Microwave response of bulk MgB2 samples of different granularity

The microwave response of three high-density bulk MgB2 samples has been investigated in the linear and nonlinear regimes. The three samples, characterized by different mean size of grains, have been obtained by reactive infiltration of liquid Mg in powdered B preforms. The linear response has been studied by measuring the microwave surface impedance; the nonlinear response by detecting the power radiated by the sample at the second-harmonic frequency of the driving field. Our results suggest that bulk MgB2 prepared by the liquid Mg infiltration technique is particularly promising for manufacturing resonant cavities operating at microwave frequencies.Comment: 4 pages, 2 embedded figures; Proceedings of 7th EUCAS Conference (11-15 September 2005, Vienna - Austria

Microwave surface impedance anisotropy of YBa2_2Cu3_3Ox_x single crystals with different oxygen content

The linear microwave response of ultra high-quality YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_x$ single crystals grown in BaZrO$_3$ crucibles is measured at 9.4 GHz in rf magnetic fields parallel and perpendicular to the $ab$-plane in the temperature range 5$\leq T\leq 200$ K. Having found the analytic solution for the magnetic field distribution on the sample surface we determine both the surface impedance $Z_{ab}=R_{ab}+iX_{ab}$ in the $ab$-plane and $Z_c=R_c+iX_c$ along c-axis of the crystals. For the first time the evolution of the $Z_{ab}(T)$ and $Z_c(T)$ dependences on the same sample and in a wide range of oxygen content is obtained. For $x=6.95$ (optimum oxygen content) the temperature dependence of the imaginary part $\sigma_{c}''(T)/\sigma_{c}''(0)$ of the c-axis conductivity is found to be strikingly similar to that of $\sigma_{ab}''(T)/\sigma_{ab}''(0)$ and becomes more convex with $x$ lowering.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures. To be published in Physica C as LT23 Proceeding

Microwave Response of V3Si Single Crystals: Evidence for Two-Gap Superconductivity

The investigation of the temperature dependences of microwave surface impedance and complex conductivity of V3Si single crystals with different stoichiometry allowed to observe a number of peculiarities which are in remarkable contradiction with single-gap Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory. At the same time, they can be well described by two-band model of superconductivity, thus strongly evidencing the existence of two distinct energy gaps with zero-temperature values Delta1~1.8Tc and Delta2~0.95Tc in V3Si.Comment: Submitted to Europhysics Letter

Superfluid density in the underdoped YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x}: Evidence for d-density wave order of pseudogap

The investigation of the penetration depth \lambda_{ab}(T,p) in YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x} crystals allowed to observe the following features of the superfluid density n_s(T,p)\propto \lambda_{ab}^{-2}(T,p) as a function of temperature T<Tc/2 and carrier concentration 0.078\le p\le 0.16 in CuO_2 planes: (i) n_s(0,p) depends linearly on p, (ii) the derivative |dn_s(T,p)/dT|_{T\to 0} depends on p slightly in the optimally and moderately doped regions (0.10<p\le 0.16); however, it rapidly increases with p further lowering and (iii) the latter finding is accompanied by the linear low-temperature dependence [-\Delta n_s(T)]\propto T changing to [-\Delta n_s(T)]\propto \sqrt{T}. All these peculiarities can be treated in the framework of d-density wave scenario of electronic processes in underdoped high-Tc materials.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. To be published in Phys.Rev.Let

Pseudogap in the microwave response of YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x}

The in-plane and out-of-plane surface impedance and microwave conductivity components of one and the same YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x} (0.07\le x\le 0.47) single crystal are determined in the wide ranges of temperature T and carrier concentration p in CuO_2 planes. The following features of the superfluid density n_s(T,p)\propto\lambda_{ab}^{-2}(T,p) are observed at T<Tc/2 and 0.078\le p\le 0.16: (i) n_s(0,p) depends linearly on p, (ii) the derivative |dn_s(T,p)/dT|_{T\to 0} depends on p slightly in the optimally and moderately doped regions (0.10<p\le 0.16); however, it rapidly increases with p further lowering and (iii) the latter finding is accompanied by the linear low-temperature dependence \Delta n_s(T)\propto(-T) changing to \Delta n_s(T)\propto(-\sqrt{T}). For optimum oxygen content the temperature dependence of the normalized imaginary part of the c-axis conductivity \lambda_c^2(0)/\lambda_c^2(T) is found to be strikingly similar to that of \lambda_{ab}^2(0)/\lambda_{ab}^2(T) and becomes more convex with p lowering. \lambda_c^{-2}(0,p) values are roughly proportional to the normal state conductivities \sigma_c(T_c,p) along the c-axis. All these properties can be treated in the framework of d-density wave order of pseudogap.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures, presented at EUCAS 2003 (September 14-18), submitted to SUS