Evidence for an antiferromagnetic component in the magnetic structure of ZrZn2
Zero-field muon spin rotation experiments provide evidence for an antiferromagnetic component in the magnetic structure of the intermetallics ZrZn2.
cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv subjects
G. Lapertot
Publications and source records attributed to G. Lapertot.
Valence and magnetic ordering in intermediate valence compounds : TmSe versus SmB6
The intermediate valent systems TmSe and SmB6 have been investigated up to 16 and 18 GPa by ac microcalorimetry with a pressure (p) tuning realized in situ at low temperature. For TmSe, the transition from an antiferromagnetic insulator for p<3 GPa to an antiferromagnetic metal at higher pressure has been confirmed. A drastic change in the p variation of the Neel temperature (Tn) is observed at 3 GPa. In the metallic phase (p>3 GPa), Tn is found to increase linearly with p. A similar linear p increase of Tn is observed for the quasitrivalent compound TmS which is at ambiant pressure equivalent to TmSe at p=7 GPa. In the case of SmB6 long range magnetism has been detected above p=8 GPa, i.e. at a pressure slightly higher than the pressure of the insulator to metal transition. However a homogeneous magnetic phase occurs only above 10 GPa. The magnetic and electronic properties are related to the renormalization of the 4f wavefunction either to the divalent or the trivalent configurations. As observed in SmS, long range magnetism in SmB6 occurs already far below the pressure where a trivalent Sm3+ state will be reached. It seems possible, to describe roughly the physical properties of the intermediate valence equilibrium by assuming formulas for the Kondo lattice temperature depending on the valence configuration. Comparison is also made with the appearance of long range magnetism in cerium and ytterbium heavy fermion compounds.
cond-mat.str-el↗
Probing the extended non-Fermi liquid regimes of MnSi and Fe
Recent studies show that the non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behavior of MnSi and Fe spans over an unexpectedly broad pressure range, between the critical pressure p_c and around 2p_c. In order to determine the extension of their NFL regions, we analyze the evolution of the resistivity rho(T) A(p)T^n at higher pressures. We find that in MnSi the n=3/2 exponent holds below 4.8 GPa=3 p_c, but it increases above that pressure. At 7.2 GPa we observe the low temperature Fermi liquid exponent n=2 whereas for T>1.5 K, n=5/3. Our measurements in Fe show that the NFL behavior rho T^{5/3} extends at least up to 30.5 GPa, above the entire superconducting (SC) region. In the studied pressure range, the onset of the SC transition reduces by a factor 10 down to T_c^onset(30.5 GPa)=0.23 K, while the A-coefficient diminishes monotonically by around 50%.
cond-mat.str-el↗
Valence and magnetic instabilities in Sm compounds at high pressures
We report on the study of the response to high pressures of the electronic and magnetic properties of several Sm-based compounds, which span at ambient pressure the whole range of stable charge states between the divalent and the trivalent. Our nuclear forward scattering of synchrotron radiation and specific heat investigations show that in both golden SmS and SmB6 the pressure-induced insulator to metal transitions (at 2 and about 4-7 GPa, respectively) are associated with the onset of long-range magnetic order, stable up to at least 19 and 26 GPa, respectively. This long-range magnetic order, which is characteristic of Sm(3+), appears already for a Sm valence near 2.7. Contrary to these compounds, metallic Sm, which is trivalent at ambient pressure, undergoes a series of pressure-induced structural phase transitions which are associated with a progressive decrease of the ordered 4f moment.
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Study of low-energy magnetic excitations in single-crystalline CeIn3 by inelastic neutron scattering
Inelastic neutron scattering experiments were performed on single crystals of the heavy-fermion compound CeIn$_{3}$ for temperatures below and above the Néel temperature, $T_N$. In the antiferromagnetically ordered phase, well-defined spin-wave excitations with a bandwidth of 2 meV are observed. The spin waves coexist with quasielastic (QE) Kondo-type spin-fluctuations and broadened crystal-field (CF) excitations below $T_N$. Above $T_N$, only the QE and CF excitations persist, with a weak temperature dependence.
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Magneto-optical studies of the uniform critical state in bulk MgB2
We present a detailed magneto-optical investigation of the magnetic flux penetration in polycrystalline MgB2 slabs made by direct reaction of B and Mg. Our results unambiguously indicate a uniform, Bean critical state magnetization behavior with almost no electromagnetic granularity. From the measured magnetic flux profiles we were able to extract the temperature dependence of the critical current density Jc(T). The Jc(T) value reaches 1.8x10^5 A/cm2 at 10K and 0.12T, in good agreement with global magnetization measurements.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Phonon-assisted electronic topological transition in MgB2 under pressure
We report measurements of the superconducting critical temperature Tc of polycrystalline MgB2 samples containing isotopically pure (10)B and (11)B under quasi-hydrostatic pressure conditions in He pressure media up to 44 GPa. Measurements to volume compressions V/V_0 ~ 0.82 allow us to observe a kink in the volume dependence of Tc for Mg(10)B2 (at 20 GPa) and Mg(11)B2 (at 15 GPa). The pressure dependence of the E(2g) mode also changes abruptly around 20 GPa for the Mg(10)B2 sample. The anharmonic character of the E(2g) phonon mode and anomalies in Tc pressure dependence are interpreted as the result of a phonon-assisted Lifshitz electronic topological transition.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Pressure Dependence of the Raman Spectrum, Lattice Parameters and Superconducting Critical Temperature of MgB2
We have observed a strongly broadened Raman band of MgB2 that shows anomalously large pressure dependence of its frequency. This band and its pressure dependence can be interpreted as the E2g zone center phonon, which is strongly anharmonic because of coupling to electronic excitations. The pressure dependence of Tc was measured to 14 GPa in hydrostatic conditions and can be explained only when a substantial pressure dependence of the Hopfield parameter h=N(0) ~(V0/V)^2.3(6)is taken into account.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Anisotropy of superconducting MgB2 as seen in electron spin resonance and magnetization data
We have observed the conduction electron spin resonance (CESR) in fine powders of MgB2 both in the superconducting and normal states. The Pauli susceptibility is chi_s=2.0*10^{-5} emu/mole in the temperature range of 450 to 600 K. The spin relaxation rate has an anomalous temperature dependence. The CESR measured below T_c at several frequencies suggests that MgB_2 is a strongly anisotropic superconductor with the upper critical field, H_c2, ranging between 2 and 16 T. The high-field reversible magnetization data of a randomly oriented powder sample are well described assuming that MgB_2 is an anisotropic superconductor with H_c2^{ab} / H_{c2}^{c} \approx 6--9.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Raman spectrum and lattice parameters of MgB2 as a function of pressure
We report Raman spectra and synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements of lattice parameters of polycrystalline MgB2 under hydrostatic pressure conditions up to 15 GPa. An anomalously broadened Raman band at 620 cm-1 is observed that exhibits a large linear pressure shift of its frequency. The large mode damping and Gruneisen parameter indicate a highly anharmonic nature of the mode, broadly consistent with theoretical predictions for the E2g in-plane boron stretching mode. The results obtained may provide additional constraints on the electron-phonon coupling in the system.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Superconducting MgB2 thin films by pulsed laser deposition
Growth of MgB2 thin films by pulsed laser deposition is examined under ex situ and in situ processing conditions. For the ex situ process, Boron films grown by PLD were annealed at 900 C with excess Mg. For the in situ process, different approaches involving ablation from a stoichiometric target under different growth conditions, as well as multilayer deposition involving interposed Mg layers were examined and analyzed. Magnetic measurements on ex situ processed films show TC of ~39 K, while the current best in situ films show a susceptibility transition at ~ 22 K.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Synthesis and Processing of $MgB_2$ powders and wires
Sintered powders and wires of superconducting $MgB_2$ have been fabricated under a variety of conditions in order to determine details of the diffusion of the $Mg$ into $B$ and to study the types of defects that arise during growth. For samples prepared by exposure of boron to $Mg$ vapor at $950^{\circ}C$, the conversion of particles of less than $100μm$ size particles to $MgB_2$ is complete in about $2 h$. The lattice parameters of the $MgB_2$ phase determined from X-ray are independent of the starting stoichiometry and the time of reaction. Wire segments of $MgB_2$ with very little porosity have been produced by reacting $141 μm$ diameter boron fibers in an atmosphere of excess $Mg$ vapor at $950^{\circ}C$. Defects in the reacted fibers are predominantly the voids left as the boron is converted to $MgB_2$.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
$^{11}B$ NMR and Relaxation in $MgB_2$ Superconductor
$^{11}B$ NMR and nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate (NSLR) are reported at 7.2 Tesla and 1.4 Tesla in powder samples of the intermetallic compound $MgB_2$ with superconducting transition temperature in zero field $T_c$ = 39.2 K. From the first order quadrupole perturbed NMR specrum a quadrupole coupling frequency of 835 $\pm$ 5 kHz is obtained. The Knight shift is very small and it decreases to zero in the superconducting phase. The NSLR follows a linear law with $T_1T$ = 165 $\pm$ 10 (sec K) . The results in the normal phase indicate a negligible $s$-character of the wave function of the conduction electrons at the Fermi level. Below $T_c$ the NSLR is strongly field dependent indicating the presence of an important contribution related to the density and the thermal motion of flux lines. No coherence peak is observed at the lower field investigated (1.4 T).
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Magnetoresistivity and Complete $H_{c2}(T)$ in $MgB_2$
Detailed magneto-transport data on dense wires of $MgB_2$ are reported for applied magnetic fields up to 18 T. The temperature and field dependencies of the electrical resistivity are consistent with $MgB_2$ behaving like a simple metal and following a generalized form of Kohler's rule. In addition, given the generally high $T_c$ values and narrow resistive transition widths associated with $MgB_2$ synthesized in this manner, combined with applied magnetic fields of up to 18 T, an accurate and complete $H_{c2}(T)$ curve could be determined. This curve agrees well with curves determined from lower field measurements on sintered pellets and wires of $MgB_2$. $H_{c2}(T)$ is linear in $T$ over a wide range of temperature (7 K $\le~T~\le$ 32 K) and has an upward curvature for $T$ close to $T_c$. These features are similar to other high $κ$, clean limit, boron-bearing intermetallics: $YNi_2B_2C$ and $LuNi_2B_2C$.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Superconductivity in Dense $MgB_2$ Wires
$MgB_2$ becomes superconducting just below 40 K. Whereas porous polycrystalline samples of $MgB_2$ can be synthesized from boron powders, in this letter we demonstrate that dense wires of $MgB_2$ can be prepared by exposing boron filaments to $Mg$ vapor. The resulting wires have a diameter of 160 $μm$, are better than 80% dense and manifest the full $χ= -1/4π$ shielding in the superconducting state. Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements indicate that $MgB_2$ is a highly conducting metal in the normal state with $ρ(40 K)$ = 0.38 $μOhm$-$cm$. Using this value, an electronic mean free path, $l \approx 600~Å$ can be estimated, indicating that $MgB_2$ wires are well within the clean limit. $T_c$, $H_{c2}(T)$, and $J_c$ data indicate that $MgB_2$ manifests comparable or better superconducting properties in dense wire form than it manifests as a sintered pellet.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Superconducting $Mg^{10}B_2$
Transport and thermodynamic properties of a sintered pellet of the newly discovered $MgB_2$ superconductor have been measured to determine the characteristic critical magnetic fields and critical current densities. Both resistive transition and magnetization data give similar values of the upper critical field, $H_{c2}$, with magnetization data giving $dH_{c2}/dT=0.44~T/K$ at the transition temperature of $T_c=40.2 K$. Close to the transition temperature, magnetization curves are thermodynamically reversible, but at low temperatures the trapped flux can be on the order of one Tesla. The value of $dH_c/dT$ at $T_c$ is estimated to be about $12~mT/K$, a value similar to classical superconductors like Sn. Hence, the Ginsburg-Landau parameter $κ\sim 26$. Estimates of the critical supercurrent density, $J_c$, using hysteresis loops and the Bean model give critical current densities on the order of $10^5~A/cm^2$. Hence the supercurrent coupling through the grain boundaries is comparable to intermetallics like $Nb_3Sn$.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
Boron Isotope Effect in Superconducting MgB$_2$
We report the preparation method of, and boron isotope effect for MgB$_2$, a new binary intermetallic superconductor with a remarkably high superconducting transition temperature $T_c$($^{10}$B) = 40.2 K. Measurements of both temperature dependent magnetization and specific heat reveal a 1.0 K shift in $T_c$ between Mg$^{11}$B$_2$ and Mg$^{10}$B$_2$. Whereas such a high transition temperature might imply exotic coupling mechanisms, the boron isotope effect in MgB$_2$ is consistent with the material being a phonon-mediated BCS superconductor.
cond-mat.supr-con↗
NMR Study of MnSi under Pressure
The magnetic phase diagram $T_c(P)$ of the weak itinerant helimagnetic compound MnSi is reviewed upon a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiment. We present a systematic study on the evolution of the NMR spin echo signal at $T=1.4$ K of the non-magnetic silicone sites, $^{29}$Si, up to 17.8 kbar. The pressure effect is interpreted as a weak variation of the local electronic spin polarization and the coexistence of magnetic and non magnetic Mn atoms under pressure. From the volume dependence of $f_0$ ($P$), we show notably that a local magnetic order remains above the critical pressure of $P_c=14.8$ kbar.
cond-mat.str-el↗