arXiv subjects

G. F. Chen

Publications and source records attributed to G. F. Chen.

133 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

Superconductivity at 41 K and its competition with spin-density-wave instability in layered CeO$_{1-x}$F$_x$FeAs

A series of layered CeO$_{1-x}$F$_x$FeAs compounds with x=0 to 0.20 are synthesized by solid state reaction method. Similar to the LaOFeAs, the pure CeOFeAs shows a strong resistivity anomaly near 145 K, which was ascribed to the spin-density-wave instability. F-doping suppresses this instability and leads to the superconducting ground state. Most surprisingly, the superconducting transition temperature could reach as high as 41 K. The very high superconducting transition temperature strongly challenges the classic BCS theory based on the electron-phonon interaction. The very closeness of the superconducting phase to the spin-density-wave instability suggests that the magnetic fluctuations play a key role in the superconducting paring mechanism. The study also reveals that the Ce 4f electrons form local moments and ordered antiferromagnetically below 4 K, which could coexist with superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Strong-coupling superconductivity in layered nickel-based LaO$_{1-x}$F$_x$NiAs

A series of layered nickel-based LaO$_{1-x}$F$_x$NiAs compounds with x=0 to 0.15 are synthesized by solid state reactions. The pure LaONiAs exhibits bulk superconductivity with Tc $\sim$ 2.75 K. Partial substitution of oxygen by fluorine increases the transition temperature to $\sim 3.8$ K. The LaO$_{0.9}$F$_{0.1}$NiAs sample shows a sharp superconducting transition and a sharp specific heat jump at the critical temperature. The magnitude of the specific heat jump is much larger than that expected from the weak-coupling BCS theory, indicating that this superconductor is in the strong coupling regime. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the specific heat deviates strongly from the theoretical result for the single-band s- or d-wave superconductor, but shows some character of a multi-gap system.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Magnetic Order versus superconductivity in the Iron-based layered La(O1-xFx)FeAs systems

In high-transition temperature (high-Tc) copper oxides, it is generally believed that antiferromagnetism plays a fundamental role in the superconducting mechanism because superconductivity occurs when mobile electrons or holes are doped into the antiferromagnetic parent compounds. The recent discovery of superconductivity in the rare-earth (R) iron-based oxide systems [RO1-xFxFeAs] has generated enormous interest because these materials are the first noncopper oxide superconductors with Tc exceeding 50 K. The parent (nonsuperconducting) LaOFeAs material is metallic but shows anomalies near 150 K in both resistivity and dc magnetic susceptibility. While optical conductivity and theoretical calculations suggest that LaOFeAs exhibits a spin-density-wave (SDW) instability that is suppressed with doping electrons to form superconductivity, there has been no direct evidence of the SDW order. Here we use neutron scattering to demonstrate that LaOFeAs undergoes an abrupt structural distortion below ~150 K, changing the symmetry from tetragonal (space group P4/nmm) to monoclinic (space group P112/n) at low temperatures, and then followed with the development of long range SDW-type antiferromagnetic order at ~134 K with a small moment but simple magnetic structure. Doping the system with flourine suppresses both the magnetic order and structural distortion in favor of superconductivity. Therefore, much like high-Tc copper oxides, the superconducting regime in these Fe-based materials occurs in close proximity to a long-range ordered antiferromagnetic ground state. Since the discovery of long

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Element substitution effect in transition metal oxypnictide Re(O$_{1-x}$F$_x$)TAs (Re=rare earth, T=transition metal)

Different element substitution effects in transition metal oxypnictide Re(O$_{1-x}$F$_x$)TAs with Re=La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tm, T=Fe, Ni, Ru, were studied. Similar to the La- or Ce-based systems, we found that the pure NdOFeAs shows a strong resistivity anomaly near 145 K, which was ascribed to the spin-density-wave instability. Electron doping by F increases T$_c$ to about 50 K. While in the case of Gd, the T$_c$ is reduced below 10 K. The tetragonal ZrCuSiAs-type structure could not be formed for Eu or Tm substitution in our preparing process. For Ni-based case, although both pure and F-doped LaONiAs are superconducting, no superconductivity was found when La was replaced by Ce in both cases, instead a ferromagnetic ordering transition was likely to form at low temperature in F-doped sample. We also synthesized LaO$_{1-x}$F$_x$RuAs and CeO$_{1-x}$F$_x$RuAs compounds. Metallic behavior was observed down to 4 K.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Competing Orders and Spin-Density-Wave Instability in La(O$_{1-x}$F$_x$)FeAs

The interplay between different ordered phases, such as superconducting, charge or spin ordered phases, is of central interest in condensed matter physics. The very recent discovery of superconductivity with a remarkable T$_c$= 26 K in Fe-based oxypnictide La(O$_{1-x}$F$_x$)FeAs is a surprise to the scientific community\cite{Kamihara08}. The pure LaOFeAs itself is not superconducting but shows an anomaly near 150 K in both resistivity and dc magnetic susceptibility. Here we provide combined experimental and theoretical evidences showing that the anomaly is caused by the spin-density-wave (SDW) instability, and electron-doping by F suppresses the SDW instability and recovers the superconductivity. Therefore, the La(O$_{1-x}$F$_x$)FeAs offers an exciting new system showing competing orders in layered compounds.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2000

Measurement of the Cosmic Ray Energy Spectrum and Composition from 10^{17} to 10^{18.3} eV Using a Hybrid Fluorescence Technique

We study the spectrum and average mass composition of cosmic rays with primary energies between 10^{17} eV and 10^{18} eV using a hybrid detector consisting of the High Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) prototype and the MIA muon array. Measurements have been made of the change in the depth of shower maximum as a function of energy. A complete Monte Carlo simulation of the detector response and comparisons with shower simulations leads to the conclusion that the cosmic ray intensity is changing f rom a heavier to a lighter composition in this energy range. The spectrum is consistent with earlier Fly's Eye measurements and supports the previously found steepening near 4 \times 10^{17} eV .

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

A Multi-Component Measurement of the Cosmic Ray Composition Between 10^{17} eV and 10^{18} eV

The average mass composition of cosmic rays with primary energies between $10^{17}$eV and $10^{18}$eV has been studied using a hybrid detector consisting of the High Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) prototype and the MIA muon array. Measurements have been made of the change in the depth of shower maximum, $X_{max}$, and in the change in the muon density at a fixed core location, $ρ_μ(600m)$, as a function of energy. The composition has also been evaluated in terms of the combination of $X_{max}$ and $ρ_μ(600m)$. The results show that the composition is changing from a heavy to lighter mix as the energy increases.

astro-ph↗