calculations show a large density of states at the Fermi level. Similar
behavior with lower T_c was observed for SrPt4Ge12 and BaPt4Ge12.Comment: RevTeX, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters July 12, 200
Charge-Doping driven Evolution of Magnetism and non-Fermi-Liquid Behavior in the Filled Skutterudite CePt4Ge12-xSbx
The filled-skutterudite compound CePt4Ge12 is situated close to the border
between intermediate-valence of Ce and heavy-fermion behavior. Substitution of
Ge by Sb drives the system into a strongly correlated and ultimately upon
further increasing the Sb concentration into an antiferromagnetically ordered
state. Our experiments evidence a delicate interplay of emerging Kondo physics
and the formation of a local 4f moment. An extended non-Fermi-liquid region,
which can be understood in the framework of a Kondo-disorder model, is
observed. Band-structure calculations support the conclusion that the physical
properties are governed by the interplay of electron supply via Sb substitution
and the concomitant volume effects.Comment: 5 pages, 3 Figur
Superconductivity in SrFe_(2-x)Co_xAs_2: Internal Doping of the Iron Arsenide Layers
In the electron doped compounds SrFe_(2-x)Co_xAs_2 superconductivity with T_c
up to 20 K is observed for 0.2 < x < 0.4. Results of structure determination,
magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and specific heat are
reported. The observation of bulk superconductivity in all thermodynamic
properties -- despite strong disorder in the Fe-As layer -- favors an itinerant
picture in contrast to the cuprates and renders a p- or d-wave scenario
unlikely. DFT calculations find that the substitution of Fe by Co (x > 0.3)
leads to the suppression of the magnetic ordering present in SrFe_2As_2 due to
a rigid down-shift of the Fe-3d_(x^2-y^2) related band edge in the density of
states.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
High spin polarization in the ferromagnetic filled skutterudites KFe4Sb12 and NaFe4Sb12
The spin polarization of ferromagnetic alkali-metal iron antimonides KFe4Sb12
and NaFe4Sb12 is studied by point-contact Andreev reflection using
superconducting Nb and Pb tips. From these measurements an intrinsic transport
spin polarization Pt of 67% and 60% for the K and Na compound, respectively, is
inferred which establishes these materials as a new class of highly spin
polarized ferromagnets. The results are in accord with band structure
calculations within the local spin density approximation (LSDA) that predict
nearly 100% spin polarization in the density of states. We discuss the impact
of calculated Fermi velocities and spin fluctuations on Pt.Comment: Pdf file with fi
Evidence for time-reversal symmetry breaking in superconducting PrPt4Ge12
Zero and longitudinal field muon spin rotation (muSR) experiments were
performed on the superconductors PrPt4Ge12 and LaPt4Ge12. In PrPt4Ge12 below Tc
a spontaneous magnetization with a temperature variation resembling that of the
superfluid density appears. This observation implies time-reversal symmetry
(TRS) breaking in PrPt4Ge12 below Tc = 7.9 K. This remarkably high Tc for an
anomalous superconductor and the weak and gradual change of Tc and of the
related specific heat anomaly upon La substitution in La_(1-x)Pr_xPt_4Ge_(12)
suggests that the TRS breaking is due to orbital degrees of freedom of the
Cooper pairs.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. B. 5 pages, 3 figure
Scaling Study and Thermodynamic Properties of the cubic Helimagnet FeGe
The critical behavior of the cubic helimagnet FeGe was obtained from
isothermal magnetization data in very close vicinity of the ordering
temperature. A thorough and consistent scaling analysis of these data revealed
the critical exponents , , and . The
anomaly in the specific heat associated with the magnetic ordering can be well
described by the critical exponent . The values of these
exponents corroborate that the magnetic phase transition in FeGe belongs to the
isotropic 3D-Heisenberg universality class. The specific heat data are well
described by ab initio phonon calculations and confirm the localized character
of the magnetic moments.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure
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