252 research outputs found

    Observation of Ising-like critical fluctuations in frustrated Josephson junction arrays with modulated coupling energies

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    We report the results of ac sheet conductance measurements performed on fully frustrated square arrays of Josephson junctions whose coupling energy is periodically modulated in one of the principal lattice directions. Such systems are predicted to exhibit two distinct transitions: a low-temperature Ising-like transition triggered by the proliferation of domain walls and a high-temperature transition driven by the vortex unbinding mechanism of the Beresinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) theory. Both the superfluid and dissipative components of the conductance are found to exhibit features which unambiguously demonstrate the existence of a double transition whose properties are consistent with the Ising-BKT scenario.Comment: To be published in Physica C (Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference in School Format 'Vortex Matter in Superconductors'

    Spin-Correlation Coefficients and Phase-Shift Analysis for p+3^3He Elastic Scattering

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    Angular Distributions for the target spin-dependent observables A0y_{0y}, Axx_{xx}, and Ayy_{yy} have been measured using polarized proton beams at several energies between 2 and 6 MeV and a spin-exchange optical pumping polarized 3^3He target. These measurements have been included in a global phase-shift analysis following that of George and Knutson, who reported two best-fit phase-shift solutions to the previous global p+3^3He elastic scattering database below 12 MeV. These new measurements, along with measurements of cross-section and beam-analyzing power made over a similar energy range by Fisher \textit{et al.}, allowed a single, unique solution to be obtained. The new measurements and phase-shifts are compared with theoretical calculations using realistic nucleon-nucleon potential models.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.

    Possible first order transition in the two-dimensional Ginzburg-Landau model induced by thermally fluctuating vortex cores

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    We study the two-dimensional Ginzburg-Landau model of a neutral superfluid in the vicinity of the vortex unbinding transition. The model is mapped onto an effective interacting vortex gas by a systematic perturbative elimination of all fluctuating degrees of freedom (amplitude {\em and} phase of the order parameter field) except the vortex positions. In the Coulomb gas descriptions derived previously in the literature, thermal amplitude fluctuations were neglected altogether. We argue that, if one includes the latter, the vortices still form a two- dimensional Coulomb gas, but the vortex fugacity can be substantially raised. Under the assumption that Minnhagen's generic phase diagram of the two- dimensional Coulomb gas is correct, our results then point to a first order transition rather than a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition, provided the Ginzburg-Landau correlation length is large enough in units of a microscopic cutoff length for fluctuations. The experimental relevance of these results is briefly discussed. [Submitted to J. Stat. Phys.]Comment: 36 pages, LaTeX, 6 figures upon request, UATP2-DB1-9

    Collective pinning of a frozen vortex liquid in ultrathin superconducting YBa_2Cu_3O_7 films

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    The linear dynamic response of the two-dimensional (2D) vortex medium in ultrathin YBa_2Cu_3O_7 films was studied by measuring their ac sheet impedance Z over a broad range of frequencies \omega. With decreasing temperature the dissipative component of Z exhibits, at a temperature T*(\omega) well above the melting temperature of a 2D vortex crystal, a crossover from a thermally activated regime involving single vortices to a regime where the response has features consistent with a description in terms of a collectively pinned vortex manifold. This suggests the idea of a vortex liquid which, below T*(\omega), appears to be frozen at the time scales 1/\omega of the experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

    The fully frustrated XY model with next nearest neighbor interaction

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    We introduce a fully frustrated XY model with nearest neighbor (nn) and next nearest neighbor (nnn) couplings which can be realized in Josephson junction arrays. We study the phase diagram for 0x10\leq x \leq 1 (xx is the ratio between nnn and nn couplings). When x<1/2x < 1/\sqrt{2} an Ising and a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transitions are present. Both critical temperatures decrease with increasing xx. For x>1/2x > 1/\sqrt{2} the array undergoes a sequence of two transitions. On raising the temperature first the two sublattices decouple from each other and then, at higher temperatures, each sublattice becomes disorderd.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

    Dynamic Scaling of Magnetic Flux Noise Near the KTB Transition in Overdamped Josephson Junction Arrays

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    We have used a dc Superconducting QUantum Interference Device to measure the magnetic flux noise generated by the equilibrium vortex density fluctuations associated with the Kosterlitz-Thouless-Berezinskii (KTB) transition in an overdamped Josephson junction array. At temperatures slightly above the KTB transition temperature, the noise is white for f<fξf<f_\xi and scales as 1/f1/f for f>fξf>f_\xi. Here fξξzf_\xi\propto\xi^{-z}, where ξ\xi is the correlation length and zz is the dynamic exponent. Moreover, when all frequencies are scaled by fξf_\xi, data for different temperatures and frequencies collapse on to a single curve. In addition, we have extracted the dynamic exponent zz and found z=1.98±0.03z=1.98\pm0.03.Comment: 5 pages, LaTeX (REVTeX) format, requires epsfig and amstex style files. 3 figures included. Tentatively scheduled for publication in Physical Review Letters, 18 March, 199

    Fluctuation-dissipation theorem and flux noise in overdamped Josephson junction arrays

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    The form of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem for a resistively shunted Josephson juction array is derived with the help of the method which explicitely takes into acoount screening effects. This result is used to express the flux noise power spectrum in terms of frequency dependent sheet impedance of the array. The relation between noise amplitude and parameters of the detection coil is analysed for the simplest case of a single-loop coil.Comment: ReVTeX, 8 page

    The G0 Experiment: Apparatus for Parity-Violating Electron Scattering Measurements at Forward and Backward Angles

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    In the G0 experiment, performed at Jefferson Lab, the parity-violating elastic scattering of electrons from protons and quasi-elastic scattering from deuterons is measured in order to determine the neutral weak currents of the nucleon. Asymmetries as small as 1 part per million in the scattering of a polarized electron beam are determined using a dedicated apparatus. It consists of specialized beam-monitoring and control systems, a cryogenic hydrogen (or deuterium) target, and a superconducting, toroidal magnetic spectrometer equipped with plastic scintillation and aerogel Cerenkov detectors, as well as fast readout electronics for the measurement of individual events. The overall design and performance of this experimental system is discussed.Comment: Submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Method
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