59 research outputs found
L4Fe2As2Te1-xO4-yFy (L = Pr, Sm, Gd): a layered oxypnictide superconductor with Tc up to 45 K
The synthesis, structural and physical properties of iron lanthanide
oxypnictide superconductors, L4Fe2As2Te1-xO4 (L = Pr, Sm, Gd), with transition
temperature at ~ 25 K are reported. Single crystals have been grown at high
pressure using cubic anvil technique. The crystal structure consists of layers
of L2O2 tetrahedra separated by alternating layers of chains of Te and of
Fe2As2 tetrahedra: -L2O2-Te-L2O2-Fe2As2-L2O2-Te-L2O2- (space group: I4/mmm, a ~
4.0, c ~ 29.6 {\AA}). Substitution of oxygen by fluorine increases the critical
temperature, e.g. in Gd4Fe2As2Te1-xOyF4-y up to 45 K. Magnetic torque
measurements reveal an anisotropy of the penetration depths of ~31.Comment: 8 figures, 4 table
Magnetic field induced 3D to 1D crossover in Sr0:9La0:1CuO2
The effect of the magnetic field on the critical behavior of Sr0:9La0:1CuO2
is explored in terms of reversible magnetization data. As the correlation
length transverse to the magnetic field Hi,applied along the i-axis, cannot
grow beyond the limiting magnetic length LHi, related to the average distance
between vortex lines, one expects a magnetic field induced finite size effect.
Invoking the scaling theory of critical phenomena we provide clear evidence for
this effect. It implies that in type II superconductors there is a 3D to 1D
crossover line Hpi(T). Consequently, below Tc and above Hpi(T) uperconductivity
is confined to cylinders with diameter LHi(1D). Accordingly, there is no
continuous phase transition in the (H,T)-plane along the Hc2-lines as predicted
by the mean-field treatment.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Quasiparticle relaxation dynamics in spin-density-wave and superconducting SmFeAsO_{1-x}F_{x} single crystals
We investigate the quasiparticle relaxation and low-energy electronic
structure in undoped SmFeAsO and near-optimally doped SmFeAsO_{0.8}F_{0.2}
single crystals - exhibiting spin-density wave (SDW) ordering and
superconductivity respectively - using pump-probe femtosecond spectroscopy. In
the undoped single crystals a single relaxation process is observed, showing a
remarkable critical slowing down of the QP relaxation dynamics at the SDW
transition temperature T_{SDW}\simeq125{K}. In the superconducting (SC)
crystals multiple relaxation processes are present, with distinct SC state
quasiparticle recombination dynamics exhibiting a BCS-like T-dependent
superconducting gap, and a pseudogap (PG)-like feature with an onset above 180K
indicating the existence of a pseudogap of magnitude
2\Delta_{\mathrm{PG}}\simeq120 meV above T_{\mathrm{c}}. From the pump-photon
energy dependence we conclude that the SC state and PG relaxation channels are
independent, implying the presence of two separate electronic subsystems. We
discuss the data in terms of spatial inhomogeneity and multi-band scenarios,
finding that the latter is more consistent with the present data.Comment: Replaced by the correct versio
Evidence for Two Distinct Anisotropies in the Oxypnictide Superconductors SmFeAsO0.8F0.2 and NdFeAsO0.8F0.2
Single crystals of the oxypnictide superconductors SmFeAsO0.8F0.2 and NdFeAsO0.8F0.2 with T c in the range of 44 to 48 K were investigated by torque magnetometry. An analysis of the data in terms of a recently proposed model for the anisotropic magnetization in the superconducting state, treating the magnetic penetration depth anisotropy γ λ differently than the upper critical field anisotropy γ H , provides evidence that in the oxypnictide superconductors two distinct anisotropies are present. As a result γ λ differs significantly in magnitude and in temperature dependence from γ H , analogous to MgB2 but with a reversed sign of slope. This scenario strongly suggests a new multi-band mechanism in the novel class of oxypnictide high-temperature superconductor
Synthesis and Bulk Properties of Oxychloride Superconductor Ca2-xNaxCuO2Cl2
Polycrystalline samples and submillimeter size single crystals of Na-doped
Ca2CuO2Cl2 have been synthesized under high pressure. A series of experiments
showed that the Na content depends not only on the pressure during the
synthesis but also on the synthesis temperature and time. From a comparison of
the Na-CCOC data with those of structurally related La214 cuprate
superconductors we concluded that chlorine at the apical site is less effective
that oxygen in supplying charge carriers to the CuO2 plans. As a result, the
coupling between the CuO2 planes is weakened, the transition temperature Tc is
reduced and the anisotropic nature is enhanced.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, 1 table, presenthed at the Eucas 2007 conference.
Accepted for "Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)" 2008 and European
News Forum, Issue 3 (2008
Field Dependent Superfluid Density in the Optimally Doped SmFeAsO_(1-x)F_y Superconductor
The magnetic field dependence of the in-plane magnetic penetration depth for
optimally doped SmFeAsO_(1-x)F_y was investigated by combining torque
magnetometry, SQUID magnetometry, and muon-spin rotation. The results obtained
from these techniques show all a pronounced decrease of the superfluid density
as the field is increased up to 1.4 T. This behavior is analysed within a
two-band model with self-consistently derived coupled gaps, where the
superfluid density related to the larger gap is field independent and the
superfluid density related to the smaller gap is strongly suppressed with
increasing field.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Intrinsic magnetic properties of NdFeAsOF superconductor from local and global measurements
Magneto-optical imaging was used to study the local magnetization in
polycrystalline NdFeAsOF (NFAOF). Individual crystallites up to
in size could be mapped at various
temperatures. The in-grain, persistent current density is about
A/cm and the magnetic relaxation rate in a remanent state peaks at about
K. By comparison with with the total magnetization measured in a
bar-shaped, dense, polycrystalline sample, we suggest that
NdFeAsOF is similar to a layered high-, compound such as
BiSrCaCuO and exhibits a crossover in the
vortex structure. The 2D Ginzburg parameter is about
implying electromagnetic anisotropy as large as . Below
, the static and dynamic behaviors are consistent with collective
pinning and creep
{Rearrangement of the antiferromagnetic ordering at high magnetic fields in SmFeAsO and SmFeAsOF single crystals
The low-temperature antiferromagnetic state of the Sm-ions in both
nonsuperconducting SmFeAsO and superconducting SmFeAsOF single
crystals was studied by magnetic torque, magnetization, and magnetoresistance
measurements in magnetic fields up to 60~T and temperatures down to 0.6~K. We
uncover in both compounds a distinct rearrangement of the antiferromagnetically
ordered Sm-moments near ~T. This is seen in both, static and pulsed
magnetic fields, as a sharp change in the sign of the magnetic torque, which is
sensitive to the magnetic anisotropy and hence to the magnetic moment in the
-plane, ({\it i.e.} the FeAs-layers), and as a jump in the magnetization
for magnetic fields perpendicular to the conducting planes. This rearrangement
of magnetic ordering in ~T is essentially temperature independent and
points towards a canted or a partially polarized magnetic state in high
magnetic fields. However, the observed value for the saturation moment above
this rearrangement, suggests that the complete suppression of the
antiferromagnetism related to the Sm-moments would require fields in excess of
60~T. Such a large field value is particularly remarkable when compared to the
relatively small N\'{e}el temperature ~K, suggesting very
anisotropic magnetic exchange couplings. At the transition, magnetoresistivity
measurements show a crossover from positive to negative field-dependence,
indicating that the charge carriers in the FeAs planes are sensitive to the
magnetic configuration of the rare-earth elements. This is indicates a finite
magnetic/electronic coupling between the SmO and the FeAs layers which are
likely to mediate the exchange interactions leading to the long range
antiferromagnetic order of the Sm ions.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.
Single crystal of superconducting SmFeAsO1-xFy grown at high pressure
Single crystals of SmFeAsO1-xFy of a size up to 120 micrometers have been
grown from NaCl/KCl flux at a pressure of 30 kbar and temperature of 1350-1450
C using the cubic anvil high-pressure technique. The superconducting transition
temperature of the obtained single crystals varies between 45 and 53 K.Obtained
crystals are characterized by a full diamagnetic response in low magnetic
fields and by a high critical current density in high magnetic fields.
Structural refinement has been performed on single crystal. Differential
thermal analysis investigations at 1 bar Ar pressure show decomposition of
SmFeAsO1-xFy at 1302 C.Comment: 12 pages, 3 tables, 6 figure
Evidence for two distinct anisotropies in the oxypnictide superconductors SmFeAsO_(0.8)F_(0.2) and NdFeAsO_(0.8)F_(0.2)
Single crystals of the oxypnictide superconductors SmFeAsO_(0.8)F_(0.2) and
NdFeAsO_(0.8)F_(0.2) with T_c in the range of 44 K to 48 K were investigated by
torque magnetometry. An analysis of the data in terms of a recently proposed
model for the anisotropic magnetization in the superconducting state, treating
the penetration depth anisotropy differently than the upper critical field
anisotropy, provides evidence that in the oxypnictide superconductors two
distinct anisotropies are present. As a result the penetration depth anisotropy
differs significantly in magnitude and in temperature dependence from the upper
critical field anisotropy, analogous to MgB_2 but with a reversed sign of
slope. This scenario strongly suggests a new multi-band mechanism in the novel
class of oxypnictide high-temperature superconductors.Comment: published online in J. Supercond. Nov. Mag
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