Nucleation of negatively charged vortex rings in superfluid helium-4 near its solidification pressure

The rate at which negative ions nucleate vortex rings in He II has been measured at 25 bar for electric fields E up to 12 kV/cm and temperatures T down to 0.4 K. A strong temperature dependence of v observed for T 0.6K and E<5kV/cm is attributed to the influence of isotopic impurities. Although the temperature-independent behavior found for T 0.6K and 5<E< 12 kV/cm is consistent with a theoretical prediction by Bowley, the relatively very much larger values of measured near 1 K indicate a serious deficiency in the model on which the theory is based.Supported by the Science Research Council under grants GR/A/0388.3 and GR/A/4874.7.     

Temperature dependence of resistivity for thermally diffused V3Si multilayer films

Results concerning V₃Si films produced by a simple annealed multilayer technique are reported together with X-ray diffraction patterns, Auger spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering analysis. Low-temperature electrical resistivity measurements are discussed. It is found that the V₃Si films exhibit aT ² dependence in the temperature rangeT _c T23 K and aT ^2.6 dependence in the rangeT _c T40 K. The normal-state resistivity in the whole temperature range (T _c T600 K) is analyzed in the framework of Cote-Meisel theory. Consistent values of the saturation resistivity _m and of the Debye temperature are obtained by fitting the experimental data with the Cote-Meisel expression for (T).     

The Interplay of Electronic and Nuclear Magnetism in PtFe x at Milli-, Micro-, and Nanokelvin Temperatures

We have measured ac susceptibility, nuclear magnetic resonance, and nuclear heat capacity of two PtFe _x samples with concentrations of magnetic impurities x = 11 ppm and 41 ppm at magnetic fields (0 ± 0.05) mTB248 mT. The susceptibility data have been measured at temperatures of 0.3 KT100 mK, no hint for nuclear magnetic ordering could be detected to a temperature of 0.3 K. The nuclear heat capacity data taken at 1.4 KT10 mK show enhanced values which scale with x at low polarization. This effect is described by a model assuming an internal magnetic field caused by the impurities. No indication for nuclear magnetic ordering could be detected to 1.4 K. The nuclear magnetic resonance experiments have been performed on these samples at 0.8 KT0.5 mK and 2.5 mTB22.8 mT as well as on three other samples with x = 5, 10, 31 ppm in a different setup at 40 KT0.5 mK and at 5.4 mTB200 mT. Spin-lattice and effective spin-spin relaxation times ₁and ₂ ^* of ¹⁹⁵ Pt strongly depend on x and on the external magnetic field. No temperature dependence of ₁and ₂ ^* could be detected and the NMR data, too, give no hint for nuclear magnetic ordering to 0.8 K.     

Magnetic Ordering of Dy3+ Ions in RbDy(WO4)2 Single Crystal

The specific heat C(T) of the monoclinic RbDy(WO ₄ ) ₂ crystal has been studied at very low temperatures 0.2T1.9 K and in magnetic fields 0H0.38 T. The Neel temperature was shown to be equal to T_N = 0.818 ± 0.005 K. The experimental value of the effective exchange parameter was obtained to be equal to J/k = – 0.798 K. The C T) dependence below Neel temperature 0.5T_N0.99T_N ) is well described by 2D Ising model, whereas in the temperature region close above T_N (1.01 T_N2T_N) it can be described by neither 2D, nor 3D Ising model. The experimental and theoretical H-T_N diagrams for field H a are in a reasonable agreement for simple quadratic lattice.     

Mutual friction and vortex motion near the superfluid transition

The mutual friction parametersB and B for a moving vortex are calculated near the superfluid transition. They are proportional to the kinetic coefficient associated with the order parameter and, asT , diverge as (T – T)^–1/3, in agreement with experiment. The nonlinear couplings between the order parameter and the entropym, both the reversible one and the one in the free energy, are found to be crucial in the mutual friction near the point. These couplings were neglected in a previous paper by the author. First, the reversible coupling in the dynamic equations makes the chemical potential deviation long-ranged and causes the dissipation to take place only near the vortex core. Second,B can diverge asT T only in the presence of the coupling of the formm||² in the free energy. Thus theE model of Halperin et al., where the latter coupling is absent, cannot explain the critical anomaly ofB. The helical mode of a single vertex line is also investigated and its dispersion relation is found to be quite different from that at low temperatures. This mode has the same time scale as that of the second-sound mode when the wave vectors are of the order of the inverse correlation length, thus obeying the usual dynamic scaling law. The time correlation functions of the displacement fluctuations of a vortex line are also obtained. The force acting on a moving vortex is calculated and is found to be equal to the classical Magnus force.     

Anomalous High-Temperature Properties of BaPbO3-Based Solid Solutions

The thermal expansion, thermal stability, and electrical resistivity of the Ba_{1 – x} M _x Pb_{1 + y} O_{3 +} (M = Sr, Ca; 0 x 1.0, 0 y 0.2) and Ba_{1 – x} M" _x Pb_{1 – y} M" _y O_{3 +} (M" = K, La; M" = Sc, Sb; x, y= 0.01) ceramic materials were studied between 293 and 1073 K in air. The linear thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramics was found to increase abruptly at 700 K, from (10–14) × 10^–6K^–1in the range 300–600 K to (13–18) × 10^–6K^–1in the range 800–1000 K. The electrical resistivity of the ceramics passes through a sharp maximum near 750 K, with the largest jump in resistivity at the compositions Ba_0.6Sr_0.4PbO₃and Ba_0.9Ca_0.1PbO₃. The anomaly in thermal expansion is likely associated with the rearrangement of the lead–oxygen polyhedra in the structure of the solid solutions, and the jump in resistivity is attributable to changes in the average oxidation state of Pb ions in the surface layer of the ceramics.     

Third Sound and Quartz Crystal Microbalance Measurements of Helium on Rubidium

We present preliminary results from an experiment in progress which seeks to study third sound propagation on clean glass and rubidiated glass for several ⁴ He coverages. The third sound is driven thermally and detected with thin-film zinc bolometers over the temperature range 0.100T0.670 K. Measurements of the frequency of a quartz crystal microbalance which has rubidium deposited onto one side are made through the temperature range 0.100T1.5 K for each helium coverage studied. Results of measurements for pure ⁴ He films, primarily for third sound, are presented for coverages8.52 atomic layers.     

Investigation of the dominant point defects in tetragonal YBa2Cu3Ox at elevated temperatures

The manner in which oxygen is incorporated into YBa₂Cu₃O _x (YBCO) at 800°C for values ofx close to 6 is shown to be in the form of neutral oxygen interstitials, O _i ^x . The experimental data on which this conclusion is based are obtained from measurements of oxygen partial pressure,P(O₂), as a function of compositionx and temperatureT (5.99x 6.35, 825T1120 K). The data are obtained by a solid-state electrochemical method. Other conclusions of this study include: (a) O _i ^x are noninteracting forx 6. (b) The stoichiometric composition of YBCO isx 6.0. (c) The reaction enthalpy of oxidation is 179 kJ/mol O₂. (d) The Fermi level changes by –0.2 eV asx increases from 6.05 to 6.35.     

Long-time tunneling in amorphous metals at helium temperatures

The long-time heat release in amorphous Co₆₉Fe_4.5Cr₂Si_2.5B₂₂ and Fe₈₀B₁₄Si₆ after cooling fromT ₁ (3.12T ₁292 K) toT ₀=1.3 K was measured. The power released is proportional tot ^–1 (0.5t60 hr). At lowT ₁, the experimental results are in good agreement with the standard tunneling theory. The resulting densities of states of two-level systems are close to those in vitreous silica. For higherT ₁, the observed heat release may be explained assuming the existence of a maximum energyE _f in the distribution function.On leave of absence from the Technical University, Dresden, GDR.On leave of absence from the Central Institute for Solid State Physics and Material Research of the Academy of Sciences of the German Democratic Republic, Dresden, GDR.On leave of absence from the Institute of Physics, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechoslovakia.     

Superconductivity in bulk A15 Nb3Si under pressure

We have determined the effect of hydrostatic pressureP on the superconducting transition temperatureT _c of bulk, A15 Nb₃Si. For 0P20 kbar (2 GPa),T _c decrease linearly with increasing pressure at a rate T _c/P=–2.67×10^–5 K/bar. From an estimate of T _c/P obtained using recent band structure calculations for the density-of-electronic-states change as a function of lattice parameter in Nb₃Si, we conclude that the pressure dependence of the electron-phonon interaction primarily determines T _c/P.Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE.     

Simultaneous Measurement of the Density and Viscosity of Compressed Liquid Toluene

A vibrating-wire densimeter described previously has been used to perform simultaneous measurements of the density and viscosity of toluene at temperatures from 222 to 348 K and pressures up to 80 MPa. The density measurements are essentially based on the hydrostatic weighing principle, using a vibrating-wire device operated in forced mode of oscillation, as a sensor of the apparent weight of a cylindrical sinker immersed in the test fluid. The resonance characteristics for the transverse oscillations of the wire, which is also immersed in the fluid, are described by a rigorous theoretical model, which includes both the buoyancy and the hydrodynamic effects, owing to the presence of the fluid, on the wire motion. It is thus possible, from the working equations, to determine simultaneously, both the density and the viscosity of the fluid from the analysis of the resonance curve of the wire oscillation, the density being related essentially to the position of the maximum and the viscosity to its width. New results of measurements of the density and viscosity of toluene in the compressed liquid region are presented, and compared with literature data. The density results extend over a temperature range 222 KT348 K, and pressures up to 80 MPa. The viscosity results cover a temperature range of 248 KT348 K and pressures up to 80 MPa. The uncertainty of the present density data is estimated to be within ±0.1% at temperatures 298 KT350 K, and ±0.15% at 222 KT273 K. The corresponding overall uncertainty of the viscosity measurements is estimated to be ±2% for temperatures 298 KT350 K, and ±3% for 248 KT273 K.     

Electrical transport properties of thin cadmium films at low temperatures

We report here the results of an extensive study of localization and electron-electron interaction effects in thin cadmium films with thickness ranging from 80 Å to 350 Å. Measurements of the resistance as a function of both temperature and magnetic field have allowed us to separate the contributions of localization and electron-electron interaction. The low resistive films of thicknesses 300 Å and 350 Å do not show any localization. The resistance of these samples decreases logarithmically with decreasing temperature below 10 K, while a ln(T) increases in resistance is observed for the high resistive films of thickness in the range of 80–120 Å. Magnetoresistance of low resistive samples obeys the expression R(H)/R(O)=AT ⁿ. But, both the resistance and magnetoconductance of the high resistive films are well explained by weak localization and electron-electron interaction effect. From the magnetoconductance measurement, we have calculated the inelastic scattering time ( _i ) and the spin-orbit scattering time ( _so ). The magnitude of spin-orbit scattering time is smaller than the inelastic scattering time. The inelastic scattering has been shown to arise due to the electron-electron scattering and the absolute magnitude of this scattering rate agrees reasonably well with the theory within the temperature range 1.8 KT5 K. At higher temperature (5 K<T20 K), the inelastic scattering time obeys the expression _i T ^–2, due to electronphonon scattering.     

Fish-Tail Effect and Its Evolution Under Neutron Irradiation in Li-Doped YBa2Cu3O7?x

The evolution of the critical current density of Li-doped YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x polycrystalline samples submitted to neutron irradiation is investigated as function of magnetic field (0 B 6 T) temperature (5 T 85 K) and neutron fluence (0 9.98 × 10¹⁷ cm^–2). At fluences lower than 10¹⁷ cm^–2, a second peak in j _s vs. B dependence is present (fish-tail effect). Its magnitude decreases with increasing the fluence. Above 10¹⁷ cm^–2, the second peak of current density completely disappears; instead, the logarithmic susceptibility shows a second peak at a certain field B _infl. A dependence of B _infl on fluence is proposed.     

Spin Gap Effects on Bulk R1+xba2?x Cu3O7?δ (R=Eu or Nd and 0≤x≤0.4)

Spin gap effects on the underdoping states of the bulk system of R_1+x Ba_2–x Cu₃O_7– (R = Eu or Nd and 0 x 0.4) were investigated through transport property measurements. The underdoping states were achieved by, alternatively substituting R³⁺ for Ba²⁺ ions in the system rather than adjusting the oxygen deficiency. The excess R³⁺ ions were to occupy the Ba sites of the crystalline lattice as revealed from Rietveld analysis for powder X-ray diffraction. The underdoped materials were observed to first undergo spin pairing transition in the temperature range well above T _c, and come across with superconducting transition at T _c. The increasing feature observed for spin gap temperature and the decreasing one for T _c, as the concentration of holes decreases, are in qualitatively good agreement with theoretical predictions from the mean-field RVB model.     

Observation of Josephson vortex lattice transformations in BSCCO-2212

Interlayer coupling in Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈₊ is studied with the out-of-plane resistance, R, in magnetic field, H, parallel to (ab)-plane of a crystal. Novel phenomenon manifesting itself by a sharp hysteretic jump in the tail of R(T, H) curve is observed at5.5 H 11T. Effect is entirely wiped out by a minor inclination from H (ab) orientation and presumably might be related with a first-order phase transition in the Josephson vortex system.     

Magnetic properties of highly dilutedPdFex andPtFex-alloys. Part II. Susceptibility at micro- and milli-kelvin temperatures

We have measured the 16 Hz susceptibility of the giant magnetic moments induced by Fe impurities in highly dilutedPdFe_x andPtFe_x samples with 2.5 ppm x 75 ppm in a wide temperature range, 30 K T 300 mK, and at static magnetic fields 0,01 mT B 25 mT. We find spin glass freezing at Tf(X)/X0,19mK/ppm Fe forPdFe_x and the larger value 0.26 mK/ppm Fe forPtFe_x. This is the first observation of spin glass freezing inPtFe_x. In the low-temperature range T 0.5T_f(x), the susceptibilities follow — ₀ T with small zero-temperature ₀ values forPdFe_X and vanishing ₀ values forPtFe_x. In the paramagnetic high-temperature range, we find (T — )^it-1 at T 10 mK independent of x forPdFe_x, and at T 2Tf(x) dependent of x forPtFe_x with vanishing values for both systems. The data compare well to the predictions of the Thouless-Anderson-Palmer TAP approach of the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick SK model for spin glasses.     

Thermal Transport in High-T c Crystals: Some Aspects on Its Temperature and Magnetic Field Dependence

We have measured the temperature (10 KT150 K) and magnetic field (B9 T) dependence of the in-plane thermal conductivity (T, B) of YBa ₂ Cu ₃ O _7–x (Y123), YBa ₂ Cu ₄ O ₈ (Y124), and Bi ₂ Sr ₂ CaCu ₂ O ₈ (Bi2212) high-temperature superconducting crystals, at different orientations of the magnetic field B c and c ). Our results show that depends on field below and above the critical temperature due to the contribution of superconducting fluctuations and of vortices and orbital effects to the scattering of quasiparticles or electrons. Within experimental resolution no dimensional crossover of the superconducting fluctuations can be clearly recognized. Qualitative and quantitative differences in the field dependence between the crystals are observed and discussed. We argue that the anisotropy plays a mayor role in the relative weight between the different scattering processes and the field effect on the occupation number of quasiparticles, determining the field dependence of the thermal conductivity in these cuprates. In particular we found that k increases with field in a Bi2212 crystal for B c and at T<20 K.     

Thermodynamic Properties of Sulfur Hexafluoride

We present new vapor phase speed-of-sound data u(P, T), new Burnett density–pressure–temperature data (P, T), and a few vapor pressure measurements for sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆). The speed-of-sound data spanned the temperature range 230 KT460 K and reached maximum pressures that were the lesser of 1.5 MPa or 80% of the vapor pressure of SF₆. The Burnett (P, T) data were obtained on isochores spanning the density range 137 mol·m^–34380 mol·m^–3 and the temperature range 283 KT393 K. (The corresponding pressure range is 0.3 MPaP9.0 MPa.) The u(P, T) data below 1.5 MPa were correlated using a model hard-core, Lennard–Jones intermolecular potential for the second and third virial coefficients and a polynomial for the perfect gas heat capacity. The resulting equation of state has very high accuracy at low densities; it is useful for calibrating mass flow controllers and may be extrapolated to 1000 K. The new u(P, T) data and the new (P, T) data were simultaneously correlated with a virial equation of state containing four terms with the temperature dependences of model square-well potentials. This correlation extends nearly to the critical density and may help resolve contradictions among data sets from the literature.     

Simulation of the Process of Water Freezing in a Round Pipe

The problem of freezing of pure water in a round pipe is treated with due regard for convection under asymmetric thermal boundary conditions in the absence of motion along the pipe. The problem is solved numerically using the control volume approach, SIMPLER algorithm, and the enthalpy method. Results are obtained for three Grashof (Gr) and six Biot (Bi) numbers: Gr = 1.55 × 10⁶, Bi = 0.305 (0 < ), Bi = 0.044 ( < 2); Gr = 1.24 × 10⁷, Bi = 0.610 (0 < ), Bi = 0.087 ( < 2); Gr = 9.89 × 10⁷, Bi = 1.220 (0 < ), Bi = 0.174 ( < 2). The correctness of calculation of the problem disregarding free-convection flows is analyzed.     

Vibrating-wire measurements in vacuum,liquid3He and liquid3He-4He mixtures

In order to overcome the 200µK - barrier in the refrigeration of liquid ³ He- ⁴ He mixtures we have constructed an experimental cell using only pure materials to minimize possible origins for heat leaks into the liquid. With this arrangement we were able to cool a saturated6.8%- mixture to a temperature of 150µK. A vibrating wire which was immersed in pure ³ He floating on top of the phase-separated mixture was used as a thermometer. This wire was calibrated in a second experiment with pure ³ He only in the cell. In superfluid ³ He-B at T0.15 mK the damping of the wire due to the quasiparticles becomes very small, and we observe typical characteristics of the vacuum damping of the wire which was extensively examined before filling any liquid into the cell.