An increase in TcT_c under hydrostatic pressure in the superconducting doped topological insulator Nb0.25_{0.25}Bi2_2Se3_3

We report an unexpected positive hydrostatic pressure derivative of the superconducting transition temperature in the doped topological insulator \NBS via $dc$ SQUID magnetometry in pressures up to 0.6 GPa. This result is contrary to reports on the homologues \CBS and \SBS where smooth suppression of $T_c$ is observed. Our results are consistent with recent Ginzburg-Landau theory predictions of a pressure-induced enhancement of $T_c$ in the nematic multicomponent $E_u$ state proposed to explain observations of rotational symmetry breaking in doped Bi$_2$Se$_3$ superconductors.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Quasiparticle dynamics and in-plane anisotropy in YBa2Cu3OyY Ba_2 Cu_3 O_y system near onset of superconductivity

We report on an infrared study of carrier dynamics within the CuO$_{2}$ planes in heavily underdoped detwinned single crystals of YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$. In an effort to reveal the electronic structure near the onset of superconductivity, we investigate the strong anisotropy of the electromagnetic response due to an enhancement of the scattering rate along the a-axis. We propose that the origin of this anisotropy is related to a modulation of the electron density within the CuO$_{2}$ planes.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Vortex fluctuations in superconducting La-Sr-Cu-O

Vortex fluctuations in the $La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4+\delta}$ system have been studied as a function of magnetic field, temperature and carrier concentration in order to determine the dimensionality of the fluctuations. For a $x=0.10$ sample, there is a unique crossing-temperature on the magnetization vs. temperature plots for all magnetic fields up to 7 T, and the data scale very well with 2D fluctuation theory. At lower x-values where $H_{c2}$ is much smaller, there are two well defined crossing points, one at low fields (typically less than 1 T) and another at high fields (typically 3-7 T). A fit of the data to fluctuation theory shows that the low field crossing data scale as 2D fluctuations and the high field crossing data scale as 3D fluctuations. It would appear that as the magnetic field approaches $H_{c2}$, there is a 2D to 3D cross-over where the low field 2D pancake vortex structure transforms into a 3D vortex structure