Evidence for Strong-coupling S-wave Superconductivity in MgB2 :11B NMR Study

We have investigated a gap structure in a newly-discovered superconductor, MgB2 through the measurement of 11B nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate, ^{11}(1/T_1). ^{11}(1/T_1) is proportional to the temperature (T) in the normal state, and decreases exponentially in the superconducting (SC) state, revealing a tiny coherence peak just below T_c. The T dependence of 1/T_1 in the SC state can be accounted for by an s-wave SC model with a large gap size of 2\Delta /k_BT_c \sim 5 which suggests to be in a strong-coupling regime.Comment: 2 pages with 1 figur

Physical properties of ferromagnetic-superconducting coexistent system

We studied the nuclear relaxation rate 1/T1 of a ferromagnetic-superconducting system from the mean field model proposed in Ref.14. This model predicts the existence of a set of gapless excitations in the energy spectrum which will affect the properties studied here, such as the density of states and, hence, 1/T1. The study of the temperature variation of 1/T1(for T<Tc) shows that the usual Hebel-Slichter peak exists, but will be reduced because of the dominant role of the gapless fermions and the background magnetic behavior. We have also presented the temperature dependence of ultrasonic attenuation and the frequency dependence of electromagnetic absorption within this model. We are successful in explaining certain experimental results.Comment: 10 Pages, 9 figute

Magnetic and superconducting properties of Cd2Re2O7: Cd NMR and Re NQR

We report Cd NMR and Re NQR studies on Cd2Re2O7, the first superconductor among pyrochlore oxides Tc=1 K. Re NQR spectrum at zero magnetic field below 100 K rules out any magnetic or charge order. The spin-lattice relaxation rate below Tc exhibits a pronounced coherence peak and behaves within the weak-coupling BCS theory with nearly isotropic energy gap. Cd NMR results point to moderate ferromagnetic enhancement at high temperatures followed by rapid decrease of the density of states below the structural transition temperature of 200 K.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Possible Multiple Gap Superconductivity with Line Nodes in Heavily Hole-Doped Superconductor KFe2As2 Studied by 75As-NQR and Specific Heat

We report the 75As nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) and specific heat measurements of the heavily hole-doped superconductor KFe2As2 (Tc = 3.5 K). The spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 in the superconducting state exhibits quite gradual temperature dependence with no coherence peak below Tc. The quasi-particle specific heat C_QP/T shows small specific heat jump which is about 30% of electronic specific heat coefficient just below Tc. In addition, it suggests the existence of low-energy quasi-particle excitation at the lowest measurement temperature T = 0.4 K \simeq Tc/10. These temperature dependence of 1/T1 and C_QP/T can be explained by multiple nodal superconducting gap scenario rather than multiple fully-gapped s_\pm-wave one within simple gap analysis.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. No.8 issue (2009

Fermi-liquid ground state in n-type copper-oxide superconductor Pr0.91Ce0.09LaCuO4-y

We report nuclear magnetic resonance studies on the low-doped n-type copper-oxide Pr_{0.91}LaCe_{0.09}CuO_{4-y} (T_c=24 K) in the superconducting state and in the normal state uncovered by the application of a strong magnetic field. We find that when the superconductivity is removed, the underlying ground state is the Fermi liquid state. This result is at variance with that inferred from previous thermal conductivity measurement and contrast with that in p-type copper-oxides with a similar doping level where high-T_c superconductivity sets in within the pseudogap phase. The data in the superconducting state are consistent with the line-nodes gap model.Comment: version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Coherence effect in a two-band superconductor: Application to iron pnictides

From a theoretical point of view, we propose an experimental method to determine the pairing symmetry of iron pnictides. We focus on two kinds of pairing symmetries, $s_{+-}$ and $s_{++}$, which are strong candidates for the pairing symmetry of iron pnictides. For each of these two symmetries, we calculate both the density and spin response functions by using the two-band BCS model within the one-loop approximation. As a result, a clear difference is found between the $s_{+-}$- and $s_{++}$-wave states in the temperature dependence of the response functions at nesting vector $\bf{Q}$, which connects the hole and electron Fermi surfaces. We point out that this difference comes from the coherence effect in the two-band superconductor. We suggest that the pairing symmetry could be clarified by observing the temperature dependence of both the density and spin structure factors at the nesting vector $\bf{Q}$ in neutron scattering measurements.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

Short- and long-term effects of crop residues and of phosphorus fertilization on pearl millet yield on an acid sandy soil in Niger, West Africa

Field experiments were conducted during the rainy seasons of 1990 and 1991 on an acid sandy soil (Luvic Arenosol) in Niger, to assess long-term (since 1986) andshort-term (since 1990) effectsof millet straw (cropresidues) at different amounts (2 t and 6 t ha−1) and modes of application (incorporation, mulching and burning), andofphosphorus (P) fertilization on dry matter yield of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]. Especially long-term, but also short-term application ofcropresidues increased dry matter yield of pearl millet by more than 60%, whereas their omission decreased yield immediately. Compared to mulching or burning, higher yields were obtained with incorporation ofcropresidues. When cropresidues were applied as mulch, dry matter yield was increased to the same extent by 2 t and 6 t ha−1. Similar dry matter yields were achieved with cropresidues (-P) to those with P fertilizer only. An additional yield increase could be obtained by simultaneous application ofcropresiduesand P. Without cropresidues, potassium (K) concentrations in the shoot dry matter indicated K deficiency. With cropresidues considerable amounts of K (15 kg t−1) were provided and raised the K concentrations in the plants to the sufficiency range. Although with cropresidues some P was provided (1.5 kg t−1), the beneficial effects were primarily attributed to increased P acquisition by the millet plants, which was reflected in enhanced root growth in the topsoil (0–10 cm

11^{11}B NMR study of pure and lightly carbon doped MgB2_2 superconductors

We report a $^{11}$B NMR line shape and spin-lattice relaxation rate ($1/(T_1T)$) study of pure and lightly carbon doped MgB$_{2-x}$C$_{x}$ for $x=0$, 0.02, and 0.04, in the vortex state and in magnetic field of 23.5 kOe. We show that while pure MgB$_2$ exhibits the magnetic field distribution from superposition of the normal and the Abrikosov state, slight replacement of boron with carbon unveils the magnetic field distribution of the pure Abrikosov state. This indicates a considerable increase of $H_{c2}^c$ with carbon doping with respect to pure MgB$_2$. The spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/(T_1T)$ demonstrates clearly the presence of a coherence peak right below $T_c$ in pure MgB$_2$, followed by a typical BCS decrease on cooling. However, at temperatures lower than $\approx 10$K strong deviation from the BCS behavior is observed, probably from residual contribution of the vortex dynamics. In the carbon doped systems both the coherence peak and the BCS temperature dependence of $1/(T_1T)$ weaken, an effect attributed to the gradual shrinking of the $\sigma$ hole cylinders of the Fermi surface with electron doping.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

A spheroid toxicity assay using magnetic 3D bioprinting and real-time mobile device-based imaging

An ongoing challenge in biomedical research is the search for simple, yet robust assays using 3D cell cultures for toxicity screening. This study addresses that challenge with a novel spheroid assay, wherein spheroids, formed by magnetic 3D bioprinting, contract immediately as cells rearrange and compact the spheroid in relation to viability and cytoskeletal organization. Thus, spheroid size can be used as a simple metric for toxicity. The goal of this study was to validate spheroid contraction as a cytotoxic endpoint using 3T3 fibroblasts in response to 5 toxic compounds (all-trans retinoic acid, dexamethasone, doxorubicin, 5′-fluorouracil, forskolin), sodium dodecyl sulfate (+control), and penicillin-G (−control). Real-time imaging was performed with a mobile device to increase throughput and efficiency. All compounds but penicillin-G significantly slowed contraction in a dose-dependent manner (Z’ = 0.88). Cells in 3D were more resistant to toxicity than cells in 2D, whose toxicity was measured by the MTT assay. Fluorescent staining and gene expression profiling of spheroids confirmed these findings. The results of this study validate spheroid contraction within this assay as an easy, biologically relevant endpoint for high-throughput compound screening in representative 3D environments