Spin-size disorder model for granular superconductors with charging effects

A quantum pseudo-spin model with random spin sizes is introduced to study the effects of charging-energy disorder on the superconducting transition in granular superconducting materials. Charging-energy effects result from the small electrical capacitance of the grains when the Coulomb charging energy is comparable to the Josephson coupling energy. In the pseudo-spin model, randomness in the spin size is argued to arise from the inhomogeneous grain-size distribution. For a particular bimodal spin-size distribution, the model describes percolating granular superconductors. A mean-field theory is developed to obtain the phase diagram as a function of temperature, average charging energy and disorder.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Charging Effects and Quantum Crossover in Granular Superconductors

The effects of the charging energy in the superconducting transition of granular materials or Josephson junction arrays is investigated using a pseudospin one model. Within a mean-field renormalization-group approach, we obtain the phase diagram as a function of temperature and charging energy. In contrast to early treatments, we find no sign of a reentrant transition in agreement with more recent studies. A crossover line is identified in the non-superconducting side of the phase diagram and along which we expect to observe anomalies in the transport and thermodynamic properties. We also study a charge ordering phase, which can appear for large nearest neighbor Coulomb interaction, and show that it leads to first-order transitions at low temperatures. We argue that, in the presence of charge ordering, a non monotonic behavior with decreasing temperature is possible with a maximum in the resistance just before entering the superconducting phase.Comment: 15 pages plus 4 fig. appended, Revtex, INPE/LAS-00

Parity Effects in Stacked Nanoscopic Quantum Rings

The ground state and the dielectric response of stacked quantum rings are investigated in the presence of an applied magnetic field along the ring axis. For odd number $N$ of rings and an electric field perpendicular to the axis, a linear Stark effect occurs at distinct values of the magnetic field. At those fields energy levels cross in the absence of electric field. For even values of $N$ a quadratic Stark effect is expected in all cases, but the induced electric polarization is discontinuous at those special magnetic fields. Experimental consequences for related nanostructures are discussed.Comment: typos corrected, to appear Phys. Rev. B (Rapid Communication) 15 Au

Mean Field Theory of Josephson Junction Arrays with Charge Frustration

Using the path integral approach, we provide an explicit derivation of the equation for the phase boundary for quantum Josephson junction arrays with offset charges and non-diagonal capacitance matrix. For the model with nearest neighbor capacitance matrix and uniform offset charge $q/2e=1/2$, we determine, in the low critical temperature expansion, the most relevant contributions to the equation for the phase boundary. We explicitly construct the charge distributions on the lattice corresponding to the lowest energies. We find a reentrant behavior even with a short ranged interaction. A merit of the path integral approach is that it allows to provide an elegant derivation of the Ginzburg-Landau free energy for a general model with charge frustration and non-diagonal capacitance matrix. The partition function factorizes as a product of a topological term, depending only on a set of integers, and a non-topological one, which is explicitly evaluated.Comment: LaTex, 24 pages, 8 figure

Quantum critical point and scaling in a layered array of ultrasmall Josephson junctions

We have studied a quantum Hamiltonian that models an array of ultrasmall Josephson junctions with short range Josephson couplings, $E_J$, and charging energies, $E_C$, due to the small capacitance of the junctions. We derive a new effective quantum spherical model for the array Hamiltonian. As an application we start by approximating the capacitance matrix by its self-capacitive limit and in the presence of an external uniform background of charges, $q_x$. In this limit we obtain the zero-temperature superconductor-insulator phase diagram, $E_J^{\rm crit}(E_C,q_x)$, that improves upon previous theoretical results that used a mean field theory approximation. Next we obtain a closed-form expression for the conductivity of a square array, and derive a universal scaling relation valid about the zero--temperature quantum critical point. In the latter regime the energy scale is determined by temperature and we establish universal scaling forms for the frequency dependence of the conductivity.Comment: 18 pages, four Postscript figures, REVTEX style, Physical Review B 1999. We have added one important reference to this version of the pape

Doping Controlled Superconductor-Insulator Transition in Bi2Sr2-xLaxCaCu2O8+delta

We show that the doping-controlled superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) in a high critical temperature cuprate system (Bi2Sr2-xLaxCaCu2O8+delta) exhibits a fundamentally different behavior than is expected from conventional SIT. At the critical doping, the sheet resistance seems to diverge in the zero temperature limit. Above the critical doping, the transport is universally scaled by a two-component conductance model. Below, it continuously evolves from weakly to strongly insulating behavior. The two-component conductance model suggests that a collective electronic phase separation mechanism may be responsible for this unconventional SIT behavior.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, abstract changed. Introduction and conclusion expanded. Slight changes in the main text. Accepted to PR

Spectral Flow, Magnus Force and Mutual Friction via the Geometric Optics Limit of Andreev Reflection

The notion of spectral flow has given new insight into the motion of vortices in superfluids and superconductors. For a BCS superconductor the spectrum of low energy vortex core states is largely determined by the geometric optics limit of Andreev reflection. We use this to follow the evolution of the states when a stationary vortex is immersed in a transport supercurrent. If the core spectrum were continuous, spectral flow would convert the momentum flowing into the core via the Magnus effect into unbound quasiparticles --- thus allowing the vortex to remain stationary without a pinning potential or other sink for the inflowing momentum. The discrete nature of the states, however, leads to Bloch oscillations which thwart the spectral flow. The momentum can escape only via relaxation processes. Taking these into account permits a physically transparent derivation of the mutual friction coefficients.Comment: Plain TeX, 19 pages, 5 encapsulated postscript figure

Granular Electronic Systems

A granular metal is an array of metallic nano-particles imbedded into an insulating matrix. Tuning the intergranular coupling strength a granular system can be transformed into either a good metal or an insulator and, in case of superconducting particles, experience superconductor-insulator transition. The ease of adjusting electronic properties of granular metals makes them most suitable for fundamental studies of disordered solids and assures them a fundamental role for nanotechnological applications. This Review discusses recent important theoretical advances in the study of granular metals, emphasizing on the interplay of disorder, quantum effects, fluctuations and effects of confinement in formation of electronic transport and thermodynamic properties of granular materials.Comment: 51 pages, 23 figures, submitted to Reviews of Modern Physic

Microscopic approach to current-driven domain wall dynamics

This review describes in detail the essential techniques used in microscopic theories on spintronics. We have investigated the domain wall dynamics induced by electric current based on the $s$-$d$ exchange model. The domain wall is treated as rigid and planar and is described by two collective coordinates: the position and angle of wall magnetization. The effect of conduction electrons on the domain wall dynamics is calculated in the case of slowly varying spin structure (close to the adiabatic limit) by use of a gauge transformation. The spin-transfer torque and force on the wall are expressed by Feynman diagrams and calculated systematically using non-equilibrium Green's functions, treating electrons fully quantum mechanically. The wall dynamics is discussed based on two coupled equations of motion derived for two collective coordinates. The force is related to electron transport properties, resistivity, and the Hall effect. Effect of conduction electron spin relaxation on the torque and wall dynamics is also studied.Comment: manucript accepted to Phys. Re

Evaluation of serum chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronan: biomarkers for osteoarthritis in canine hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia (HD) is one of the most important bone and joint diseases in dogs. Making the radiographic diagnosis is sometime possible when the disease has markedly progressed. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) and hyaluronan (HA) are the most important cartilage biomolecules that are elevated in the serum taken from dogs with osteoarthritis. The serum CS and HA can be detected by an ELISA technique, with using monoclonal antibodies against CS epitope 3B3 and WF6 and the HA chain as the primary antibodies. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of serum CS (both epitopes) and HA in non-HD and HD dogs. All 123 dogs were categorized into 2 groups. The non-HD group was composed of 98 healthy dogs, while the HD group was comprised of 25 HD dogs. Blood samples were collected for analyzing the serum CS and HA levels with using the ELISA technique. The results showed that the average serum level of the CS epitope WF6 in the HD group (2,594 ± 3,036.10 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that in the non-HD group (465 ± 208.97 ng/ml) (p < 0.01) while the epitope 3B3 in the HD group (105 ± 100.05 ng/ml) was significantly lower than that in the non-HD group (136 ± 142.03 ng/ml) (p < 0.05). The amount of serum HA in the HD group (134.74 ± 59.71 ng/ml) was lower than that in the non HD group (245.45 ± 97.84 ng/ml) (p < 0.05). The results indicate that the serum CS and HA levels might be used as biomarkers for osteoarthritis in HD dogs