arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to N. V. Dalakova.
Effects related to the granularity of a La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 ceramic sample, synthesized by the solidstate reaction method, are presented. The superconducting transition exhibits a step-like behavior. Lowtemperature features of magnetoresistance hysteresis loops associated with the granular structure of the sample have been observed.
Resistive and magnetoresistive properties of two samples of compacted powders of ferromagnetic half-metal CrO_{2} with shape anisotropy of nanoparticles were studied. The powders were prepared by the method of hydrothermal synthesis and consisted of needle-like particles with average diameters 24-34 nm and mean length of 300 nm. One of the samples has been made of compacted powder of pure CrO_{2}, while another sample has been prepared from a substitution solid solution Cr_{1-x}Fe_{x}O_{2}. The aim of this work was to study the effect of Fe impurity on the value of tunnel resistance and tunnel magnetoresistance for compacted CrO_{2} powders. It was found that the addition of Fe impurity leads to an increase in the coercive force of the powder and reduce the tunnel magnetoresistance. We assume resonant tunneling mechanism on the Fe impurities. We found a strong dependence of the magnetoresistance on the spin relaxation rate in the process of magnetization reversal. The possible reasons for such dependence are discussed.
Possible influence of spatially inhomogeneous distribution of strontium impurities on the temperature of antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering in ceramic samples La2-xSrxCuO4 has been revealed.
Resistive, magnetoresistive and magnetic properties of four kinds of pressed CrO2 powders, synthesized by hydrothermal method of chromic anhydride have been investigated. The particles in powders constituted of rounded particles (diameter 120 nm) or needle-shaped crystals with an average diameter of 22.9 nm and average length of 302 nm. All of the particles had a surface dielectric shell of varying thickness and different types (such as oxyhydroxide -CrOOH or chromium oxide Cr2O3). For all the samples at low temperatures we found non-metallic temperature dependence of resistivity and giant negative magnetoresistance (MR). The maximum value of MR at low temperatures (T \approx 5 K) is \approx 37% in relatively small fields (0.5 T). At higher temperatures there was a rapid decrease of MR (up to \approx 1% / T at T \approx 200 K). The main objective of this work was studying the influence of properties and thickness of the intergranular dielectric layers, as well as CrO2 particle shape, on the magnitude of the tunneling resistance and MR of the pressed powder. The new results obtained in this study include: (1) detection at low temperatures in powders with needle-like particles a new type of MR hysteresis, and nonmonotonic MR behaviour with increasing magnetic field (absolute value of the MR at first grows rather rapidly with the field, and then begins diminishing markedly, forming a maximum), and (2) detection of non-monotonic temperature dependence, where - a field in which the resistance in a magnetic field has a maximum, as well as finding discrepancies in values of and coercivity fields, (3) detection of the anisotropy of MR, depending on the relative orientation of the transport current and the magnetic field, (4) a new method of synthesis, to regulate the thickness of dielectric coating.
The temperature dependences of resistance, R(T), of two single-crystals La_{2}CuO_{4+δ} samples have been studied with the aim to detect a possible change in the R(T) behavior induced by paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic (PM-AFM) transition. One of the samples with δ\lesssim 0.01, was fairly homogeneous in oxygen distribution (not phase-separated) with Neel temperature T_{N}\approx 266 K. Conductivity of this sample has been determined by Mott's variable-range hopping below T_N. The other, far less resistive, sample with δ\approx 0.05, was inhomogeneous (phase-separated) showing both PM-AFM (T_N\approx 205 K) and superconducting (T_c\approx 25 K) transitions. It is found that for the homogeneous sample the resistivity decreases above T_N far faster with temperature than below it (for both directions of measuring current, parallel and perpendicular to basal CuO_2 planes). A similar behavior of conductivity near PM-AFM transition is also found for the phase-separated and less resistive sample. In this case a clear kink in R(T) curve near T_N\approx 205 K can be seen. Furthermore, a transition to metallic (dR/dT>0) behavior occurs far enough above T_N. The observed behavior of the samples studied is related to increased delocalization of charge carriers above T_N. This is in accordance with decrease in the AFM correlation length and corresponding enhancement of the hole mobility above T_N known for low-doped lanthanum cuprates.
Submicron powder of CrO$_2$ was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis method from chromium trioxide. Particles obtained were of rounded form with mean diameter about 120 nm. The powder (stabilized with thin surface layer of β-CrOOH) has been characterized by structural, X-ray and magnetic measurements. The powder (with Curie temperature about 385 K) was cold-pressed and its transport and magnetotransport properties have been measured in the temperature range 4--450 K in magnetic field up to 1.6 T. The samples studied is characterized by non-metallic temperature behavior of resistance and large negative magnetoresistance (MR) in low temperature range. At T=5 K the MR magnitude has been -17% at H=0.3 T and -20% at H=1.4 T. Its magnitude decreased fast with increase in temperature reducing to 0.3% and less for T>200 K. It is shown that this MR behavior is inherent for a system of magnetic grains with spin-dependent intergrain tunnelling. Some peculiarities of MR behavior in low-temperature range (below 40 K) can be associated with percolating character of tunnelling conductivity of this granular system under conditions of availability of only few conducting current paths through the sample.
It is found that a strong inhomogeneous distribution of oxygen in single crystal La_{2}CuO_{4+δ} can lead to the formation of isolated superconducting inclusions, the average hole concentration being no more than 0.0024 per Cu atom. The behavior of the conductivity in the magnetic field below T=20 K is consistent with possible existence of a insulating low-temperature magnetic phase (spin density waves), which is typical of cuprates with excess oxygen.
A current-controlled negative differential resistance has been revealed in the I-V characteristics of single crystal La$_{2}$CuO$_{4+δ}$ in the low temperature region. The non-linear behavior of conductivity is accompanied by a transition from positive to negative magnetoresistance when the current is growing. Possible reasons for the effect observed are discussed.
The resistive measurements were made to study the magnetic field-induced antiferromagnetic (AF) - weak ferromagnetic (WF) transition in La$_2$CuO$_4$ single-crystal. The magnetic field (DC or pulsed) was applied normally to the CuO$_2$ layers. The transition manifested itself in a drastic decrease of the resistance in critical fields of ~5-7 T. The study is the first to display the effect of the AF -WF transition on the conductivity of the La$_2$CuO$_4$ single-crystal in the parallel - to - CuO$_2$ layers direction. The results provide support for the 3-dimensional nature of the hopping conduction of this layered oxide.
A bulk polycrystalline sample of YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7-δ} (δ\approx 0.1) has been irradiated by γ-rays with ^{60}Co source. Non-monotonic behavior of T_c (defined as the temperature at which normal resistance is halved) with increasing irradiation dose Φ(up to about 220 MR) is observed: T_c decreases at low doses (Φ\leq 50 MR) from initial value (\approx 93 K) by about 2 K and then rises, forming minimum. At highest doses (Φ\geq 120 MR) T_c goes down again. The temperature width, δT_c, of resistive transition increases rather sharp with dose below 75 MR and somewhat drops at higher dose. We believe that this effect is revealed for the first time at γ-irradiation of high-T_c superconductor. The cross section for the displacement of lattice atoms in YBCO by γ-rays due to the Compton process were calculated, and possible dpa values were estimated. The results obtained are discussed taking into account that the sample is granular superconductor and, hence, the observed variations of superconducting properties should be connected primarily with the influence of γ-rays on intergrain Josephson coupling.
A bulk polycrystalline sample of YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-δ) (δ\approx 0.1) has been irradiated by γ-rays with ^{60}Co source. Non-monotonic behavior of T_{c} with increasing irradiation dose Φ(up to 220 MR) is observed: T_{c} decreases at low doses (Φ< 50 MR) from initial value (\approx 93 K) by about 2 K and then rises, forming a minimum. At higher doses (Φ> 120 MR) T_{c} goes down again. The temperature width of resistive transition increases rather sharply with dose below 75 MR and drops somewhat at higher dose. The results observed are discussed, taking into account the granular structure of sample studied and the influence of γ-rays on intergrain Josephson coupling.
The unusual non-linear effects in hopping conduction of single-crystal La_{2}CuO_{4 + δ} with excess oxygen has been observed. The resistance is measured as a function of applied voltage U (10^{-3} V - 25 V) in the temperature range 5 K < T < 300 K. At relatively high voltage (U > 0.1 V) the conduction of sample investigated corresponds well to Mott's variable-range hopping (VRH). An unusual conduction behavior is found, however, in low voltage range (approximately below 0.1 V), where the influence of electric field and (or) electron heating effect on VRH ought to be neglected. Here we have observed strong increase in resistance at increasing U at T < 20 K, whereas at T > 20 K the resistance decreases with increasing U. The magnetoresistance of the sample below 20 K has been positive at low voltage and negative at high voltage. The observed non-Ohmic behavior is attributable to inhomogeneity of the sample, and namely, to the enrichment of sample surface with oxygen during the course of the heat treatment of the sample in helium and air atmosphere before measurements. At low enough temperature (below 20 K) the surface layer with increased oxygen concentration is presumed to consist of disconnected superconducting regions (with T_{c} about 20 K) in poor-conducting matrix. The results obtained demonstrate that transport properties of cuprate oxides may be determined in essential degree by structural or stoichimetric inhomogeneities. This should be taken into account at evaluation of "quality" of high-temperature superconductors on the basis of transport properties measurements.