Low temperature vortex liquid states induced by quantum fluctuations in the quasi two dimensional organic superconductor kappa-(BEDT-TTF)_{2} Cu(NCS)_{2}

We report the transport properties in the vortex liquid states induced by quantum fluctuations at low temperature in the layered organic superconductor kappa-(BEDT-TTF)_{2} Cu(NCS)_{2}. A steep drop of the resistivity observed below about 1 K separates the liquid state into two regions. In the low resistance state at lower temperature, a finite resistivity with weak temperature dependence persists down to 100 mK at least. The finite resistivity in the vortex state at T ~= 0 K indicates the realization of quantum vortex liquid assisted by the strong quantum fluctuations instead of the thermal one. A possible origin for separating these liquid states is a remnant vortex melting line at the original position, which is obscured and suppressed by the quantum fluctuations. A non-linear behavior of the in-plane resistivity appears at large current density in only the low resistance state, but not in another vortex liquid state at higher temperature, where the thermal fluctuations are dominant. The transport properties in the low resistance state are well understood in the vortex slush concept with a short-range order of vortices. Thus the low resistance state below 1 K is considered to be a novel quantum vortex slush state.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Relaxor ferroelectricity induced by electron correlations in a molecular dimer Mott insulator

We have investigated the dielectric response in an antiferromagnetic dimer-Mott insulator beta'-(BEDT-TTF)2ICl2 with square lattice, compared to a spin liquid candidate kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(CN)3. Temperature dependence of the dielectric constant shows a peak structure obeying Curie-Weiss law with strong frequency dependence. We found an anisotropic ferroelectricity by pyrocurrent measurements, which suggests the charge disproportionation in a dimer. The ferroelectric actual charge freezing temperature is related to the antiferromagnetic interaction, which is expected to the charge-spin coupled degrees of freedom in the system.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Two-band superconductivity featuring different anisotropies in the ternary iron silicide Lu2_{2}Fe3_{3}Si5_{5}

We report detailed studies of the upper critical field and low-temperature specific heat in the two-gap superconductor Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$. The anisotropy of the upper critical field suggests that the active band is quasi-one-dimensional. Low-temperature specific heat in magnetic fields reveals that the virtual $H_{c2}$ in the passive band is almost isotropic. These results strongly indicate that the two bands have two different anisotropies, similar to the typical two-gap superconductor MgB$_{2}$, and their interplay may be essential to the two-gap superconductivity in Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Vortex Phase Diagram of weakly pinned YBa2_2Cu3_3O7−δ_{7-\delta} for H ∥\parallel c

Vortex phase diagram in a weakly pinned crystal of YBCO for H $\parallel$ c is reviewed in the light of a recent elucidation of the process of `inverse melting' in a Bismuth cuprate system and the imaging of an interface between the ordered and the disordered regions across the peak effect in 2H-NbSe$_2$. In the given YBCO crystal, a clear distinction can be made between the second magnetization peak (SMP) and the peak effect (PE) between 65 K and 75 K. The field region between the peak fields of the SMP (H$^m_{smp}$) and the onset fields of the PE (H$^{on}_{pe}$)is not only continuously connected to the Bragg glass phase at lower fields but it is also sandwiched between the higher temperature vortex liquid phase and the lower temperature vortex glass phase. Thus, an ordered vortex state between H$^m_{smp}$ and H$^{on}_{pe}$ can get transformed to the (disordered) vortex liquid state on heating as well as to the (disordered) vortex glass state on cooling, a situation analogous to the thermal melting and the inverse melting phenomenon seen in a Bismuth cuprate.Comment: Presented in IWCC-200

Single-crystal growth of underdoped Bi-2223

To investigate the origin of the enhanced Tc ({\approx} 110 K) of the trilayer cuprate superconductor Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+{\delta} (Bi-2223), its underdoped single crystals are a critical requirement. Here, we demonstrate the first successful in-plane resistivity measurements of heavily underdoped Bi-2223 (zero-resistivity temperatures {\approx} 20~35 K). Detailed crystal growth methods, the annealing process, as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetic susceptibility measurement results are also reported.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 27th International Symposium on Superconductivity, ISS 2014, to appear in Physics Procedi

Bulk and surface low-energy excitations in YBa2Cu3O7-d studied by high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

We have performed high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on YBa2Cu3O7-delta (Y123; delta = 0.06; Tc = 92 K). By accurately determining the Fermi surface and energy band dispersion, we solve long-standing controversial issues as to the anomalous electronic states of Y-based high-Tc cuprates. We unambiguously identified surface-bilayer-derived bonding and antibonding bands, together with their bulk counterparts. The surface bands are highly overdoped (hole concentration x = 0.29), showing no evidence for the gap opening or the dispersion anomaly in the antinodal region, while the bulk bands show a clear dx2-y2-wave superconducting gap and the Bogoliubov quasiparticle-like behavior with a characteristic energy scale of 50-60 meV indicative of a strong electron-boson coupling in the superconducting state. All these results suggest that the metallic and superconducting states coexist at the adjacent bilayer of Y123 surface.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Spin-stripe density varies linearly with hole content in single-layer Bi2201 cuprate

We have performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements on the single-layer cuprate Bi2+xSr2-xCuO6+y (Bi2201) with x=0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5, a doping range that spans the spin-glass (SG) to superconducting (SC) phase boundary. The doping evolution of low energy spin fluctuations was found to be characterized by a change of incommensurate modulation wave vector from the tetragonal [110] to [100]/[010] directions, while maintaining a linear relation between the incommensurability and the hole concentration, delta p. In the SC regime, the spectral weight is strongly suppressed below 4 meV. Similarities and differences in the spin correlations between Bi2201 and the prototypical single-layer system La2-xSrxCuO4 are discussed.Comment: 5 page,4 figure

Double Giant Dipole Resonance in ^{208}Pb

Double-dipole excitations in ^{208}Pb are analyzed within a microscopic model explicitly treating 2p2h-excitations. Collective states built from such 2p2h-excitations are shown to appear at about twice the energy of the isovector giant dipole resonance, in agreement with the experimental findings. The calculated cross section for Coulomb excitation at relativistic energies cannot explain simultaneously the measured single-dipole and double-dipole cross sections, however.Comment: 7 pages, Latex, 5 postscript figure