Effects of Li Substitution in Bi-2223 Superconductors

The effects of Li substitution on the properties of high temperature superconductor Bi₁₇Pb_0.3Sr₂C₂Cu_3−x Li _x O _y were investigated. The samples were prepared by substituting Li (x=0.00–0.20) with changing ratios by a solid state reaction method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, DC electrical resistivity, AC magnetic susceptibility, and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The X-ray diffraction studies were done at room temperature and the lattice constants of the material were determined by indexing all the peaks observed. This study shows that there are two coexisting phases; high-T _c (2223) phase and low-T _c (2212) phase. The lattice structure of the material belongs to the orthorhombic unit cell. The volume fraction was estimated from the intensities of Bi-(2223) and Bi-(2212) phases. The sample with 20 wt% of added Li showed the higher volume fraction of Bi-(2223) phase formed (81%) compared to the other samples. The DC electrical resistivity of all the samples decreased as the wt% of Li increased. Both the onset critical temperatures T _c (onset) and zero electrical resistivity critical temperatures T _c (R=0) of the samples were determined from the DC electrical resistivity measurements. The observed value of the onset critical T _c (onset) temperature was 110 K agreeing well with the magnetic susceptibility measurements. We obtained T _c onset at 112 K from AC magnetic susceptibility measurements.      

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     

Thermal Conductivity and Thermoelectric Power of Vanadium-Substituted Bi-Based (2223) High-<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis></Subscript> Superconductor as a Function of Temperature

Superconducting samples with nominal composition Bi_1.3V_0.3Pb_0.4Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O _δ are prepared by the solid state reaction method. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, DC electrical resistivity, critical current density, AC magnetic susceptibility, thermal conductivity and thermoelectric measurements. The room temperature X-ray diffraction pattern of the sample indicated the presence of large amount of Bi-(2223) phase along with minor amount of Bi-(2212) phase. The standard four-probe technique is applied to measure DC electrical resistivity in the temperature range from 300 to 77 K. The onset temperature T _c (onset) and zero resistivity critical temperature T _c (R=0) are found to be 112±1 K and 106±1 K, respectively. The low field AC magnetic susceptibility is also measured as a function of temperature. Thermal conductivity and thermoelectric power of large disc-shaped cylindrical samples are measured as a function of temperature from 300 to 77 K. The increase in thermal conductivity is observed below and above T _c (R=0). The estimation of the resistivity change due to scattering by phonons and impurities has been discussed.      

Strong and Tunable Electrical Anisotropy in Type‐II Weyl Semimetal Candidate WP2 with Broken Inversion Symmetry

A transition metal diphosphide, WP₂, is a candidate for type‐II Weyl semimetals (WSMs) in which spatial inversion symmetry is broken and Lorentz invariance is violated. As one of the prerequisites for the presence of the WSM state in WP₂, spatial inversion symmetry breaking in this compound has rarely been investigated. Furthermore, the anisotropy of the WP₂ electrical properties and whether its electrical anisotropy can be tuned remain elusive. Angle‐resolved polarized Raman spectroscopy, electrical transport, optical spectroscopy, and first‐principle studies of WP₂ are reported. The energies of the observed Raman‐active phonons and the angle dependences of the detected phonon intensities are consistent with results obtained by first‐principle calculations and analysis of the proposed crystal symmetry without spatial inversion, showing that spatial inversion symmetry is broken in WP₂. Moreover, the measured ratio (R_c /R_a ) between the crystalline c‐axis and a‐axis electrical resistivities exhibits a weak dependence on temperature (T) in the temperature range from 100 to 250 K, but increases abruptly at T ≤ 100 K, and then reaches the value of ≈8.0 at T = 10 K, which is by far the strongest in‐plane electrical resistivity anisotropy among the reported type‐II WSM candidates with comparable carrier concentrations. Optical spectroscopy study, together with the first‐principle calculations on the electronic band structure, reveals that the abrupt enhancement of the electrical resistivity anisotropy at T ≤ 100 K mainly arises from a sharp increase in the scattering rate anisotropy at low temperatures. More interestingly, the R_c /R_a of WP₂ at T = 10 K can be tuned from 8.0 to 10.6 as the magnetic field increases from 0 to 9 T. The so‐far‐strongest and magnetic‐field‐tunable electrical resistivity anisotropy found in WP₂ can serve as a degree of freedom for tuning the electrical properties of type‐II WSMs, which paves the way for the development of novel electronic applications based on type‐II WSMs.     

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.     

Resistivity anomalies for ferromagnetic metals at curie points. II. Short-range magnetization fluctuations

Using the itinerant model of magnetic moment in ferromagnetic metals, we have investigated the resistivity anomalies near the Curie temperatureT _c . In this paper, the short-range magnetization fluctuations have been taken into account in calculating the spin correlation function in the paramagnetic region. The mean free path is considered to be comparable with the correlation length and to be temperature dependent nearT _c . A critical exponent is introduced for the mean free path and its value is established to be not smaller than 1/2. The resistivity is found to be continuous throughT _c . The temperature derivative of the resistivity is found to be divergent linearly and positively near and aboveT _c . These results confirm the phase transition nature of the resistivity anomalies of the ferromagnetic metals nearT _c and show that the short-range order must also exist in the itinerant model of the magnetic electrons.     

Thermomagnetic studies of (Co0.93Fe0.07)75−x Cr x Si15B10 metglas

Thermomagnetization measurements have been carried out on the Co-Fe-Cr-Si-B metglas up to 7.5 at% Cr. For the Co₇₀Fe₅Si₁₅Si₁₀ metglas, application of magnetic field has been found to influence the process of crystallization. Thermal annealing of this alloy at temperaturesT _c<T _a<T _cr leads to a decrease in the value ofT _c due to chemical short-range ordering (CSRO) and topological short-range ordering (TSRO). Introduction of chromium into the above alloy reduces the saturation magnetization and Curie temperature of the alloy at the rate of 5.55 emu gm^–1 and 41 K per at% Cr, respectively. These are explained due to the antiparallel coupling of the 3 d electrons of iron and cobalt atoms with those of chromium and to a deterioration in the strength of ferromagnetic exchange interactions between Co-Co, Co-Fe and Fe-Fe magnetic pairs.     

Correlation between changes in Curie temperature and electrical resistivity during structural relaxation in Fe27Ni53P14B6 metallic glass

Changes in Curie temperature (ΔT _c, electrical resistivity (Δϱ/ϱ) and volume (ΔV/V) caused by isochronal annealing in as-quenched and pre-annealed Fe₂₇Ni₅₃P₁₄B₆ metallic glasses were compared. It was found that the ΔT _c against annealing temperature (T _a) curves in as-quenched and pre-annealed samples are very similar to the Δϱ/ϱ against T _a curves. Particularly, almost a linear relationship was observed between ΔT _c and Δϱ/ϱ in the pre-annealed sample. The results strongly suggest that the origins of both ΔT _c and Δϱ/ϱ during structural relaxation in the pre-annealed sample are attributed to identical, reversible, short-range ordering.     

Phase Transition and Anomalous Low Temperature Ferromagnetic Phase in Pr0.6Sr0.4MnO3 Single Crystals

We report on the magnetic and electrical properties of Pr_0.6Sr_0.4MnO₃ single crystals. This compound undergoes a continuous paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition with a Curie temperature T _C∼301 K and a first-order structural transition at T _S∼64 K. At T _S, the magnetic susceptibility exhibits an abrupt jump, and a corresponding small hump is seen in the resistivity. The critical behavior of the static magnetization and the temperature dependence of the resistivity are consistent with the behavior expected for a nearly isotropic ferromagnet with short-range exchange belonging to the Heisenberg universality class. The magnetization (M–H) curves below T _S are anomalous in that the virgin curve lies outside the subsequent M–H loops. The hysteretic structural transition at T _S as well as the irreversible magnetization processes below T _S can be explained by phase separation between a high-temperature orthorhombic and a low-temperature monoclinic ferromagnetic phase.     

Superconductivity in SrTa2S5

A strontium tantalum sulfide, SrTa₂S₅, has a hexagonal structure with lattice constants of a =3.32 and c=24.1 Å. With decreasing temperature the electrical resistivity decreases monotonically and exhibits an abrupt superconducting transition at 3.16 K (midpoint). The diamagnetic susceptibility is observed below T_c. The magnetic susceptibility is nearly independent of temperature above T_c and shows Pauli paramagnetism.     

Transport Properties of HTSC-Based Composites: Modeling the Random Networks of Josephson Weak Links with Magneto-Active Barriers

The results of the study of transport properties (temperature dependences of resistivity and critical current, current-voltage characteristics) of two-phase composites on the basis of Y_3/4Lu_1/4Ba₂Cu₃O₇ high-temperature superconductor (HTSC) produced by fast baking technique and modelling networks of Josephson-type weak links are reported. Non-superconducting ingredients with different magnetic structures, insulators and normal metals, function as barriers between HTSC crystallites. Besides strong suppression of superconducting properties in HTSC composites with magnetic barriers, anomalous behavior of temperature dependences of resistivity below T _c of HTSC grains have been observed and investigated.     

The Transport Properties of Bi-Riched Bi2Sr2CuO6+δ Single Crystal

As-grown superconducting Bi-riched Bi₂Sr₂CuO₆₊ single crystals have been grown by the traveling solvent floating zone technique. The superconducting transition temperature T _c was about 6 K and the room temperature resistivity was about 2×10^–3 Ohm-cm. Transport properties, such as resistivity, magnetoresistance and Hall effect were measured from overdoped to underdoped samples annealed in inert atmosphere at 650°C. The transition temperature can be raised to 12 K after post annealing. The Hall measurement shows that the hole carrier density decrease after annealing. The temperature dependence of Hall angle is T ^1.5, not quadratic as observed for most high-T _c superconducting oxides such as YBa₂Cu₃O₇. The variation of onset T _c with different external magnetic field is very different from high-T _c superconductors. The in-plane conductivity shows the dependence of ln T and can be explained by weak localization theory.     

Synthesis and properties of Bi1.6Pb2-xSr2-xCa2Cu3Oy

Bi_1.6Pb_0.4Sr_2-xCa₂Cu₃O_y (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4) high-T_c materials were prepared from oxide-carbonate mixtures and presynthesized mixed oxides. The 2223 superconducting phase was found to be formed most rapidly in thex = 0.4 sample if the Pb-and Ca-containing starting reagents were separated in the initial stage of synthesis. The highest superconducting transition temperature, T_c (R = 0) = 104.3 K, was attained in the stoichiometric 2223 material. The materials were characterized by electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and Hall effect measurements. The Hall data were used to evaluate carrier concentration and mobility. The 77-K resistivity of the materials was measured as a function of magnetic field.     

Ac and dc magnetotransport properties of the phase-separated La<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Y<Subscript>0.1</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> manganite

The physical properties of the La_0.6Y_0.1Ca_0.3MnO₃ compound have been investigated, focusing on the magnetoresistance phenomenon studied by both dc and ac electrical transport measurements. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis of ceramic samples prepared by the sol–gel method revealed that specimens are single phase and have average grain size of ∼0.5 μm. Magnetization and 4-probe dc electrical resistivity ρ(T,H) experiments showed that a ferromagnetic transition at T _C ∼ 170 K is closely related to a metal-insulator (MI) transition occurring at essentially the same temperature T _MI . The magnetoresistance effect was found to be more pronounced at low applied fields (H ≤ 2.5 T) and temperatures close to the MI transition. The ac electrical transport was investigated by impedance spectroscopy Z(f,T,H) under applied magnetic field H up to 1 T. The Z(f,T,H) data exhibited two well-defined relaxation processes that exhibit different behaviors depending on the temperature and applied magnetic field. Pronounced effects were observed close to T _C and were associated with the coexistence of clusters with different electronic and magnetic properties. In addition, the appreciable decrease of the electrical permittivity ε′(T,H) is consistent with changes in the concentration of e _g mobile holes, a feature much more pronounced close to T _C .     

Characteristics of annealed ZnO:Cu nanoparticles prepared by spray pyrolysis

The effect of the annealing temperature (T _a) on the thermoluminescence, surface morphology, electrical and structural properties of the ZnO:Cu nanoparticles obtained by the spray pyrolysis method at 500°C substrate temperature was studied. All the ZnO:Cu nanoparticles annealed in the range from 200 to 450 °C are polycrystalline with (002) preferential orientation. The resistivity decreases as T _a increases until it reaches a value of 0.07 Ohm cm for T _a = 350 °C. For higher temperatures the resistivity experiences a slight increase. The grain size also increases when T _a increases as observed in data calculated from X-ray measurements.     

On the crystallization kinetics and micro-structural transformations of Fe<Subscript>40</Subscript>Ni<Subscript>38</Subscript>B<Subscript>18</Subscript>Mo<Subscript>4</Subscript> alloys

Activation energy for crystallization (E _c) is a pertinent parameter that decides the application potential of many metallic glasses and is proportional to the crystallization temperature. Higher crystallization temperatures are desirable for soft magnetic applications, while lower values for data storage purposes. In this investigation, from the heating rate dependence of peak crystallization temperature T _p, the E _c values have been evaluated by three different methods for metglas 2826 MB (Fe₄₀Ni₃₈B₁₈Mo₄) accurately. The E _c values are correlated with the morphological changes, and the structural evolution associated with annealing temperatures is discussed.     

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.     

Superconductivity and Ferromagnetism of the Ru-1232 Compounds in the (Ru1?xNbx)Sr2(GdCe1.8Sr0.2)Cu2Oz System

The Ru-1232 compounds have been synthesized in the (Ru_1–xNb _x )Sr₂(GdCe_1.8Sr_0.2)Cu₂O _z system, and effects of Nb substitution for Ru on superconductivity and ferromagnetism of the Ru-1232 compounds have been investigated. First, X-ray powder diffraction study shows that nearly the single 1232 phase samples can be obtained in the x composition range from 0.0 to 0.3. Then, from the electrical resistivity study, it is found that each of the samples shows resistivity dropping phenomenon at two temperatures of T _c ^l and T _c ^h, which originates from superconductivity of the Ru-1232 phase and the Ru-1222 one, respectively. Both of the starting temperatures are lowering with increasing Nb content x. Lastly, from the magnetic susceptibility study, it is found that superconducting transition temperature T _c is 20 K for the Ru-1232 sample with x = 0.0 and the ferromagnetic transition temperature T _m is about 90 K. This study also shows that both of the values of T _c and T _m become low with increasing x from 0.0 to 0.3.     

Influence of Grinding Particle Size on Structure and Electrical Properties of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3−δ Compound

In this article, the influences of grinding particle size on the structure and electrical transport properties of La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO_3?δ compound have been investigated. The compound was prepared by gel combustion process followed by grinding for different duration time. It was found that the lattice parameters, unit-cell volume, strain, oxygen deficiency, and temperature dependence of resistivity ρ–T increase with decreasing particle size. The ρ–T growth can be explained by the increasing contribution of the grain boundary effect, strain, and even oxygen deficiency. The electrical transport mechanism over the whole temperature range of 100–400 K was thoroughly described by applying the phase separation model around the phase transition temperature T_P. This model was subsequently employed to calculate the ρ–T at high temperature up to 1000 K. The result showed there was a second phase transition at a typical temperature T*>T_P, which could be attributed to the relaxation of small polarons to large ones. This relaxation occurred at lower temperatures when the particle size decreased. It might be due to the decrease in conduction bandwidth caused by the defects arisen during the grinding.