Local superconducting density of states of ErNi2B2C

We present local tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy measurements at low temperatures in single crystalline samples of the magnetic superconductor ErNi2B2C. The electronic local density of states shows a striking departure from s-wave BCS theory with a finite value at the Fermi level, which amounts to half of the normal phase density of states.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Direct observation of Fe spin reorientation in single crystalline YbFe6Ge6

We have grown single crystals of YbFe6Ge6 and LuFe6Ge6 and characterized their anisotropic behaviour through low field magnetic susceptibility, field-dependent magnetization, resistivity and heat capacity measurements. The Yb+3 valency is confirmed by LIII XANES measurements. YbFe6Ge6 crystals exhibit a field-dependent, sudden reorientation of the Fe spins at about 63 K, a unique effect in the RFe6Ge6 family (R = rare earths) where the Fe ions order anti-ferromagnetically with Neel temperatures above 450 K and the R ions' magnetism appears to behave independently. The possible origins of this unusual behaviour of the ordered Fe moments in this compound are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted in J. Phys.: Cond. Matte

Single crystal growth and characterization of the large-unit-cell compound Cu13Ba

Single crystals of Cu$_{13}$Ba were successfully grown out of Ba-Cu self flux. Temperature dependent magnetization, $M(T)$, electrical resistivity, $\rho(T)$, and specific heat, $C_p(T)$, data are reported. Isothermal magnetization measurements, $M(H)$, show clear de Haas-van Alphen oscillations at $T$ = 2 K for applied fields as low as $\mu_0H$ = 1T. An anomalous behavior of the magnetic susceptibility is observed up to $T$ ~ 50K reflecting the effect of de Haas-van Alphen oscillations at fairly high temperatures. The field- and temperature-dependencies of the magnetization indicate the presence of diluted magnetic impurities with a concentration of the order of 0.01at.%. Accordingly, the minimum and lower temperature rise observed in the electrical resistivity at and below $T$ = 15K is attributed to the Kondo impurity effect.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in J. Alloys Comp

Angular dependent planar metamagnetism in the hexagonal compounds TbPtIn and TmAgGe

Detailed magnetization measurements, M(T,H,theta), were performed on single crystals of TbPtIn and TmAgGe (both members of the hexagonal Fe_2P/ZrNiAl structure type), for the magnetic field H applied perpendicular to the crystallographic c axis. These data allowed us to identify, for each compound, the easy-axes for the magnetization, which coincided with high symmetry directions ([120] for TbPtIn and [110] for TmAgGe). For fixed orientations of the field along each of the two six-fold symmetry axes, a number of magnetically ordered phases is being revealed by M(H,T) measurements below T_N. Moreover, T ~ 2 K, M(H)|_theta measurements for both compounds (with H applied parallel to the basal plane), as well as T = 20 K data for TbPtIn, reveal five metamagnetic transitions with simple angular dependencies: H_{ci,j} ~ 1/cos(theta +/- phi), where phi = 0^0 or 60^0. The high field magnetization state varies with theta like 2/3*mu_{sat}(R^{3+})*cos(theta), and corresponds to a crystal field limited saturated paramagnetic, CL-SPM, state. Analysis of these data allowed us to model the angular dependence of the locally saturated magnetizations M_{sat} and critical fields H_c with a three coplanar Ising-like model, in which the magnetic moments are assumed to be parallel to three adjacent easy axes. Furthermore, net distributions of moments were inferred based on the measured data and the proposed model

Intrinsic pinning on structural domains in underdoped single crystals of Ba(Fe1−x_{1-x}Cox_x)2_2As2_2

Critical current density was studied in single crystals of Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ for the values of $x$ spanning the entire doping phase diagram. A noticeable enhancement was found for slightly underdoped crystals with the peak at $x = 0.058$. Using a combination of polarized-light imaging, x-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements we associate this behavior with the intrinsic pinning on structural domains in the orthorhombic phase. Domain walls extend throughout the sample thickness in the direction of vortices and act as extended pinning centers. With the increasing $x$ domain structure becomes more intertwined and fine due to a decrease of the orthorhombic distortion. This results in the energy landscape with maze-like spatial modulations favorable for pinning. This finding shows that iron-based pnictide superconductors, characterized by high values of the transition temperature, high upper critical fields, and low anisotropy may intrinsically have relatively high critical current densities.Comment: estimation of Jc correcte

Non-conventional superconducting fluctuations in Ba(Fe1-xRhx)2As2 iron-based superconductors

We measured the static uniform spin susceptibility of Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Rh$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ iron-based superconductors, over a broad range of doping ($0.041\leq x\leq 0.094$) and magnetic fields. At small fields ($H \le$ 1 kOe) we observed, above the transition temperature $T_c$, the occurrence of precursor diamagnetism, which is not ascribable to the Ginzburg-Landau theory. On the contrary, our data fit a phase fluctuation model, which has been used to interpret a similar phenomenology occurring in the high-$T_c$ cuprate superconductors. On the other hand, in presence of strong fields the unconventional fluctuating diamagnetism is suppressed, whereas 3D fluctuations are found, in agreement with literature