Low temperature vortex phase diagram of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 : a magnetic penetration depth study

We report measurements of the magnetic penetration depth \lambda_m(T) in the presence of a DC magnetic field in optimally doped BSCCO-2212 single crystals. Warming, after magnetic field is applied to a zero-field cooled sample, results in a non-monotonic \lambda_m(T), which does not coincide with a curve obtained upon field cooling, thus exhibiting a hysteretic behaviour. We discuss the possible relation of our results to the vortex decoupling, unbinding, and dimensional crossover.Comment: M2S-HTSC-V

Dependence of the Superconducting Transition Temperature of MgB2 on Pressure to 20 GPa

The dependence of Tc on nearly hydrostatic pressure has been measured for an isotopically pure (11B) MgB2 sample in a helium-loaded diamond-anvil-cell to nearly 20 GPa. Tc decreases monotonically with pressure from 39.1 K at ambient pressure to 20.9 K at 19.2 GPa. The initial dependence is the same as that obtained earlier (dTc/dP = -1.11(2) K/GPa) on the same sample in a He-gas apparatus to 0.7 GPa. The observed pressure dependence Tc(P) to 20 GPa can be readily described in terms of simple lattice stiffening within standard phonon-mediated BCS superconductivity.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Synthesis and Stoichiometry of MgB2

The system MgxB2 has been investigated to investigate possible nonstoichiometry in MgB2. When synthesized at 850oC, MgB2 is a line compound with a possible Mg vacancy content of about 1%. Small changes in lattice constants as a function of starting composition result from grain interaction stresses, whose character is different in the Mg-rich, near-stoichiometric, and Mg-deficient regimes. A small linear decrease of the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, in the Mg-rich regime results from accidental impurity doping.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physica C. 24 pages, 7 figure

Structural features that optimize high temperature superconductivity

For example, various defects can be introduced into the blocking layer to provide the optimum carrier concentration, but defects that form in or adjacent to the CuO{sub 2} layers will lower T{sub c} and eventually destroy superconductivity. After these requirements are satisfied, the highest T{sub c}`s are observed for compounds (such as the HgBa{sub 2}Ca{sub n-1}CuO{sub 2n{plus}2{plus}x} family) that have flat and square CuO{sub 2} planes and long apical Cu-O bonds. This conclusion is confirmed by the study of materials in which the flatness of the CuO{sub 2} plane can be varied in a systematic way. In more recent work, attention has focused on how the structure can be modified, for example, by chemical substitution, to improve flux pinning properties. Two strategies are being investigated: (1) Increasing the coupling of pancake vortices to form vortex-lines by shortening or ``metallizing`` the blocking layer; and (2) the formation of defects that pin flux

Structural relationships in high temperature superconductors

The recent discovery of two types of metallic copper oxide compounds which are superconducting to above 90/sup 0/K has renewed interest in the search for new high temperature superconducting materials. It is significant that both classes of compounds, La/sub 2-x/Sr/sub x/CuO/sub 4-y/ and YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-delta/ are intimately related to the extensively studied perovskite family. Both compounds contain highly oxidized, covalently bonded Cu-O sublattices, however, they differ in geometry. In this paper we discuss the relationship of these features to the superconducting properties. 30 refs., 6 figs

Retention of Two-Band Superconductivity in Highly Carbon-Doped MgB2

Tunneling data on MgB_{1.8}C_{0.2} show a reduction in the energy gap of the pi-bands by a factor of two from undoped MgB2 that is consistent with the Tc reduction, but inconsistent with the expectations of the dirty limit. Dirty-limit theory for undoped MgB2 predicts a single gap about three times larger than measured and a reduced Tc comparable to that measured. Our heavily-doped samples exhibit a uniform dispersion of C suggestive of significantly enhanced scattering, and we conclude that the retention of two-band superconductivity in these samples is caused by a selective suppression of interband scattering.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; added one figure, added one reference, minor changes to the text, manuscript accepted for publication as a Phys. Rev. B Rapid Communicatio

A first-principles study of MgB2 (0001) surfaces

We report self-consistent {\it ab initio} calculations of structural and electronic properties for the B- and Mg-terminated MgB$_{2}$ (0001) surfaces. We employ ultra-soft pseudopotentials and plane wave basis sets within the generalized gradient approximation. The surface relaxations are found to be small for both B- and Mg-terminated surfaces. For the B-terminated surface, both B ${\sigma}$ and ${\pi}$ surface bands appear, while only one B ${\pi}$ surface band exists near the Fermi level for the Mg-terminated surface. The superconductivity of the MgB$_2$ surfaces is discussed. The work function is predicted to be 5.95 and 4.25 eV for the B- and Mg-terminated surfaces respectively. The simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images of the surfaces are not sensitive to the sign and value of the bias voltages, but depend strongly on the tip-sample distance. An image reversal is predicted for the Mg-terminated surface.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, Revte

Small Fermi energy and phonon anharmonicity in MgB_2 and related compounds

The remarkable anharmonicity of the E_{2g} phonon in MgB_2 has been suggested in literature to play a primary role in its superconducting pairing. We investigate, by means of LDA calculations, the microscopic origin of such an anharmonicity in MgB_2, AlB_2, and in hole-doped graphite. We find that the anharmonic character of the E_{2g} phonon is essentially driven by the small Fermi energy of the sigma holes. We present a simple analytic model which allows us to understand in microscopic terms the role of the small Fermi energy and of the electronic structure. The relation between anharmonicity and nonadiabaticity is pointed out and discussed in relation to various materials.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures replaced with final version, accepted on Physical Review

First-Principles Calculation of the Superconducting Transition in MgB2 within the Anisotropic Eliashberg Formalism

We present a study of the superconducting transition in MgB2 using the ab-initio pseudopotential density functional method and the fully anisotropic Eliashberg equation. Our study shows that the anisotropic Eliashberg equation, constructed with ab-initio calculated momentum-dependent electron-phonon interaction and anharmonic phonon frequencies, yields an average electron-phonon coupling constant lambda = 0.61, a transition temperature Tc = 39 K, and a boron isotope-effect exponent alphaB = 0.31 with a reasonable assumption of mu* = 0.12. The calculated values for Tc, lambda, and alphaB are in excellent agreement with transport, specific heat, and isotope effect measurements respectively. The individual values of the electron-phonon coupling lambda(k,k') on the various pieces of the Fermi surface however vary from 0.1 to 2.5. The observed Tc is a result of both the raising effect of anisotropy in the electron-phonon couplings and the lowering effect of anharmonicity in the relevant phonon modes.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl