The Effects of Phase Separation in the Cuprate Superconductors

Phase separation has been observed by several different experiments and it is believed to be closely related with the physics of cuprates but its exactly role is not yet well known. We propose that the onset of pseudogap phenomenon or the upper pseudogap temperature $T^*$ has its origin in a spontaneous phase separation transition at the temperature $T_{ps}=T^*$. In order to perform quantitative calculations, we use a Cahn-Hilliard (CH) differential equation originally proposed to the studies of alloys and on a spinodal decomposition mechanism. Solving numerically the CH equation it is possible to follow the time evolution of a coarse-grained order parameter which satisfies a Ginzburg-Landau free-energy functional commonly used to model superconductors. In this approach, we follow the process of charge segregation into two main equilibrium hole density branches and the energy gap normally attributed to the upper pseudogap arises as the free-energy potential barrier between these two equilibrium densities below $T_{ps}$. This simulation provides quantitative results %on the hole doping and temperature %dependence of the degree of the charge inhomogeneity in agreement with %some experiments and the simulations reproduce the observed stripe and granular pattern of segregation. Furthermore, with a Bogoliubov-deGennes (BdG) local superconducting critical temperature calculation for the lower pseudogap or the onset of local superconductivity, it yields novel interpretation of several non-conventional measurements on cuprates.Comment: Published versio

GINZBURG-LANDAU THEORY OF VORTICES IN dd-WAVE SUPERCONDUCTORS

Ginzburg-Landau theory is used to study the properties of single vortices and of the Abrikosov vortex lattice in a $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconductor. For a single vortex, the $s$-wave order parameter has the expected four-lobe structure in a ring around the core and falls off like $1/r^2$ at large distances. The topological structure of the $s$-wave order parameter consists of one counter-rotating unit vortex, centered at the core, surrounded by four symmetrically placed positive unit vortices. The Abrikosov lattice is shown to have a triangular structure close to $T_c$ and an oblique structure at lower temperatures. Comparison is made to recent neutron scattering data.Comment: 4 pages, REVTeX, 3 figures available upon reques

Understanding the effect of cognitive/brain reserve and depression on regional atrophy in early Alzheimer’s disease

Introduction: Depression in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (AD) is associated with worse prognosis. Indeed, depressed MCI patients have worse cognitive performance and greater loss of gray-matter volume in several brain areas. To date, knowledge of the factors that can mitigate this detrimental effect is still limited. The aim of the present study was to understand in what way cognitive reserve/brain reserve and depression interact and are linked to regional atrophy in early stage AD. Methods: Depression was evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in 90 patients with early AD, and a cutoff of ≥ 5 was used to separate depressed (n = 44) from non-depressed (n = 46) patients. Each group was further stratified into high/low cognitive reserve/brain reserve. Cognitive reserve was calculated using years of education as proxy, while normalized parenchymal volumes were used to estimate brain reserve. Voxel-based morphometry was carried out to extract and analyze gray-matter maps. 2 × 2 ANCOVAs were run to test the effect of the reserve-by-depression interaction on gray matter. Age and hippocampal ratio were used as covariates. Composite indices of major cognitive domains were also analyzed with comparable models. Results: No reserve-by-depression interaction was found in the analytical models of gray matter. Depression was associated with less gray matter volume in the cerebellum and parahippocampal gyrus. The brain reserve-by-depression interaction was a significant predictor of executive functioning. Among those with high brain reserve, depressed patients had poorer executive skills. No significant results were found in association with cognitive reserve. Conclusion: These findings suggest that brain reserve may modulate the association between neurodegeneration and depression in patients with MCI and dementia of the AD type, influencing in particular executive functioning

Antibody responses to nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in adults: A longitudinal household study

Background. Natural immunity to Streptococcus pneumoniae is thought to be induced by exposure to S. pneumoniae or cross-reactive antigens. No longitudinal studies of carriage of and immune responses to S. pneumoniae have been conducted using sophisticated immunological laboratory techniques.Methods. We enrolled 121 families with young children into this study. Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs were collected monthly for 10 months from all family members and were cultured in a standard fashion. Cultured S. pneumoniae isolates were serotyped. At the beginning (month 0) and end (month 10) of the study, venous blood was collected from family members 118 years old. Serotype-specific antipolysaccharide immunoglobulin G (IgG) and functional antibody and antibodies to pneumolysin, pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA), and pneumococcal surface antigen A (PsaA) were measured in paired serum samples.Results. Levels of anticapsular IgG increased significantly after carriage of serotypes 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F by an individual or family member. For serotype 14, a higher level of anticapsular IgG at the beginning of the study was associated with reduced odds of carriage (P = .0006). There was a small (similar to 20%) but significant increase in titers of antibodies to PsaA and pneumolysin but no change in titers of antibody to PspA.Conclusions. Adults respond to NP carriage by mounting anticapsular and weak antiprotein antibody responses, and naturally induced anticapsular IgG can prevent carriage

ss- and dxyd_{xy}-wave components induced around a vortex in dx2−y2d_{x^2-y^2}-wave superconductors

Vortex structure of $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave superconductors is microscopically analyzed in the framework of the quasi-classical Eilenberger equations. If the pairing interaction contains an $s$-wave ($d_{xy}$-wave) component in addition to a $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave component, the $s$-wave ($d_{xy}$-wave) component of the order parameter is necessarily induced around a vortex in $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave superconductors. The spatial distribution of the induced $s$-wave and $d_{xy}$-wave components is calculated. The $s$-wave component has opposite winding number around vortex near the $d_{x^2-y^2}$-vortex core and its amplitude has the shape of a four-lobe clover. The amplitude of $d_{xy}$-component has the shape of an octofoil. These are consistent with results based on the GL theory.Comment: RevTex,9 pages, 6 figures in a uuencoded fil

Ginzburg Landau theory for d-wave pairing and fourfold symmetric vortex core structure

The Ginzburg Landau theory for d_{x^2-y^2}-wave superconductors is constructed, by starting from the Gor'kov equation with including correction terms up to the next order of ln(T_c/T). Some of the non-local correction terms are found to break the cylindrical symmetry and lead to the fourfold symmetric core structure, reflecting the internal degree of freedom in the pair potential. Using this extended Ginzburg Landau theory, we investigate the fourfold symmetric structure of the pair potential, current and magnetic field around an isolated single vortex, and clarify concretely how the vortex core structure deviates from the cylindrical symmetry in the d_{x^2-y^2}-wave superconductors.Comment: 12 pages including 8 eps figs, LaTeX with jpsj.sty & epsfi

Self-consistent electronic structure of a dx2−y2d_{x^2-y^2} and a dx2−y2+idxyd_{x^2-y^2}+id_{xy} vortex

We investigate quasiparticle states associated with an isolated vortex in a d-wave superconductor using a self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes formalism. For a pure $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconductor we find that there exist no bound states in the core; all the states are extended with continuous energy spectrum. This result is inconsistent with the existing experimental data on cuprates. We propose an explanation for this data in terms of a magnetic-field-induced $d_{x^2-y^2}+id_{xy}$ state recently invoked in connection with the thermal conductivity measurements on Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_8$.Comment: 4 pages REVTeX, 3 .ps figures included. Version to appear in PRL, May 24, 1998. Minor changes, references adde

Ginzburg-Landau Theory for a p-Wave Sr_2RuO_4 Superconductor: Vortex Core Structure and Extended London Theory

Based on a two dimensional odd-parity superconducting order parameter for Sr_2RuO_4 with p-wave symmetry, we investigate the single vortex and vortex lattice structure of the mixed phase near H_{c1}. Ginzburg-Landau calculations for a single vortex show a fourfold structure with an orientation depending on the microscopic Fermi surface properties. The corresponding extended London theory is developed to determine the vortex lattice structure and we find near H_{c1} a centered rectangular vortex lattice. As the field is increased from H_{c1} this lattice continuously deforms until a square vortex lattice is achieved. In the centered rectangular phase the field distribution, as measurable through \mu-SR experiments, exhibits a characteristic two peak structure (similar to that predicted in high temperature and borocarbide superconductors).Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

Twin boundaries in d-wave superconductors

Twin boundaries in orthorhombic d-wave superconductors are investigated numerically using the Bogoliubov-deGennes formalism within the context of an extended Hubbard model. The twin boundaries are represented by tetragonal regions of variable width, with a reduced chemical potential. For sufficiently large twin boundary width and change in chemical potential, an induced s-wave component may break time-reversal symmetry at a low temperature. This temperature, and the magnitude of the complex component, are found to depend strongly on electron density. The results are compared with recent tunneling measurements.Comment: ReVTeX, 4 pages, 4 postscript figure

Induction of non-d-wave order-parameter components by currents in d-wave superconductors

It is shown, within the framework of the Ginzburg-Landau theory for a superconductor with d_{x^2-y^2} symmetry, that the passing of a supercurrent through the sample results, in general, in the induction of order-parameter components of distinct symmetry. The induction of s-wave and d_{xy(x^2-y^2)-wave components are considered in detail. It is shown that in both cases the order parameter remains gapless; however, the structure of the lines of nodes and the lobes of the order parameter are modified in distinct ways, and the magnitudes of these modifications differ in their dependence on the (a-b plane) current direction. The magnitude of the induced s-wave component is estimated using the results of the calculations of Ren et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 3680 (1995)], which are based on a microscopic approach.Comment: 15 pages, includes 2 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.