Phase separation in superoxygenated La2-xSrxCuO4+y

The complex interplay between superconducting and magnetic phases remains poorly understood. Here, we report on the phase separation of doped holes into separate magnetic and superconducting regions in superoxygenated La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4+y), with various Sr contents. Irrespective of Sr-doping, excess oxygen raises the superconducting onset to 40 K with a coexisting magnetic spin-density wave that also orders near 40 K in each of our samples. The magnetic region is closely related to the anomalous, 1/8-hole-doped magnetic versions of La(2)CuO(4), whereas the superconducting region is optimally doped. The two phases are probably the only truly stable ground states in this region of the phase diagram. This simple two-component system is a candidate for electronic phase separation in cuprate superconductors, and a key to understanding seemingly conflicting experimental observations.     

Roles of oxygen defects in copper oxide superconductors

Oxygen vacancy and interstitial defects can have a profound effect on the superconducting properties of copper oxide compounds. Recent work on compounds such as La₂CuO_4+x and HgBa₂CuO_4+x has provided new insight into the role of interstitial oxygen defects as a doping mechanism. The number of carriers created by each interstitial defect depends on the local defect structure. Studies of (La, Sr, Ca)₃Cu₂O_6+x with various metal compositions and metalsite ordering show that interstitial oxygen defects that form between the CuO₂ layers in this structure systematically lowerT _c and eventually destroy superconductivity. Conversely, oxygen vacancies in the CuO₂ planes have surprisingly little effect at concentrations below 3%. The infinite-layer compounds, ACuO₂, where A=La, Sr, Ca, Nd, etc., in solid-solution combinations, could offer a similar environment for the formation of interstitial oxygen defects between the CuO₂ planes, allowing interstitial oxygen defects to contribute to the doping of these compounds. However, neutron diffraction experiments on Sr_0.9La_0.1CuO₂ (T _c = 42 K) have not found any interstitial oxygen.     

Microscopic annealing process and its impact on superconductivity in T'-structure electron-doped copper oxides

High-transition-temperature superconductivity arises in copper oxides when holes or electrons are doped into the CuO(2) planes of their insulating parent compounds. Whereas hole doping quickly induces metallic behaviour and superconductivity in many cuprates, electron doping alone is insufficient in materials such as R(2)CuO(4) (R is Nd, Pr, La, Ce and so on), where it is necessary to anneal an as-grown sample in a low-oxygen environment to remove a tiny amount of oxygen in order to induce superconductivity. Here we show that the microscopic process of oxygen reduction repairs Cu deficiencies in the as-grown materials and creates oxygen vacancies in the stoichiometric CuO(2) planes, effectively reducing disorder and providing itinerant carriers for superconductivity. The resolution of this long-standing materials issue suggests that the fundamental mechanism for superconductivity is the same for electron- and hole-doped copper oxides.     

Controlled Creation of Structural Defects in the Heavy Fermion Superconductor UPt3 and Its Influence on the Superconducting Properties

The superconducting properties of the heavy fermion UPt ₃ have been changed by irradiation with high energy electrons which creates point defects in a reproducible and controled way. Measurements of the residual resistivity, critical temperature, upper critical field and thermal conductivity have been realized on these irradiated samples. The strong suppresion of superconductivity with increasing defect concentration is in agreement with the theory of unconventional superconductivity. However, our thermal conductivity data contradicts the simple predictions derived from the most popular modelsE _1g and E _2u) of the superconducting order parameter in UPt ₃ .     

Intrinsic Nanoscale Disorder and the Physical Properties of HTSC

Recent STM studies revealed nanoscale electronic disorder on the crystal surface in many cuprates. In BSCCO, strong correlations between oxygen defect distributions on its surface and both the gap map and the coherence peak amplitude showed that the off-center distortions in the positions of oxygen atoms are responsible for most of the electronic disorder. How do these nanoscale inhomogeneities affect the bulk macroscopic physical properties (such as transport properties) of these compounds? What is the effect of a local oxygen disorder on these properties? Persistent circulating supercurrents, which are known to bypass regions of a reduced order parameter (macroscopic crystal defects), have been used to investigate superconducting properties. Our investigations identified universal (sample independent) features in these properties (such as Josephson effects, filamentary and percolative flow of the transport current, etc.) which can be attributed to the presence of a nanoscale inhomogeneity. Local oxygen redistribution, induced either by careful low temperature annealing or by room temperature aging, was found to modify substantially both the superconducting and the normal state properties.     

Lattice Effects in High-Temperature Superconducting Cuprates Revealed by Thin Film Single Crystals

In contrast to conventional superconductivity where phonons lead to the formation of Cooper pairs, in high-temperature superconductivity (HTSC), the role of electron–phonon coupling has long been neglected. The in-plane Cu–O bonds in HTSC cuprates show unconventional broadening at low temperature as carriers are doped. Here, we focus on the high-quality polarized X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data for a model HTSC system, (La,Sr)₂CuO₄ (LSCO). Thin film single crystal samples were prepared by state-of-the-art MBE, precisely controlling compositions. High-quality data was obtained by use of a segmented X-ray detector. The in-plane Cu–O radial distribution function (RDF) in LSCO (x=0.15) shows broadening as temperature is lowered, which shows a sharp drop at the critical temperature, which is followed by a gradual increase (disorder). Comparing the data with resistivity, we find a remarkable coincidence between the sharpening and the onset of superconductivity. Since the sharpening of RDF is interpreted as correlated motion of oxygen atoms (phase coherence due to superconductivity), the results demonstrate that the superconducting state directly relates to the unconventional oxygen displacements in a bond stretching mode. The results will be discussed in relation to local models of distortion of the different nature (metallic vs. insulating), that is, strongly influenced by strain.      

Physical properties of a new cuprate superconductor Pr2Ba4Cu7O15–δ

We present studies of the thermal, magnetic, and electrical transport properties of reduced polycrystalline Pr₂Ba₄Cu₇O_15?δ (Pr247) showing a superconducting transition at T_c=10–16 K, and compare them with those of as-sintered non-superconducting Pr247. The electrical resistivity in the normal state exhibited T² dependence up to approximately 150 K. A clear specific heat anomaly was observed at T_c for Pr247 reduced in a vacuum for 24 h, proving the bulk nature of the superconducting state. By the reduction treatment, the magnetic ordering temperature T_n of Pr moments decreased from 16 to 11 K, and the entropy associated with the ordering increased, while the effective paramagnetic moments obtained from the DC magnetic susceptibility varied from 2.72 to 3.13μ_B. The sign of Hall coefficient changed from positive to negative with decreasing temperature in the normal state of a superconducting Pr247, while that of the as-sintered one was positive down to 5 K. The electrical resistivity under high magnetic fields was found to exhibit T^α dependence (α=0.08–0.4) at low temperatures. A possibility of superconductivity in the so-called CuO double chains is discussed.

PACS: 74.72.Jt; 74.25.Bt; 75.40.Cx; 74.25.Fy     

Further Investigation on the Correlation between Ionization Potential and Superconductivity of Oxides

The relations of oxygen content, critical temperature TC and mean ionization potential < U0> of superconducting oxides are reported. We found that in oxides oxygen is the major element which governs their < U0> te values and thus oxygen content plays an jmportant role in their superconducting properties. As for Y(123)- and T1-systems oxygenation may improve their TC values, but for Biand Hg-systems oxygenation process is not so important. In Y(123), as the oxygen content increase results in the increase of TC upon < U0>to, while the substitution of Ba2+ by Sr2+ causes the decrease of TC upon < U0 >. These results may provide some clues about the superconductivity of oxides and support further that < Uo > is really a good criterion for oxide superconductivity. Two kinds of possible superconducting oxides are predicted in this paper according to the mean ionization potential criterion.     

Suppressed Superconductivity Induced by Spin Diffusion Effect in La0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3/YBa 2Cu 3 O 7−δ Bilayers

An elaborately designed bilayer consisting of epitaxial YBa ₂Cu ₃ O _7?δ (YBCO) and La _0.67Sr _0.33MnO _3?δ (LSMO) films is prepared on a single crystal SrTiO ₃ (STO) substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), with respect to the investigation into the influence of spin diffusion on superconductivity. Structural measurements reveal that the present bilayer has good textures of both in-plane and out-of-plane as well as perfect superconducting layer without residual stress. Nevertheless, obviously suppressed superconductivity is found in the bilayer, as evidenced by the reduced superconducting transition temperature and critical current density. It is believed that the suppressed superconductivity arises from the spin diffusion effect due to the comparable length scales of the spin diffusion length and the superconducting film thickness.     

Superconductivity and Magnetism in R 2CaBa2Cu5O z (R=La, Pr, Nd and Eu)

A series of compounds R ₂CaBa₂Cu₅O _z (R=La, Pr, Nd and Eu) have been synthesized by conventional solid state reaction and characterized for their structural, superconducting and magnetic properties. All compounds crystallize with the tetragonal LaBa₂Cu₃O _z type structure, space group P4/mmm. Among the four compounds studied here, R=La, Nd and Eu are superconductors with superconducting transition temperatures (T _c ^R=0) of 72, 40 and 55 K, respectively. On the other hand, neither superconductivity nor magnetic ordering is seen for R=Pr down to 3 K. The effect of the magnetic field on the susceptibility and (magneto) resistance for the superconducting samples has been investigated. The superconductivity of compounds with magnetic rare-earth ions Nd and Eu exhibit a profound influence of the magnetic field, whereas the application of the magnetic field has a limited effect on the La compound. The Pr compound is paramagnetic and does not exhibit magnetic ordering either.     

Ion migration in high-T c superconductors and the nature of the conducting state ind-wave superconductors

The available experimental data on the ion migration in superconducting Y-123 and Bi-2223 films under the effect of high transport currents are summarized. Irrespective of structural perfection, electrostimulated diffusion of heavy ions and oxygen gives rise to the formation of new, stable phases and partial degradation of superconductivity. A model taking into account the proximity of the superconducting, structural, and magnetic transitions in high-T _c materials is used to explain ion migration as the response of the system of ions and coherentd electrons to the external electric field. Thed-wave symmetry superconducting state is shown to possess combined, rotational + translational invariance, rotational symmetry being due to the motion of electrons in the curl field of the ions, playing the role of topological defects.     

Correlation of magnetic properties to oxygen and potassium stoichiometry in single-crystal Ba1−x K x BiO3−y

Recent theoretical calculations have suggested the coupling of electrons to high-energy oxygen phonons as an explanation of superconductivity in the Ba_1?x K _x BiO_3?y system. We have synthesized high-quality single crystals of the material and have examined the behaviors of critical field and critical current parameters as a function of changes in the oxygen content and in the Ba/K ratio. We have determined, via positron lifetime spectroscopy and singlecrystal X-ray measurements, that the oxygen stoichiometry in this system can be varied without significant impact on the metal atom sublattice. These results facilitate an investigation of the dependence of critical parameters on dopant and defect levels in this system.     

Evolution of the superconductivity during the pressure-induced oxygen ordering process in oxygen-deficient REBa2Cu3O6+x (RE=Y,Nd,La)

The pressure controlled oxygen reordering processes in REBa ₂ Cu ₃ O _6+x (RE=Y,Nd,La) causing the continous charge transfer between the CuO _x and CuO ₂ planes were investigated. The charge transfer results in the time evolution of superconductivity. A strong acceleration of ordering and disordering processes was found when the RE-ion size increases from Y to La. Pressure induced semiconductor-superconductor transition in LaBa ₂ Cu ₃ O _6+x resulted from the oxygen ordering is reported for the first time.     

O<Subscript>2</Subscript> Annealing Induced Superconductivity in FeTe<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Se<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>: on the Origin of Superconductivity in FeTe Films

FeTe_1?x Se _x with x = 0 ～ 0.13 polycrystalline samples was fabricated by solid-state reaction and annealed in oxygen. The magnetic and transport measurements illustrated that neither the as-grown nor the O₂-annealed samples with x = 0.05 showed superconductivity. The as-grown samples with x = 0.07 ～ 0.09 also showed no superconductivity but became filamentary superconducting after the O₂ annealing. Significant enhancement of bulk superconductivity was achieved for the O₂-annealed FeTe_1?xSe _x with x = 0.11. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements illustrated that the change of the chemical valence of the elements before and after the O₂ annealing was not the main factor responsible for the occurrence of superconductivity. The superconducting transition was mainly caused by the suppression of antiferromagnetic ordering, due to the lattice shrinkage induced by the O₂ annealing. These results may clarify the existing debate on the origin of the superconductivity in FeTe thin film.     

La2NiO4＋δ透氧膜材料的结构特点与性能

讨论了La2NiO4＋δ透氧膜材料的结构特点及氧渗透性能,对La2NiO4_ δ试样电子衍射谱的分析表明,其结构中由于填隙氧离子的存在及其有序化,出现了超结构现象,并根据此结构对衍射谱进行了指标化,同时探讨了结构特点与透氧机制之间的关系。     

Impact of Mn Substitution at Ru Site in?RuSr2(Eu1.4Ce0.6)Cu2O10?�� Magneto-Superconductor

We report the effect of Mn ion substitution on the structural, superconducting and magnetic properties of polycrystalline Ru_1?x Mn _x Sr₂(Eu_1.4Ce_0.6)Cu₂O_10??? system with x=0.0 to 0.50. All the samples crystallizes with tetragonal structure in I4/mmm space group. RuSr₂(Eu_1.4Ce_0.6)Cu₂O_10??? (EuRu-1222) is a reported magneto-superconductor with magnetic ordering at 100 K and superconductivity occurs at ?40 K. The exact nature of Ru spin magnetic ordering is still being debated and no conclusion has been reached yet. Here, we found the superconducting transition temperature T _c=15 K from the dc magnetization measurements for undoped sample. It is observed that the superconducting transition temperature decreases with the Mn doping at Ru site. DC magnetic susceptibility measurements exhibited ferromagnetic like transition for all the synthesized samples. It was also observed that the net magnetic moment decreases gradually with Mn doping, though not monotonically. It seems that doping of Mn in EuRu-1222 at Ru site enhance the AFM ordering of Ru spins and suppress the FM component. Our results point out possible coupling between superconductivity and magnetism.     

RF plasma synthesis of YBa2Cu3O7−x powders

Fine powders of YBa₂Cu₃O_7?x have been synthesized by injecting mixed nitrate solutions of yttrium, barium, and copper into an argon rf thermal plasma. In general, the as-produced powders were dark brown and nonconducting. To obtain superconductivity, the as-produced powders were annealed either in a flowing oxygen tube furnace (at ～900?C) or in a lowpressure oxygen rf plasma. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and centrifugal sedimentation were used for powder characterization. For resistance measurements, bulk samples were prepared by isostatic pressing and tube furnace sintering of the annealed powders. The superconducting transition temperature (at 50% drop of resistivity) was ～86 K.     

Superconductivity and magnetism in 11-structure iron chalcogenides in relation to the iron pnictides

This is a review of the magnetism and superconductivity in ‘11’-type Fe chalcogenides, as compared to the Fe-pnictide materials. The chalcogenides show many differences from the pnictides, as might be anticipated from their very varied chemistries. These differences include stronger renormalizations that might imply stronger correlation effects as well as different magnetic ordering patterns. Nevertheless the superconducting state and mechanism for superconductivity are apparently similar for the two classes of materials. Unanswered questions and challenges to theory are emphasized.     

Magnetic-Field Induced Superconductor–Antiferromagnet Transition in Lightly Doped RBa2Cu3O6+x (R = Lu, Y) Crystals

The remarkable sensitivity of the c-axis resistivity and magnetoresistance in cuprates to the spin ordering is used to clarify the doping-induced transformation from an antiferromagnetic (AF) insulator to a superconducting (SC) metal in RBa₂Cu₃O_6+x (R = Lu, Y) single crystals. The established phase diagram demonstrates that the AF and SC regions apparently overlap: The superconductivity in RBa₂Cu₃O_6+x , in contrast to La_2−x Sr _x CuO₄, sets in before the long-range AF order is completely destroyed by hole doping. Magnetoresistance measurements of superconducting crystals with low T _c ≤15–20 K give a clear view of the magnetic-field induced superconductivity suppression and recovery of the long-range AF state. What still remains to be understood is whether the AF order actually persists in the SC state or just revives when the superconductivity is suppressed, and in the former case, whether the antiferromagnetism and superconductivity reside in nanoscopically separated phases or coexist on an atomic scale.     

Superconductivity and magnetism in 11-structure iron chalcogenides in relation to the iron pnictides

Abstract

This is a review of the magnetism and superconductivity in ‘11’-type Fe chalcogenides, as compared to the Fe-pnictide materials. The chalcogenides show many differences from the pnictides, as might be anticipated from their very varied chemistries. These differences include stronger renormalizations that might imply stronger correlation effects as well as different magnetic ordering patterns. Nevertheless the superconducting state and mechanism for superconductivity are apparently similar for the two classes of materials. Unanswered questions and challenges to theory are emphasized.