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Jacques Flouquet

Publications and source records attributed to Jacques Flouquet.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in CeRhIn$_5$

We discuss recent results on the heavy fermion superconductor CeRhIn$_5$ which presents ideal conditions to study the strong coupling between the suppression of antiferromagnetic order and the appearance of unconventional superconductivity. The appearance of superconductivity as function of pressure is strongly connected to the suppression of the magnetic order. Under magnetic field, the re-entrance of magnetic order inside the superconducting state shows that antiferromagnetism nucleates in the vortex cores. The suppression of antiferromagnetism in CeRhIn$_5$ by Sn doping is compared to that under hydrostatic pressure.

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Properties of Ferromagnetic Superconductors

Thanks to the discovery in the last decade of three uranium ferromagnetic superconductors, UGe2, URhGe and UCoGe, the fascinating aspects of the interplay between the triplet state of Cooper pairing and ferromagnetism have emerged. Furthermore, as the ferromagnetic properties in the normal state are quite different with respect to the proximity of the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic instabilities, the feedback with the coexistence of superconductivity gives rise to quite different boundaries in pressure and magnetic field. Special attention is given on the location of the materials with respect to the tricriticality and on the reinforcement of superconductivity in a transverse field response with respect to the direction of the ferromagnetic sublattice magnetization. The other facts of the interplay between ferromagnetism and superconductivity is briefly mentioned.

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Pressure Evolution of the Magnetic Field induced Ferromagnetic Fluctuation through the Pseudo-Metamagnetism of CeRu2Si2

Resistivity measurements performed under pressure in the paramagnetic ground state of CeRu2Si2 are reported. They demonstrate that the relative change of effective mass through the pseudo metamagnetic transition is invariant under pressure. The results are compared with the first order metamagnetic transition due to the antiferromagnetism of Ce0.9La0.1Ru2Si2 which corresponds to the "negative" pressure of CeRu2Si2 by volume expansion. Finally, we describe the link between the spin-depairing of quasiparticles on CeRu2Si2 and that of Cooper pairs on the unconventional heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn5.

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Interplay of Superconductivity, Antiferromagnetism, and Pauli Depairing in CeCoIn$_5$

Low temperature magnetization M measurements down to 70~mK have been performed through the superconducting upper critical field H_c2 of CeCoIn5 with the field H parallel to the c axis of the tetragonal crystal. The crossing through the upper critical field H_c2(0) is marked by a sign change in the temperature dependence of M(T). A Fermi liquid law of the magnetization is observed in the superconducting phase while in the paramagnetic state above H_c2 a quasi-linear temperature dependence is obeyed. The specific heat below H_c2 is therefor dominated by the increase of γ(H), the linear term of the specific heat, and is marked by a singularity at H_{c2} (0). No indication of the so called Q-phase was observed below H_c2 (in contrast to the case with H applied in the basal plane).

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Superconductivity Reinforced by Magnetic Field and the Magnetic Instability in Uranium Ferromagnets

We review our recent results on ferromagnetic superconductors, URhGe and UCoGe. High quality single crystals of both compounds were successfully grown. The specific heat shows a clear jump related to the superconducting transition in UCoGe. The finite values of C/T at 0K are discussed in terms of the self-induced vortex state and the value of the ordered moment. With increasing fields for H // b-axis in URhGe, the jump of thermal expansion increases and shifts to lower temperature. The re-entrant and S-shaped superconducting phases for URhGe and UCoGe respectively are explained by the unusual field dependence of the effective mass, which is induced by the ferromagnetic instability when the field is applied along the hard magnetization b-axis. The magnetic fluctuations are very sensitive to the field orientation. This is reflected in the Hc2 and the anisotropy of the effective mass.

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First Observation of Quantum Oscillations in the Ferromagnetic Superconductor UCoGe

We succeeded in growing high quality single crystals of the ferromagnetic superconductor UCoGe and measured the magnetoresistance at fields up to 34T. The Shubnikov-de Haas signal was observed for the first time in a U-111 system (UTGe, UTSi, T: transition metal). A small pocket Fermi surface (F~1kT) with large cyclotron effective mass 25m0 was detected at high fields above 22T, implying that UCoGe is a low carrier system accompanyed with heavy quasi-particles. The observed frequency decreases with increasing fields, indicating that the volume of detected Fermi surface changes nonlinearly with field. The cyclotron mass also decreases, which is consistent with the decrease of the A coefficient of resistivity.

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Precise study of the resonance at Q0=(1,0,0) in URu2Si2

New inelastic neutron scattering experiments have been performed on URu2Si2 with special focus on the response at Q0=(1,0,0), which is a clear signature of the hidden order (HO) phase of the compound. With polarized inelastic neutron experiments, it is clearly shown that below the HO temperature (T0 = 17.8 K) a collective excitation (the magnetic resonance at E0 \approx 1.7 meV) as well as a magnetic continuum co-exist. Careful measurements of the temperature dependence of the resonance lead to the observation that its position shifts abruptly in temperature with an activation law governed by the partial gap opening and that its integrated intensity has a BCS-type temperature dependence. Discussion with respect to recent theoretical development is made.

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Why the hidden order in URu2Si2 is still hidden - one simple answer

For more than two decades, the nonmagnetic anomaly observed around 17.5 K in URu2Si2, has been investigated intensively. However, any kind of fingerprint for the lattice anomaly has not been observed. Therefore, the order has been called "the hidden order". One simple answer to why the hidden order is still hidden is presented from the space group analysis. The second order phase transition from I4/mmm (No. 139) to P4_2/mnm (No. 136) does not need any kind of lattice distortion in this system, and allows the NQR frequency at Ru-site unchanged. It is compatible with O_{xy}-type anti-ferro quadrupole ordering with Q=(0, 0, 1). The characteristics of the hidden order are discussed based on the local 5f^2 electron picture.

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Magnetism and Superconductivity in CeRhIn5

We give a review of recent results on the heavy fermion superconductor CeRhIn$_5$ which presents ideal conditions to study the interplay of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity. The main results are the appearance of domains of microscopic coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity under both, pressure and magnetic field scans. At zero magnetic field, under pressure coexistence appears from the onset of pressure induced superconductivity up to the critical pressure $p_c^\star$ where antiferrmognetism disappears abruptly. Under magnetic field, re-entrance of magnetic order inside the superconducting state occurs in the pressure range from $p_c^\star$ up to $p_c$. The antiferromagnetic quantum critical point is hidden by the onset of superconductivity. A striking point is the similarity of the phase diagram of CeRhIn$_5$ and that of the high $T_c$ cuprate superconductors where for the cuprates the carrier concentration replaces the pressure. Both systems are characterized by: hidden magnetic quantum criticality, field reentrance of magnetism and the strong link to a Fermi surface instability.

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Valence Fluctuations Revealed by Magnetic Field Scan: Comparison with Experiments in YbXCu_4 (X=In, Ag, Cd) and CeYIn_5 (Y=Ir, Rh)

The mechanism of how critical end points of the first-order valence transitions (FOVT) are controlled by a magnetic field is discussed. We demonstrate that the critical temperature is suppressed to be a quantum critical point (QCP) by a magnetic field. This results explain the field dependence of the isostructural FOVT observed in Ce metal and YbInCu_4. Magnetic field scan can lead to reenter in a critical valence fluctuation region. Even in the intermediate-valence materials, the QCP is induced by applying a magnetic field, at which the magnetic susceptibility also diverges. The driving force of the field-induced QCP is shown to be a cooperative phenomenon of the Zeeman effect and the Kondo effect, which creates a distinct energy scale from the Kondo temperature. The key concept is that the closeness to the QCP of the FOVT is capital in understanding Ce- and Yb-based heavy fermions. It explains the peculiar magnetic and transport responses in CeYIn_5 (Y=Ir, Rh) and metamagnetic transition in YbXCu_4 for X=In as well as the sharp contrast between X=Ag and Cd.

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Extremely Large and Anisotropic Upper Critical Field and the Ferromagnetic Instability in UCoGe

Magnetoresistivity measurements with fine tuning of the field direction on high quality single crystals of the ferromagnetic superconductor UCoGe show anomalous anisotropy of the upper critical field H_c2. H_c2 for H // b-axis (H_c2^b) in the orthorhombic crystal structure is strongly enhanced with decreasing temperature with an S-shape and reaches nearly 20 T at 0 K. The temperature dependence of H_c2^a shows upward curvature with a low temperature value exceeding 30 T, while H_c2^c at 0 K is very small (~ 0.6 T). Contrary to conventional ferromagnets, the decrease of the Curie temperature with increasing field for H // b-axis marked by an enhancement of the effective mass of the conduction electrons appears to be the origin of the S-shaped H_c2^b curve. These results indicate that the field-induced ferromagnetic instability or magnetic quantum criticality reinforces superconductivity.

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Competition and/or Coexistence of Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in CeRhIn$_5$ and CeCoIn$_5$

The Ce compounds CeCoIn$_5$ and CeRhIn$_5$ are ideal model systems to study the competition of antiferromagnetism (AF) and superconductivity (SC). Here we discuss the pressure--temperature and magnetic field phase diagrams of both compounds. In CeRhIn$_5$ the interesting observation is that in zero magnetic field a coexistence AF+SC phase exist inside the AF phase below the critical pressure $p_{\rm c}^\star \approx 2$ GPa. Above $p_{\rm c}^\star$ AF is suppressed in zero field but can be re-induced by applying a magnetic field. The collapse of AF under pressure coincides with the abrupt change of the Fermi surface. In CeCoIn$_5$ a new phase appears at low temperatures and high magnetic field (LTHF) which vanishes at the upper critical field $H_{\rm c2}$. In both compounds the paramagnetic pair breaking effect dominates at low temperature. We discuss the evolution of the upper critical field under high pressure of both compounds and propose a simple picture of the glue of reentrant magnetism to the upper critical field in order to explain the interplay of antiferromagnetic order and superconductivity.

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Anisotropic inelastic scattering and its interplay with superconductivity in URu$_{2}$Si$_{2}$

In contrast to almost all anisotropic superconductors, the upper critical field of URu$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ is larger when the field is oriented along the less conducting direction. We present a study of resistivity and Seebeck coefficient extended down to sub-Kelvin temperature range uncovering a singular case of anisotropy. When the current is injected along the c-axis URu$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ behaves as a low-density Fermi liquid. When it flows along the a-axis, even in presence of a large field, resistivity remains T-linear down to T$_{c}$ and the Seebeck coefficient undergoes a sign change at very low temperatures. We conclude that the characteristic energy scale is anisotropic and vanishingly small in the basal plane.

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Pressure Evolution of the Ferromagnetic and Field Re-entrant Superconductivity in URhGe

Fine pressure ($P$) and magnetic field ($H$) tuning on the ferromagnetic superconductor URhGe are reported in order to clarify the interplay between the mass enhancement, low field superconductivity (SC) and field reentrant superconductivity (RSC) by electrical resistivity measurements. With increasing $P$, the transition temperature and the upper critical field of the low field SC decrease slightly, while the RSC dome drastically shifts to higher fields and shrinks. The spin reorientation field $H_{\rm R}$ also increases. At a pressure $P\sim 1.8$ GPa, the RSC has collapsed while the low field SC persists and may disappear only above 4 GPa. Via careful $(P, H)$ studies of the inelastic $T^2$ resistivity term, it is demonstrated that this drastic change is directly related with the $P$ dependence of the effective mass which determines the critical field of the low field SC and RSC on the basis of triplet SC without Pauli limiting field.

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Field Reentrance of the Hidden Order State of URu2Si2 under Pressure

Combination of neutron scattering and thermal expansion measurements under pressure shows that the so-called hidden order phase of URu2Si2 reenters in magnetic field when antiferromagnetism (AF) collapses at H_AF (T). Macroscopic pressure studies of the HO-AF boundaries were realized at different pressures via thermal expansion measurements under magnetic field using a strain gauge. Microscopic proof at a given pressure is the reappearance of the resonance at Q_0=(1,0,0) under field which is correlated with the collapse of the AF Bragg reflections at Q_0.

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Pressure Collapse of the Magnetic Ordering in MnSi via Thermal Expansion

The itinerant quasi-ferromagnetic metal MnSi has been studied by detailed thermal expansion measurements under pressures and magnetic fields. A sudden decrease of the volume at the critical pressure Pc ~1.6 GPa has been observed and is in good agreement with the pressure variation of the volume fraction of the spiral magnetic ordering. This confirms that the magnetic order disappears by a first order phase transition. The energy change estimated by the volume discontinuity on crossing Pc is of similar order as the Zeeman energy of the transition from the spiral ground state to a polarized paramagnetic one under magnetic field. In contrast to the strong pressure dependence of the transition temperature, the characteristic fields are weakly pressure dependent, indicating that the strength of the ferromagnetic and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions do not change drastically around Pc. The evaluated results of the thermal expansion coefficient and the magnetostriction are analyzed thermodynamically. The Sommerfeld coefficient of the linear temperature term of the specific heat is enhanced just below Pc. The magnetic field-temperature phase diagrams in the ordered and paramagnetic phases are also compared. Comparison is made with other heavy fermion compounds with first order phase transition at 0 K.

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The quantum critical point in CeRhIn_5: a resistivity study

The pressure--temperature phase diagram of CeRhIn_5 has been studied under high magnetic field by resistivity measurements. Clear signatures of a quantum critical point has been found at a critical pressure of p_c = 2.5 GPa. The field induced magnetic state in the superconducting state is stable up to the highest field. At p_c the antiferromagnetic ground-state under high magnetic field collapses very rapidly. Clear signatures of p_c are the strong enhancement of the resistivity in the normal state and of the inelastic scattering term. No clear T2 temperature dependence could be found for pressures above T_c. From the analysis of the upper critical field within a strong coupling model we present the pressure dependence of the coupling parameter lambda and the gyromagnetic ratio g. No signatures of a spatially modulated order parameter could be evidenced. A detailed comparison with the magnetic field--temperature phase diagram of CeCoIn_5 is given. The comparison between CeRhIn_5 and CeCoIn_5 points out the importance to take into account the field dependence of the effective mass in the calculation of the superconducting upper critical field H_c2. It suggests also that when the magnetic critical field H_(0) becomes lower than H_c2 (0)$, the persistence of a superconducting pseudo-gap may stick the antiferromagnetism to H_c2 (0).

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Field Re-entrant Superconductivity Induced by the Enhancement of Effective Mass in URhGe

High quality single crystals of a ferromagnetic superconductor URhGe were successfully grown. The electrical resistivity was measured for the field along b-axis in the orthorhombic crystal structure in order to study precisely its field re-entrant superconductivity which occurs in the vicinity of the field $H_{\rm R}$, where the easy magnetization switches from $c$ to b-axis. The field re-entrant superconductivity of URhGe is analyzed with special focus on its dependence with the value of residual resistivity $ρ_0$ and the coefficient $A$ of $T^2$ term of the resistivity. The experimental results are well explained by a crude model related with the field dependence of the effective mass $m^\ast$, where the corresponding critical temperature $T_{\mathrm{sc}}(m^\ast)$ and the upper critical field $H_{\rm c2}$ are strongly enhanced. Discussion is made on the interplay between magnetic and superconducting phase diagram as well as the link between $T_{\mathrm{sc}}$ and $A$ in other heavy fermion superconductors.

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