Phase control of La2CuO4 in thin-film synthesis

The lanthanum copper oxide, La2CuO4, which is an end member of the prototype high-Tc superconductors (La,Sr)2CuO4 and (La,Ba)2CuO4, crystallizes in the "K2NiF4" structure in high-temperature bulk synthesis. The crystal chemistry, however, predicts that La2CuO4 is at the borderline of the K2NiF4 stability and that it can crystallize in the Nd2CuO4 structure at low synthesis temperatures. In this article we demonstrate that low-temperature thin-film synthesis actually crystallizes La2CuO4 in the Nd2CuO4 structure. We also show that the phase control of "K2NiF4"-type La2CuO4 versus "Nd2CuO4"-type La2CuO4 can be achieved by varying the synthesis temperature and using different substrates.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PRB, revte

A simplification of boundary element model with rotational symmetry in electromagnetic field analysis

A simplification method for the boundary element model with rotational symmetry is described. When the boundary element model has a rotational symmetry, the region to be treated for boundary integrations can be reduced to the fundamental boundary surface. This reduction is possible because the coefficient matrix of the final simultaneous equations for the model can be transformed to a block diagonal matrix by a transformation matrix using spatial eigenmodes. The simplification reduces the computation time and storage capacity because the coefficient matrix of the final simultaneous equations of the boundary element method is dense. Computation results for a four-wire method demonstrate the applicability of the proposed simplification method </p

Generic phase diagram of "electron-doped" T' cuprates

We investigated the generic phase diagram of the electron doped superconductor, Nd2-xCexCuO4, using films prepared by metal organic decomposition. After careful oxygen reduction treatment to remove interstitial Oap atoms, we found that the Tc increases monotonically from 24 K to 29 K with decreasing x from 0.15 to 0.00, demonstrating a quite different phase diagram from the previous bulk one. The implication of our results is discussed on the basis of tremendous influence of Oap "impurities" on superconductivity and also magnetism in T' cuprates. Then we conclude that our result represents the generic phase diagram for oxygen-stoichiometric Nd2-xCexCuO4.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures; International Symposium on Superconductivity (ISS) 200

On the peak in the far-infrared conductivity of strongly anisotropic cuprates

We investigate the far-infrared and submillimeter-wave conductivity of electron-doped La_(2-x)Ce_xCuO_4 tilted 1 degree off from the ab-plane. The effective conductivity measured for this tilt angle reveals an intensive peak at finite frequency (\nu ~ 50 cm{-1}) due to a mixing of the in-plane and out-of-plane responses. The peak disappears for the pure in-plane response and transforms to the Drude-like contribution. Comparative analysis of the mixed and the in-plane contributions allows to extract the c-axis conductivity which shows a Josephson plasma resonance at 11.7 cm{-1} in the superconducting state.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures include

Anomalously Sharp Superconducting Transitions in Overdoped La2−xSrxCuO4La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4} Films

We present measurements of $ab$-plane resistivity $\rho_{ab}(T)$ and superfluid density [$\propto \lambda^{-2}$, $\lambda$ = magnetic penetration depth] in $La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}$ films. As Sr concentration $x$ exceeds about 0.22, the superconducting transition sharpens dramatically, becoming as narrow as 200 mK near the super-to-normal metal quantum critical point. At the same time, $\rho_{ab}(T)$, $\lambda^{-2}(T)$, and transition temperature $T_c$ decrease, and upward curvature develops in $\lambda^{-2}(T)$. Given the sharp transitions, we interpret these results in the context of a homogeneous d-wave superconducting state, with elastic scattering that is enhanced relative to underdoped LSCO due to weaker electron correlations. This interpretation conflicts with the viewpoint that the overdoped state is inhomogeneous due to phase separation into superconducting and normal metal regions.Comment: 21 pages including 3 figures and 56 references. This version includes responses to referees and slight correction of data on two films. Conclusions the same as befor

Effect of Compton Scattering on the Electron Beam Dynamics at the ATF Damping Ring

Compton scattering provides one of the most promising scheme to obtain polarized positrons for the next generation of $e^-$ -- $e^+$ colliders. Moreover it is an attractive method to produce monochromatic high energy polarized gammas for nuclear applications and X-rays for compact light sources. In this framework a four-mirror Fabry-P\'erot cavity has been installed at the Accelerator Test Facility (ATF - KEK, Tsukuba, Japan) and is used to produce an intense flux of polarized gamma rays by Compton scattering \cite{ipac-mightylaser}. For electrons at the ATF energy (1.28 GeV) Compton scattering may result in a shorter lifetime due to the limited bucket acceptance. We have implemented the effect of Compton scattering on a 2D tracking code with a Monte-Carlo method. This code has been used to study the longitudinal dynamics of the electron beam at the ATF damping ring, in particular the evolution of the energy spread and the bunch length under Compton scattering. The results obtained are presented and discussed. Possible methods to observe the effect of Compton scattering on the ATF beam are proposed