110 research outputs found
Nonmetallic Low-Temperature Normal State of K0.70Fe1.46Se1.85Te0.15
The normal-state in-plane resistivity below the zero-field superconducting
transition temperature and the upper critical field Hc2 were measured by
suppressing superconductivity in pulsed magnetic fields for
K0.70Fe1.46Se1.85Te0.15. The normal-state resistivity is found to
increase logarithmically with decrasing temperature as
. Similar to granular metals, our results suggest
that a superconductor - insulator transition below zero-field T may be
induced in high magnetic fields. This is related to the intrinsic real-space
phase-separated states common to all inhomogeneous superconductors.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Quantum Phase Transitions in the Itinerant Ferromagnet ZrZn
We report a study of the ferromagnetism of ZrZn, the most promising
material to exhibit ferromagnetic quantum criticality, at low temperatures
as function of pressure . We find that the ordered ferromagnetic moment
disappears discontinuously at =16.5 kbar. Thus a tricritical point
separates a line of first order ferromagnetic transitions from second order
(continuous) transitions at higher temperature. We also identify two lines of
transitions of the magnetisation isotherms up to 12 T in the plane where
the derivative of the magnetization changes rapidly. These quantum phase
transitions (QPT) establish a high sensitivity to local minima in the free
energy in ZrZn, thus strongly suggesting that QPT in itinerant
ferromagnets are always first order
Field-induced gapless electron pocket in the superconducting vortex phase of YNi2B2C as probed by magnetoacoustic quantum oscillations
By use of ultrasound studies we resolved magneto-acoustic quantum oscillation
deep into the mixed state of the multiband nonmagnetic superconductor YNi2B2C.
Below the upper critical field, only a very weak additional damping appears
that can be well explained by the field inhomogeneity caused by the flux-line
lattice in the mixed state. This is clear evidence for no or a vanishingly
small gap for one of the bands, namely, the spheroidal alpha band. This
contrasts de Haas--van Alphen data obtained by use of torque magnetometry for
the same sample, with a rapidly vanishing oscillation signal in the mixed
state. This points to a strongly distorted flux-line lattice in the latter case
that, in general, can hamper a reliable extraction of gap parameters by use of
such techniques.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Evidence for a dynamical ground state in the frustrated pyrohafnate Tb2Hf2O7
We report the physical properties of Tb2Hf2O7 based on ac magnetic
susceptibility \chi_ac(T), dc magnetic susceptibility \chi(T), isothermal
magnetization M(H), and heat capacity C_p(T) measurements combined with muon
spin relaxation (\muSR) and neutron powder diffraction measurements. No
evidence for long-range magnetic order is found down to 0.1 K. However,
\chi_ac(T) data present a frequency-dependent broad peak (near 0.9 K at 16 Hz)
indicating slow spin dynamics. The slow spin dynamics is further evidenced from
the \muSR data (characterized by a stretched exponential behavior) which show
persistent spin fluctuations down to 0.3 K. The neutron powder diffraction data
collected at 0.1 K show a broad peak of magnetic origin (diffuse scattering)
but no magnetic Bragg peaks. The analysis of the diffuse scattering data
reveals a dominant antiferromagnetic interaction in agreement with the negative
Weiss temperature. The absence of long-range magnetic order and the presence of
slow spin dynamics and persistent spin fluctuations together reflect a
dynamical ground state in Tb2Hf2O7.Comment: 11 pages and 8 figure
B-T phase diagram of CoCr2O4 in magnetic fields up to 14 T
We have measured the magnetization and specific heat of multiferroic CoCr2O4
in magnetic fields up to 14 T. The high-field magnetization measurements
indicate a new phase transition at T* = 5 - 6 K. The phase between T* and the
lock-in transition at 15 K is characterized by magnetic irreversibility. At
higher magnetic fields, the irreversibility increases. Specific-heat
measurements confirm the transition at T*, and also show irreversible behavior.
We construct a field-temperature phase diagram of CoCr2O4.Comment: 4 page
Magnetic properties of the quasi-two-dimensional S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet [Cu(pyz)2(HF2)]PF6
We report on high-field magnetization, specific-heat and electron spin
resonance (ESR) studies of the quasi-two-dimensional spin-1/2 Heisenberg
antiferromagnet [Cu(pyz)2(HF2)]PF6. The frequency-field diagram of ESR modes
below TN = 4.38 K is described in the frame of the meanfield theory, confirming
a collinear magnetic structure with an easy-plane anisotropy. The obtained
results allowed us to determine the anisotropy/exchange interaction ratio, A/J
= 0.003, and the upper limit for the inter/intra-plane exchange-interaction
ratio, J'/J = 1/16. It is argued that despite the onset of 3D long-range
magnetic ordering the magnetic properties of this material (including
high-magnetic-field magnetization and non-monotonic field dependence of the
Neel temperature) are strongly affected by two-dimensional spin correlations.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figure
Superconductivity induced by spark erosion in ZrZn2
We show that the superconductivity observed recently in the weak itinerant
ferromagnet ZrZn2 [C. Pfleiderer et al., Nature (London) 412, 58 (2001)] is due
to remnants of a superconducting layer induced by spark erosion. Results of
resistivity, susceptibility, specific heat and surface analysis measurements on
high-quality ZrZn2 crystals show that cutting by spark erosion leaves a
superconducting surface layer. The resistive superconducting transition is
destroyed by chemically etching a layer of 5 microns from the sample. No
signature of superconductivity is observed in rho(T) of etched samples at the
lowest current density measured, J=675 Am-2, and at T < 45 mK. EDX analysis
shows that spark-eroded surfaces are strongly Zn depleted. The simplest
explanation of our results is that the superconductivity results from an alloy
with higher Zr content than ZrZn2.Comment: Final published versio
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