Doping evolution of the electronic specific heat coefficient in slightly-doped La2-xSrxCuO4 single crystals

Detailed doping dependence of the electronic specific heat coefficient gamma is studied for La2-xSrxCuO4 (LSCO) single crystals in the slightly-doped regime. We find that gamma systematically increases with doping, and furthermore, even for the samples in the antiferromagnetic (AF) regime, gamma already acquires finite value and grows with x. This suggests that finite electronic density of states (DOS) is created in the AF regime where the transport shows strong localization at low temperatures, and this means the system is not a real insulator with a clear gap even though it still keeps long range AF order.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics: Conference Series (LT25 proceeding

Structure of the exotic spin-flop states in BaCu2Si2O7

The unusual 2-stage spin flop transition in BaCu2Si2O7 is studied by single-crystal neutron diffraction. The magnetic structures of the various spin-flop phases are determined. The results appear to be inconsistent with the previously proposed theoretical explanation of the 2-stage transition.Comment: 6 pages 5 figure

Magnetic anisotropy of BaCu2Si2O7: theory and antiferromagnetic resonance

Antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR) of BaCu2Si2O7 and a microscopic theory of the magnetic anisotropy of spin 1/2 chain compounds with folded CuO3 geometry being in good agreement with the available data are presented. The AFMR studies at 4.2 K show the existence of two gaps (40 and 76 GHz) at zero magnetic field and of two spin re-orientation transitions for H||c. The microscopic origin of the two gaps is shown to be Hund's rule coupling which leads to a "residual anisotropy" beyond the compensation of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya term by the symmetric anisotropy which would be valid without Hund's coupling.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Polar Actions on Berger Spheres

The object of this article is to study a torus action on a so-called Berger sphere. We also make some comments on polar actions on naturally reductive homogeneous spaces. Finally, we prove a rigidity-type theorem for Riemannian manifolds carrying a polar action with a fix point

Anomalously Sharp Superconducting Transitions in Overdoped La2−xSrxCuO4La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4} Films

We present measurements of $ab$-plane resistivity $\rho_{ab}(T)$ and superfluid density [$\propto \lambda^{-2}$, $\lambda$ = magnetic penetration depth] in $La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}$ films. As Sr concentration $x$ exceeds about 0.22, the superconducting transition sharpens dramatically, becoming as narrow as 200 mK near the super-to-normal metal quantum critical point. At the same time, $\rho_{ab}(T)$, $\lambda^{-2}(T)$, and transition temperature $T_c$ decrease, and upward curvature develops in $\lambda^{-2}(T)$. Given the sharp transitions, we interpret these results in the context of a homogeneous d-wave superconducting state, with elastic scattering that is enhanced relative to underdoped LSCO due to weaker electron correlations. This interpretation conflicts with the viewpoint that the overdoped state is inhomogeneous due to phase separation into superconducting and normal metal regions.Comment: 21 pages including 3 figures and 56 references. This version includes responses to referees and slight correction of data on two films. Conclusions the same as befor

Two-stage spin-flop transitions in S = 1/2 antiferromagnetic spin chain BaCu_2Si_2O_7

Two-stage spin-flop transitions are observed the in quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet, BaCu${}_2$Si${}_2$O${}_7$. A magnetic field applied along the easy axis induces a spin-flop transition at 2.0 T followed by a second transition at 4.9 T. The magnetic susceptibility indicates the presence of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) antisymmetric interactions between the intrachain neighboring spins. We discuss a possible mechanism whereby the geometrical competition between DM and interchain interactions, as discussed for the two-dimensional antiferromagnet La${}_2$CuO${}_4$, causes the two-stage spin-flop transitions.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures (included), accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

New class of T-prime-structure cuprate superconductors

High-temperature superconductivity has been discovered in La2-xBaxCuO4 [1], a compound that derives from the undoped La2CuO4 crystallizing in the perovskite T-structure. In this structure oxygen octahedra surround the copper ions. It is common knowledge that charge carriers induced by doping in such an undoped antiferromagnetic Mott-insulator lead to high-temperature superconductivity [2- 4]. The undoped material La2CuO4 is also the basis of the electron-doped cuprate superconductors [5] of the form La2-xCexCuO4+y [6,7] which however crystallize in the so called T-prime-structure, i.e. without apical oxygen above or below the copper ions of the CuO2-plane. It is well known that for La2-xCexCuO4+y the undoped T-prime-structure parent compound cannot be prepared due to the structural phase transition back into the T-structure occuring around x ~ 0.05. Here, we report that if La is substituted by RE = Y, Lu, Sm, Eu, Gd, or Tb, which have smaller ionic radii but have the same valence as La, nominally undoped La2-xRExCuO4 can be synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy in the T-prime-structure. The second important result is that all these new T-prime-compounds are superconductors with fairly high critical temperatures up to 21 K. For this new class of cuprates La2-xRExCuO4, which forms the T-prime-parent compounds of the La-based electron doped cuprates, we have not been able to obtain the Mott-insulating ground state for small x before the structural phase transition into the T-structure takes place.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure

Weak ferromagnetism of quasi-one-dimensional S=1/2 antiferromagnet BaCu2_2Ge2_2O7_7

Weak ferromagnetism of quasi-one-dimensional S = 1/2 antiferromagnet BaCu$_2$Ge$_2$O$_7$ is studied by the magnetization measurement. The spontaneous magnetization appears along the b axis. The local symmetry between the in-chain nearest neighbor spins allows the presence of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, and the only possible spatial configuration of the weak ferromagnetic moment per spin determines the sign of the inter-chain interaction. A weak $a$-axis magnetic field can change the direction of the magnetization to the $a$-axis direction, which shows that the spin chain forms a weakly coupled weak-ferromagnetic chain system.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure