Temperature-dependent Hc2H_{c2} anisotropy in MgB2_2 as inferred from measurements on polycrystals

We present data on temperature-dependent anisotropy of the upper critical field of MgB$_2$ obtained from the analysis of measurements on high purity, low resistivity polycrystals. The anisotropy decreases in a monotonic fashion with increase of temperature

Thermoelectric power of Ba(Fe1-xRux)2As2 and Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2: possible changes of Fermi surface with and without changes in electron count

Temperature-dependent, in-plane, thermoelectric power (TEP) data are presented for Ba(Fe1-xRux)2As2 (0 < x < 0.36) single crystals. The previously outlined x - T phase diagram for this system is confirmed. The analysis of TEP evolution with Ru-doping suggests significant changes in the electronic structure, correlations and/or scattering occurring near ~7% and ~30% of Ru-doping levels. These results are compared with an extended set of TEP data for the electron-doped Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 series

Intrinsic pinning on structural domains in underdoped single crystals of Ba(Fe1−x_{1-x}Cox_x)2_2As2_2

Critical current density was studied in single crystals of Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ for the values of $x$ spanning the entire doping phase diagram. A noticeable enhancement was found for slightly underdoped crystals with the peak at $x = 0.058$. Using a combination of polarized-light imaging, x-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements we associate this behavior with the intrinsic pinning on structural domains in the orthorhombic phase. Domain walls extend throughout the sample thickness in the direction of vortices and act as extended pinning centers. With the increasing $x$ domain structure becomes more intertwined and fine due to a decrease of the orthorhombic distortion. This results in the energy landscape with maze-like spatial modulations favorable for pinning. This finding shows that iron-based pnictide superconductors, characterized by high values of the transition temperature, high upper critical fields, and low anisotropy may intrinsically have relatively high critical current densities.Comment: estimation of Jc correcte

Magnetic and superconducting phase diagrams in ErNi2B2C

We present measurements of the superconducting upper critical field Hc2(T) and the magnetic phase diagram of the superconductor ErNi2B2C made with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The magnetic field was applied in the basal plane of the tetragonal crystal structure. We have found large gapless regions in the superconducting phase diagram of ErNi2B2C, extending between different magnetic transitions. A close correlation between magnetic transitions and Hc2(T) is found, showing that superconductivity is strongly linked to magnetism.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Uniaxial strain detwinning of CaFe2As2 and BaFe2As2: optical and transport study

TThe parent compounds of iron-arsenide superconductors, $A$Fe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ ($A$=Ca, Sr, Ba), undergo a tetragonal to orthorhombic structural transition at a temperature $T_{\mathrm{TO}}$ in the range 135 to 205K depending on the alkaline earth element. Below $T_{\mathrm{TO}}$ the free standing crystals split into equally populated structural domains, which mask intrinsic, in-plane, anisotropic properties of the materials. Here we demonstrate a way of mechanically detwinning CaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ and BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$. The detwinning is nearly complete, as demonstrated by polarized light imaging and synchrotron $X$-ray measurements, and reversible, with twin pattern restored after strain release. Electrical resistivity measurements in the twinned and detwinned states show that resistivity, $\rho$, decreases along the orthorhombic $a_{o}$-axis but increases along the orthorhombic $b_{o}$-axis in both compounds. Immediately below $T_{\mathrm{TO}}$ the ratio $\rho_{bo}/ \rho_{ao}$ = 1.2 and 1.5 for Ca and Ba compounds, respectively. Contrary to CaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$, BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ reveals an anisotropy in the nominally tetragonal phase, suggesting that either fluctuations play a larger role above $T_{\mathrm{TO}}$ in BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ than in CaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$, or that there is a higher temperature crossover or phase transition.Comment: extended versio

Anisotropic Hall Effect in Single Crystal Heavy Fermion YbAgGe

Temperature- and field-dependent Hall effect measurements are reported for YbAgGe, a heavy fermion compound exhibiting a field-induced quantum phase transition, and for two other closely related members of the RAgGe series: a non-magnetic analogue, LuAgGe and a representative, ''good local moment'', magnetic material, TmAgGe. Whereas the temperature dependent Hall coefficient of YbAgGe shows behavior similar to what has been observed in a number of heavy fermion compounds, the low temperature, field-dependent measurements reveal well defined, sudden changes with applied field; in specific for $H \perp c$ a clear local maximum that sharpens as temperature is reduced below 2 K and that approaches a value of 45 kOe - a value that has been proposed as the $T = 0$ quantum critical point. Similar behavior was observed for $H \| c$ where a clear minimum in the field-dependent Hall resistivity was observed at low temperatures. Although at our base temperatures it is difficult to distinguish between the field-dependent behavior predicted for (i) diffraction off a critical spin density wave or (ii) breakdown in the composite nature of the heavy electron, for both field directions there is a distinct temperature dependence of a feature that can clearly be associated with a field-induced quantum critical point at $T = 0$ persisting up to at least 2 K.Comment: revised versio

Tuning Low Temperature Physical Properties of CeNiGe3_{3} by Magnetic Field

We have studied the thermal, magnetic, and electrical properties of the ternary intermetallic system CeNiGe$_{3}$ by means of specific heat, magnetization, and resistivity measurements. The specific heat data, together with the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility, was analyzed on the basis of the point charge model of crystalline electric field. The $J$\,=\,5/2 multiplet of the Ce$^{3+}$ is split by the crystalline electric field (CEF) into three Kramers doublets, where the second and third doublet are separated from the first (ground state) doublet by $\Delta_{1}$ $\sim$ 100\,K and $\Delta_{2}$ $\sim$ 170\,K, respectively. In zero field CeNiGe$_{3}$ exhibits an antiferromangeic order below $T_{N}$ = 5.0\,K. For \textbf{H}\,$\parallel$\,\textbf{a} two metamagnetic transitions are clearly evidenced between 2\,$\sim$\,4\,K from the magnetization isotherm and extended down to 0.4\,K from the magnetoresistance measurements. For \textbf{H}\,$\parallel$\,\textbf{a}, $T_{N}$ shifts to lower temperature as magnetic field increases, and ultimately disappears at $H_{c}$ $\sim$ 32.5\,kOe. For $H\,>\,H_{c}$, the electrical resistivity shows the quadratic temperature dependence ($\Delta\rho = A T^{2}$). For $H \gg H_{c}$, an unconventional $T^{n}$-dependence of $\Delta\rho$ with $n > 2$ emerges, the exponent $n$ becomes larger as magnetic field increases. Although the antiferromagnetic phase transition temperature in CeNiGe$_{3}$ can be continuously suppressed to zero, it provides an example of field tuning that does not match current simple models of Quantum criticality.Comment: accepted PR

Competition and coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in underdoped Ba(Fe0.953Co0.047)2As2

Neutron and x-ray diffraction studies show that the simultaneous first-order transition to an orthorhombic and antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordered state in BaFe2As2 splits into two transitions with Co doping. For Ba(Fe0.953Co0.047)2As2, a tetragonal-orthorhombic transition occurs at TS = 60 K, followed by a second-order transition to AFM order at TN = 47 K. Superconductivity (SC) occurs in the orthorhombic state below TC = 15 K and coexists with AFM. Below TC, the static Fe moment is reduced and a 4 meV spin gap develops indicating competition between coexisting SC and AFM order.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

Lattice and magnetic instabilities in CaFe2As2: A single crystal neutron diffraction study

Neutron diffraction measurements of a high quality single crystal of CaFe2As2 are reported. A sharp transition was observed between the high temperature tetragonal and low temperature orthorhombic structures at TS = 172.5K (on cooling) and 173.5K (on warming). Coincident with the structural transition we observe a rapid, but continuous, ordering of the Fe moments, in a commensurate antiferromagnetic structure is observed, with a saturated moment of 0.80(5)muB/Fe directed along the orthorhombic a-axis. The hysteresis of the structural transition is 1K between cooling and warming and is consistent with previous thermodynamic, transport and single crystal x-ray studies. The temperature onset of magnetic ordering shifts rigidly with the structural transition providing the clearest evidence to date of the coupling between the structural and magnetic transitions in this material and the broader class of iron arsenides.Comment: submitted to PR

Zooming into the coexisting regime of ferromagnetism and superconductivity in ErRh4B4 single crystals

High resolution measurements of the dynamic magnetic susceptibility are reported for ferromagnetic re-entrant superconductor, ErRh$_{4}$B$_{4}$. Detailed investigation of the coexisting regime reveals unusual temperature-asymmetric and magnetically anisotropic behavior. The superconducting phase appears via a series of discontinuous steps upon warming from the ferromagnetic normal phase, whereas the ferromagnetic phase develops via a gradual transition. A model based on local field inhomogeneity is proposed to explain the observations