Strong Coupling between Antiferromagnetic and Superconducting Order Parameters in CeRhIn5_5 Studied by In-NQR Spectroscopy

We report on a novel pressure ($P$)-induced evolution of magnetism and superconductivity (SC) in a helical magnet CeRhIn$_5$ with an incommensurate wave vector $Q_i=({1/2},{1/2},0.297)$ through the $^{115}$In nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements under $P$. Systematic measurements of the $^{115}$In-NQR spectrum reveal that the commensurate antiferromagnetism (AFM) with $Q_c=({1/2},{1/2},{1/2})$ is realized above $P_m \sim$ 1.7 GPa. An important finding is that the size of SC gap and $T_c$ increase as the magnitude of the AFM moment decreases in the $P$ region, where SC uniformly coexists with the commensurate AFM. This result provides evidence of strong coupling between the commensurate AFM order parameter (OP) and SC OP.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Nuclear Magnetic Relaxation Rate in Iron-Pnictide Superconductors

Nuclear magnetic relaxation rate 1/T_1 in iron-pnictide superconductors is calculated using the gap function obtained in a microscopic calculation. Based on the obtained results, we discuss the issues such as the rapid decrease of 1/T_1 just below the transition temperature and the difference between nodeless and nodal s-wave gap functions. We also investigate the effect of Coulomb interaction on 1/T_1 in the random phase approximation and show its importance in interpreting the experimental results.Comment: Proceedings of 9th International Conference on Materials and Mechanisms of Superconductivity. To be published in Physica

High-Tc Nodeless s_\pm-wave Superconductivity in (Y,La)FeAsO_{1-y} with Tc=50 K: 75As-NMR Study

We report 75As-NMR study on the Fe-pnictide high-Tc superconductor Y0.95La0.05FeAsO_{1-y} (Y0.95La0.051111) with Tc=50 K that includes no magnetic rare-earth elements. The measurement of the nuclear-spin lattice-relaxation rate 75(1/T1) has revealed that the nodeless bulk superconductivity takes place at Tc=50 K while antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations (AFSFs) develop moderately in the normal state. These features are consistently described by the multiple fully-gapped s_\pm-wave model based on the Fermi-surface (FS) nesting. Incorporating the theory based on band calculations, we propose that the reason that Tc=50 K in Y0.95La0.051111 is larger than Tc=28 K in La1111 is that the FS multiplicity is maximized, and hence the FS nesting condition is better than that in La1111.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Phys Rev. Let

Novel phase diagram for antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in pressure-induced heavy-fermion superconductor Ce2_2RhIn8_8 probed by In-NQR

We present a novel phase diagram for the antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in Ce$_2$RhIn$_8$ probed by In-NQR studies under pressure ($P$). The quasi-2D character of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in the paramagnetic state at $P$ = 0 evolves into a 3D character because of the suppression of antiferromagnetic order for $P > P_{\rm QCP}\sim$ 1.36 GPa (QCP: antiferromagnetic quantum critical point). Nuclear-spin-lattice-relaxation rate $1/T_1$ measurements revealed that the superconducting order occurs in the $P$ range 1.36 -- 1.84 GPa, with maximum $T_c\sim$ 0.9 K around $P_{\rm QCP}\sim$ 1.36 GPa.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR

Spin Susceptibility of Noncentrosymmetric Heavy-fermion Superconductor CeIrSi3 under Pressure: 29Si-Knight Shift Study on Single Crystal

We report 29Si-NMR study on a single crystal of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeIrSi3 without an inversion symmetry along the c-axis. The 29Si-Knight shift measurements under pressure have revealed that the spin susceptibility for the ab-plane decreases slightly below Tc, whereas along the c-axis it does not change at all. The result can be accounted for by the spin susceptibility in the superconducting state being dominated by the strong antisymmetric (Rashba-type) spin-orbit interaction that originates from the absence of an inversion center along the c-axis and it being much larger than superconducting condensation energy. This is the first observation which exhibits an anisotropy of the spin susceptibility below Tc in the noncentrosymmetric superconductor dominated by strong Rashba-type spin-orbit interaction.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Enhancement of Superconducting Transition Temperature due to the strong Antiferromagnetic Spin Fluctuations in Non-centrosymmetric Heavy-fermion Superconductor CeIrSi3 :A 29Si-NMR Study under Pressure

We report a 29Si-NMR study on the pressure-induced superconductivity (SC) in an antiferromagnetic (AFM) heavy-fermion compound CeIrSi3 without inversion symmetry. In the SC state at P=2.7-2.8 GPa, the temperature dependence of the nuclear-spin lattice relaxation rate 1/T_1 below Tc exhibits a T^3 behavior without any coherence peak just below Tc, revealing the presence of line nodes in the SC gap. In the normal state, 1/T_1 follows a \sqrt{T}-like behavior, suggesting that the SC emerges under the non-Fermi liquid state dominated by AFM spin fluctuations enhanced around quantum critical point (QCP). The reason why the maximum Tc in CeIrSi3 is relatively high among the Ce-based heavy-fermion superconductors may be the existence of the strong AFM spin fluctuations. We discuss the comparison with the other Ce-based heavy-fermion superconductors.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, To be published in Phys. Rev. Let

Possibility of valence-fluctuation mediated superconductivity in Cd-doped CeIrIn5_5 probed by In-NQR

We report on a pressure-induced evolution of exotic superconductivity and spin correlations in CeIr(In$_{1-x}$Cd$_{x}$)$_5$ by means of In-Nuclear-Quadrupole-Resonance (NQR) studies. Measurements of an NQR spectrum and nuclear-spin-lattice-relaxation rate $1/T_1$ have revealed that antiferromagnetism induced by the Cd-doping emerges locally around Cd dopants, but superconductivity is suddenly induced at $T_c$ = 0.7 and 0.9 K at 2.34 and 2.75 GPa, respectively. The unique superconducting characteristics with a large fraction of the residual density of state at the Fermi level that increases with $T_c$ differ from those for anisotropic superconductivity mediated by antiferromagnetic correlations. By incorporating the pressure dependence of the NQR frequency pointing to the valence change of Ce, we suggest that unconventional superconductivity in the CeIr(In$_{1-x}$Cd$_{x}$)$_5$ system may be mediated by valence fluctuations.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter