arXiv subjects

A. Loidl

Publications and source records attributed to A. Loidl.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

Materials with Colossal Dielectric Constant: Do They Exist?

Experimental evidence is provided that colossal dielectric constants, epsilon >= 1000, sometimes reported to exist in a broad temperature range, can often be explained by Maxwell-Wagner type contributions of depletion layers at the interface between sample and contacts, or at grain boundaries. We demonstrate this on a variety of different materials. We speculate that the largest intrinsic dielectric constant observed so far in non-ferroelectric materials is of order 100.

cond-mat↗

arXiv2002

Superconducting energy gap in MgB2 film observed by infrared reflectance

Far-infrared reflectance of a MgB2 film has been measured by Fourier-transform spectroscopy for frequencies 10 cm^{-1}<ν<4000 cm^{-1} above and below the superconducting transition. The data provide clear experimental evidence for the onset of a superconducting gap at 24 cm^{-1} at T=5 K. On increasing temperature the gap energy increases, contrary to what is expected in isotropic BCS superconductors. The small zero-temperature gap value and its unconventional increases on increasing temperature can only be explained by a highly anisotropic or multiple gap function.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic resonances in the diamagnetically diluted Haldane magnet PbNi2V2O8

The impurity-induced antiferromagnetic ordering of the doped Haldane magnet Pb(Ni{1-x}Mg{x})2V2O8 (0 < x <0.06) was studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) on ceramic samples in the frequency range 9-110 GHz. Below the Néel temperature a transformation of the ESR spectrum was found, indicating an antiferromagnetic resonance mode of spin precession. The excitation gap of the spin-wave spectrum increases with increasing Mg-concentration $x$ in the same manner as the Néel temperature, reaching its maximum value of 80 GHz at x > 0.04. At small concentrations x < 0.02 the signals of antiferromagnetic resonance were found to coexist with the signal of the paramagnetic resonance indicating a microscopic separation of the magnetic phases.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2001

Determination of the parameters of semiconducting CdF2:In with Schottky barriers from radio-frequency measurements

Physical properties of semiconducting CdF_2 crystals doped with In are determined from measurements of the radio-frequency response of a sample with Schottky barriers at frequencies 10 - 10^6 Hz. The dc conductivity, the activation energy of the amphoteric impurity, and the total concentration of the active In ions in CdF_2 are found through an equivalent-circuit analysis of the frequency dependencies of the sample complex impedance at temperatures from 20 K to 300 K. Kinetic coefficients determining the thermally induced transitions between the deep and the shallow states of the In impurity and the barrier height between these states are obtained from the time-dependent radio-frequency response after illumination of the material. The results on the low-frequency conductivity in CdF_2:In are compared with submillimeter (10^{11} - 10^{12} Hz) measurements and with room-temperature infrared measurements of undoped CdF_2. The low-frequency impedance measurements of semiconductor samples with Schottky barriers are shown to be a good tool for investigation of the physical properties of semiconductors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2001

Transport, magnetic, thermodynamic and optical properties in Ti-doped Sr_2RuO_4

We report on electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and magnetization, on heat capacity and optical experiments in single crystals of Sr_2Ru_(1-x)Ti_xO_4. Samples with x=0.1 and 0.2 reveal purely semiconducting resistivity behavior along c and the charge transport is close to localization within the ab-plane. A strong anisotropy in the magnetic susceptibility appears at temperatures below 100 K. Moreover magnetic ordering in c-direction with a moment of order 0.01 mu_B/f.u. occurs at low temperatures. On doping the low-temperature linear term of the heat capacity becomes reduced significantly and probably is dominated by spin fluctuations. Finally, the optical conductivity reveals the anisotropic character of the dc resistance, with the in-plane conductance roughly following a Drude-type behavior and an insulating response along c.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Crystal Field and Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya Interaction in orbitally ordered La_{0.95}Sr_{0.05}MnO_3: An ESR Study

We present a comprehensive analysis of Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction and crystal-field parameters using the angular dependence of the paramagnetic resonance shift and linewidth in single crystals of La_{0.95}Sr_{0.05}MnO_3 within the orthorhombic Jahn-Teller distorted phase. The Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction (~ 1K) results from the tilting of the MnO_6 octahedra against each other. The crystal-field parameters D and E are found to be of comparable magnitude (~ 1K) with D ~= -E. This indicates a strong mixing of the |3z^2-r^2> and |x^2-y^2> states for the real orbital configuration.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2001

Magnetic Field Dependence of the Transverse Plasmon in SmLa_0.8Sr_0.2CuO_4

The magnetic field and temperature dependence of the transverse and longitudinal plasmons in SmLa_0.8Sr_0.2CuO_{4-δ} have been measured for frequencies 5 < nu < 30 cm^{-1} and magnetic fields 0 < B < 7 T. A transition between a vortex glass and a vortex liquid regime, which revealed different field dependencies of the resonance frequencies, could be clearly observed. The positions and the spectral weights of the plasmons were successfully described using the multilayer model (Phys. Rev. B 64, 024530, 2001), which takes the compressibility of the electronic liquid into account. The compressibility is shown to remain constant in the broad range of field and temperature, which strongly supports the applicability of the model. The absolute value of the compressibility is close to that of a two-dimensional noninteracting electron gas.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Energy gap and London penetration depth of MgB_2 films determined by microwave resonator measurement

We have measured the temperature dependence of the microwave surface impedance Z_s = R_s + iΩμ_0 of a MgB2 film at a frequency Ω/2Πof 18 GHz employing a dielectric resonator technique. We found that the temperature dependence of the magnetic field penetration depth \Lamda can be fitted by \Lamda(T)= \Lamda(0) [1-(T/Tc)^2] ^(-1/2) with \Lamda(0)=(260 +/- 20)nm. The absolute value of \Lamda(0) was confirmed by direct measurements employing submillimeter wave transmission spectroscopy at 430 GHz. The analysis of the \Lamda(T) data below Tc/2 revealed significant deviations from the quadratic temperature dependence. In contrast, we found that an exponential temperature dependence fits the experimental data within the statistical measurement error for temperature changes of \Lamda of +/- 0.4 nm. This observation indicates thermal excitation of quasiparticles over a finite energy gap of (3.3 +/- 0.3) meV corresponding to Δ/kTc = 1.2 +/- 0.1. Our results strongly supports a multipgap or a strongly anisotropic gap and the absence of nodes in the gap function.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Optical conductivity and penetration depth in MgB2

The complex conductivity of a MgB2 film has been investigated in the frequency range 4 cm^{-1}< nu < 30 cm^{-1} and for temperatures 2.7 K < T <300 K. The overall temperature dependence of both components of the complex conductivity is reminiscent of BCS-type behavior, although a detailed analysis reveals a number of discrepancies. No characteristic feature of the isotropic BCS gap temperature evolution is observed in the conductivity spectra in the superconducting state. A peak in the temperature dependence of the real part of the conductivity is detected for frequencies below 9 cm^{-1}. The superconducting penetration depth follows a T^2 behavior at low temperatures.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Observation of the Transverse Optical Plasmon in SmLa0.8Sr0.2CuO4-d

We present microwave and infrared measurements on SmLa0.8Sr0.2CuO4-d, which are direct evidence for the existence of a transverse optical plasma mode, observed as a peak in the c-axis optical conductivity. This mode appears as a consequence of the existence of two different intrinsic Josephson couplings between the CuO2 layers, one with a Sm2O2 block layer, and the other one with a (La,Sr)O block layer. From the frequencies and the intensities of the collective modes we determine the value of the compressibility of the two dimensional electron fluid in the copper oxygen planes.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

Heavy-Fermion Formation at the Metal-to-Insulator Transition in Gd$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$TiO$_3$

The perovskite-like transition-metal oxide Gd$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$TiO$_3$ is investigated by measurements of resistivity, specific-heat, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Approaching the metal-to-insulator transition from the metallic regime ($x \geq 0.2$), the Sommerfeld coefficient $γ$ of the specific heat becomes strongly enhanced and the resistivity increases quadratically at low temperatures, which both are fingerprints of strong electronic correlations. The temperature dependence of the dynamic susceptibility, as determined from the Gd$^{3+}$-EPR linewidth, signals the importance of strong spin fluctuations, as observed in heavy-fermion compounds.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Phonon anomalies and electron-phonon interaction in RuSr_2GdCu_2O_8 ferromagnetic superconductor: Evidence from infrared conductivity

Critical behavior of the infrared reflectivity of RuSr_2GdCu_2O_8 ceramics is observed near the superconducting T_{SC} = 45 K and magnetic T_M = 133 K transition temperatures. The optical conductivity reveals the typical features of the c-axis optical conductivity of strongly underdoped multilayer superconducting cuprates. The transformation of the Cu-O bending mode at 288 cm^{-1} to a broad absorption peak at the temperatures between T^* = 90 K and T_{SC} is clearly observed, and is accompanied by the suppression of spectral weight at low frequencies. The correlated shifts to lower frequencies of the Ru-related phonon mode at 190 cm^{-1} and the mid-IR band at 4800 cm^{-1} on decreasing temperature below T_M are observed. It provides experimental evidence in favor of strong electron-phonon coupling of the charge carriers in the Ru-O layers which critically depends on the Ru core spin alignment. The underdoped character of the superconductor is explained by strong hole depletion of the CuO_2 planes caused by the charge carrier self-trapping at the Ru moments.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Anisotropic conductivity of Nd_{1.85}Ce_{0.15}CuO_{4-δ} films at submillimeter wavelengths

The anisotropic conductivity of thin Nd$_{1.85}$Ce$_{0.15}$CuO$_{4-δ}$ films was measured in the frequency range 8 cm$^{-1}<ν<$ 40 cm$^{-1}$ and for temperatures 4 K $<T<300$ K. A tilted sample geometry allowed to extract both, in-plane and c-axis properties. The in-plane quasiparticle scattering rate remains unchanged as the sample becomes superconducting. The temperature dependence of the in-plane conductivity is reasonably well described using the Born limit for a d-wave superconductor. Below $T_{{\rm C}%}$ the c-axis dielectric constant $ε_{1c}$ changes sign at the screened c-axis plasma frequency. The temperature dependence of the c-axis conductivity closely follows the linear in T behavior within the plane.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2000

Quasi-one-dimensional spin chains in CuSiO3: an EPR study

Temperature dependent EPR studies were performed on a single crystal of CuSiO3.This recently discovered compound is isostructural with the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO3. The EPR signals show different characteristics than those of CuGeO3 and aredue to Cu2+ spins located along quasi one-dimensional chains. For T > 8.2K the spin susceptibility closely follows the predictions of a S=1/2 one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet with J/kB = 21K. Below T = 8.2K the spin susceptibility immediately drops to zero indicating long range magnetic order.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Heavy-Fermions in LiV2O4: Kondo-Compensation vs. Spin-Liquid Behavior?

7Li NMR measurements were performed in the metallic spinel LiV2O4. The temperature dependencies of the line width, the Knight shift and the spin-lattice relaxation rate were investigated in the temperature range 30 mK < T < 280 K. For temperatures T < 1 K we observe a spin-lattice relaxation rate which slows down exponentially. The NMR results can be explained by a spin-liquid behavior and the opening of a spin gap of the order 0.6 K.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Charge Order in NaV2O5 studied by EPR

We present angular dependent EPR measurements in NaV2O5 at X-band frequencies in the temperature range 4.2 K < T < 670 K. A detailed analysis in terms of the antisymmetric Dzyaloshinski-Moriya and the anisotropic exchange interactions yields the following scheme of charge order: On decreasing temperature a quarter-filled ladder with strong charge disproportions, existing for T > 100 K, is followed by zig-zag charge-order fluctuations which become long-range and static below T_SP=34 K.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2000

Submillimeter spectroscopy of tilted Nd_{1.85}Ce_{0.15}CuO_{4-δ} films: observation of a mixed a-c excitation

The anisotropic conductivity of a series of tilted Nd_{1.85}Ce_{0.15}CuO_{4-δ} thin films was measured by quasioptical spectroscopy in the frequency range 3cm^{-1}<ν<40cm^{-1}. Two characteristic features have been observed in the low-temperature transmission spectra. The first one at ν= 12cm^{-1} was shown to reflect the c-axis plasma frequency of Nd_{1.85}Ce_{0.15}CuO_{4-δ}. The second feature represents a new mixed ab-plane/c-axis excitation. The frequency of this resonance may be changed in a controllable way by rotating the polarization of the incident radiation.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2000

The Excess Wing in the Dielectric Loss of Glass-Formers: A Johari-Goldstein beta-Relaxation?

Dielectric loss spectra of glass-forming propylene carbonate and glycerol at temperatures above and below T_g are presented. By performing aging experiments lasting up to five weeks, equilibrium spectra below T_g have been obtained. During aging, the excess wing, showing up as a second power law at high frequencies, develops into a shoulder. The results strongly suggest that the excess wing, observed in a variety of glass formers, is the high-frequency flank of a beta-relaxation.

cond-mat.soft↗