Raman response of Stage-1 graphite intercalation compounds revisited

We present a detailed in-situ Raman analysis of stage-1 KC8, CaC6, and LiC6 graphite intercalation compounds (GIC) to unravel their intrinsic finger print. Four main components were found between 1200 cm-1 and 1700 cm-1, and each of them were assigned to a corresponding vibrational mode. From a detailed line shape analysis of the intrinsic Fano-lines of the G- and D-line response we precisely determine the position ({\omega}ph), line width ({\Gamma}ph) and asymmetry (q) from each component. The comparison to the theoretical calculated line width and position of each component allow us to extract the electron-phonon coupling constant of these compounds. A coupling constant {\lambda}ph < 0.06 was obtained. This highlights that Raman active modes alone are not sufficient to explain the superconductivity within the electron-phonon coupling mechanism in CaC6 and KC8.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 2 table

Two-electronic component behavior in the multiband FeSe0.42_{0.42}Te0.58_{0.58} superconductor

We report X-band EPR and $^{125}$Te and $^{77}$Se NMR measurements on single-crystalline superconducting FeSe$_{0.42}$Te$_{0.58}$ ($T_c$ = 11.5(1) K). The data provide evidence for the coexistence of intrinsic localized and itinerant electronic states. In the normal state, localized moments couple to itinerant electrons in the Fe(Se,Te) layers and affect the local spin susceptibility and spin fluctuations. Below $T_c$, spin fluctuations become rapidly suppressed and an unconventional superconducting state emerges in which $1/T_1$ is reduced at a much faster rate than expected for conventional $s$- or $s_\pm$-wave symmetry. We suggest that the localized states arise from the strong electronic correlations within one of the Fe-derived bands. The multiband electronic structure together with the electronic correlations thus determine the normal and superconducting states of the FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_x$ family, which appears much closer to other high-$T_c$ superconductors than previously anticipated.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Strong electron correlations in the normal state of FeSe0.42Te0.58

We investigate the normal state of the '11' iron-based superconductor FeSe0.42Te0.58 by angle resolved photoemission. Our data reveal a highly renormalized quasiparticle dispersion characteristic of a strongly correlated metal. We find sheet dependent effective carrier masses between ~ 3 - 16 m_e corresponding to a mass enhancement over band structure values of m*/m_band ~ 6 - 20. This is nearly an order of magnitude higher than the renormalization reported previously for iron-arsenide superconductors of the '1111' and '122' families but fully consistent with the bulk specific heat.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Lattice-gas model for alkali-metal fullerides: face-centered-cubic structure

A lattice-gas model is suggested for describing the ordering phenomena in alkali-metal fullerides of face-centered-cubic structure assuming the electric charge of alkali ions residing in either octahedral or tetrahedral interstitial sites is completely screened by the first-neighbor C_60 molecules. This approximation allows us to derive an effective ion-ion interaction. The van der Waals interaction between the ion and C_60 molecule is characterized by introducing an additional energy at the tetrahedral sites. This model is investigated by using a three-sublattice mean-field approximation and a simple cluster-variation method. The analysis shows a large variety of phase diagrams when changing the site energy parameter.Comment: 10 twocolumn pages (REVTEX) including 12 PS figure

Tailoring the surface charge of dextran-based polymer coated SPIONs for modulated stem cell uptake and MRI contrast

Tracking stem cells in vivo using non-invasive techniques is critical to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stem cell therapies. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) enable cells to be tracked using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but to obtain detectable signal cells need to be labelled with a sufficient amount of iron oxide. For the majority of SPIONs, this can only be obtained with the use of transfection agents, which can adversely affect cell health. Here, we have synthesised a library of dextran-based polymer coated SPIONs with varying surface charge from −1.5 mV to +18.2 mV via a co-precipitation approach and investigated their ability to be directly internalised by stem cells without the need for transfection agents. The SPIONs were colloidally stable in physiological solutions. The crystalline phase of the particles was confirmed with powder X-ray diffraction and their magnetic properties were characterised using SQUID magnetometry and magnetic resonance. Increased surface charge led to six-fold increase in uptake of particles into stem cells and higher MRI contrast, with negligible change in cell viability. Cell tracking velocimetry was shown to be a more accurate method for predicting MRI contrast of stem cells compared to measuring iron oxide uptake through conventional bulk iron quantification

Three-dimensional electronic instabilities in polymerized solid A1C60

The low-temperature structure of A1C60 (A=K, Rb) is an ordered array of polymerized C60 chains, with magnetic properties that suggest a non-metallic ground state. We study the paramagnetic state of this phase using first-principles electronic-structure methods, and examine the magnetic fluctuations around this state using a model Hamiltonian. The electronic and magnetic properties of even this polymerized phase remain strongly three dimensional, and the magnetic fluctuations favor an unusual three-dimensional antiferromagnetically ordered structure with a semi-metallic electronic spectrum.Comment: REVTeX 3.0, 10 pages, 4 figures available on request from [email protected]

Lattice distortion and energy level structures in doped C_{60} and C_{70} studied with the extended Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model: Polaron excitations and optical absorption

We extend the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model of polyacetylene to C_{60} and C_{70} molecules, and solve numerically. The calculations of the undoped systems agree well with the known results. When the system (C_{60} or C_{70}) is doped with one or two electrons (or holes), the additional charges accumulate almost along an equatorial line of the molecule. The dimerization becomes weaker almost along the same line. Two energy levels intrude largely in the gap. The intrusion is larger in C_{70} than in C_{60}. Therefore, ``polarons'' are predicted in doped buckminster- fullerenes. We calculate optical absorption coefficient for C_{60} in order to look at how ``polarons'' will be observed. It is predicted that there appears a new peak at the lower energy than the intergap transition peaks. It is also found that C_{60} and C_{70} are related mutually with respect to electronical structures as well as lattice geometries. (to be published in Phys. Rev. B 45, June 15 issue)Comment: 21 page

Growth and characterization of heteroepitaxial La-substituted BaSnO3_3 films on SrTiO3_3 (001) and SmScO3_3 (110) substrates

Heteroepitaxial growth of BaSnO$_3$ (BSO) and Ba$_{1-x}$La$_x$SnO$_3$ (x = 7 %) (LBSO) thin films on different perovskite single crystal (SrTiO$_3$ (001) and SmScO$_3$ (110)) substrates has been achieved by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) under optimized deposition conditions. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the films on either of these substrates are relaxed due to the large mismatch and present a high degree of crystallinity with narrow rocking curves and smooth surface morphology while analytical quantification by proton induced x-ray emission (PIXE) confirms the stoichiometric La transfer from a polyphasic target, producing films with La contents above the bulk solubility limit. The films show degenerate semiconducting behavior on both substrates, with the observed room temperature resistivities, Hall mobilities and carrier concentrations of 4.4 $m \Omega cm$, 10.11 $cm^2 V^{-1} s^{-1}$, and 1.38 $\cdot 10^{20} cm^{-3}$ on SmScO$_3$ and 7.8 $m \Omega cm$, 5.8 $cm^2 V^{-1} s^{-1}$, and 1.36 $\cdot 10^{20} cm^{-3}$ on SrTiO$_3$ ruling out any extrinsic contribution from the substrate. The superior electrical properties observed on the SmScO3 substrate are attributed to reduction in dislocation density from the lower lattice mismatch.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, supplementary informations 2 figure