Quasiparticle spectroscopy and high-field phase diagrams of cuprate superconductors -- An investigation of competing orders and quantum criticality

We present scanning tunneling spectroscopic and high-field thermodynamic studies of hole- and electron-doped (p- and n-type) cuprate superconductors. Our experimental results are consistent with the notion that the ground state of cuprates is in proximity to a quantum critical point (QCP) that separates a pure superconducting (SC) phase from a phase comprised of coexisting SC and a competing order, and the competing order is likely a spin-density wave (SDW). The effect of applied magnetic field, tunneling current, and disorder on the revelation of competing orders and on the low-energy excitations of the cuprates is discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in the International Journal of Modern Physics B. (Correspondence author: Nai-Chang Yeh, e-mail: [email protected]

Realization of an Inductance Scale Traceable to the Quantum Hall Effect Using an Automated Synchronous Sampling System

In this paper, the realization of an inductance scale from 1~$\mu$H to 10~H for frequencies ranging between 50~Hz to 20~kHz is presented. The scale is realized directly from a series of resistance standards using a fully automated synchronous sampling system. A careful systematic characterization of the system shows that the lowest uncertainties, around 12~$\mu$H/H, are obtained for inductances in the range from 10~mH to 100~mH at frequencies in the kHz range. This new measurement system which was successfully evaluated during an international comparison, provides a primary realization of the henry, directly traceable to the quantum Hall effect. An additional key feature of this system is its versatility. In addition to resistance-inductance (R-L) comparison, any kind of impedances can be compared: R-R, R-C, L-L or C-C, giving this sampling system a great potential of use in many laboratories around the world

Microscopic origin of the mobility enhancement at a spinel/perovskite oxide heterointerface revealed by photoemission spectroscopy

The spinel/perovskite heterointerface $\gamma$-Al$_2$O$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ hosts a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) with electron mobilities exceeding those in its all-perovskite counterpart LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ by more than an order of magnitude despite the abundance of oxygen vacancies which act as electron donors as well as scattering sites. By means of resonant soft x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and \textit{ab initio} calculations we reveal the presence of a sharply localized type of oxygen vacancies at the very interface due to the local breaking of the perovskite symmetry. We explain the extraordinarily high mobilities by reduced scattering resulting from the preferential formation of interfacial oxygen vacancies and spatial separation of the resulting 2DES in deeper SrTiO$_3$ layers. Our findings comply with transport studies and pave the way towards defect engineering at interfaces of oxides with different crystal structures.Comment: Accepted as Rapid Communications in Physical Review

Superconductivity and crystalline electric field effects in the filled skutterudite series Pr(Os1−x_{1-x}Rux_x)4_4Sb12_{12}

X-ray powder diffraction, magnetic susceptibility $\chi(T)$, and electrical resistivity $\rho(T)$ measurements were made on single crystals of the filled skutterudite series Pr(Os$_{1-x}$Ru$_x$)$_4$Sb$_{12}$. One end of the series ($x = 0$) is a heavy fermion superconductor with a superconducting critical temperature $T_{c} = 1.85$ K, while the other end ($x = 1$) is a conventional superconductor with $T_{c} \approx 1$ K. The lattice constant $a$ decreases approximately linearly with increasing Ru concentration $x$. As Ru (Os) is substituted for Os (Ru), $T_{c}$ decreases nearly linearly with substituent concentration and exhibits a minimum with a value of $T_{c} = 0.75$ K at $x = 0.6$, suggesting that the two types of superconductivity compete with one another. Crystalline electric field (CEF) effects in $\chi_\mathrm{dc}(T)$ and $\rho(T)$ due to the splitting of the Pr$^{3+}$ nine-fold degenerate Hund's rule $J = 4$ multiplet are observed throughout the series, with the splitting between the ground state and the first excited state increasing monotonically as $x$ increases. The fits to the $\chi_\mathrm{dc}(T)$ and $\rho(T)$ data are consistent with a $\Gamma_{3}$ doublet ground state for all values of x, although reasonable fits can be obtained for a $\Gamma_{1}$ ground state for $x$ values near the end member compounds ($x = 0$ or $x = 1$).Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Transport properties of moderately disordered UCu4_4Pd

We present a detailed study on the (magneto)transport properties of as-cast and heat treated material UCu$_4$Pd. We find a pronounced sample dependence of the resistivity $\rho$ of as-cast samples, and reproduce the annealing dependence of $\rho$. In our study of the Hall effect we determine a metallic carrier density for all samples, and a temperature dependence of the Hall constant which is inconsistent with the Skew scattering prediction. The magnetoresistive response is very small and characteristic for spin disorder scattering, suggesting that overall the resistivity is controlled mostly by nonmagnetic scattering processes. We discuss possible sources for the temperature and field dependence of the transport properties, in particular with respect to quantum criticality and electronic localization effects.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, submitted PR

Unusual giant magnetostriction in the ferrimagnet Gd2/3_{2/3}Ca1/3_{1/3}MnO3_3

We report an unusual giant linear magnetostrictive effect in the ferrimagnet Gd$_{2/3}$Ca$_{1/3}$MnO$_3$ ($T_{c} \approx$80 K). Remarkably, the magnetostriction, negative at high temperature ($T \approx T_{c}$), becomes positive below 15 K when the magnetization of the Gd sublattice overcomes the magnetization of the Mn sublattice. A rather simple model where the magnetic energy competes against the elastic energy gives a good account of the observed results and confirms that Gd plays a crucial role in this unusual observation. Unlike previous works in manganites where only striction associated with 3$d$ Mn orbitals is considered, our results show that the lanthanide 4$f$ orbitals related striction can be very important too and it cannot be disregarded.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in CeRhIn5_5

We discuss recent results on the heavy fermion superconductor CeRhIn$_5$ which presents ideal conditions to study the strong coupling between the suppression of antiferromagnetic order and the appearance of unconventional superconductivity. The appearance of superconductivity as function of pressure is strongly connected to the suppression of the magnetic order. Under magnetic field, the re-entrance of magnetic order inside the superconducting state shows that antiferromagnetism nucleates in the vortex cores. The suppression of antiferromagnetism in CeRhIn$_5$ by Sn doping is compared to that under hydrostatic pressure.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, to be published in Proc. Int. Conf. Heavy Electrons (ICHE2010) J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 80 (2011

The quantum critical point in CeRhIn_5: a resistivity study

The pressure--temperature phase diagram of CeRhIn_5 has been studied under high magnetic field by resistivity measurements. Clear signatures of a quantum critical point has been found at a critical pressure of p_c = 2.5 GPa. The field induced magnetic state in the superconducting state is stable up to the highest field. At p_c the antiferromagnetic ground-state under high magnetic field collapses very rapidly. Clear signatures of p_c are the strong enhancement of the resistivity in the normal state and of the inelastic scattering term. No clear T2 temperature dependence could be found for pressures above T_c. From the analysis of the upper critical field within a strong coupling model we present the pressure dependence of the coupling parameter lambda and the gyromagnetic ratio g. No signatures of a spatially modulated order parameter could be evidenced. A detailed comparison with the magnetic field--temperature phase diagram of CeCoIn_5 is given. The comparison between CeRhIn_5 and CeCoIn_5 points out the importance to take into account the field dependence of the effective mass in the calculation of the superconducting upper critical field H_c2. It suggests also that when the magnetic critical field H_(0) becomes lower than H_c2 (0)$, the persistence of a superconducting pseudo-gap may stick the antiferromagnetism to H_c2 (0).Comment: 15 pages, 20 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Heat capacity studies of Ce and Rh site substitution in the heavy fermion antiferromagnet CeRhIn_5;: Short-range magnetic interactions and non-Fermi-liquid behavior

In heavy fermion materials superconductivity tends to appear when long range magnetic order is suppressed by chemical doping or applying pressure. Here we report heat capacity measurements on diluted alloyes of the heavy fermion superconductor CeRhIn_5;. Heat capacity measurements have been performed on CeRh_{1-y}Ir_{y}In_5; (y <= 0.10) and Ce_{1-x}La_{x}Rh_{1-y}Ir_{y}In_5; (x <= 0.50) in applied fields up to 90 kOe to study the affect of doping and magnetic field on the magnetic ground state. The magnetic phase diagram of CeRh_{0.9}Ir_{0.1}In_5; is consistent with the magnetic structure of CeRhIn_5; being unchanged by Ir doping. Doping of Ir in small concentrations is shown to slightly increase the antiferromagnetic transition temperature T_{N} (T_{N}=3.8 K in the undoped sample). La doping which causes disorder on the Ce sublattice is shown to lower T_{N} with no long range order observed above 0.34 K for Ce_{0.50}La_{0.50}RhIn_5;. Measurements on Ce_{0.50}La_{0.50}RhIn_5; show a coexistence of short range magnetic order and non-Fermi-liquid behavior. This dual nature of the Ce 4f-electrons is very similar to the observed results on CeRhIn_5; when long range magnetic order is suppressed at high pressure.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure