Possibility of Cooper-pair formation controlled by multi-terminal spin injection

Science.gov (United States)

Ohnishi, K.; Sakamoto, M.; Ishitaki, M.; Kimura, T.

2018-03-01

A multi-terminal lateral spin valve consisting of three ferromagnetic nanopillars on a Cu/Nb bilayer has been fabricated. We investigated the influence of the spin injection on the superconducting properties at the Cu/Nb interface. The non-local spin valve signal exhibits a clear spin insulation signature due to the superconducting gap of the Nb. The magnitude of the spin signal is found to show the probe configuration dependence. From the careful analysis of the bias current dependence, we found the suppression of the superconductivity due to the exchange interaction between the Cooper pair and accumulated spin plays an important role in the multi-terminal spin injections. We also discuss about the possibility of the Cooper-pair formation due to the spin injection from the two injectors with the anti-parallel alignment.

Pairing induced superconductivity in holography

Science.gov (United States)

Bagrov, Andrey; Meszena, Balazs; Schalm, Koenraad

2014-09-01

We study pairing induced superconductivity in large N strongly coupled systems at finite density using holography. In the weakly coupled dual gravitational theory the mechanism is conventional BCS theory. An IR hard wall cut-off is included to ensure that we can controllably address the dynamics of a single confined Fermi surface. We address in detail the interplay between the scalar order parameter field and fermion pairing. Adding an explicitly dynamical scalar operator with the same quantum numbers as the fermion-pair, the theory experiences a BCS/BEC crossover controlled by the relative scaling dimensions. We find the novel result that this BCS/BEC crossover exposes resonances in the canonical expectation value of the scalar operator. This occurs not only when the scaling dimension is degenerate with the Cooper pair, but also with that of higher derivative paired operators. We speculate that a proper definition of the order parameter which takes mixing with these operators into account stays finite nevertheless.

Cooper pair splitters beyond the Coulomb blockade regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amitai, Ehud; Tiwari, Rakesh P.; Nigg, Simon E. [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel (Switzerland); Walter, Stefan [Institute for Theoretical Physics, University Erlangen Nuernberg, Staudtstrasse 7, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Schmidt, Thomas L. [Physics and Materials Science Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, L-1511 Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

2016-07-01

We consider the setup of a conventional s-wave Cooper pair splitter. However, we consider the charging energies in the quantum dots to be finite and smaller than the superconducting gap. We find analytically that at low energies the superconductor mediates an inter-dot tunneling term, the spin symmetry of which is influenced by a finite Zeeman field. This effect, together with an electrical tuning scheme of the quantum dot levels, can be used to engineer a non local triplet state on the two quantum dots, thereby extending the non-local state engineering capabilities of the Cooper pair splitter system.

Drive the Dirac electrons into Cooper pairs in SrxBi2Se3

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Guan; Shao, Jifeng; Yang, Xiong; Du, Zengyi; Fang, Delong; Wang, Jinghui; Ran, Kejing; Wen, Jinsheng; Zhang, Changjin; Yang, Huan; Zhang, Yuheng; Wen, Hai-Hu

2017-01-01

Topological superconductors are a very interesting and frontier topic in condensed matter physics. Despite the tremendous efforts in exploring topological superconductivity, its presence is however still under heavy debate. The Dirac electrons have been proven to exist on the surface of a topological insulator. It remains unclear whether and how the Dirac electrons fall into Cooper pairing in an intrinsic superconductor with the topological surface states. Here we show the systematic study of scanning tunnelling microscope/spectroscopy on the possible topological superconductor SrxBi2Se3. We first demonstrate that only the intercalated Sr atoms can induce superconductivity. Then we show the full superconducting gaps without any in-gap density of states as expected theoretically for a bulk topological superconductor. Finally, we find that the surface Dirac electrons will simultaneously condense into the superconducting state within the superconducting gap. This vividly demonstrates how the surface Dirac electrons are driven into Cooper pairs. PMID:28198378

Unconventional Cooper pairing results in a pseudogap-like phase in s-wave superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Springer, Daniel; Cheong, Siew Ann

2015-01-01

The impact of disorder on the superconducting (SC) pairing mechanism is the centre of much debate. Some evidence suggests a loss of phase coherence of pairs while others point towards the formation of a competing phase. In our work we show that the two perspectives may be different sides of the same coin. Using an extension of the perturbative renormalization group approach we compare the impact of different disorder-induced interactions on a SC ground state. We find that in the strongly disordered regime an interaction between paired fermions and their respective disordered environment replaces conventional Cooper pairing. For these unconventional Cooper pairs the phase coherence condition, required for the formation of a SC condensate, is not satisfied. (paper)

Crossover from BCS to composite boson (local pair) superconductivity in quasi-2D systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorbar, E.V.; Loktev, V.M.; Sharapov, S.G.

1995-01-01

The crossover from cooperative Cooper pairing to independent bound state (composite bosons) formation and condensation in quasi-2 D systems is studied. It is shown that at low carrier density the critical superconducting temperature is equal to the temperature of Bose-condensation of ideal quasi-2 D Bose-gas with heavy dynamical mass, meanwhile at high densities the BCS result remains valid. 15 refs

Creation of Spin-Triplet Cooper Pairs in the Absence of Magnetic Ordering

Science.gov (United States)

Breunig, Daniel; Burset, Pablo; Trauzettel, Björn

2018-01-01

In superconducting spintronics, it is essential to generate spin-triplet Cooper pairs on demand. Up to now, proposals to do so concentrate on hybrid structures in which a superconductor (SC) is combined with a magnetically ordered material (or an external magnetic field). We, instead, identify a novel way to create and isolate spin-triplet Cooper pairs in the absence of any magnetic ordering. This achievement is only possible because we drive a system with strong spin-orbit interaction—the Dirac surface states of a strong topological insulator (TI)-out of equilibrium. In particular, we consider a bipolar TI-SC-TI junction, where the electrochemical potentials in the outer leads differ in their overall sign. As a result, we find that nonlocal singlet pairing across the junction is completely suppressed for any excitation energy. Hence, this junction acts as a perfect spin-triplet filter across the SC, generating equal-spin Cooper pairs via crossed Andreev reflection.

A quantitative study of quasiparticle traps using the single-Cooper-pair-transistor

OpenAIRE

Court, N. A.; Ferguson, A. J.; Lutchyn, Roman; Clark, R. G.

2007-01-01

We use radio-frequency reflectometry to measure quasiparticle tunneling rates in the single-Cooper-pair-transistor. Devices with and without quasiparticle traps in proximity to the island are studied. A $10^2$ to $10^3$-fold reduction in the quasiparticle tunneling rate onto the island is observed in the case of quasiparticle traps. In the quasiparticle trap samples we also measure a commensurate decrease in quasiparticle tunneling rate off the island.

Transition from Sign-Reversed to Sign-Preserved Cooper-Pairing Symmetry in Sulfur-Doped Iron Selenide Superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qisi; Park, J T; Feng, Yu; Shen, Yao; Hao, Yiqing; Pan, Bingying; Lynn, J W; Ivanov, A; Chi, Songxue; Matsuda, M; Cao, Huibo; Birgeneau, R J; Efremov, D V; Zhao, Jun

2016-05-13

An essential step toward elucidating the mechanism of superconductivity is to determine the sign or phase of the superconducting order parameter, as it is closely related to the pairing interaction. In conventional superconductors, the electron-phonon interaction induces attraction between electrons near the Fermi energy and results in a sign-preserved s-wave pairing. For high-temperature superconductors, including cuprates and iron-based superconductors, prevalent weak coupling theories suggest that the electron pairing is mediated by spin fluctuations which lead to repulsive interactions, and therefore that a sign-reversed pairing with an s_{±} or d-wave symmetry is favored. Here, by using magnetic neutron scattering, a phase sensitive probe of the superconducting gap, we report the observation of a transition from the sign-reversed to sign-preserved Cooper-pairing symmetry with insignificant changes in T_{c} in the S-doped iron selenide superconductors K_{x}Fe_{2-y}(Se_{1-z}S_{z})_{2}. We show that a rather sharp magnetic resonant mode well below the superconducting gap (2Δ) in the undoped sample (z=0) is replaced by a broad hump structure above 2Δ under 50% S doping. These results cannot be readily explained by simple spin fluctuation-exchange pairing theories and, therefore, multiple pairing channels are required to describe superconductivity in this system. Our findings may also yield a simple explanation for the sometimes contradictory data on the sign of the superconducting order parameter in iron-based materials.

Exact mapping of the dx2-y2 Cooper-pair wavefunction onto the spin fluctuations in cuprates: the Fermi surface as a driver for 'high Tc' superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, Ross D; Harrison, Neil; Singleton, John

2009-01-01

We propose that the extraordinarily high superconducting transition temperatures in the cuprates are driven by an exact mapping of the d x 2 -y 2 Cooper-pair wavefunction onto the incommensurate spin fluctuations observed in neutron-scattering experiments. This is manifested in the direct correspondence between the inverse of the incommensurability factor δ seen in inelastic neutron-scattering experiments and the measured superconducting coherence length ξ 0 . Strikingly, the relationship between ξ 0 and δ is valid for both La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 and YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , suggesting a common mechanism for superconductivity across the entire hole-doped cuprate family. Using data from recent quantum-oscillation experiments in the cuprates, we propose that the fluctuations responsible for superconductivity are driven by a Fermi-surface instability. On the basis of these findings, one can specify the optimal characteristics of a solid that will exhibit 'high T c ' superconductivity. (fast track communication)

Cooper Pair Writing at the LaAlO3/ SrTiO 3 Interface

Science.gov (United States)

Cen, Cheng; Bogorin, Daniela F.; Bark, Chung Wung; Folkman, Chad M.; Eom, Chang-Beom; Levy, Jeremy

2011-03-01

Superconducting semiconductors offer unique ways to exert electrostatic control over macroscopic quantum phases. The recently demonstrated nanoscale control over conductivity at the LaAl O3 / SrTi O3 interface raises the question of whether nanoscale control over superconducting phases can be realized. Here we report low-temperature magnetotransport experiments on structures defined with nanoscale precision at the LaAl O3 / SrTi O3 interface. A quantum phase transition is observed that is associated with the formation of Cooper pairs, but a finite resistance is observed at the lowest temperatures. Higher mobility interfaces exhibit larger Ginsburg-Landau coherence lengths, a stronger suppression of pairing by magnetic field as well as Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. Cooper pair localization, spin-orbit coupling, and finite-size effects may factor into an explanation for some of the unusual properties observed. The work is supported by Department of Energy and State of Florida, NSF (DMR-0906443 and DMR-0704022), DOE (DE-FG02-06ER46327) and the Fine Foundation.

Quantitative Raman Measurement of the Evolution of the Cooper-pair Density with Doping in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanc, S.; Gu, G.; Gallais, Y.; Sacuto, A.; Cazayous, M.; Measson, M.A.; Wen, J.S.; Xu, Z.J.

2009-01-01

We report Raman measurements on Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ single crystals that allow us to quantitatively evaluate the doping dependence of the density of Cooper pairs in the superconducting state. We show that the drastic loss of Cooper pairs in the antinodal region as the doping level is reduced is concomitant with a deep alteration of the quasiparticles dynamic above T c and consistent with a pseudogap that competes with superconductivity. Our data also reveal that the overall density of Cooper pairs evolves with doping, distinctly from the superfluid density above the doping level p c = 0.2.

How to measure the cooper pair mass using plasmons in low-dimensional superconductor structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishonov, T.M.

1990-06-01

The creation of the Cooper pair mass-spectroscopy is suggested. The plasmons in low-dimensional superconductor structures (layers or wires in dielectric background) are theoretically considered to that purpose. The Cooper pair mass m * can be determined by measurements of the Doppler shift of the plasmon frequency when a direct current is applied through the superconductor. The plasmons with frequency ω lower than the superconducting gap 2 Δ can be detected by the same fare-infrared (FIR) absorption technique and grating couplings used previously for investigation of two-dimension (2D) plasmons in semiconductor microstructures. (author). 17 refs, 2 figs

Superconducting properties of the η-pairing state in the Penson-Kolb-Hubbard model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czart, W.R.; Robaszkiewicz, S.

2004-01-01

The Penson-Kolb-Hubbard model, i.e. the Hubbard model with the pair-hopping interaction J is studied. We focus on the properties of the superconducting state with the Cooper-pair center-of mass momentum q Q(η-phase). The transition into the η-phase, which is favorized by the repulsive J (J c |, dependent on band filling, on-site interaction U and band structure, and the system never exhibits standard BCS-like features. This is in obvious contrast with the properties of the isotropic s-wave state, stabilized by the attractive J and attractive U, which exhibit at T = 0 a smooth crossover from the BCS-like limit to that of tightly bound pairs with increasing pairing strength. (author)

Pair Fermi contour and high-temperature superconductivity

CERN Document Server

Belyavsky, V I

2002-01-01

The holes superconducting coupling with the pair high summarized pulse and the relative motion low pulses is considered with an account of the quasi-two-dimensional electron structure of the HTSC-cuprates with the clearly-pronounced nesting of the Fermi contour. The superconducting energy gap and the condensation energy are determined and their dependences on the doping level are qualitatively studied. It is shown that the energy gap takes place in some holes concentration area, limited on both sides. The superconducting state, whereby the condensation energy is positive, originates in the more narrower doping interval inside this area. The hole pair redistribution in the pulse space constitutes the cause of the superconducting state origination by the holes repulsive screened Coulomb interaction. The coupling mechanism discussed hereby, males it possible to explain qualitatively not only the phase diagram basic peculiarities but also the key experimental facts, related to the cuprate HTSC-materials

Odd-frequency pairing in superconducting heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golubov, A A [Faculty of Science and Technology and MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Tanaka, Y [Department of Applied Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8603 (Japan); Asano, Y [Department of Applied Physics, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628 (Japan); Tanuma, Y [Institute of Physics, Kanagawa University, 3-7-1, Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama 221-8686 (Japan)], E-mail: a.golubov@utwente.nl

2009-04-22

We review the theory of odd-frequency pairing in superconducting heterostructures, where an odd-frequency pairing component is induced near interfaces. A general description of the superconducting proximity effect in a normal metal or a ferromagnet attached to an unconventional superconductor (S) is given within quasiclassical kinetic theory for various types of symmetry state in S. Various possible symmetry classes in a superconductor are considered which are consistent with the Pauli principle: even-frequency spin-singlet even-parity (ESE) state, even-frequency spin-triplet odd-parity (ETO) state, odd-frequency spin-triplet even-parity (OTE) state and odd-frequency spin-singlet odd-parity (OSO) state. As an example, we consider a junction between a diffusive normal metal (DN) and a p-wave superconductor (even-frequency spin-triplet odd-parity symmetry), where the pairing amplitude in DN belongs to an odd-frequency spin-triplet even-parity symmetry class. We also discuss the manifestation of odd-frequency pairing in conventional superconductor/normal (S/N) proximity systems and its relation to the classical McMillan-Rowell oscillations.

Atomic-scale Visualization of Electronic Nematicity and Cooper Pairing in Iron-based Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Allan, Milan P.

2013-03-01

The mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity in the relatively novel iron-based high-Tc superconductors is unresolved, both in terms of how the phases evolve with doping, and in terms of the actual Cooper pairing process. To explore these issues, we used spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy to study the electronic structure of CaFe2As2 in the antiferromagnetic-orthorhombic `parent' state from which the superconductivity emerges. We discovered and visualized the now widely studied electronic `nematicity' of this phase, whose suppression is associated with the emergence of superconductivity (Science 327, 181, 2010). As subsequent transport experiments discovered a related anisotropic conductance which increases with dopant concentration, the interplay between the electronic structure surrounding each dopant atom, quasiparticle scattering therefrom, and the transport nematicity has become a pivotal focus of research. We find that substituting Co for Fe atoms in underdoped Ca(Fe1-xCox)2As2 generates a dense population of identical and strongly anisotropic impurity states that are distributed randomly but aligned with the antiferromagnetic a-axis. We also demonstrate, by imaging their surrounding interference patterns, that these impurity states scatter quasiparticles and thus influence transport in a highly anisotropic manner (M.P. Allan et al., 2013). Next, we studied the momentum dependence of the energy gaps of iron-based superconductivity, now focusing on LiFeAs. If strong electron-electron interactions mediate the Cooper pairing, then momentum-space anisotropic superconducting energy gaps Δi (k) were predicted by multiple techniques to appear on the different electronic bands i. We introduced intraband Bogoliubov quasiparticle scattering interference (QPI) techniques for the determination of anisotropic energy gaps to test these hypotheses and discovered the anisotropy, magnitude, and relative orientations of the energy gaps on multiple

Theory of superconductivity. II. Excited Cooper pairs. Why does sodium remain normal down to 0 K?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, S.

1992-01-01

Based on a generalized BCS Hamiltonian in which the interaction strengths (V 11 , V 22 , V 12 ) among and between electron (12) and hole (2) Cooper pairs are differentiated, the thermodynamic properties of a type-I superconductor below the critical temperature T c are investigated. An expression for the ground-state energy, W - W 0 , relative to the unperturbed Block system is obtained. The usual BCS formulas are obtained in the limits: (all) V jl = V 0 , N 1 (0) = N 2 (0). Any excitations generated through the BCS interaction Hamiltonian containing V jl must involve Cooper pairs of antiparallel spins and nearly opposite momenta. The nonzero momentum or excited Cooper pairs below T c are shown to have an excitation energy band minimum lower than the quasi-electrons, which were regarded as the elementary excitations in the original BCS theory. The energy gap var-epsilon g (T) defined relative to excited and zero-momentum Copper pairs (when V jl > 0) decreases from var-epsilon g (0) to 0 as the temperature T is raised from 0 to T c . If electrons only are available as in a monovalent metal like sodium (V 12 = 0), the energy constant Δ 1 is finite but the energy gap vanishes identically for all T. In agreement with the BCS theory, the present theory predicts that a pure nonmagnetic metal in any dimensions should have a Cooper-pair ground state whose energy is lower than that of the Bloch ground state. Additionally it predicts that a monovalent metal should remain normal down to 0 K, and that there should be no strictly one-dimensional superconductor

Quasiparticle dynamics in aluminium superconducting microwave resonators

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Visser, P.J.

2014-01-01

This thesis describes the intrinsic limits of superconducting microresonator detectors. In a superconductor at low temperature, most of the electrons are paired into so called Cooper pairs, which cause the well-known electrical conduction without resistance. Superconducting microwave resonators have

Crystalline color superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alford, Mark; Bowers, Jeffrey A.; Rajagopal, Krishna

2001-01-01

In any context in which color superconductivity arises in nature, it is likely to involve pairing between species of quarks with differing chemical potentials. For suitable values of the differences between chemical potentials, Cooper pairs with nonzero total momentum are favored, as was first realized by Larkin, Ovchinnikov, Fulde, and Ferrell (LOFF). Condensates of this sort spontaneously break translational and rotational invariance, leading to gaps which vary periodically in a crystalline pattern. Unlike the original LOFF state, these crystalline quark matter condensates include both spin-zero and spin-one Cooper pairs. We explore the range of parameters for which crystalline color superconductivity arises in the QCD phase diagram. If in some shell within the quark matter core of a neutron star (or within a strange quark star) the quark number densities are such that crystalline color superconductivity arises, rotational vortices may be pinned in this shell, making it a locus for glitch phenomena

Coherent Cooper pair tunneling in systems of Josephson junctions: effects of quasiparticle tunneling and of the electromagnetic environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maassen van den Brink, A.; Odintsov, A.A.; Bobbert, P.A.; Schön, G.

1991-01-01

Small capacitance tunnel junctions show single electron effects and, in the superconducting state, the coherent tunneling of Cooper pairs. We study these effects in a system of two Josephson junctions, driven by a voltage source with a finite impedance. Novel features show up in theI–V

Superconductivity switch from spin-singlet to -triplet pairing in a topological superconducting junction

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Ze; Chen, F. J.; Zhou, L. Y.; Li, Bin; Tao, Y. C.; Wang, J.

2018-06-01

The interedge coupling is the cardinal characteristic of the narrow quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulator, and thus could bring about exotic transport phenomena. Herein, we present a theoretical investigation of the spin-resolved Andreev reflection (AR) in a QSH insulator strip touching on two neighbouring ferromagnetic insulators and one s-wave superconductor. It is demonstrated that, due to the interplay of the interedge coupling and ferromagnetic configuration, there could be not only usual local ARs leading to the spin-singlet pairing with the incident electron and Andreev-reflected hole from different spin subbands, but also novel local ARs giving rise to the spin-triplet pairing from the same spin subband. However, only the latter exists in the absence of the interedge coupling, and therefore the two pairings in turn testify the helical spin texture of the edge states. By proper tuning of the band structures of the ferromagnetic layers, under the resonance bias voltage, the usual and novel local ARs of can be all exhibited, resulting in fully spin-polarized pure spin-singlet superconductivity and pure spin-triplet superconductivity, respectively, which suggests a superconductivity switch from spin-singlet to -triplet pairing by electrical control. The results can be experimentally confirmed by the tunneling conductance and the noise power.

Mesoscopic pairing without superconductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Johannes

2017-12-01

We discuss pairing signatures in mesoscopic nanowires with a variable attractive pairing interaction. Depending on the wire length, density, and interaction strength, these systems realize a simultaneous bulk-to-mesoscopic and BCS-BEC crossover, which we describe in terms of the parity parameter that quantifies the odd-even energy difference and generalizes the bulk Cooper pair binding energy to mesoscopic systems. We show that the parity parameter can be extracted from recent measurements of conductance oscillations in SrTiO3 nanowires by Cheng et al. [Nature (London) 521, 196 (2015), 10.1038/nature14398], where it marks the critical magnetic field that separates pair and single-particle currents. Our results place the experiment in the fluctuation-dominated mesoscopic regime on the BCS side of the crossover.

Inhomogeneous superconductivity in a ferromagnet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kontos, T.; Aprili, M.; Lesueur, J.; Genet, F.; Boursier, R.; Grison, X.

2003-01-01

We have studied a new superconducting state where the condensate wave function resulting from conventional pairing, is modified by an exchange field. Superconductivity is induced into a ferromagnetic thin film (F) by the proximity effect with a superconducting reservoir (S). We observed oscillations of the superconducting order parameter induced in F as a function of the distance from the S/F interface. They originate from the finite momentum transfer provided to Cooper pairs by the splitting of the spin up and down bands. We measured the superconducting density of states in F by tunneling spectroscopy and the Josephson critical current when F is coupled with a superconducting counter-electrode. Negative values of the superconducting order parameter are revealed by capsized tunneling spectra in F and a negative Josephson coupling (π-junction)

Cooper pair induced frustration and nematicity of two-dimensional magnetic adatom lattices

Science.gov (United States)

Schecter, Michael; Syljuâsen, Olav F.; Paaske, Jens

2018-05-01

We propose utilizing the Cooper pair to induce magnetic frustration in systems of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic adatom lattices on s -wave superconducting surfaces. The competition between singlet electron correlations and the RKKY coupling is shown to lead to a variety of hidden-order states that break the point-group symmetry of the 2D adatom lattice at finite temperature. The phase diagram is constructed using a newly developed effective bond theory [M. Schecter et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 157202 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.157202], and exhibits broad regions of long-range vestigial nematic order.

Superconducting proximity in three-dimensional Dirac materials: Odd-frequency, pseudoscalar, pseudovector, and tensor-valued superconducting orders

Science.gov (United States)

Faraei, Zahra; Jafari, S. A.

2017-10-01

We find that a conventional s -wave superconductor in proximity to a three-dimensional Dirac material (3DDM), to all orders of perturbation in tunneling, induces a combination of s - and p -wave pairing only. We show that the Lorentz invariance of the superconducting pairing prevents the formation of Cooper pairs with higher orbital angular momenta in the 3DDM. This no-go theorem acquires stronger form when the probability of tunneling from the conventional superconductor to positive and negative energy states of 3DDM are equal. In this case, all the p -wave contribution except for the lowest order, identically vanish and hence we obtain an exact result for the induced p -wave superconductivity in 3DDM. Fierz decomposing the superconducting matrix we find that the temporal component of the vector superconducting order and the spatial components of the pseudovector order have odd-frequency pairing symmetry. We find that the latter is odd with respect to exchange of position and chirality of the electrons in the Cooper pair and is a spin-triplet, which is necessary for NMR detection of such an exotic pseudovector pairing. Moreover, we show that the tensorial order breaks into a polar vector and an axial vector and both of them have conventional pairing symmetry except for being a spin triplet. According to our study, for gapless 3DDM, the tensorial superconducting order will be the only order that is odd with respect to the chemical potential μ . Therefore we predict that a transverse p -n junction binds Majorana fermions. This effect can be used to control the neutral Majorana fermions with electric fields.

Pair-breaking effects by parallel magnetic field in electric-field-induced surface superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nabeta, Masahiro; Tanaka, Kenta K.; Onari, Seiichiro; Ichioka, Masanori

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Zeeman effect shifts superconducting gaps of sub-band system, towards pair-breaking. • Higher-level sub-bands become normal-state-like electronic states by magnetic fields. • Magnetic field dependence of zero-energy DOS reflects multi-gap superconductivity. - Abstract: We study paramagnetic pair-breaking in electric-field-induced surface superconductivity, when magnetic field is applied parallel to the surface. The calculation is performed by Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory with s-wave pairing, including the screening effect of electric fields by the induced carriers near the surface. Due to the Zeeman shift by applied fields, electronic states at higher-level sub-bands become normal-state-like. Therefore, the magnetic field dependence of Fermi-energy density of states reflects the multi-gap structure in the surface superconductivity.

Electron Waiting Times of a Cooper Pair Splitter

Science.gov (United States)

Walldorf, Nicklas; Padurariu, Ciprian; Jauho, Antti-Pekka; Flindt, Christian

2018-02-01

Electron waiting times are an important concept in the analysis of quantum transport in nanoscale conductors. Here we show that the statistics of electron waiting times can be used to characterize Cooper pair splitters that create spatially separated spin-entangled electrons. A short waiting time between electrons tunneling into different leads is associated with the fast emission of a split Cooper pair, while long waiting times are governed by the slow injection of Cooper pairs from a superconductor. Experimentally, the waiting time distributions can be measured using real-time single-electron detectors in the regime of slow tunneling, where conventional current measurements are demanding. Our work is important for understanding the fundamental transport processes in Cooper pair splitters and the predictions may be verified using current technology.

Electron Waiting Times of a Cooper Pair Splitter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walldorf, Nicklas; Padurariu, Ciprian; Jauho, Antti-Pekka

2018-01-01

Electron waiting times are an important concept in the analysis of quantum transport in nanoscale conductors. Here we show that the statistics of electron waiting times can be used to characterize Cooper pair splitters that create spatially separated spin-entangled electrons. A short waiting time...... between electrons tunneling into different leads is associated with the fast emission of a split Cooper pair, while long waiting times are governed by the slow injection of Cooper pairs from a superconductor. Experimentally, the waiting time distributions can be measured using real-time single......-electron detectors in the regime of slow tunneling, where conventional current measurements are demanding. Our work is important for understanding the fundamental transport processes in Cooper pair splitters and the predictions may be verified using current technology....

On magnon mediated Cooper pair formation in ferromagnetic superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rakesh Kar

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Identification of pairing mechanism leading to ferromagnetic superconductivity is one of the most challenging issues in condensed matter physics. Although different models have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, a quantitative understanding about this pairing is yet to be achieved. Using the localized-itinerant model, we find that in ferromagnetic superconducting materials both triplet pairing and singlet pairing of electrons are possible through magnon exchange depending upon whether the Debye cut off frequency of magnons is greater or lesser than the Hund's coupling (J multiplied by average spin (S per site. Taking into account the repulsive interaction due to the existence of paramagnons, we also find an expression for effective interaction potential between a pair of electrons with opposite spins. We apply the developed formalism in case of UGe2 and URhGe. The condition of singlet pairing is found to be fulfilled in these cases, as was previously envisaged by Suhl [Suhl, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 167007 (2001]. We compute the critical temperatures of URhGe at ambient pressure and of UGe2 under different pressures for the first time through BCS equation. Thus, this work outlines a very simple way to evaluate critical temperature in case of a superconducting system. A close match with the available experimental results strongly supports our theoretical treatment.

Pairing and superconductivity from weak to strong coupling in the attractive Hubbard model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toschi, A; Barone, P; Capone, M; Castellani, C

2005-01-01

The finite-temperature phase diagram of the attractive Hubbard model is studied by means of the dynamical mean-field theory. We first consider the normal phase of the model by explicitly frustrating the superconducting ordering. In this case, we obtain a first-order pairing transition between a metallic phase and a paired phase formed by strongly coupled incoherent pairs. The transition line ends in a finite temperature critical point, but a crossover between two qualitatively different solutions still occurs at higher temperature. Comparing the superconducting- and the normal-phase solutions, we find that the superconducting instability always occurs before the pairing transition in the normal phase, i.e. T c > T pairing . Nevertheless, the high-temperature phase diagram at T > T c is still characterized by a crossover from a metallic phase to a preformed pair phase. We characterize this crossover by computing different observables that can be used to identify the pseudogap region, like the spin susceptibility, the specific heat and the single-particle spectral function

Angle-resolved photoemission studies of the superconducting gap symmetry in Fe-based superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y.-B. Huang

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The superconducting gap is the fundamental parameter that characterizes the superconducting state, and its symmetry is a direct consequence of the mechanism responsible for Cooper pairing. Here we discuss about angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of the superconducting gap in the Fe-based high-temperature superconductors. We show that the superconducting gap is Fermi surface dependent and nodeless with small anisotropy, or more precisely, a function of the momentum location in the Brillouin zone. We show that while this observation seems inconsistent with weak coupling approaches for superconductivity in these materials, it is well supported by strong coupling models and global superconducting gaps. We also suggest that a smaller lifetime of the superconducting Cooper pairs induced by the momentum dependent interband scattering inherent to these materials could affect the residual density of states at low energies, which is critical for a proper evaluation of the superconducting gap.

The coevolution of long-term pair bonds and cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Z; Feldman, M W

2013-05-01

The evolution of social traits may not only depend on but also change the social structure of the population. In particular, the evolution of pairwise cooperation, such as biparental care, depends on the pair-matching distribution of the population, and the latter often emerges as a collective outcome of individual pair-bonding traits, which are also under selection. Here, we develop an analytical model and individual-based simulations to study the coevolution of long-term pair bonds and cooperation in parental care, where partners play a Snowdrift game in each breeding season. We illustrate that long-term pair bonds may coevolve with cooperation when bonding cost is below a threshold. As long-term pair bonds lead to assortative interactions through pair-matching dynamics, they may promote the prevalence of cooperation. In addition to the pay-off matrix of a single game, the evolutionarily stable equilibrium also depends on bonding cost and accidental divorce rate, and it is determined by a form of balancing selection because the benefit from pair-bond maintenance diminishes as the frequency of cooperators increases. Our findings highlight the importance of ecological factors affecting social bonding cost and stability in understanding the coevolution of social behaviour and social structures, which may lead to the diversity of biological social systems. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2013 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Stability of the Superconducting d-Wave Pairing Toward the Intersite Coulomb Repulsion in CuO_2 Plane

Science.gov (United States)

Val'kov, V. V.; Dzebisashvili, D. M.; Korovushkin, M. M.; Barabanov, A. F.

2018-06-01

Taking into account the real crystalline structure of the CuO_2 plane and the strong spin-fermion coupling, we study the influence of the intersite Coulomb repulsion between holes on the Cooper instability of the spin-polaron quasiparticles in cuprate superconductors. The analysis shows that only the superconducting d-wave pairing is implemented in the whole region of doping, whereas the solutions of the self-consistent equations for the s-wave pairing are absent. It is shown that intersite Coulomb interaction V_1 between the holes located at the nearest oxygen ions does not affect the d-wave pairing, because its Fourier transform V_q vanishes in the kernel of the corresponding integral equation. The intersite Coulomb interaction V_2 of quasiparticles located at the next-nearest oxygen ions does not vanish in the integral equations, however, but it is also shown that the d-wave pairing is robust toward this interaction for physically reasonable values of V_2.

Electron and Cooper-pair transport across a single magnetic molecule explored with a scanning tunneling microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, J.; Gozdzik, S.; Néel, N.; Lado, J. L.; Fernández-Rossier, J.; Kröger, J.

2018-05-01

A scanning tunneling microscope is used to explore the evolution of electron and Cooper-pair transport across single Mn-phthalocyanine molecules adsorbed on Pb(111) from tunneling to contact ranges. Normal-metal as well as superconducting tips give rise to a gradual transition of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer energy gap in the tunneling range into a zero-energy resonance close to and at contact. Supporting transport calculations show that in the normal-metal-superconductor junctions this resonance reflects the merging of in-gap Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states as well as the onset of Andreev reflection. For the superconductor-superconductor contacts, the zero-energy resonance is rationalized in terms of a finite Josephson current that is carried by phase-dependent Andreev and Yu-Shiba-Rusinov levels.

CERN-LHC accelerator superconducting magnet. Development and international cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Akira; Nakamoto, Tatsushi; Sasaki, Ken-ichi

2009-01-01

CERN-LHC accelerator superconducting magnets and a cooperative work for interaction region quadrupole magnets are introduced. The accelerator commissioning and the incident happened during the commissioning in 2008 is also briefly discussed. (author)

Selection rules for Cooper pairing in two-dimensional interfaces and sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Scheurer, Mathias S.; Agterberg, Daniel F.; Schmalian, Jörg

2017-12-01

Thin sheets deposited on a substrate and interfaces of correlated materials offer a plethora of routes towards the realization of exotic phases of matter. In these systems, inversion symmetry is broken which strongly affects the properties of possible instabilities—in particular in the superconducting channel. By combining symmetry and energetic arguments, we derive general and experimentally accessible selection rules for Cooper instabilities in noncentrosymmetric systems, which yield necessary and sufficient conditions for spontaneous time-reversal-symmetry breaking at the superconducting transition and constrain the orientation of the triplet vector. We discuss in detail the implications for various different materials. For instance, we conclude that the pairing state in thin layers of Sr2RuO4 must, as opposed to its bulk superconducting state, preserve time-reversal symmetry with its triplet vector being parallel to the plane of the system. All triplet states of this system allowed by the selection rules are predicted to display topological Majorana modes at dislocations or at the edge of the system. Applying our results to the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, we find that while the condensates of the (001) and (110) oriented interfaces must be time-reversal symmetric, spontaneous time-reversal-symmetry breaking can only occur for the less studied (111) interface. We also discuss the consequences for thin layers of URu2Si2 and UPt3 as well as for single-layer FeSe. On a more general level, our considerations might serve as a design principle in the search for time-reversal-symmetry-breaking superconductivity in the absence of external magnetic fields.

Nonlinear optical effects and third-harmonic generation in superconductors: Cooper pairs versus Higgs mode contribution

Science.gov (United States)

Cea, T.; Castellani, C.; Benfatto, L.

2016-05-01

The recent observation of a transmitted THz pulse oscillating at three times the frequency of the incident light paves the way to a powerful protocol to access resonant excitations in a superconductor. Here we show that this nonlinear optical process is dominated by light-induced excitation of Cooper pairs, while the collective amplitude (Higgs) fluctuations of the superconducting order parameter give in general a negligible contribution. We also predict a nontrivial dependence of the signal on the direction of the light polarization with respect to the lattice symmetry, which can be tested in systems such as, e.g., cuprate superconductors.

Interband superconductivity: Contrasts between Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer and Eliashberg theories

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dolgov, Oleg V.; Mazin, Igor I.; Parker, David; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch

2009-01-01

recently discovered iron pnictide superconductors apparently present an unusual case of interband-channel pairing superconductivity. Here we show that in the limit where the pairing occurs within the interband channel, several surprising effects occur quite naturally and generally: different density

Zero-bias conductance quantization in a normal / superconducting junction of nano wire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asano, Yasuhiro; Tanaka, Yukio

2012-01-01

We discuss a strong relationship between Majorana fermions and odd-frequency Cooper pairs which appear at a disordered normal nano wire attached to a topologically nontrivial superconducting one. The zero-bias differential conductance in a normal / superconducting nano wire junctions is quantized at 2e 2 /h irrespective of degree of disorder, length of disordered segment, and random realization of disordered potential. Such behaviors are exactly the same as those in the anomalous proximity effect of p x -wave spin-triplet superconductors. We show that odd-frequency Cooper pairs assist the unusual transport properties.

Introduction to superconductivity

CERN Document Server

Darriulat, Pierre

1998-01-01

The lecture series will address physicists, such as particle and nuclear physicists, familiar with non-relativistic quantum mechanics but not with solid state physics. The aim of this introduction to low temperature superconductivity is to give sufficient bases to the student for him/her to be able to access the scientific literature on this field. The five lectures will cover the following topics : 1. Normal metals, free electron gas, chambers equation. 2. Cooper pairs, the BCS ground state, quasi particle excitations. 3. DC superconductivity, Meissner state, dirty superconductors.4. Self consistent approach, Ginsburg Landau equations, Abrikosov fluxon lattice. 5. Josephson effects, high temperature superconductivity.

Shape of Cooper pairs in a norma.-metal/superconductors junction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tanaka, Yukio; Asano, Yasuhiro; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch

2008-01-01

In s-wave superconductors the Cooper pair wave function is isotropic in momentum space. This property may also be expected for Cooper pairs entering a normal metal from a superconductor due to the proximity effect. We show, however, that such a deduction is incorrect and the pairing function in a

Interplay of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in cuprates with impurity effect and d-wave pairing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohapatra, Rasmita, E-mail: rmrmmohapatra@gmail.com [P.G. Department of Applied Physics and Ballistics, F.M. University, Balasore, Odisha 756019 (India); Rout, G.C., E-mail: gcr@iopb.res.in [Physics Enclave, Plot no-664/4825, Lane-4A, Shree Vihar, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751024 (India)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • We considered here the interplay of antiferromagnetism (AFM) and Superconductivity (SC) with d-wave pairing symmetry in presence of impurity effect. • The tunneling conductance explains the multiple peaks and dip-hump structure. • It is observed that AFM coupling enhances the superconducting transition temperature. • The low temperature specific heat anomaly due to impurity atoms. - Abstract: We present here a model Hamiltonian to study the interplay between staggered magnetic field and the superconductivity with d-wave pairing symmetry in presence of hybridization between impurity f-electrons of rare-earth ions and 3d-electrons of copper ions. The staggered field and superconducting (SC) gaps are calculated by Green’s function technique and solved self-consistently. The coupling constants are compared using s-wave and d-wave pairings. The strength of hybridization suppresses the magnitude of the gaps; while antiferromagnetic coupling enhances the superconducting transition temperature, but suppresses the Neel temperature. The density of states (DOS) representing tunneling conductance shows complex character with impurity level lying at the Fermi level. The electronic specific heat explains prototype heavy fermion behavior in cuprate systems at low temperatures.

Interplay of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in cuprates with impurity effect and d-wave pairing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohapatra, Rasmita; Rout, G.C.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We considered here the interplay of antiferromagnetism (AFM) and Superconductivity (SC) with d-wave pairing symmetry in presence of impurity effect. • The tunneling conductance explains the multiple peaks and dip-hump structure. • It is observed that AFM coupling enhances the superconducting transition temperature. • The low temperature specific heat anomaly due to impurity atoms. - Abstract: We present here a model Hamiltonian to study the interplay between staggered magnetic field and the superconductivity with d-wave pairing symmetry in presence of hybridization between impurity f-electrons of rare-earth ions and 3d-electrons of copper ions. The staggered field and superconducting (SC) gaps are calculated by Green’s function technique and solved self-consistently. The coupling constants are compared using s-wave and d-wave pairings. The strength of hybridization suppresses the magnitude of the gaps; while antiferromagnetic coupling enhances the superconducting transition temperature, but suppresses the Neel temperature. The density of states (DOS) representing tunneling conductance shows complex character with impurity level lying at the Fermi level. The electronic specific heat explains prototype heavy fermion behavior in cuprate systems at low temperatures

Nature of inhomogeneous states in superconducting junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivlev, B.I.; Kopnin, N.B.

1982-01-01

A superconducting structure which arises in a superconducting film under a strong injection of a current through a tunnel junction is considered. If the current density in the film exceeds the critical Ginzburg-Landau value, an inhomogeneous resistive state with phase-slip centers can arise in it. This state is charcterized by the presence of regions with different chemical potentials of the Cooper pairs. These shifts of the pair chemical potential and the nonuniform structure of the order parameter may account for the so-called multigap states which have been observed experimentally

Superconductivity and fast proton transport in nanoconfined water

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, K. H.

2018-04-01

A real-space molecular-orbital density-wave description of Cooper pairing in conjunction with the dynamic Jahn-Teller mechanism for high-Tc superconductivity predicts that electron-doped water confined to the nanoscale environment of a carbon nanotube or biological macromolecule should superconduct below and exhibit fast proton transport above the transition temperature, Tc ≅ 230 K (-43 °C).

Current cross-correlations in double quantum dot Cooper pair splitter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wrzesniewski, Kacper; Trocha, Piotr; Weymann, Ireneusz [Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan (Poland)

2016-07-01

We investigate theoretically transport properties of a quantum dot (QD) system working as a Cooper pair splitter. The device is coupled to one superconducting and two ferromagnetic leads. Presented results are calculated using real-time diagrammatic technique in the sequential tunneling approximation with respect to the coupling to ferromagnetic leads. The transport properties are evaluated within the superconductor subgap regime taking into account Andreev reflection processes solely. We focus on the analysis of current and current cross-correlations, both in linear and nonlinear responses. Current cross-correlations give additional information about dynamics of transport processes. We identify both positive and negative signs of current cross-correlations and discuss mechanisms leading to those results. Strong negative cross-correlations are found when the occupation number of QD system becomes degenerate and near the emergence of the triplet blockade, while positive ones occur in the most range where current flows due to crossed Andreev processes. Finally, we consider ferromagnetic leads polarization and temperature influences on aforementioned features.

Extra-pair mating and evolution of cooperative neighbourhoods.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sigrunn Eliassen

Full Text Available A striking but unexplained pattern in biology is the promiscuous mating behaviour in socially monogamous species. Although females commonly solicit extra-pair copulations, the adaptive reason has remained elusive. We use evolutionary modelling of breeding ecology to show that females benefit because extra-pair paternity incentivizes males to shift focus from a single brood towards the entire neighbourhood, as they are likely to have offspring there. Male-male cooperation towards public goods and dear enemy effects of reduced territorial aggression evolve from selfish interests, and lead to safer and more productive neighbourhoods. The mechanism provides adaptive explanations for the common empirical observations that females engage in extra-pair copulations, that neighbours dominate as extra-pair sires, and that extra-pair mating correlates with predation mortality and breeding density. The models predict cooperative behaviours at breeding sites where males cooperate more towards public goods than females. Where maternity certainty makes females care for offspring at home, paternity uncertainty and a potential for offspring in several broods make males invest in communal benefits and public goods. The models further predict that benefits of extra-pair mating affect whole nests or neighbourhoods, and that cuckolding males are often cuckolded themselves. Derived from ecological mechanisms, these new perspectives point towards the evolution of sociality in birds, with relevance also for mammals and primates including humans.

Quench Property of Twisted-Pair MgB$_2$ Superconducting Cables in Helium Gas

CERN Document Server

Spurrell, J; Falorio, I; Pelegrin, J; Ballarino, A; Yang, Y

2015-01-01

CERN's twisted-pair superconducting cable is a novel design which offers filament transposition, low cable inductance and is particularly suited for tape conductors such as 2G YBCO coated conductors, Ag-sheathed Bi2223 tapes and Ni/Monel-sheathed MgB2 tapes. A typical design of such twistedpair cables consists of multiple superconducting tapes intercalated with thin copper tapes as additional stabilizers. The copper tapes are typically not soldered to the superconducting tapes so that sufficient flexibility is retained for the twisting of the tape assembly. The electrical and thermal contacts between the copper and superconducting tapes are an important parameter for current sharing, cryogenic stability and quench propagation. Using an MgB2 twisted-pair cable assembly manufactured at CERN, we have carried out minimum quench energy (MQE) and propagation velocity (vp) measurements with point-like heat deposition localized within a tape. Furthermore, different contacts between the copper and superconductor aroun...

Oscillation of Critical Current by Gate Voltage in Cooper Pair Transistor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, N.; Cheong, Y.; Song, W.

2010-01-01

We measured the critical current of a Cooper pair transistor consisting of two Josephson junctions and a gate electrode. The Cooper pair transistors were fabricated by using electron-beam lithography and double-angle evaporation technique. The Gate voltage dependence of critical current was measured by observing voltage jumps at various gate voltages while sweeping bias current. The observed oscillation was 2e-periodic, which shows the Cooper pair transistor had low level of quasiparticle poisoning.

Near quantum limited amplification from inelastic Cooper-pair tunneling

Science.gov (United States)

Hofheinz, Max; Jebari, Salha; Blanchet, Florian; Grimm, Alexander; Hazra, Dibyendu; Albert, Romain; Portier, Fabien

Josephson parametric amplifiers approach quantum-limited noise performance but require strong external microwave pump tones which make them more difficult to use than DC powered amplifiers: The pump tone can affect the device under test and requires expensive room-temperature equipment. Inelastic Cooper pair tunneling processes through a small DC voltage-biased Josephson junction, where a tunneling Cooper pair dissipates its energy 2 eV in the form of two photons are reminiscent of parametric down conversion. We show that these processes can be used to provide amplification near the quantum limit without external microwave pump tone. We explain the measured gain and noise based on the P (E) theory of inelastic Cooper pair tunneling and general fluctuation-dissipation relations.

The Zeeman-split superconductivity with Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jingxiang; Yan, Xu; Gu, Qiang

2017-10-01

The superconductivity with Rashba and Dressehlaus spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman effect is investigated. The energy gaps of quasi-particles are carefully calculated. It is shown that the coexistence of two spin-orbit coupling might suppress superconductivity. Moreover, the Zeeman effect favors spin-triplet Cooper pairs.

Unconventional superconductivity in iron pnictides: Magnon mediated pairing

Science.gov (United States)

kar, Raskesh; Paul, Bikash Chandra; Misra, Anirban

2018-02-01

We study the phenomenon of unconventional superconductivity in iron pnictides on the basis of localized-itinerant model. In this proposed model, superconductivity arises from the itinerant part of electrons, whereas antiferromagnetism arises from the localized part. The itinerant electrons move over the sea of localized electrons in antiferromagnetic alignment and interact with them resulting in excitation of magnons. We find that triplet pairing of itinerant electrons via magnons is possible in checkerboard antiferromagnetic spin configuration of the substances CaFe2As2 and BaFe2As2 in pure form for umklapp scattering with scattering wave vector Q =(1 , 1) , in the unit of π/a where a being one orthorhombic crystal parameter, which is the nesting vector between two Fermi surfaces. The interaction potential figured out in this way, increases with the decrease in nearest neighbour (NN) exchange couplings. Under ambient pressure, with stripe antiferromagnetic spin configuration, a very small value of coupling constant is obtained which does not give rise to superconductivity. The critical temperature of superconductivity of the substances CaFe2As2 and BaFe2As2 in higher pressure checkerboard antiferromagnetic spin configuration are found to be 12.12 K and 29.95 K respectively which are in agreement with the experimental results.

A cavity-Cooper pair transistor scheme for investigating quantum optomechanics in the ultra-strong coupling regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rimberg, A J; Blencowe, M P; Armour, A D; Nation, P D

2014-01-01

We propose a scheme involving a Cooper pair transistor (CPT) embedded in a superconducting microwave cavity, where the CPT serves as a charge tunable quantum inductor to facilitate ultra-strong coupling between photons in the cavity and a nano- to meso-scale mechanical resonator. The mechanical resonator is capacitively coupled to the CPT, such that mechanical displacements of the resonator cause a shift in the CPT inductance and hence the cavity's resonant frequency. The amplification provided by the CPT is sufficient for the zero point motion of the mechanical resonator alone to cause a significant change in the cavity resonance. Conversely, a single photon in the cavity causes a shift in the mechanical resonator position on the order of its zero point motion. As a result, the cavity-Cooper pair transistor coupled to a mechanical resonator will be able to access a regime in which single photons can affect single phonons and vice versa. Realizing this ultra-strong coupling regime will facilitate the creation of non-classical states of the mechanical resonator, as well as the means to accurately characterize such states by measuring the cavity photon field. (paper)

Splitting efficiency and interference effects in a Cooper pair splitter based on a triple quantum dot with ferromagnetic contacts

Science.gov (United States)

Bocian, Kacper; Rudziński, Wojciech; Weymann, Ireneusz

2018-05-01

We theoretically study the spin-resolved subgap transport properties of a Cooper pair splitter based on a triple quantum dot attached to superconducting and ferromagnetic leads. Using the Keldysh Green's function formalism, we analyze the dependence of the Andreev conductance, Cooper pair splitting efficiency, and tunnel magnetoresistance on the gate and bias voltages applied to the system. We show that the system's transport properties are strongly affected by spin dependence of tunneling processes and quantum interference between different local and nonlocal Andreev reflections. We also study the effects of finite hopping between the side quantum dots on the Andreev current. This allows for identifying the optimal conditions for enhancing the Cooper pair splitting efficiency of the device. We find that the splitting efficiency exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on the degree of spin polarization of the leads and the magnitude and type of hopping between the dots. An almost perfect splitting efficiency is predicted in the nonlinear response regime when the energies of the side quantum dots are tuned to the energies of the corresponding Andreev bound states. In addition, we analyzed features of the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) for a wide range of the gate and bias voltages, as well as for different model parameters, finding the corresponding sign changes of the TMR in certain transport regimes. The mechanisms leading to these effects are thoroughly discussed.

Microscopic Superconductivity and Room Temperature Electronics of High-Tc Cuprates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Fusui; Chen Wanfang

2008-01-01

This paper points out that the Landau criterion for macroscopic superfluidity of He II is only a criterion for microscopic superfluidity of 4 He, extends the Landau criterion to microscopic superconductivity in fermions (electron and hole) system and system with Cooper pairs without long-range phase coherence. This paper gives another three non-superconductive systems that are of microscopic superconductivity. This paper demonstrates that one application of microscopic superconductivity is to establish room temperature electronics of the high-T c cuprates

Experimental evidence for s-wave pairing symmetry in superconducting Cu(x)Bi2Se3 single crystals using a scanning tunneling microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Niv; Zhang, Tong; Ha, Jeonghoon; Sharifi, Fred; Talin, A Alec; Kuk, Young; Stroscio, Joseph A

2013-03-15

Topological superconductors represent a newly predicted phase of matter that is topologically distinct from conventional superconducting condensates of Cooper pairs. As a manifestation of their topological character, topological superconductors support solid-state realizations of Majorana fermions at their boundaries. The recently discovered superconductor Cu(x)Bi(2)Se(3) has been theoretically proposed as an odd-parity superconductor in the time-reversal-invariant topological superconductor class, and point-contact spectroscopy measurements have reported the observation of zero-bias conductance peaks corresponding to Majorana states in this material. Here we report scanning tunneling microscopy measurements of the superconducting energy gap in Cu(x)Bi(2)Se(3) as a function of spatial position and applied magnetic field. The tunneling spectrum shows that the density of states at the Fermi level is fully gapped without any in-gap states. The spectrum is well described by the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory with a momentum independent order parameter, which suggests that Cu(x)Bi(2)Se(3) is a classical s-wave superconductor contrary to previous expectations and measurements.

Pairing correlations in nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, C.V.K.

1988-01-01

There are many similarities between the properties of nucleons in nuclei and electrons in metals. In addition to the properties explainable in terms of independent particle motion, there are many important co-operative effects suggesting correlated motion. Pairing correlation which leads to superconductivity in metals and several important properties in nuclei , is an exmple of such correlations. An attempt has been made to review the effects of pairing correlations in nuclei. Recent indications of reduction in pairing correlations at high angular momenta is discussed. A comparision between pairing correlations in the cases of nuclei and electrons in metals is attempted. (author). 20 refs., 10 figs

Cooper pair splitter realized in a two-quantum-dot Y-junction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofstetter, L; Csonka, S; Nygård, J; Schönenberger, C

2009-10-15

Non-locality is a fundamental property of quantum mechanics that manifests itself as correlations between spatially separated parts of a quantum system. A fundamental route for the exploration of such phenomena is the generation of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pairs of quantum-entangled objects for the test of so-called Bell inequalities. Whereas such experimental tests of non-locality have been successfully conducted with pairwise entangled photons, it has not yet been possible to realize an electronic analogue of it in the solid state, where spin-1/2 mobile electrons are the natural quantum objects. The difficulty stems from the fact that electrons are immersed in a macroscopic ground state-the Fermi sea-which prevents the straightforward generation and splitting of entangled pairs of electrons on demand. A superconductor, however, could act as a source of EPR pairs of electrons, because its ground-state is composed of Cooper pairs in a spin-singlet state. These Cooper pairs can be extracted from a superconductor by tunnelling, but, to obtain an efficient EPR source of entangled electrons, the splitting of the Cooper pairs into separate electrons has to be enforced. This can be achieved by having the electrons 'repel' each other by Coulomb interaction. Controlled Cooper pair splitting can thereby be realized by coupling of the superconductor to two normal metal drain contacts by means of individually tunable quantum dots. Here we demonstrate the first experimental realization of such a tunable Cooper pair splitter, which shows a surprisingly high efficiency. Our findings open a route towards a first test of the EPR paradox and Bell inequalities in the solid state.

Electronically driven short-range lattice instability: Possible role in superconductive pairing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szasz, A.

1991-01-01

A superconducting pairing mechanism is suggested, mediating by collective and coherent cluster fluctuations in the materials. The model, based on a geometrical frustration, proposes a dynamic effect driven by a special short-range electronic instability. Experimental support for this model is discussed

Gauge Model of High-Tc Superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Sze Kui

2012-01-01

A simple gauge model of superconductivity is presented. The seagull vertex term of this gauge model gives an attractive potential between electrons for the forming of Cooper pairs of superconductivity. This gauge model gives a unified description of superconductivity and magnetism including antiferromagnetism, pseudogap phenomenon, stripes phenomenon, paramagnetic Meissner effect, Type I and Type II supeconductivity and high-T c superconductivity. The doping mechanism of superconductivity is found. It is shown that the critical temperature T c is related to the ionization energies of elements and can be computed by a formula of T c . For the high-T c superconductors such as La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 , Y Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 , and MgB 2 , the computational results of T c agree with the experimental results.

Lighting up superconducting stripes

Science.gov (United States)

Ergeçen, Emre; Gedik, Nuh

2018-02-01

Cuprate superconductors display a plethora of complex phases as a function of temperature and carrier concentration, the understanding of which could provide clues into the mechanism of superconductivity. For example, when about one-eighth of the conduction electrons are removed from the copper oxygen planes in cuprates such as La2‑xBaxCuO4 (LBCO), the doped holes (missing electrons) organize into one-dimensional stripes (1). The bulk superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is greatly reduced, and just above Tc, electrical transport perpendicular to the planes (along the c axis) becomes resistive, but parallel to the copper oxygen planes, resistivity remains zero for a range of temperatures (2). It was proposed a decade ago (3) that this anisotropic behavior is caused by pair density waves (PDWs); superconducting Cooper pairs exist along the stripes within the planes but cannot tunnel to the adjacent layers. On page 575 of this issue, Rajasekaran et al. (4) now report detection of this state in LBCO using nonlinear reflection of high-intensity terahertz (THz) light.

Enhancement of tunnel conductivity by Cooper pair fluctuations in electron-hole bilayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efimkin, D K; Lozovik, Yu E

2012-01-01

Influence of Cooper pair fluctuations that are precursor of pairing of electrons and holes located on opposite surfaces of topological insulator film on tunnel conductivity between the surfaces is investigated. Due to restrictions caused by momentum and energy conservation dependence of tunnel conductivity on external bias voltage has peak that becomes more prominent with decreasing of disorder and temperature. We have shown that Cooper pair fluctuations considerably enhance tunneling and height of the peak diverges in vicinity of critical temperature with critical index ν = 2. Width of the peak tends to zero in proximity of critical temperature. Pairing of electrons and holes can be suppressed by disorder and in vicinity of quantum critical point height of the peak also diverges as function of Cooper pair damping with critical index μ = 2.

Phase-driven collapse of the Cooper condensate in a nanosized superconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Ronzani, Alberto; D'Ambrosio, Sophie; Virtanen, Pauli; Giazotto, Francesco; Altimiras, Carles

2017-12-01

Superconductivity can be understood in terms of a phase transition from an uncorrelated electron gas to a condensate of Cooper pairs in which the relative phases of the constituent electrons are coherent over macroscopic length scales. The degree of correlation is quantified by a complex-valued order parameter, whose amplitude is proportional to the strength of the pairing potential in the condensate. Supercurrent-carrying states are associated with nonzero values of the spatial gradient of the phase. The pairing potential and several physical observables of the Cooper condensate can be manipulated by means of temperature, current bias, dishomogeneities in the chemical composition, or application of a magnetic field. Here we show evidence of complete suppression of the energy gap in the local density of quasiparticle states (DOS) of a superconducting nanowire upon establishing a phase difference equal to π over a length scale comparable to the superconducting coherence length. These observations are consistent with a complete collapse of the pairing potential in the center of the wire, in accordance with theoretical modeling based on the quasiclassical theory of superconductivity in diffusive systems. Our spectroscopic data, fully exploring the phase-biased states of the condensate, highlight the profound effect that extreme phase gradients exert on the amplitude of the pairing potential. Moreover, the sharp magnetic response (up to 27 mV/Φ0) observed near the onset of the superconducting gap collapse regime is exploited to realize magnetic flux detectors with noise-equivalent resolution as low as 260 n Φ0/√{Hz} .

Quantum Statistical Approach to Superconductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Eunsoo

The Frohlich Hamiltonian representing an interaction between electron and phonon is derived. By exchanging a virtual phonon, a system of two electrons can lower the system's total energy if the difference of their kinetic energies is less than the energy of the phonon exchanged. This is shown by using quantum mechanical perturbation theory, which is fully developed. A general theory of superconductivity is developed, starting with a BCS Hamiltonian in which the interaction strengths (V_{11}, V_{22 }, V_{12}) among and between "electron" (1) and "hole" (2) Cooper pairs are differentiated. The supercondensate is shown to be composed of equal numbers of "electron" and "hole" ground (zero-momentum) Cooper pairs with charges mp 2e.. Based on the Hamiltonian, the normal-to-super phase transition is investigated, approaching the critical temperature T_{c} from the high temperature side. Non zero momentum Cooper pairs, that is, pairs of electrons (holes) with antiparallel spins and nearly opposite momenta above T_{c } in the bulk limit, are shown to move like independent bosons with the energy momentum relation varepsilon = (1/2)upsilon_ {F}p, where upsilon_ {F} represents the Fermi velocity. We have investigated the Bose-Einstein condensation of pairons. The system of free Cooper pairs in a 3D superconductors undergoes a phase transition of the second order with the critical temperature T_{c} given byk_{B}T_{c } = (1/2)(pi^2hbar^3v_sp {F}{3}n/1.20257)^{1over3 }where n is the number density of Cooper pairs. We calculate various properties associated with superconductivity at finite temperature. We derive general expressions for the energy gaps for both quasi electrons and pairons. Based on the independent pairon model, we explain the flux quantization, London's equation and the Josephson effects, stressing the importance of the macroscopic wave -function which represents the supercondensate in motion. We derived the basic equations governing the behavior of the

Broadband illumination of superconducting pair breaking photon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guruswamy, T; Goldie, D J; Withington, S

2016-01-01

Understanding the detailed behaviour of superconducting pair breaking photon detectors such as Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) requires knowledge of the nonequilibrium quasiparticle energy distributions. We have previously calculated the steady state distributions resulting from uniform absorption of monochromatic sub gap and above gap frequency radiation by thin films. In this work, we use the same methods to calculate the effect of illumination by broadband sources, such as thermal radiation from astrophysical phenomena or from the readout system. Absorption of photons at multiple above gap frequencies is shown to leave unchanged the structure of the quasiparticle energy distribution close to the superconducting gap. Hence for typical absorbed powers, we find the effects of absorption of broadband pair breaking radiation can simply be considered as the sum of the effects of absorption of many monochromatic sources. Distribution averaged quantities, like quasiparticle generation efficiency η, match exactly a weighted average over the bandwidth of the source of calculations assuming a monochromatic source. For sub gap frequencies, however, distributing the absorbed power across multiple frequencies does change the low energy quasiparticle distribution. For moderate and high absorbed powers, this results in a significantly larger η–a higher number of excess quasiparticles for a broadband source compared to a monochromatic source of equal total absorbed power. Typically in KIDs the microwave power absorbed has a very narrow bandwidth, but in devices with broad resonance characteristics (low quality factors), this increase in η may be measurable. (paper)

Luminescence and squeezing of a superconducting light-emitting diode

Science.gov (United States)

Hlobil, Patrik; Orth, Peter P.

2015-05-01

We investigate a semiconductor p -n junction in contact with superconducting leads that is operated under forward bias as a light-emitting diode. The presence of superconductivity results in a significant increase of the electroluminescence in a sharp frequency window. We demonstrate that the tunneling of Cooper pairs induces an additional luminescence peak on resonance. There is a transfer of superconducting to photonic coherence that results in the emission of entangled photon pairs and squeezing of the fluctuations in the quadrature amplitudes of the emitted light. We show that the squeezing angle can be electrically manipulated by changing the relative phase of the order parameters in the superconductors. We finally derive the conditions for lasing in the system and show that the laser threshold is reduced due to superconductivity. This reveals how the macroscopic coherence of a superconductor can be used to control the properties of light.

Pairing fluctuation effects on the single-particle spectra for the superconducting state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieri, P.; Pisani, L.; Strinati, G.C.

2004-01-01

Single-particle spectra are calculated in the superconducting state for a fermionic system with an attractive interaction, as functions of temperature and coupling strength from weak to strong. The fermionic system is described by a single-particle self-energy that includes pairing-fluctuation effects in the superconducting state. The theory reduces to the ordinary BCS approximation in weak coupling and to the Bogoliubov approximation for the composite bosons in strong coupling. Several features of the single-particle spectral function are shown to compare favorably with experimental data for cuprate superconductors

The Rashba spin-orbit coupling for superconductivity in oxide interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyl, Stefan; Orth, Peter P.; Schmalian, Joerg [Institut fuer Theorie der Kondensierten Materie, Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie, Karlsruhe (Germany)

2014-07-01

We investigate the role of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling on the superconducting order parameter and the phase stiffness at the interface of LaAlO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3}. In particular, we analyze the gate controlled crossover between BCS superconductivity and Bose-Einstein condensation of Cooper pairs, amplified by the Rashba coupling and the possibility of a phase fluctuation induced quantum critical point.

Superconducting states in strongly correlated systems with nonstandard quasiparticles and real space pairing: an unconventional Fermi-liquid limit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Spałek

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We use the concept of generalized (almost localized Fermi Liquid composed of nonstandard quasiparticles with spin-dependence effective masses and the effective field induced by electron correlations. This Fermi liquid is obtained within the so-called statistically-consistent Gutzwiller approximation (SGA proposed recently [cf. J. Jędrak et al., arXiv: 1008.0021] and describes electronic states of the correlated quantum liquid. Particular emphasis is put on real space pairing driven by the electronic correlations, the Fulde-Ferrell state of the heavy-fermion liquid, and the d-wave superconducting state of high temperature curate superconductors in the overdoped limit. The appropriate phase diagrams are discussed showing in particular the limits of stability of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS type of state.

Two-fluid model of the superconductivity in the BCS's theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangelov, J.

1977-01-01

The coefficients of Bogolubov-Valatin's transformation are chosen in accordance with the two-fluid model of superconductivity. The energy spectrum of superconducting quasi-particles is obtained as a solution of the linearized equation of motion of interacting particles. The energy distribution of the superconducting and normal quasi-particles is discussed from a new view-point. The correlation between the quasi-particles forming the Cooper's pair is discussed in accordance with the proposed ideas. The tunnelling of the normal quasi-particles in systems M-I-S and S 1 -I-S 2 is investigated qualitatively

Superconductivity in compensated and uncompensated semiconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youichi Yanase and Naoyuki Yorozu

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We investigate the localization and superconductivity in heavily doped semiconductors. The crossover from the superconductivity in the host band to that in the impurity band is described on the basis of the disordered three-dimensional attractive Hubbard model for binary alloys. The microscopic inhomogeneity and the thermal superconducting fluctuation are taken into account using the self-consistent 1-loop order theory. The superconductor-insulator transition accompanies the crossover from the host band to the impurity band. We point out an enhancement of the critical temperature Tc around the crossover. Further localization of electron wave functions leads to the localization of Cooper pairs and induces the pseudogap. We find that both the doping compensation by additional donors and the carrier increase by additional acceptors suppress the superconductivity. A theoretical interpretation is proposed for the superconductivity in the boron-doped diamond, SiC, and Si.

Theory of itinarant ferromagnetism in superconducting semimetals. Theorie du ferromagnetisme itinerant dans des semimetaux supraconducteurs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Do Tran, C; Nguyen Van, C [Groupe de Physique Theorique, Inst. National Polytechnique de Hanoi (Viet Nam); Nguyen Manh, D [Groupe de Physique Theorique, Inst. National Polytechnique de Hanoi (Viet Nam) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Lab. d' Etudes des Proprietes Electroniques des Solides, 38 - Grenoble (France)

1991-11-01

A theory of itinerant ferromagnetism in superconducting semimetals is proposed. A nonzero mean magnetisation appears in the superconducting state due to the interaction (interference) of spin density wave (SDW), charge density wave (CDW) and Cooper pair wave. Phase diagram and physical properties of the states considered are investigated analytically and numerically. (orig.).

Pseudo-Coulomb potential in singlet superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daemen, L.L.; Overhauser, A.W.

1988-01-01

Reduction of the screened Coulomb potential parameter μ to μ/sup */ = μ/[1+μ ln(E/sub F//(h/2π)ω/sub D/)] is related to the pair correlation function at r = 0. This correlation function is calculated for both the simple Cooper-pair problem and standard Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory by use of a two-square-well model (with λ and μ describing the attraction and repulsion). Results are compared with values obtained for a one-square-well model (having the suitable net attraction, e.g., λ-μ/sup */ in the BCS case). For the BCS case, the ''true'' pair correlation at r = 0 is reduced by a factor (μ/sup *//μ) 2 relative to the fictitious (one-square-well) value (even though Δ is the same for both models). The reduction factor is typically ≅(1/25. It follows that any short-range attractive contribution to superconducting pairing will suffer a reduction similar to that for the Coulomb repulsion

Topological Nodal Cooper Pairing in Doped Weyl Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi; Haldane, F. D. M.

2018-02-01

We generalize the concept of Berry connection of the single-electron band structure to that of a two-particle Cooper pairing state between two Fermi surfaces with opposite Chern numbers. Because of underlying Fermi surface topology, the pairing Berry phase acquires nontrivial monopole structure. Consequently, pairing gap functions have topologically protected nodal structure as vortices in the momentum space with the total vorticity solely determined by the pair monopole charge qp. The nodes of gap function behave as the Weyl-Majorana points of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes pairing Hamiltonian. Their relation with the connection patterns of the surface modes from the Weyl band structure and the Majorana surface modes inside the pairing gap is also discussed. Under the approximation of spherical Fermi surfaces, the pairing symmetry are represented by monopole harmonic functions. The lowest possible pairing channel carries angular momentum number j =|qp|, and the corresponding gap functions are holomorphic or antiholomorphic functions on Fermi surfaces. After projected on the Fermi surfaces with nontrivial topology, all the partial-wave channels of pairing interactions acquire the monopole charge qp independent of concrete pairing mechanism.

Pair bond endurance promotes cooperative food defense and inhibits conflict in coral reef butterflyfishes

KAUST Repository

Nowicki, Jessica; Walker, Stefan; Coker, Darren James; Hoey, Andrew; Nicolet, Katia; Pratchett, Morgan

2017-01-01

Pair bonding is generally linked to monogamous mating systems, where the reproductive benefits of extended mate guarding and/or of bi-parental care are considered key adaptive functions. However, in some species, including coral reef butterflyfishes (f. Chaetodonitidae), pair bonding occurs in sexually immature and homosexual partners, and in the absence of parental care, suggesting there must be non-reproductive adaptive benefits of pair bonding. Here, we examined whether pair bonding butterflyfishes cooperate in defense of food, conferring direct benefits to one or both partners. Pairs of Chaetodon lunulatus and C. baronessa use contrasting cooperative strategies. In C. lunulatus, both partners mutually defend their territory, while in C. baronessa, males prioritize territory defence; conferring improvements in feeding and energy reserves in both sexes relative to solitary counterparts. We further demonstrate that partner fidelity contributes to this function by showing that re-pairing invokes intra-pair conflict and inhibits cooperatively-derived feeding benefits, and that partner endurance is required for these costs to abate. Overall, our results suggest that in butterflyfishes, pair bonding enhances cooperative defense of prey resources, ultimately benefiting both partners by improving food resource acquisition and energy reserves.

Pair bond endurance promotes cooperative food defense and inhibits conflict in coral reef butterflyfishes

KAUST Repository

Nowicki, Jessica P

2017-11-14

Pair bonding is generally linked to monogamous mating systems, where the reproductive benefits of extended mate guarding and/or of bi-parental care are considered key adaptive functions. However, in some species, including coral reef butterflyfishes (f. Chaetodonitidae), pair bonding occurs in sexually immature and homosexual partners, and in the absence of parental care, suggesting there must be non-reproductive adaptive benefits of pair bonding. Here, we examined whether pair bonding butterflyfishes cooperate in defense of food, conferring direct benefits to one or both partners. Pairs of Chaetodon lunulatus and C. baronessa use contrasting cooperative strategies. In C. lunulatus, both partners mutually defend their territory, while in C. baronessa, males prioritize territory defence; conferring improvements in feeding and energy reserves in both sexes relative to solitary counterparts. We further demonstrate that partner fidelity contributes to this function by showing that re-pairing invokes intra-pair conflict and inhibits cooperatively-derived feeding benefits, and that partner endurance is required for these costs to abate. Overall, our results suggest that in butterflyfishes, pair bonding enhances cooperative defense of prey resources, ultimately benefiting both partners by improving food resource acquisition and energy reserves.

Local destruction of superconductivity by non-magnetic impurities in mesoscopic iron-based superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jun; Ji, Min; Schwarz, Tobias; Ke, Xiaoxing; Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf; Yuan, Jie; Pereira, Paulo J; Huang, Ya; Zhang, Gufei; Feng, Hai-Luke; Yuan, Ya-Hua; Hatano, Takeshi; Kleiner, Reinhold; Koelle, Dieter; Chibotaru, Liviu F; Yamaura, Kazunari; Wang, Hua-Bing; Wu, Pei-Heng; Takayama-Muromachi, Eiji; Vanacken, Johan; Moshchalkov, Victor V

2015-07-03

The determination of the pairing symmetry is one of the most crucial issues for the iron-based superconductors, for which various scenarios are discussed controversially. Non-magnetic impurity substitution is one of the most promising approaches to address the issue, because the pair-breaking mechanism from the non-magnetic impurities should be different for various models. Previous substitution experiments demonstrated that the non-magnetic zinc can suppress the superconductivity of various iron-based superconductors. Here we demonstrate the local destruction of superconductivity by non-magnetic zinc impurities in Ba0.5K0.5Fe2As2 by exploring phase-slip phenomena in a mesoscopic structure with 119 × 102 nm(2) cross-section. The impurities suppress superconductivity in a three-dimensional 'Swiss cheese'-like pattern with in-plane and out-of-plane characteristic lengths slightly below ∼1.34 nm. This causes the superconducting order parameter to vary along abundant narrow channels with effective cross-section of a few square nanometres. The local destruction of superconductivity can be related to Cooper pair breaking by non-magnetic impurities.

Effects of Ion Beam Irradiation on Nanoscale InOx Cooper-Pair Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srdjan Milosavljević

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the effects of irradiating indium oxide films of nanoscale thickness by ion beams, when these films are in the Cooper-pair insulator state. Radiation effects are predicted on the basis of Monte Carlo simulations of ion transport. Results of numerical experiments are interpreted within the theoretical model of a Cooper-pair insulator. The study suggests that radiation-induced changes in InOx films exposed to ion beams could significantly alter their current-voltage characteristics and that a transition to a metallic state is possible, due to radiation-induced perturbation of the fine-tuned granular structure. Furthermore, incident and displaced ions can break up enough Cooper pairs in InOx films to cause dissolution of this specific insulating state.

Excitons and Cooper pairs two composite bosons in many-body physics

CERN Document Server

Combescot, Monique

2015-01-01

This book bridges a gap between two major communities of Condensed Matter Physics, Semiconductors and Superconductors, that have thrived independently. Through an original perspective that their key particles, excitons and Cooper pairs, are composite bosons, the authors raise fundamental questions of current interest: how does the Pauli exclusion principle wield its power on the fermionic components of bosonic particles at a microscopic level and how this affects the macroscopic physics? What can we learn from Wannier and Frenkel excitons and from Cooper pairs that helps us understand "bosonic condensation" of composite bosons and its difference from Bose-Einstein condensation of elementary bosons? The authors start from solid mathematical and physical foundation to derive excitons and Cooper pairs. They further introduce Shiva diagrams as a graphic support to grasp the many-body physics induced by fermion exchange - a novel mechanism not visualized by standard Feynman diagrams. Advanced undergraduate or grad...

Inter-layer Cooper pairing of two-dimensional electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Masahiro; Takemori, Tadashi; Yoshizaki, Ryozo; Sakudo, Tunetaro; Ohtaka, Kazuo

1987-01-01

The authors point out the possibility that the high transition temperatures of the recently discovered oxide superconductors are dominantly caused by the inter-layer Cooper pairing of two-dimensional electrons that are coupled through the exchange of three-dimensional phonons. (author)

Controlling superconductivity by tunable quantum critical points.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, S; Park, E; Bauer, E D; Ronning, F; Kim, J N; Shim, J-H; Thompson, J D; Park, Tuson

2015-03-04

The heavy fermion compound CeRhIn5 is a rare example where a quantum critical point, hidden by a dome of superconductivity, has been explicitly revealed and found to have a local nature. The lack of additional examples of local types of quantum critical points associated with superconductivity, however, has made it difficult to unravel the role of quantum fluctuations in forming Cooper pairs. Here, we show the precise control of superconductivity by tunable quantum critical points in CeRhIn5. Slight tin-substitution for indium in CeRhIn5 shifts its antiferromagnetic quantum critical point from 2.3 GPa to 1.3 GPa and induces a residual impurity scattering 300 times larger than that of pure CeRhIn5, which should be sufficient to preclude superconductivity. Nevertheless, superconductivity occurs at the quantum critical point of the tin-doped metal. These results underline that fluctuations from the antiferromagnetic quantum criticality promote unconventional superconductivity in CeRhIn5.

Generic strong coupling behavior of Cooper pairs in the surface of superfluid nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pillet, N.; Sandulescu, N.; Schuck, P.

2007-01-01

With realistic HFB calculations, using the D1S Gogny force, we reveal a generic behavior of concentration of small sized Cooper pairs (2-3 fm) in the surface of superfluid nuclei. This study confirms and extends previous results given in the literature that use more schematic approaches. It is shown that the strong concentration of pair probability of small Cooper pairs in the nuclear surface is a quite general and generic feature and that nuclear pairing is much closer to the strong coupling regime than previously assumed

Generic strong coupling behavior of Cooper pairs in the surface of superfluid nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pillet, N. [DPTA/Service de Physique nucleaire, CEA/DAM Ile de France, BP12, F-91680 Bruyeres-le-Chatel (France); Sandulescu, N. [DPTA/Service de Physique nucleaire, CEA/DAM Ile de France, BP12, F-91680 Bruyeres-le-Chatel (France)]|[Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 76900 Bucharest (Romania)]|[Institut de Physique Nucleaire, CNRS, UMR 8608, Orsay, F-91406 (France); Schuck, P. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire, CNRS, UMR 8608, Orsay, F-91406 (France)]|[Universite Paris-Sud, Orsay, F-91505 (France)

2007-01-15

With realistic HFB calculations, using the D1S Gogny force, we reveal a generic behavior of concentration of small sized Cooper pairs (2-3 fm) in the surface of superfluid nuclei. This study confirms and extends previous results given in the literature that use more schematic approaches. It is shown that the strong concentration of pair probability of small Cooper pairs in the nuclear surface is a quite general and generic feature and that nuclear pairing is much closer to the strong coupling regime than previously assumed.

Microscopic theory of coexistence of superconductivity and antiferromagnetism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashkenazi, J.; Kuper, C.G.; Ron, A.

1983-01-01

A theory of the coexistence of superconductivity and antiferromagnetism is presented. We study the role of the ''diagonal'' exchange coupling between magnetic ions and conduction electrons, using Eliashberg's formalism. This coupling generates a spatial displacement of the Cooper-paired states, and thus reduces the pairing strength. The reduction is linear in the exchange integral and the staggered magnetization. The theory agrees well with experiment for Dy/sub 1.2/Mo 6 S 8 and Tb/sub 1.2/Mo 6 S 8

Bec Model of HIGH-Tc Superconductivity in Layered Cuprates

Science.gov (United States)

Lomnitz, M.; Villarreal, C.; de Llano, M.

2013-11-01

High-Tc superconductivity in layered cuprates is described in a BCS-BEC formalism with linearly-dispersive s- and d-wave Cooper pairs moving in quasi-2D finite-width layers around the CuO2 planes. This yields a closed formula for Tc involving the layer width, the Debye frequency, the pairing energy and the in-plane penetration depth. The new formula has no free parameters and reasonably reproduces empirical values of superconducting Tcs for 11 different layered superconductors over a wide doping regime including YBCO itself as well as other compounds like LSCO, BSCCO and TBCCO. In agreement with the London formalism, the formula also yields a fair description of the Tc dependence of the lower critical magnetic field in highly underdoped YBCO.

Quantum fluctuations in the competition among spin glass, antiferromagnetism and local pairing superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magalhaes, S.G.; Zimmer, F.M.; Kipper, C.J.; Calegari, E.J.

2007-01-01

The competition among spin glass (SG), antiferromagnetism (AF) and local pairing superconductivity (PAIR) is studied in a two-sublattice fermionic Ising SG model with a local BCS pairing interaction in the presence of a transverse magnetic field Γ. The spins in different sublattices interact with Gaussian random couplings with an antiferromagnetic mean. The problem is formulated in a Grassmann path integral formalism. The static ansatz and the replica symmetry are used to obtain the half-filling thermodynamic potential. The results are shown in phase diagrams that exhibit a complex transition line separating the PAIR phase from the others. This line is second order at high temperature which ends in a tricritical point. The presence of Γ affects deeply the transition lines

Pairing and low temperature properties of 2 D Fermi-systems with attraction between particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorbar, E.V.; Gusynin, V.P.; Loktev, V.M.

1992-01-01

Proceeding from microscopic model Hamiltonian for the system of Fermi-particles with attraction the effective Lagrangian, admitting the analysis of its superconducting properties at arbitrary fermion concentration, is obtained.Exact solution for gap and chemical potential makes it possible to trace from local pair situation to Cooper pairing. The crucial parameter discriminating between the regions of exotic and normal superconducting behaviour is show to be that of the energy of the bound fermion state, which, however, rapidly disappears with fermion density increasing. The solutions of the equations for the case of finite temperatures are analysed. (author). 42 refs

SRTM Stereo Pair: Fiji Islands

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

image pair and viewing them with a stereoscope. When stereoscopically merged, the result is a vertically exaggerated view of the Earth's surface in its full three dimensions.This image was acquired by SRTM aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (about 200 feet) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, DC.Size: 192 km (119 miles) x 142 km (88 miles) Location: 17.8 deg. South lat., 178.0 deg. East lon. Orientation: North at top Date Acquired: February 19, 2000 Image: NASA/JPL/NIMA

The case for spin-fluctuation induced pairing in Ba{sub 1-x}K{sub x}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boehm, Thomas U.

2017-03-07

The microscopic mechanism and the experimental identification of unconventional superconductivity is one of the most vexing problems of contemporary condensed matter physics. Raman spectroscopy provides a new avenue for this quest by accessing the hierarchy of superconducting pairing propensities. The doping-dependent study of competing pairing channels in Ba{sub 1-x}K{sub x}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} for 0.22 ≤ x ≤ 0.70 is one of the main aspects of this thesis. The observations demonstrate the importance of spin fluctuations for Cooper pairing.

Bound states and Cooper pairs of molecules in 2D optical lattices bilayer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camacho-Guardian, A.; Dominguez-Castro, G.A.; Paredes, R. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico)

2016-08-15

We investigate the formation of Cooper pairs, bound dimers and the dimer-dimer elastic scattering of ultracold dipolar Fermi molecules confined in a 2D optical lattice bilayer configuration. While the energy and their associated bound states are determined in a variational way, the correlated two-molecule pair is addressed as in the original Cooper formulation. We demonstrate that the 2D lattice confinement favors the formation of zero center mass momentum bound states. Regarding the Cooper pairs binding energy, this depends on the molecule populations in each layer. Maximum binding energies occur for non-zero (zero) pair momentum when the Fermi system is polarized (unpolarized). We find an analytic expression for the dimer-dimer effective interaction in the deep BEC regime. The present analysis represents a route for addressing the BCS-BEC crossover in dipolar Fermi gases confined in 2D optical lattices within the current experimental panorama. (copyright 2016 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

First tests of twisted-pair HTS 1 kA range cables for use in superconducting links

CERN Document Server

Ballarino, A; Hurte, J; Sitko, M; Willering, G

2011-01-01

The requirement at CERN for 1 kA range High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) cables optimized for long electrical transfer has led to the design and assembly of a novel type of cable that can be made from pre-reacted MgB2, Bi-2223 or YBCO tapes. The cable consists of an assembly of twisted pairs, each of which is made from three superconducting tapes with the required copper stabilizer. The twisted pair cable is designed to transfer a DC current of ± 600 A in helium gas environment. The paper reports on the results of the electrical tests performed on twisted-pair cables of identical structure and made from commercially available MgB2, Bi-2223 and YBCO tapes. The twist pitch of the cables is adapted to match the mechanical properties of the different superconductors. Critical current tests were performed at both liquid helium and liquid nitrogen temperature. The electrical performance of several cables made from different conductors is reported and compared.

High frequency of extra-pair paternity in an urban population of Cooper's Hawks

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenfield, Robert N.; Sonsthagen, Sarah A.; Stout, William C.; Talbot, Sandra L.

2015-01-01

Raptors exhibit some of the highest rates of intra-pair copulations among birds, perhaps in an attempt by males to reduce the risk of being cuckolded. Indeed, the frequency of extra-pair fertilizations reported in studies of raptors to date is relatively low (0-11.2%). Socially monogamous Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) exhibit one of the highest copulation rates among birds, yet there are no published accounts of extra-pair copulations (or paternity). We studied a population of Cooper's Hawks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during three breeding seasons (2003, 2004, and 2007), examining the possible effects of age (1 yr old vs. ≥ 2 yr old), adult mass, and brood size on the frequency of extra-pair paternity (EPP). We found that 19.3% of nestlings (N = 27/140) were extra-pair young (EPY), and 34% of all broods (N = 15/44) had at least one EPY. The sires of the EPY in our study were identified for only two broods, suggesting that floater males may have engaged in extra-pair copulations with territorial females. We found that brood size was a good predictor of the occurrence of EPP (EPP) in nests, but adult mass and female age were not. To our knowledge, these possible correlates of the occurrence of EPP in raptors had not previously been investigated. Male Cooper's Hawks provide food for females during the pre-nesting period, and delivery of food is, in contrast to other raptor species, typically followed by copulation. Thus, one possible explanation of the relatively high rates of EPP in our study is that females might accept or even solicit extra-pair copulations from males other than their mates as a means of maximizing energy intake for egg production. Such behavior might be particularly likely in our study area, i.e., a food-rich urban setting with a high breeding density of Cooper's Hawks.

Transport and pairing properties of helical edges with proximity induced superconductivity and ferromagnetism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keidel, Felix; Burset, Pablo; Trauzettel, Bjoern [Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, University of Wuerzburg, 97074 Wuerzburg (Germany); Crepin, Francois [Laboratoire de Physique Theorique de la Matiere Condensee, UPMC, Sorbonne Universites, 75252 Paris (France)

2016-07-01

The scientific interest in Quantum Spin Hall systems is far from declining. While these certainly are fascinating by themselves, there is plenty of new and exciting physics to arise when superconductivity and ferromagnetism are brought into the game. The strong constraint of helicity in the edge states of a two-dimensional topological insulator is responsible for an intimate relation between the allowed scattering processes in a hybrid junction and the parameters of the system, namely the superconducting order parameter and the magnetic field. In our work, we study a helical liquid in proximity to a conventional s-wave superconductor and ferromagnetic insulators by means of a Green's function analysis. The ferromagnet gives rise to sub-gap Andreev/Majorana bound states and non-local crossed Andreev reflection (CAR), both of which decisively affect the pairing and transport properties of the junction. As a result, the simple s-wave symmetry of the superconductor is enriched and unconventional odd-frequency triplet superconductivity emerges. Strikingly, we have identified a setup that favors CAR over electron co-tunneling and may allow for the indirect measurement of the symmetries of the superconducting order parameter.

Spectroscopy of metal "superatom" nanoclusters and high-Tc superconducting pairing

Science.gov (United States)

Halder, Avik; Kresin, Vitaly V.

2015-12-01

A unique property of metal nanoclusters is the "superatom" shell structure of their delocalized electrons. The electronic shell levels are highly degenerate and therefore represent sharp peaks in the density of states. This can enable exceptionally strong electron pairing in certain clusters composed of tens to hundreds of atoms. In a finite system, such as a free nanocluster or a nucleus, pairing is observed most clearly via its effect on the energy spectrum of the constituent fermions. Accordingly, we performed a photoionization spectroscopy study of size-resolved aluminum nanoclusters and observed a rapid rise in the near-threshold density of states of several clusters (A l37 ,44 ,66 ,68 ) with decreasing temperature. The characteristics of this behavior are consistent with compression of the density of states by a pairing transition into a high-temperature superconducting state with Tc≳100 K. This value exceeds that of bulk aluminum by two orders of magnitude. These results highlight the potential of novel pairing effects in size-quantized systems and the possibility to attain even higher critical temperatures by optimizing the particles' size and composition. As a new class of high-temperature superconductors, such metal nanocluster particles are promising building blocks for high-Tc materials, devices, and networks.

Ruthenates: simple superconducting qubits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulian, Armen M.; Wood, Kent S.

2004-01-01

We propose triplet superconductors, such as ruthenates, as a prospective material for qubit construction. The vectorial nature of the order parameter in triplet superconductors makes it conceptually very easy to imagine the performance of the qubits. The Cooper condensate of pairs in triplet superconductors has all the attributes of the Bose-Einstein condensates and should facilitate long decoherence times of these qubits versus other 'vectorial' schemes for qubits, such as small ferromagnets. There are other benefits, which the superconducting state provides for a requirement like entanglement between qubits via the proximity effect

Pressure-induced electronic phase separation of magnetism and superconductivity in CrAs.

Science.gov (United States)

Khasanov, Rustem; Guguchia, Zurab; Eremin, Ilya; Luetkens, Hubertus; Amato, Alex; Biswas, Pabitra K; Rüegg, Christian; Susner, Michael A; Sefat, Athena S; Zhigadlo, Nikolai D; Morenzoni, Elvezio

2015-09-08

The recent discovery of pressure (p) induced superconductivity in the binary helimagnet CrAs has raised questions on how superconductivity emerges from the magnetic state and on the mechanism of the superconducting pairing. In the present work the suppression of magnetism and the occurrence of superconductivity in CrAs were studied by means of muon spin rotation. The magnetism remains bulk up to p ≃ 3.5 kbar while its volume fraction gradually decreases with increasing pressure until it vanishes at p ≃ 7 kbar. At 3.5 kbar superconductivity abruptly appears with its maximum Tc ≃ 1.2 K which decreases upon increasing the pressure. In the intermediate pressure region (3.5 magnetic volume fractions are spatially phase separated and compete for phase volume. Our results indicate that the less conductive magnetic phase provides additional carriers (doping) to the superconducting parts of the CrAs sample thus leading to an increase of the transition temperature (Tc) and of the superfluid density (ρs). A scaling of ρs with Tc(3.2) as well as the phase separation between magnetism and superconductivity point to a conventional mechanism of the Cooper-pairing in CrAs.

Majorana surface modes of nodal topological pairings in spin-3/2 semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wang; Xiang, Tao; Wu, Congjun

2017-10-01

When solid state systems possess active orbital-band structures subject to spin-orbit coupling, their multicomponent electronic structures are often described in terms of effective large-spin fermion models. Their topological structures of superconductivity are beyond the framework of spin singlet and triplet Cooper pairings for spin-1/2 systems. Examples include the half-Heusler compound series of RPtBi, where R stands for a rare-earth element. Their spin-orbit coupled electronic structures are described by the Luttinger-Kohn model with effective spin-3/2 fermions and are characterized by band inversion. Recent experiments provide evidence to unconventional superconductivity in the YPtBi material with nodal spin-septet pairing. We systematically study topological pairing structures in spin-3/2 systems with the cubic group symmetries and calculate the surface Majorana spectra, which exhibit zero energy flat bands, or, cubic dispersion depending on the specific symmetry of the superconducting gap functions. The signatures of these surface states in the quasiparticle interference patterns of tunneling spectroscopy are studied, which can be tested in future experiments.

Superconductivity without inversion symmetry in CePt3Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frigeri, P.A.; Agterberg, D.F.; Koga, A.; Sigrist, M.

2005-01-01

Based on symmetry arguments by Anderson, the following conditions are necessary for the formation of Cooper pairs: spin-singlet pairing relies on time-reversal symmetry, while spin-triplet pairing requires parity in addition. The rather general formulation of this rule has led to the common belief that the lack of an inversion center in a material would prevent spin-triplet pairing indiscriminately. In this presentation, we discuss symmetry aspects of superconductivity in a class of systems without inversion symmetry which is connected with spin-orbit coupling. We can show that, not only spin singlet pairing, but also certain spin triplet states remain unaffected by the loss of inversion symmetry. Moreover, the absence of an inversion center reduces the effect of paramagnetic limiting for spin-singlet pairing states in an external magnetic field. Based on this symmetry analysis, we examine the recently discovered heavy Fermion superconductor CePt 3 Si, where a missing inversion plane leads to the well-known Rashba-type of spin-orbit coupling. In particular, the problem of the pairing symmetry will be addressed as well as several properties of the superconducting phase which appears close to a quantum phase transition between a paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phase. The same kind of analysis will also be done for another example UIr

Nonlocal Cooper pair splitting in a pSn-junction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldhorst, M.; Brinkman, Alexander

2010-01-01

Perfect Cooper pair splitting is proposed, based on crossed Andreev reflection (CAR) in a p-type semiconductor-superconductor-n-type semiconductor (pSn) junction. The ideal splitting is caused by the energy filtering that is enforced by the band structure of the electrodes. The pSn junction is

The essential role of vibronic interactions in electron pairing in the micro- and macroscopic sized materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Takashi

2010-01-01

Graphical abstract: The electron-phonon interactions destroy the electron pairs formed by Coulomb interactions, and at the same time, form the energy gap by which the electron pairs become stable. - Abstract: In order to discuss how the nondissipative delocalized diamagnetic currents in the microscopic sized materials are closely related to the conventional superconductivity in the macroscopic sized materials, the unified theory, by which various sized superconductivity can be explained, is suggested. It has been believed for a long time that the electron-phonon interactions play an essential role in the attractive electron-electron interactions, as described in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory in the conventional superconductivity. However, it is suggested in this paper that the electron-phonon interactions do not play an essential role in the attractive electron-electron interactions but play an essential role in the forming of energy gap by which the electron pairs formed by the attractive Coulomb interactions in the conventional superconducting states become more stable than those in the normal metallic states at low temperatures.

Pseudogap from preformed Cooper pairs in a platinum-iron-arsenide superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surmach, M.A.; Brueckner, F.; Kamusella, S.; Sarkar, R.; Portnichenko, P.Y.; Klauss, H.H.; Inosov, D.S. [TU Dresden (Germany); Park, J.T. [MLZ, Garching (Germany); Luetkens, H.; Biswas, P. [PSI, Villigen (Switzerland); Choi, W.J.; Seo, Y.I.; Kwon, Y.S. [DGIST, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2015-07-01

Using a combination of μSR, INS and NMR, we investigated the novel iron-based superconductor with a triclinic crystal structure (CaFe{sub 1-x}Pt{sub x}As){sub 10}Pt{sub 3}As{sub 8} (T{sub c}=13 K). The T-dependence of the superfluid density from our μSR relaxation-rate measurements indicates the presence of two superconducting gaps. According to our INS measurements, commensurate spin fluctuations are centered at the (π, 0) wave vector. Their intensity is unchanged across T{sub c}, indicating the absence of a spin resonance typical for many Fe-based superconductors. Instead, we observed a peak in the spin-excitation spectrum around ℎω{sub 0}=7 meV at the same wave vector, which persists above T{sub c}. The temperature dependence of magnetic intensity at 7 meV revealed an anomaly around T*=45 K related to the disappearance of this new mode. A suppression of the spin-lattice relaxation rate, 1/T{sub 1}T, observed by NMR immediately below T* without any notable subsequent anomaly at T{sub c}, indicates that T* could mark the onset of a pseudogap in (CaFe{sub 1-x}Pt{sub x}As){sub 10}Pt{sub 3}As{sub 8}, which is likely associated with the emergence of preformed Cooper pairs.

Understanding Fomalhaut as a Cooper pair

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, F.; Jones, H. R. A.

2018-03-01

Fomalhaut is a nearby stellar system and has been found to be a triple based on astrometric observations. With new radial velocity and astrometric data, we study the association between Fomalhaut A, B, and C in a Bayesian framework, finding that the system is gravitationally bound or at least associated. Based on simulations of the system, we find that Fomalhaut C can be easily destabilized through combined perturbations from the Galactic tide and stellar encounters. Considering that observing the disruption of a triple is probably rare in the solar neighbourhood, we conclude that Fomalhaut C is a so-called `gravitational pair' of Fomalhaut A and B. Like the Cooper pair mechanism in superconductors, this phenomenon only appears once the orbital energy of a component becomes comparable with the energy fluctuations caused by the environment. Based on our simulations, we find (1) an upper limit of 8 km s-1 velocity difference is appropriate when selecting binary candidates, and (2) an empirical formula for the escape radius, which is more appropriate than tidal radius when measuring the stability of wide binaries.

Superconductivity pairing mechanism from cobalt impurity doping in FeSe: Spin (s±) or orbital (s++) fluctuation

Science.gov (United States)

Urata, T.; Tanabe, Y.; Huynh, K. K.; Yamakawa, Y.; Kontani, H.; Tanigaki, K.

2016-01-01

In high-superconducting transition temperature (Tc) iron-based superconductors, interband sign reversal (s±) and sign preserving (s++) s -wave superconducting states have been primarily discussed as the plausible superconducting mechanism. We study Co impurity scattering effects on the superconductivity in order to achieve an important clue on the pairing mechanism using single-crystal Fe1 -xCoxSe and depict a phase diagram of a FeSe system. Both superconductivity and structural transition/orbital order are suppressed by the Co replacement on the Fe sites and disappear above x = 0.036. These correlated suppressions represent a common background physics behind these physical phenomena in the multiband Fermi surfaces of FeSe. By comparing experimental data and theories so far proposed, the suppression of Tc against the residual resistivity is shown to be much weaker than that predicted in the case of general sign reversal and full gap s± models. The origin of the superconducting paring in FeSe is discussed in terms of its multiband electronic structure.

Formation of Singlet Fermion Pairs in the Dilute Gas of Boson-Fermion Mixture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minasyan V.

2010-10-01

Full Text Available We argue the formation of a free neutron spinless pairs in a liquid helium -dilute neutron gas mixture. We show that the term, of the interaction between the excitations of the Bose gas and the density modes of the neutron, meditate an attractive interaction via the neutron modes, which in turn leads to a bound state on a spinless neutron pair. Due to presented theoretical approach, we prove that the electron pairs in superconductivity could be discovered by Frölich earlier then it was made by the Cooper.

Kohn singularity and Kohn anomaly in conventional superconductors—role of pairing mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhury, Ranjan; Das, Mukunda P

2013-01-01

We present a theoretical analysis of the Kohn singularity and Kohn anomaly in the superconducting phase of a three-dimensional metallic system. We show that a phonon mechanism-based Cooper pairing in a Fermi liquid metal can lead to these phenomena quite naturally. The results are discussed against the background of some recent experimental findings. (fast track communication)

A Pole Pair Segment of a 2-MW High-Temperature Superconducting Wind Turbine Generator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Song, Xiaowei (Andy); Mijatovic, Nenad; Kellers, Jürgen

2017-01-01

A 2-MW high-temperature superconducting (HTS) generator with 24 pole pairs has been designed for the wind turbine application. In order to identify potential challenges and obtain practical knowledge prior to production, a full-size stationary experimental setup, which is one pole pair segment...... and the setup in terms of the flux density, the operating condition of the HTS winding, and the force-generation capability. Finite element (FE) software MagNet is used to carry out numerical simulations. The findings show that the HTS winding in the setup is a good surrogate for these that would be used...

A Pole Pair Segment of a 2 MW High Temperature Superconducting Wind Turbine Generator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Song, Xiaowei (Andy); Mijatovic, Nenad; Kellers, Jürgen

2016-01-01

A 2 MW high temperature superconducting (HTS) generator with 24 pole pairs has been designed for the wind turbine application. In order to identify potential challenges and obtain practical knowledge prior to production, a fullsize stationary experimental set-up, which is one pole pair segment...... generator and the set-up in terms of the flux density, the operating condition of the HTS winding, and the force-generation capability. Finite element (FE) software MagNet is used to carry out numerical simulations. The findings show that the HTS winding in the set-up is a good surrogate...

Conventional proximity effect in bilayers of superconducting underdoped $La_{1.88}Sr_{0.12}CuO_4$ islands coated with non superconducting overdoped $La_{1.65}Sr_{0.35}CuO_4$

OpenAIRE

Koren, G.; Millo, O.

2009-01-01

Following a recent study by our group in which a large $T_c$ enhancement was reported in bilayers of the non-superconducting $La_{1.65}Sr_{0.35}CuO_4$ and superconducting $La_{1.88}Sr_{0.12}CuO_4$ films [Phys. Rev. Lett. \\textbf{101}, 057005 (2008)], we checked if a similar effect occurs when superconducting $La_{1.88}Sr_{0.12}CuO_4$ islands are coated with a continuous layer of the non superconducting $La_{1.65}Sr_{0.35}CuO_4$. We found that no such phenomenon is observed. The bare supercond...

Magnetic Field Tuning and Quantum Interference in a Cooper Pair Splitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Fülöp, G; Domínguez, F; d'Hollosy, S; Baumgartner, A; Makk, P; Madsen, M H; Guzenko, V A; Nygård, J; Schönenberger, C; Levy Yeyati, A; Csonka, S

2015-11-27

Cooper pair splitting (CPS) is a process in which the electrons of the naturally occurring spin-singlet pairs in a superconductor are spatially separated using two quantum dots. Here, we investigate the evolution of the conductance correlations in an InAs CPS device in the presence of an external magnetic field. In our experiments the gate dependence of the signal that depends on both quantum dots continuously evolves from a slightly asymmetric Lorentzian to a strongly asymmetric Fano-type resonance with increasing field. These experiments can be understood in a simple three-site model, which shows that the nonlocal CPS leads to symmetric line shapes, while the local transport processes can exhibit an asymmetric shape due to quantum interference. These findings demonstrate that the electrons from a Cooper pair splitter can propagate coherently after their emission from the superconductor and how a magnetic field can be used to optimize the performance of a CPS device. In addition, the model calculations suggest that the estimate of the CPS efficiency in the experiments is a lower bound for the actual efficiency.

Superatom representation of high-TC superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panas, Itai

2012-01-01

A “super-atom” conceptual interface between chemistry and physics is proposed in order to assist in the search for higher T C superconductors. The plaquettes generating the checkerboard superstructure in the cuprates, the C 60 molecules in K 3 C 60 , and the Mo 6 S 8 2- clusters in Chevrel phase materials offer such candidate super-atoms. Thus, in the present study high-T C superconductivity HTSC is articulated as the entanglement of two disjoint electronic manifolds in the vicinity of a common Fermi energy. The resulting HTSC ground state couples near-degenerate protected local super-atom states to virtual magnons in an antiferromagnetic AFM embedding. The composite Cooper pairs emerge as the interaction particles for virtual magnons mediated “self-coherent entanglement” of super-atom states. A Hückel type resonating valence bond RVB formalism is employed in order to illustrate the real-space Cooper pairs as well as their delocalization and Bose Einstein condensation BEC on a ring of super-atoms. The chemical potential μ BEC for Cooper pairs joining the condensate is formulated in terms of the super-exchange interaction, and consequently the T C in terms of the Neél temperature. A rationale for the robustness of the HTSC ground state is proposed: achieving local maximum “electron correlation entropy” at the expense of non-local phase rigidity.

Quantum State Transmission in a Superconducting Charge Qubit-Atom Hybrid

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Deshui; Valado, María Martínez; Hufnagel, Christoph; Kwek, Leong Chuan; Amico, Luigi; Dumke, Rainer

2016-01-01

Hybrids consisting of macroscopic superconducting circuits and microscopic components, such as atoms and spins, have the potential of transmitting an arbitrary state between different quantum species, leading to the prospective of high-speed operation and long-time storage of quantum information. Here we propose a novel hybrid structure, where a neutral-atom qubit directly interfaces with a superconducting charge qubit, to implement the qubit-state transmission. The highly-excited Rydberg atom located inside the gate capacitor strongly affects the behavior of Cooper pairs in the box while the atom in the ground state hardly interferes with the superconducting device. In addition, the DC Stark shift of the atomic states significantly depends on the charge-qubit states. By means of the standard spectroscopic techniques and sweeping the gate voltage bias, we show how to transfer an arbitrary quantum state from the superconducting device to the atom and vice versa. PMID:27922087

Universal quantum gates for Single Cooper Pair Box based quantum computing

Science.gov (United States)

Echternach, P.; Williams, C. P.; Dultz, S. C.; Braunstein, S.; Dowling, J. P.

2000-01-01

We describe a method for achieving arbitrary 1-qubit gates and controlled-NOT gates within the context of the Single Cooper Pair Box (SCB) approach to quantum computing. Such gates are sufficient to support universal quantum computation.

Exchange and spin-fluctuation superconducting pairing in the strong correlation limit of the Hubbard model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plakida, N. M.; Anton, L.; Adam, S. . Department of Theoretical Physics, Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, PO Box MG-6, RO-76900 Bucharest - Magurele; RO); Adam, Gh. . Department of Theoretical Physics, Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, PO Box MG-6, RO-76900 Bucharest - Magurele; RO)

2001-01-01

A microscopical theory of superconductivity in the two-band singlet-hole Hubbard model, in the strong coupling limit in a paramagnetic state, is developed. The model Hamiltonian is obtained by projecting the p-d model to an asymmetric Hubbard model with the lower Hubbard subband occupied by one-hole Cu d-like states and the upper Hubbard subband occupied by two-hole p-d singlet states. The model requires two microscopical parameters only, the p-d hybridization parameter t and the charge-transfer gap Δ. It was previously shown to secure an appropriate description of the normal state properties of the high -T c cuprates. To treat rigorously the strong correlations, the Hubbard operator technique within the projection method for the Green function is used. The Dyson equation is derived. In the molecular field approximation, d-wave superconducting pairing of conventional hole (electron) pairs in one Hubbard subband is found, which is mediated by the exchange interaction given by the interband hopping, J ij = 4 (t ij ) 2 / Δ. The normal and anomalous components of the self-energy matrix are calculated in the self-consistent Born approximation for the electron-spin-fluctuation scattering mediated by kinematic interaction of the second order of the intraband hopping. The derived numerical and analytical solutions predict the occurrence of singlet d x 2 -y 2 -wave pairing both in the d-hole and singlet Hubbard subbands. The gap functions and T c are calculated for different hole concentrations. The exchange interaction is shown to be the most important pairing interaction in the Hubbard model in the strong correlation limit, while the spin-fluctuation coupling results only in a moderate enhancement of T c . The smaller weight of the latter comes from two specific features: its vanishing inside the Brillouin zone (BZ) along the lines, |k x | + |k y |=π pointing towards the hot spots and the existence of a small energy shell within which the pairing is effective. By

Rare-earth doping of high T/sub c/ superconducting perovskites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mc Kinnon, W.R.; Tarascon, J.M.; Greene, L.H.; Hull, G.W.

1987-01-01

In most superconductors, the magnetic moments of rare-earth (Re) ions interact with the conduction electrons and break the Cooper pairs, supressing or destroying superconductivity. But in the perovskite-based superconductors discovered recently, the rare-earth ions are separated from the copper and oxygen where the superconducting electrons are believed to be located. The authors study the effects of rare-earth doping in both the 40K La/sub 2-x/Sr/sub x/CuO/sub 4-y/ system and 90K YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ system. In these materials, the RE ions only weakly affect superconductivity, and the effects we do see are more strongly correlated with changes in the volume of the crystal than with the magnetism of the rare earths

Pair correlations in near-magic nuclei and the nucleon--phonon interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadmenskii, S.G.; Luk'yanovich, P.A.; Remesov, Y.I.; Furman, V.I.

1987-01-01

It is demonstrated that the nucleon-pairing phenomenon is entirely due to the finiteness of nuclei. A technique for taking account of the phonon-exchange-related retarded interaction in the particle--particle channel is developed for nuclei of the ''mag +- 2'' and ''mag +- 3'' types. It is shown that the nucleon--phonon interaction strength computed with allowance for the most collectivized surface oscillation branches makes it possible to ensure the correct attraction scale necessary for the description of the pairing phenomenon. The existence of a more profound similarity between the phenomena of superconductivity of metals and Cooper pairing of nucleons in nuclei is thus demonstrated

Plasmon-phonon pairing mechanism and superconducting state parameters in layered mercury cuprates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varshney, D.; Tosi, M.P.

1999-06-01

An effective two-dimensional dynamic interaction is developed which incorporated screening of holes by plasmons and by optical phonons to discuss the nature of the pairing mechanism leading to superconductivity in layered mercury cuprates. The system is treated as an ionic solid containing layers of charge carriers and a model dielectric function is set up which fulfils the appropriate sum rules on the electronic and ionic polarizabilities. The values of the coupling strength and of the Coulomb interaction parameter indicate that the superconductor is in the strong coupling regime with effective screening of the charge carriers. The superconducting transition temperature of optically doped HgBa 2 CuO 4+δ is estimated as 94 K from Kresin's strong coupling theory and the energy gap ratio is substantially larger than the BCS value. The value of the isotope exponent is severely reduced below the BCS value. The implications of the model and its analysis are discussed. (author)

One- and two-dimensional sublattices as preconditions for high-Tc superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krueger, E.

1989-01-01

In an earlier paper it was proposed describing superconductivity in the framework of a nonadiabatic Heisenberg model in order to interprete the outstanding symmetry proper ties of the (spin-dependent) Wannier functions in the conduction bands of superconductors. This new group-theoretical model suggests that Cooper pair formation can only be mediated by boson excitations carrying crystal-spin-angular momentum. While in the three-dimensionally isotropic lattices of the standard superconductors phonons are able to transport crystal-spin-angular momentum, this is not true for phonons propagating through the one- or two-dimensional Cu-O sublattices of the high-T c compounds. Therefore, if such an anisotropic material is superconducting, it is necessarily higher-energetic excitations (of well-defined symmetry) which mediate pair formation. This fact is proposed being responsible for the high transition temperatures of these compounds. (author)

Superconducting properties and pseudogap from preformed Cooper pairs in the triclinic (CaFe{sub 1-x}Pt{sub x}As){sub 10}Pt{sub 3}As{sub 8}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surmach, M.A.; Brueckner, F.; Kamusella, S.; Sarkar, R.; Portnichenko, P.Y.; Klauss, H.H.; Inosov, D.S. [TU Dresden (Germany); Park, J.T. [MLZ, Garching (Germany); Ghambashidze, G. [MPI, Stuttgart (Germany); Luetkens, H.; Biswas, P. [PSI, Villigen (Switzerland); Choi, W.J.; Seo, Y.I.; Kwon, Y.S. [DGIST, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2015-07-01

Using μSR, INS and NMR, we investigated the novel Fe-based superconductor with a triclinic crystal structure (CaFe{sub 1-x}Pt{sub x}As){sub 10}Pt{sub 3}As{sub 8} (T{sub c}=13 K). The T-dependence of the superfluid density from the μSR measurements indicates the presence of two superconducting gaps. Our INS data revealed commensurate spin fluctuations at the (π, 0) wave vector. Their intensity remains unchanged across T{sub c}, indicating the absence of a spin resonance typical for many Fe-pnictides. Instead, we observed a peak around ℎω{sub 0} = 7 meV at the same wave vector, which persists above T{sub c} and is characterized by the ratio ℎω{sub 0}/k{sub B}T{sub c}∼6.2, i.e. significantly higher than typical values for the magnetic resonant modes in iron pnictides (∝ 4.3). The T-dependence of magnetic intensity at 7 meV revealed an anomaly around T*=45 K related to the disappearance of this new mode. A suppression of the spin-lattice relaxation rate, 1=/T{sub 1}T, observed by NMR immediately below T* without any notable subsequent anomaly at T{sub c}, indicates that T{sup *} could mark the onset of a pseudogap in (CaFe{sub 1-x}Pt{sub x}As){sub 10}Pt{sub 3}As{sub 8}, likely associated with the emergence of preformed Cooper pairs.

Multiplying and detecting propagating microwave photons using inelastic Cooper-pair tunneling

Science.gov (United States)

Leppäkangas, Juha; Marthaler, Michael; Hazra, Dibyendu; Jebari, Salha; Albert, Romain; Blanchet, Florian; Johansson, Göran; Hofheinz, Max

2018-01-01

The interaction between propagating microwave fields and Cooper-pair tunneling across a DC-voltage-biased Josephson junction can be highly nonlinear. We show theoretically that this nonlinearity can be used to convert an incoming single microwave photon into an outgoing n -photon Fock state in a different mode. In this process, the electrostatic energy released in a Cooper-pair tunneling event is transferred to the outgoing Fock state, providing energy gain. The created multiphoton Fock state is frequency entangled and highly bunched. The conversion can be made reflectionless (impedance matched) so that all incoming photons are converted to n -photon states. With realistic parameters, multiplication ratios n >2 can be reached. By two consecutive multiplications, the outgoing Fock-state number can get sufficiently large to accurately discriminate it from vacuum with linear postamplification and power measurement. Therefore, this amplification scheme can be used as a single-photon detector without dead time.

Spectral density of Cooper pairs in two level quantum dot–superconductors Josephson junction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dhyani, A., E-mail: archana.d2003@gmail.com [Department of Physics, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand (India); Rawat, P.S. [Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand (India); Tewari, B.S., E-mail: bstewari@ddn.upes.ac.in [Department of Physics, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand (India)

2016-09-15

Highlights: • The present work deals with the study of the electronic spectral density of electron pairs and its effect in charge transport in superconductor-quantum dot-superconductor junctions. • The charge transfer across such junctions can be controlled by changing the positions of the dot level. • The Josephson supercurrent can also be tuned by controlling the position of quantum dot energy levels. - Abstract: In the present paper, we report the role of quantum dot energy levels on the electronic spectral density for a two level quantum dot coupled to s-wave superconducting leads. The theoretical arguments in this work are based on the Anderson model so that it necessarily includes dot energies, single particle tunneling and superconducting order parameter for BCS superconductors. The expression for single particle spectral function is obtained by using the Green's function equation of motion technique. On the basis of numerical computation of spectral function of superconducting leads, it has been found that the charge transfer across such junctions can be controlled by the positions and availability of the dot levels.

What is strange about high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates?

Science.gov (United States)

Božović, I.; He, X.; Wu, J.; Bollinger, A. T.

2017-10-01

Cuprate superconductors exhibit many features, but the ultimate question is why the critical temperature (Tc) is so high. The fundamental dichotomy is between the weak-pairing, Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) scenario, and Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of strongly-bound pairs. While for underdoped cuprates it is hotly debated which of these pictures is appropriate, it is commonly believed that on the overdoped side strongly-correlated fermion physics evolves smoothly into the conventional BCS behavior. Here, we test this dogma by studying the dependence of key superconducting parameters on doping, temperature, and external fields, in thousands of cuprate samples. The findings do not conform to BCS predictions anywhere in the phase diagram.

Pairing from dynamically screened Coulomb repulsion in bismuth

Science.gov (United States)

Ruhman, Jonathan; Lee, Patrick A.

2017-12-01

Recently, Prakash et al. have discovered bulk superconductivity in single crystals of bismuth, which is a semimetal with extremely low carrier density. At such low density, we argue that conventional electron-phonon coupling is too weak to be responsible for the binding of electrons into Cooper pairs. We study a dynamically screened Coulomb interaction with effective attraction generated on the scale of the collective plasma modes. We model the electronic states in bismuth to include three Dirac pockets with high velocity and one hole pocket with a significantly smaller velocity. We find a weak-coupling instability, which is greatly enhanced by the presence of the hole pocket. Therefore we argue that bismuth is the first material to exhibit superconductivity driven by retardation effects of Coulomb repulsion alone. By using realistic parameters for bismuth we find that the acoustic plasma mode does not play the central role in pairing. We also discuss a matrix element effect, resulting from the Dirac nature of the conduction band, which may affect Tc in the s -wave channel without breaking time-reversal symmetry.

Superconductivity: Is there a problem in transuranics?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colineau, Eric; Griveau, Jean-Christophe; Eloirdi, Rachel; Hen, Amir; Caciuffo, Roberto

2014-01-01

Superconductivity was first reported in 1942 for uranium metal (¡-U) and in 1958 for U compounds: UCo, U6Mn, U6Fe, and U6Co, with critical temperatures Tc, of 1.7, 2.3, 3.9, and 2.3K, respectively. A new class of U superconductors emerged in the early 1980’s with the discovery of U heavy fermion superconductors : UBe13 (Tc = 0.85K), UPt3 (Tc = 0.53K), URu2Si2 (Tc = 1.5K) , UPd2Al3 (Tc = 1.9K) … Furthermore, in most of these systems, the superconducting phases coexist with antiferromagnetic (AF) correlations which have characteristic temperatures, usually the Néel temperature TN, that are typically one order of magnitude greater than the corresponding superconducting critical temperatures Tc. Superconductivity was even shown to co-exist with ferromagnetism in e.g. UGe2 (Tc ï» 0.8K, TC ï» 30K at p ï» 1.2GPa) and URhGe (Tc = 0.25K, TC = 9.5K). Heavy fermion superconductors still remain a major challenge for condensed matter physics. The existence of heavy fermion superconductivity and its coexistence or proximity with magnetic order suggests that the conventional mechanism of phonon-mediated superconductivity is inappropriate and that alternative mechanisms, like spin fluctuations, should be considered for Cooper pairing

Intrinsic Paramagnetic Meissner Effect Due to s-Wave Odd-Frequency Superconductivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Di Bernardo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In 1933, Meissner and Ochsenfeld reported the expulsion of magnetic flux—the diamagnetic Meissner effect—from the interior of superconducting lead. This discovery was crucial in formulating the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS theory of superconductivity. In exotic superconducting systems BCS theory does not strictly apply. A classical example is a superconductor-magnet hybrid system where magnetic ordering breaks time-reversal symmetry of the superconducting condensate and results in the stabilization of an odd-frequency superconducting state. It has been predicted that under appropriate conditions, odd-frequency superconductivity should manifest in the Meissner state as fluctuations in the sign of the magnetic susceptibility, meaning that the superconductivity can either repel (diamagnetic or attract (paramagnetic external magnetic flux. Here, we report local probe measurements of faint magnetic fields in a Au/Ho/Nb trilayer system using low-energy muons, where antiferromagnetic Ho (4.5 nm breaks time-reversal symmetry of the proximity-induced pair correlations in Au. From depth-resolved measurements below the superconducting transition of Nb, we observe a local enhancement of the magnetic field in Au that exceeds the externally applied field, thus proving the existence of an intrinsic paramagnetic Meissner effect arising from an odd-frequency superconducting state.

Superconductivity is pair work

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wengenmayr, Roland

2011-01-01

Electric cables that routinely conduct electricity without loss - physicists have been motivated by this idea ever since superconductivity was discovered 100 years ago. Researchers working with Bernhard Keimer at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart and Frank Steglich at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden want to gain a detailed understanding of how unconventional superconductors lose their resistivity. (orig.)

Attenuation in Superconducting Circular Waveguides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. H. Yeap

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We present an analysis on wave propagation in superconducting circular waveguides. In order to account for the presence of quasiparticles in the intragap states of a superconductor, we employ the characteristic equation derived from the extended Mattis-Bardeen theory to compute the values of the complex conductivity. To calculate the attenuation in a circular waveguide, the tangential fields at the boundary of the wall are first matched with the electrical properties (which includes the complex conductivity of the wall material. The matching of fields with the electrical properties results in a set of transcendental equations which is able to accurately describe the propagation constant of the fields. Our results show that although the attenuation in the superconducting waveguide above cutoff (but below the gap frequency is finite, it is considerably lower than that in a normal waveguide. Above the gap frequency, however, the attenuation in the superconducting waveguide increases sharply. The attenuation eventually surpasses that in a normal waveguide. As frequency increases above the gap frequency, Cooper pairs break into quasiparticles. Hence, we attribute the sharp rise in attenuation to the increase in random collision of the quasiparticles with the lattice structure.

Spin-polaron theory of high-Tc superconductivity: I, spin polarons and high-Tc pairing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, R.F.

1993-06-01

The concept of a spin polaron is introduced and contrasted with the more familiar ionic polaron picture. A brief review of aspects of ionic bipolaronic superconductivity is given with particular emphasis on the real-space pairing and true Bose condensation characteristics. The formation energy of spin polarons is then calculated in analogy with ionic polarons. The spin-flip energy of a Cu spin in an antiferromagnetically aligned CuO 2 plane is discussed. It is shown that the introduction of holes into the CuO 2 planes will always lead to the destruction of long-range AF ordering due to the formation of spin polarons. The pairing of two spin polarons can be expected because of the reestablishment of local (short-range) AF ordering; the magnitude of the pairing energy is estimated using a simplified model. The paper closes with a brief discussion of the formal theory of spin polarons

Antidiabetic Theory of Superconducting State Transition: Phonons and Strong Electron Correlations the Old Physics and New Aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banacky, P.

2010-01-01

Complex electronic ground state of molecular and solid state system is analyzed on the ab initio level beyond the adiabatic Born-Oppenheimer approximation (BOA). The attention is focused on the band structure fluctuation (BSF) at Fermi level, which is induced by electron-phonon coupling in superconductors, and which is absent in the non-superconducting analogues. The BSF in superconductors results in breakdown of the adiabatic BOA. At these circumstances, chemical potential is substantially reduced and system is stabilized (effect of nuclear dynamics) in the anti adiabatic state at broken symmetry with a gap(s) in one-particle spectrum. Distorted nuclear structure has fluxional character and geometric degeneracy of the anti adiabatic ground state enables formation of mobile bipolarons in real space. It has been shown that an effective attractive e-e interaction (Cooper-pair formation) is in fact correction to electron correlation energy at transition from adiabatic into anti adiabatic ground electronic state. In this respect, Cooper-pair formation is not the primary reason for transition into superconducting state, but it is a consequence of anti adiabatic state formation. It has been shown that thermodynamic properties of system in anti adiabatic state correspond to thermodynamics of superconducting state. Illustrative application of the theory for different types of superconductors is presented.

Mechanism of Superconductivity in Quasi-Two-Dimensional Organic Conductor β-(BDA-TTP) Salts

Science.gov (United States)

Nonoyama, Yoshito; Maekawa, Yukiko; Kobayashi, Akito; Suzumura, Yoshikazu; Ito, Hiroshi

2008-09-01

We investigate theoretically the superconductivity of two-dimensional organic conductors, β-(BDA-TTP)2SbF6 and β-(BDA-TTP)2AsF6, to understand the role of the spin and charge fluctuations. The transition temperature is estimated by applying random phase approximation to an extended Hubbard model wherein realistic transfer energies are estimated by extended Hückel calculation. We find a gapless superconducting state with a dxy-like symmetry, which is consistent with the experimental results obtained by specific heat and scanning tunneling microscope. In the present model with an effectively half-filled triangular lattice, spin fluctuation competes with charge fluctuation as a mechanism of pairing interaction since both fluctuations have the same characteristic momentum q=(π,0) for V being smaller than U. This is in contrast to a model with a quarter-filled square lattice, wherein both fluctuations contribute cooperatively to pairing interaction due to fluctuations having different characteristic momenta. The resultant difference in the superconductivity of these two materials is also discussed.

PCTFPeval: a web tool for benchmarking newly developed algorithms for predicting cooperative transcription factor pairs in yeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Fu-Jou; Chang, Hong-Tsun; Wu, Wei-Sheng

2015-01-01

Computational identification of cooperative transcription factor (TF) pairs helps understand the combinatorial regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. Many advanced algorithms have been proposed to predict cooperative TF pairs in yeast. However, it is still difficult to conduct a comprehensive and objective performance comparison of different algorithms because of lacking sufficient performance indices and adequate overall performance scores. To solve this problem, in our previous study (published in BMC Systems Biology 2014), we adopted/proposed eight performance indices and designed two overall performance scores to compare the performance of 14 existing algorithms for predicting cooperative TF pairs in yeast. Most importantly, our performance comparison framework can be applied to comprehensively and objectively evaluate the performance of a newly developed algorithm. However, to use our framework, researchers have to put a lot of effort to construct it first. To save researchers time and effort, here we develop a web tool to implement our performance comparison framework, featuring fast data processing, a comprehensive performance comparison and an easy-to-use web interface. The developed tool is called PCTFPeval (Predicted Cooperative TF Pair evaluator), written in PHP and Python programming languages. The friendly web interface allows users to input a list of predicted cooperative TF pairs from their algorithm and select (i) the compared algorithms among the 15 existing algorithms, (ii) the performance indices among the eight existing indices, and (iii) the overall performance scores from two possible choices. The comprehensive performance comparison results are then generated in tens of seconds and shown as both bar charts and tables. The original comparison results of each compared algorithm and each selected performance index can be downloaded as text files for further analyses. Allowing users to select eight existing performance indices and 15

Existence and consequences of Coulomb pairing of electrons in a solid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahajan, S.M.; Thyagaraja, A.

1996-11-01

It is shown from first principles that, in the periodic potential of a crystalline solid, short-range (i.e., screened) binary Coulomb interactions can lead to a two-electron bound state. It is further suggested that these composite bosonic states (charge -2e, and typically spin zero) could mediate an effectively attractive interaction between pairs of conduction electrons close to the Fermi level. This necessarily short range attractive interaction, which is crucially dependent on the band structure of the solid, and is complementary to the phonon-mediated one, may provide a source for the existence and properties of short correlation-length electron pairs (analogous to but distinct from Cooper pairs) needed to understand high temperature superconductivity. Several distinctive and observable characteristics of the proposed pairing scheme are discussed

ISTS of Fe adatoms in contact to superconducting Ta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamlapure, Anand; Cornils, Lasse; Wiebe, Jens; Wiesendanger, Roland [Department of Physics, Hamburg University, Hamburg (Germany); Zhou, Lihui [Department of Physics, Hamburg University, Hamburg (Germany); Max-Planck Institute for Solid State-Research, Stuttgart (Germany); Khajetoorians, Alexander A. [Department of Physics, Hamburg University, Hamburg (Germany); Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen (Netherlands)

2015-07-01

Recent local scale investigations of the competition of superconductivity and magnetism in molecular systems revealed rich physics associated with a quantum phase transition. Here, we experimentally study individual Fe atoms adsorbed on a reconstructed surface of superconducting Ta by inelastic scanning tunneling spectroscopy (ISTS) at a temperature of 1 K and as a function of magnetic field of strength up to 3 T perpendicular to the surface. We observe strong inelastic excitations at three different adsorption sites of the Fe adatoms. The majority site shows a sharp step around 2 meV which is almost independent of the magnetic field. The other two sites exhibit excitations around 1 meV and 4 meV which have a weak magnetic field dependence indicating the magnetic origin of this excitation. In all three cases the superconducting energy gap and coherence peaks are preserved at zero magnetic field indicating very weak coupling between the magnetic moment and the cooper pairs.

Topological Crystalline Superconductivity in Locally Noncentrosymmetric Multilayer Superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Tomohiro; Sigrist, Manfred; Yanase, Youichi

2015-07-10

Topological crystalline superconductivity in locally noncentrosymmetric multilayer superconductors (SCs) is proposed. We study the odd-parity pair-density wave (PDW) state induced by the spin-singlet pairing interaction through the spin-orbit coupling. It is shown that the PDW state is a topological crystalline SC protected by a mirror symmetry, although it is topologically trivial according to the classification based on the standard topological periodic table. The topological property of the mirror subsectors is intuitively explained by adiabatically changing the Bogoliubov-de Gennes Hamiltonian. A subsector of the bilayer PDW state reduces to the two-dimensional noncentrosymmetric SC, while a subsector of the trilayer PDW state is topologically equivalent to the spinless p-wave SC. Chiral Majorana edge modes in trilayers can be realized without Cooper pairs in the spin-triplet channel and chemical potential tuning.

Superconducting spin valves based on epitaxial Fe/V-hybrid thin film heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowak, Gregor

2010-12-10

This study presents a systematic investigation of the SSV effect in FM/SC/FM and FM/N/FM/SC heterostructures. Before investigating the actual SSV effect, we first pre-analyzed structural, magnetic and superconducting properties of the Fe/V system. In these preliminary studies we demonstrated, that epitaxial Fe/V heterostructures of superior crystalline quality can be grown by DC sputter deposition. With a Fe/V interface thickness of only one monolayer, the chemical separation of the Fe and V layers is extremely sharp. Moreover, the magnetic investigation showed that from thicknesses of two Fe(001) monolayers on the Fe layers in the superlattice possess a magnetic moment. Furthermore, we demonstrated the interlayer exchange coupling as oscillatory function of the V interlayer thickness. The investigations of the superconducting parameters of the Fe/V system revealed a non-monotonic T{sub S} vs. d{sub Fe} dependence in sample series (1). This observation proves the presence of the FM/SC proximity effect. The studies of various heterostructures of the design AFM/FM/SC/FM revealed a strong counteracting influence on the SSV effect, the stray field effect. The sample containing Fe{sub 25}V{sub 75} alloy layers, has the highest ratio of Cooper pair coherence length and superconductor thickness (ξ{sub S})/(d{sub S}), and its superconducting transition temperature is comparable to the sample with Fe{sub 35}V{sub 65} alloy layers. Nevertheless, the SSV effect in sample Fe{sub 25}V{sub 75} with alloy layers is much smaller than in sample with Fe{sub 35}V{sub 65} alloy layers. For a high-performance superconducting spin valve based on a FM1/SC/FM2 heterostructure at least four parameters have to be optimized simultaneously. 1. The magnetic domain size in FM1 and FM2 has to be as large as possible in order to reduce the stray field effect resulting from magnetization components in the FM domain walls perpendicular to the SC layer. 2. When using ferromagnetic alloys as

High-fidelity frequency down-conversion of visible entangled photon pairs with superconducting single-photon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikuta, Rikizo; Kato, Hiroshi; Kusaka, Yoshiaki; Yamamoto, Takashi; Imoto, Nobuyuki; Miki, Shigehito; Yamashita, Taro; Terai, Hirotaka; Wang, Zhen; Fujiwara, Mikio; Sasaki, Masahide; Koashi, Masato

2014-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate a high-fidelity visible-to-telecommunicationwavelength conversion of a photon by using a solid-state-based difference frequency generation. In the experiment, one half of a pico-second visible entangled photon pair at 780 nm is converted to a 1522-nm photon. Using superconducting single-photon detectors with low dark count rates and small timing jitters, we observed a fidelity of 0.93±0.04 after the wavelength conversion

Large impedances and Majorana bound states in superconducting circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulrich, Jascha

2017-01-01

Superconducting circuits offer the opportunity to study quantum mechanics on mesoscopic scales unimpeded by dissipation. This fact and the nonlinearity of the Josephson inductance make it possible to use superconducting circuits as artificial atoms whose long-lived states can be selectively addressed and studied. A pronounced nonlinearity of the energy spectrum, however, requires quantum fluctuations of the flux across the Josephson junction which are large on the scale of the superconducting flux quantum Φ Q =h/2e. This implies charge fluctuations below the single Cooper-pair limit via flux-charge duality. The localization of charge leads to a strong susceptibility to interactions with charges in the environment which has motivated the search for schemes to decouple charges from their environment. This thesis is concerned with theoretical challenges arising from two complementary approaches to this problem: the realization of large impedances and the fractionalization of electrons by means of Majorana bound states. In recent years, the decoupling of charges from the environment through reactive large impedances, so-called ''superinductances'' L, has attracted much interest. These inductances feature small parasitic capacitance C such that the characteristic impedance √(L/C) is much larger than the superconducting resistance quantum R Q =h/4e 2 . Superinductances have various applications ranging from qubit designs such as the 0-π qubit or the fluxonium to impedance matching, Bloch oscillations and the stabilization of phase slips in superconducting nanowires. Although there exists a well-established formalism for the quantization of superconducting circuits in terms of node fluxes, this formalism is ill-suited for the description of fast flux transport with localized charges in large-impedance environments. In particular, the nonlinear capacitive behavior of phase slip junctions cannot be modeled in a straightforward way using node fluxes

Approach to equilibrium in a pure superconductor. The relaxation of the Cooper pair density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schid, A

1968-01-01

Electron-phonon and electron-electron collisions are the processes which determine the relaxation time r/sub R/ of the Cooper pair density. The case is considered for which the deviation of the pair density from equilibrium is small and where the equilibrium state is homogeneous. Starting from the Eliashberg equation one is able to reduce the problem to a quadrature once the equilibrium Green functions are known.

Superatom representation of high-T{sub C} superconductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panas, Itai, E-mail: itai@chalmers.se [Environmental Inorganic Chemistry, Division of Energy and Materials, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Chalmers University of Technology, S-412 96 Gothenburg (Sweden)

2012-10-15

A 'super-atom' conceptual interface between chemistry and physics is proposed in order to assist in the search for higher T{sub C} superconductors. The plaquettes generating the checkerboard superstructure in the cuprates, the C{sub 60} molecules in K{sub 3}C{sub 60}, and the Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{sup 2-} clusters in Chevrel phase materials offer such candidate super-atoms. Thus, in the present study high-T{sub C} superconductivity HTSC is articulated as the entanglement of two disjoint electronic manifolds in the vicinity of a common Fermi energy. The resulting HTSC ground state couples near-degenerate protected local super-atom states to virtual magnons in an antiferromagnetic AFM embedding. The composite Cooper pairs emerge as the interaction particles for virtual magnons mediated 'self-coherent entanglement' of super-atom states. A Hueckel type resonating valence bond RVB formalism is employed in order to illustrate the real-space Cooper pairs as well as their delocalization and Bose Einstein condensation BEC on a ring of super-atoms. The chemical potential {mu}{sub BEC} for Cooper pairs joining the condensate is formulated in terms of the super-exchange interaction, and consequently the T{sub C} in terms of the Neel temperature. A rationale for the robustness of the HTSC ground state is proposed: achieving local maximum 'electron correlation entropy' at the expense of non-local phase rigidity.

Fluctuations and dark count rates in superconducting NbN single-photon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engel, Andreas; Semenov, Alexei; Huebers, Heinz-Wilhelm; Il'in, Kostya; Siegel, Michael

2005-01-01

We measured the temperature- and current-dependence of dark count rates of a superconducting singlephoton detector. The detector's key element is a 84 nm wide meander strip line fabricated from a 5 nm thick NbN film. Due to its reduced dimensions various types of fluctuations can cause temporal and localized transitions into a resistive state leading to dark count events. Adopting a recent refinement of the hotspot model we achieve a satisfying description of the experimental dark count rates taking into account fluctuations of the Cooper-pair density and current-assisted unbinding of vortex-antivortex pairs. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Amperean Pairing and the Pseudogap Phase of Cuprate Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Patrick A.

2014-07-01

The enigmatic pseudogap phase in underdoped cuprate high-Tc superconductors has long been recognized as a central puzzle of the Tc problem. Recent data show that the pseudogap is likely a distinct phase, characterized by a medium range and quasistatic charge ordering. However, the origin of the ordering wave vector and the mechanism of the charge order is unknown. At the same time, earlier data show that precursive superconducting fluctuations are also associated with this phase. We propose that the pseudogap phase is a novel pairing state where electrons on the same side of the Fermi surface are paired, in strong contrast with conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory which pairs electrons on opposite sides of the Fermi surface. In this state the Cooper pair carries a net momentum and belongs to a general class called pair density wave. The microscopic pairing mechanism comes from a gauge theory formulation of the resonating valence bond (RVB) picture, where spinons traveling in the same direction feel an attractive force in analogy with Ampere's effects in electromagnetism. We call this Amperean pairing. Charge order automatically appears as a subsidiary order parameter even when long-range pair order is destroyed by phase fluctuations. Our theory gives a prediction of the ordering wave vector which is in good agreement with experiment. Furthermore, the quasiparticle spectrum from our model explains many of the unusual features reported in photoemission experiments. The Fermi arc, the unusual way the tip of the arc terminates, and the relation of the spanning vector of the arc tips to the charge ordering wave vector also come out naturally. Finally, we propose an experiment that can directly test the notion of Amperean pairing.

Spin–orbit coupling, minimal model and potential Cooper-pairing from repulsion in BiS2-superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Cobo-Lopez, Sergio; Saeed Bahramy, Mohammad; Arita, Ryotaro; Akbari, Alireza; Eremin, Ilya

2018-04-01

We develop the realistic minimal electronic model for recently discovered BiS2 superconductors including the spin–orbit (SO) coupling based on the first-principles band structure calculations. Due to strong SO coupling, characteristic for the Bi-based systems, the tight-binding low-energy model necessarily includes p x , p y , and p z orbitals. We analyze a potential Cooper-pairing instability from purely repulsive interaction for the moderate electronic correlations using the so-called leading angular harmonics approximation. For small and intermediate doping concentrations we find the dominant instabilities to be {d}{x2-{y}2}-wave, and s ±-wave symmetries, respectively. At the same time, in the absence of the sizable spin fluctuations the intra and interband Coulomb repulsions are of the same strength, which yield the strongly anisotropic behavior of the superconducting gaps on the Fermi surface. This agrees with recent angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy findings. In addition, we find that the Fermi surface topology for BiS2 layered systems at large electron doping can resemble the doped iron-based pnictide superconductors with electron and hole Fermi surfaces maintaining sufficient nesting between them. This could provide further boost to increase T c in these systems.

Quasiparticle density of states in a half metal in the presence of odd-frequency Cooper pairs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Asano, Yasuhiro; Yokoyama, Takehito; Tanaka, Yukio; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch

2008-01-01

We study the local density of states in a half metal sandwiched by the two superconductors. The spin-flip scattering at the junction interface opens the Josephson channels of the odd-frequency spin-triplet s-wave Cooper pairs. The penetration of the odd-frequency pairs enhances the quasiparticle

Cooperative interactions between paired domain and homeodomain.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, S; Desplan, C

1996-09-01

The Pax proteins are a family of transcriptional regulators involved in many developmental processes in all higher eukaryotes. They are characterized by the presence of a paired domain (PD), a bipartite DNA binding domain composed of two helix-turn-helix (HTH) motifs,the PAI and RED domains. The PD is also often associated with a homeodomain (HD) which is itself able to form homo- and hetero-dimers on DNA. Many of these proteins therefore contain three HTH motifs each able to recognize DNA. However, all PDs recognize highly related DNA sequences, and most HDs also recognize almost identical sites. We show here that different Pax proteins use multiple combinations of their HTHs to recognize several types of target sites. For instance, the Drosophila Paired protein can bind, in vitro, exclusively through its PAI domain, or through a dimer of its HD, or through cooperative interaction between PAI domain and HD. However, prd function in vivo requires the synergistic action of both the PAI domain and the HD. Pax proteins with only a PD appear to require both PAI and RED domains, while a Pax-6 isoform and a new Pax protein, Lune, may rely on the RED domain and HD. We propose a model by which Pax proteins recognize different target genes in vivo through various combinations of their DNA binding domains, thus expanding their recognition repertoire.

Unconventional superconductivity in heavy-fermion compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, B.D. [Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States); Center for Advanced Nanoscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States); Thompson, J.D. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Maple, M.B., E-mail: mbmaple@ucsd.edu [Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States); Center for Advanced Nanoscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 (United States)

2015-07-15

Highlights: • Quasiparticles in heavy-fermion compounds are much heavier than free electrons. • Superconductivity involves pairing of these massive quasiparticles. • Quasiparticle pairing mediated by magnetic or quadrupolar fluctuations. • We review the properties of superconductivity in heavy-fermion compounds. - Abstract: Over the past 35 years, research on unconventional superconductivity in heavy-fermion systems has evolved from the surprising observations of unprecedented superconducting properties in compounds that convention dictated should not superconduct at all to performing explorations of rich phase spaces in which the delicate interplay between competing ground states appears to support emergent superconducting states. In this article, we review the current understanding of superconductivity in heavy-fermion compounds and identify a set of characteristics that is common to their unconventional superconducting states. These core properties are compared with those of other classes of unconventional superconductors such as the cuprates and iron-based superconductors. We conclude by speculating on the prospects for future research in this field and how new advances might contribute towards resolving the long-standing mystery of how unconventional superconductivity works.

Routes to High-Temperature Superconductivity: A Lesson from FeSe/SrTiO3

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dung-Hai

2018-03-01

Raising the superconducting transition temperature to a point where applications are practical is one of the most important challenges in science. In this review, we aim at gaining insights on the Tc controlling factors for a particular high-temperature superconductor family - the FeSe-based superconductors. In particular, we discuss the mechanisms by which the Cooper pairing temperature is enhanced from ˜8 K in bulk FeSe to ˜80 K in the interface between an atomic layer of FeSe and SrTiO3. This includes the experimental hints and the theoretical simulation of the involved mechanisms. We end by applying these insights to suggest some possible high-temperature superconducting systems.

Universal spectral signatures in pnictides and cuprates: the role of quasiparticle-pair coupling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sacks, William; Mauger, Alain; Noat, Yves

2017-11-08

Understanding the physical properties of a large variety of high-T c superconductors (SC), the cuprate family as well as the more recent iron-based superconductors, is still a major challenge. In particular, these materials exhibit the 'peak-dip-hump' structure in the quasiparticle density of states (DOS). The origin of this structure is explained within our pair-pair interaction (PPI) model: The non-superconducting state consists of incoherent pairs, a 'Cooper-pair glass' which, due to the PPI, undergoes a Bose-like condensation below T c to the coherent SC state. We derive the equations of motion for the quasiparticle operators showing that the DOS 'peak-dip-hump' is caused by the coupling between quasiparticles and excited pair states, or 'super-quasiparticles'. The renormalized SC gap function becomes energy-dependent and non retarded, reproducing accurately the experimental spectra of both pnictides and cuprates, despite the large difference in gap value.

Electron mean free path dependence of the critical currents and the pair-breaking limit in superconducting films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fedorov, N.; Rinderer, L.

1977-01-01

We have studied the current-induced breakdown of superconductivity in wide (100--980 μm) and thin (0.25--0.98 μm) films of tin. It is shown that the current at which the resistance of the sample begins to rise rapidly in the process of the destruction of superconductivity by a current can be fairly well associated with the theoretical value of the pair-breaking current in the Ginzburg-Landau phenomenological approach (I/sub c//sup G L/). This effect is observed over a rather wide temperature region (up to ΔTapprox.0.7 K), depending on the electron mean free path in the films. The values of the critical currents outside the above-mentioned region correlate qualitatively with those determined by inhomogeneities of the films as proposed by Larkin and Ovchinnikov

Superconductivity

CERN Document Server

Ketterson, John B

2008-01-01

Conceived as the definitive reference in a classic and important field of modern physics, this extensive and comprehensive handbook systematically reviews the basic physics, theory and recent advances in the field of superconductivity. Leading researchers, including Nobel laureates, describe the state-of-the-art in conventional and unconventional superconductors at a particularly opportune time, as new experimental techniques and field-theoretical methods have emerged. In addition to full-coverage of novel materials and underlying mechanisms, the handbook reflects continued intense research into electron-phone based superconductivity. Considerable attention is devoted to high-Tc superconductivity, novel superconductivity, including triplet pairing in the ruthenates, novel superconductors, such as heavy-Fermion metals and organic materials, and also granular superconductors. What’s more, several contributions address superconductors with impurities and nanostructured superconductors. Important new results on...

Ab initio theory of superconductivity in a magnetic field. II. Numerical solution

Science.gov (United States)

Linscheid, A.; Sanna, A.; Gross, E. K. U.

2015-07-01

We numerically investigate the spin density functional theory for superconductors (SpinSCDFT) and the approximated exchange-correlation functional, derived and presented in the preceding Paper I [A. Linscheid et al., Phys. Rev. B 92, 024505 (2015), 10.1103/PhysRevB.92.024505]. As a test system, we employ a free-electron gas featuring an exchange splitting, a phononic pairing field, and a Coulomb repulsion. SpinSCDFT results are compared with Sarma, the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory, and with an Eliashberg type of approach. We find that the spectrum of the superconducting Kohn-Sham SpinSCDFT system is not in agreement with the true quasiparticle structure. Therefore, starting from the Dyson equation, we derive a scheme that allows to compute the many-body excitations of the superconductor and represents the extension to superconductivity of the G0W0 method in band-structure theory. This superconducting G0W0 method vastly improves the predicted spectra.

Possible antipolar pairing mechanism in high-temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardwell, D.A.; Shorrocks, N.M.

1989-01-01

An antipolar pairing mechanism for free charge carriers in high-T c superconducting compounds is proposed qualitatively. This involves the establishment of a two-dimensional (2D) array of effective charge-coupling centers within the superconducting lattice via a specific phonon distortion of cation species along a nonmajor crystallographic direction. A fundamental requirement of this model is that the density of such coupling centers decreases with decreasing temperature. In the case of Y-Ba-Cu-O, it is asserted that charge carriers in a 2D oxygen band adjacent to the phonon-containing plane become localized by the resulting (local) field distortion. Cooper pairs may then form when the charge-coupling-center density falls below the charge-carrier density. Such a mechanism could be mediated by a longitudinal phonon which softens at low temperatures to produce an antipolar state, such as that incipient to an antiferroelectric distortion of the lattice (i.e., in the zero-frequency limiting case). This model, which may be investigated experimentally by low-temperature Raman spectroscopy, isotopic substitution, and x-ray diffractometry at 4.2 K, can be applied to all p-type high-T c systems. In addition, it may account for the observed lattice anisotropy and short coherence length characteristic of these materials

Non-equilibrium spin and charge transport in superconducting heterojunctions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thalmann, Marcel; Rudolf, Marcel; Braun, Julian; Pietsch, Torsten; Scheer, Elke [Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz (Germany)

2015-07-01

Ferromagnet Superconductance (F/S) junctions are rich in exciting quantum-physical-phenomena, which are still poorly understood but may provide bright prospects for new applications. In contrast to conventional normal-metal proximity systems, Andreev reflection is suppressed for singlet cooper pairs in F/S heterostructures. However, long-range triplet pairing may be observed in S/F systems with non-collinear magnetization or spin-active interfaces. Herein, we investigate non-equilibrium transport properties of lateral S/F heterojunctions, defined via electron beam lithography. In particular we focus microwave- and magneto-transport spectroscopy on conventional type-I (Al, Pb, Zn) and type-II (Nb) superconductors in combination with strong transition metal ferromagnets (Ni, Co, Fe). A cryogenic HF readout platform and advanced electronic filtering is developed and results on Al-based heterojunctions are shown.

Critical current enhancement driven by suppression of superconducting fluctuation in ion-gated ultrathin FeSe

Science.gov (United States)

Harada, T.; Shiogai, J.; Miyakawa, T.; Nojima, T.; Tsukazaki, A.

2018-05-01

The framework of phase transition, such as superconducting transition, occasionally depends on the dimensionality of materials. Superconductivity is often weakened in the experimental conditions of two-dimensional thin films due to the fragile superconducting state against defects and interfacial effects. In contrast to this general trend, superconductivity in the thin limit of FeSe exhibits an opposite trend, such as an increase in critical temperature (T c) and the superconducting gap exceeding the bulk values; however, the dominant mechanism is still under debate. Here, we measured thickness-dependent electrical transport properties of the ion-gated FeSe thin films to evaluate the superconducting critical current (I c) in the ultrathin FeSe. Upon systematically decreasing the FeSe thickness by the electrochemical etching technique in the Hall bar-shaped electric double-layer transistors, we observed a dramatic enhancement of I c reaching about 10 mA and corresponding to about 107 A cm‑2 in the thinnest condition. By analyzing the transition behavior, we clarify that the suppressed superconducting fluctuation is one of the origins of the large I c in the ion-gated ultrathin FeSe films. These results indicate the existence of a robust superconducting state possibly with dense Cooper pairs at the thin limit of FeSe.

Pressure-induced unconventional superconductivity near a quantum critical point in CaFe2As2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawasaki, S; Tabuchi, T; Zheng Guoqing; Wang, X F; Chen, X H

2010-01-01

75 As-zero-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements are performed on CaFe 2 As 2 under pressure. At P = 4.7 and 10.8 kbar, the temperature dependencies of nuclear-spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T 1 ) measured in the tetragonal phase show no coherence peak just below T c (P) and decrease with decreasing temperature. The superconductivity is gapless at P = 4.7 kbar but evolves to that with multiple gaps at P = 10.8 kbar. We find that the superconductivity appears near a quantum critical point under pressures in the range 4.7 kbar ≤ P ≤ 10.8 kbar. Both electron correlation and superconductivity disappear in the collapsed tetragonal phase. A systematic study under pressure indicates that electron correlations play a vital role in forming Cooper pairs in this compound.

Color superconductivity in dense quark matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alford, Mark G.; Schmitt, Andreas; Rajagopal, Krishna; Schaefer, Thomas

2008-01-01

Matter at high density and low temperature is expected to be a color superconductor, which is a degenerate Fermi gas of quarks with a condensate of Cooper pairs near the Fermi surface that induces color Meissner effects. At the highest densities, where the QCD coupling is weak, rigorous calculations are possible, and the ground state is a particularly symmetric state, the color-flavor locked (CFL) phase. The CFL phase is a superfluid, an electromagnetic insulator, and breaks chiral symmetry. The effective theory of the low-energy excitations in the CFL phase is known and can be used, even at more moderate densities, to describe its physical properties. At lower densities the CFL phase may be disfavored by stresses that seek to separate the Fermi surfaces of the different flavors, and comparison with the competing alternative phases, which may break translation and/or rotation invariance, is done using phenomenological models. We review the calculations that underlie these results and then discuss transport properties of several color-superconducting phases and their consequences for signatures of color superconductivity in neutron stars.

Superconducting instabilities in the finite U Anderson lattice model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karbowski, J.

1995-01-01

We have investigated superconducting instabilities in the finite U Anderson lattice model within the Zou-Anderson slave boson representation in the Kondo lattice limit appropriate for heavy fermion systems. We found Cooper instability in the p channel and a repulsion in both the s and d channels. Based on the above mechanism of pairing, we have derived a ratio of the Gruneisen parameters Γ(T c )/Γ(T K ) which can be negative or positive, consistent with the experimental data. This result cannot be achieved in the U=∞ limit, which gives only positive values for this ratio. ((orig.))

Theoretical studies of superconductivity in doped BaCoSO

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Shengshan; Li, Yinxiang; Zhang, Qiang; Le, Congcong; Hu, Jiangping

2018-06-01

We investigate superconductivity that may exist in the doped BaCoSO, a multi-orbital Mott insulator with a strong antiferromagnetic ground state. The superconductivity is studied in both t-J type and Hubbard type multi-orbital models by mean field approach and random phase approximation (RPA) analysis. Even if there is no C 4 rotational symmetry, it is found that the system still carries a d-wave like pairing symmetry state with gapless nodes and sign changed superconducting order parameters on Fermi surfaces. The results are largely doping insensitive. In this superconducting state, the three {t_{{2_g}}} orbitals have very different superconducting form factors in momentum space. In particular, the intra-orbital pairing of the {d_{{x^2} - {y^2}}} orbital has an s-wave like pairing form factor. The two methods also predict very different pairing strength on different parts of Fermi surfaces. These results suggest that BaCoSO and related materials can be a new ground to test and establish fundamental principles for unconventional high temperature superconductivity.

Pairing mechanism in oxide superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirsch, J.E.

1988-01-01

A useful way to learn about the pairing mechanism that is responsible for high T c superconductivity is to study properties of model Hamiltonians on small systems. The goal is to find the simplest model that can describe the essential physics of high T c superconductivity. The authors have used Monte Carlo simulation and exact diagonalization techniques to study properties of systems of up to 64 sites. Their results show that spin fluctuations and other spin related mechanisms induced by a Hubbard on-site repulsion U are not likely to give rise to pairing, neither in one nor in multiple band models. In contrast, charge fluctuations in a model with both strong U and V (repulsion between Cu and O) are shown to give rise to pairing and it is suggested that this model provides a plausible mechanism for high T c superconductivity

Theory of spin-fluctuation induced superconductivity in iron-based superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Junhua

2011-01-01

In this dissertation we focus on the investigation of the pairing mechanism in the recently discovered high-temperature superconductor, iron pnictides. Due to the proximity to magnetic instability of the system, we considered short-range spin fluctuations as the major mediating source to induce superconductivity. Our calculation supports the magnetic fluctuations as a strong candidate that drives Cooper-pair formation in this material. We find the corresponding order parameter to be of the so-called ss-wave type and show its evolution with temperature as well as the capability of supporting high transition temperature up to several tens of Kelvin. On the other hand, our itinerant model calculation shows pronounced spin correlation at the observed antiferromagnetic ordering wave vector, indicating the underlying electronic structure in favor of antiferromagnetic state. Therefore, the electronic degrees of freedom could participate both in the magnetic and in the superconducting properties. Our work shows that the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity plays an important role to the understanding of the rich physics in this material. The magnetic-excitation spectrum carries important information on the nature of magnetism and the characteristics of superconductivity. We analyze the spin excitation spectrum in the normal and superconducting states of iron pnictides in the magnetic scenario. As a consequence of the sign-reversed gap structure obtained in the above, a spin resonance mode appears below the superconducting transition temperature. The calculated resonance energy, scaled with the gap magnitude and the magnetic correlation length, agrees well with the inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements. More interestingly, we find a common feature of those short-range spin fluctuations that are capable of inducing a fully gapped ss state is the momentum anisotropy with elongated span along the direction transverse to the antiferromagnetic momentum

Superconductivity in Washington, D.C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritter, D.

1988-01-01

The author provides insights into the federal government's activity in superconductors. He says the President's most important legislative proposal is a change in anti-trust laws to allow businesses to cooperate on joint production ventures. The President has also directed the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense to establish Superconductivity Research Centers to conduct research and disseminate information. The author says he thinks it is worthwhile to pursue the President's proposal for cooperation with Japan in superconductivity research and development. The author explains why he supports this and other key legislation related to superconductivity. He says if the United States does not do all that it can, as fast as it can, both domestically and internationally, the U.S. could lose the cutting edge of technological and commercial leadership in the latter 20th century and the 21st century. This is what superconductivity represents

Proximity effect in normal-superconductor hybrids for quasiparticle traps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseinkhani, Amin [Peter Grunberg Institute (PGI-2), Forschungszentrum Julich, D-52425 Julich (Germany); JARA-Institute for Quantum Information, RWTH Aachen University, D-52056 Aachen (Germany)

2016-07-01

Coherent transport of charges in the form of Cooper pairs is the main feature of Josephson junctions which plays a central role in superconducting qubits. However, the presence of quasiparticles in superconducting devices may lead to incoherent charge transfer and limit the coherence time of superconducting qubits. A way around this so-called ''quasiparticle poisoning'' might be using a normal-metal island to trap quasiparticles; this has motivated us to revisit the proximity effect in normal-superconductor hybrids. Using the semiclassical Usadel equations, we study the density of states (DoS) both within and away from the trap. We find that in the superconducting layer the DoS quickly approaches the BCS form; this indicates that normal-metal traps should be effective at localizing quasiparticles.

Magnetic Fluctuations in Pair-Density-Wave Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Morten H.; Jacobsen, Henrik; Maier, Thomas A.; Andersen, Brian M.

2016-04-01

Pair-density-wave superconductivity constitutes a novel electronic condensate proposed to be realized in certain unconventional superconductors. Establishing its potential existence is important for our fundamental understanding of superconductivity in correlated materials. Here we compute the dynamical magnetic susceptibility in the presence of a pair-density-wave ordered state and study its fingerprints on the spin-wave spectrum including the neutron resonance. In contrast to the standard case of d -wave superconductivity, we show that the pair-density-wave phase exhibits neither a spin gap nor a magnetic resonance peak, in agreement with a recent neutron scattering experiment on underdoped La1.905 Ba0.095 CuO4 [Z. Xu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 177002 (2014)].

Time-resolved X-ray diffraction study on superconducting YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} epitaxially grown on SrTiO{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luebcke, A.

2007-07-01

In this PhD thesis time-resolved X-ray diffraction in optical pump - X-ray probe scheme was applied for the first time to a High-Temperature Superconductor in the superconducting state. The aim was to study the possible lattice response to optical Cooper pair breaking. As sample a thin YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} film with a superconducting transition temperature of T{sub c}=90 K, epitaxially grown on a SrTiO{sub 3} single crystal was used. (orig.)

The pairing theory of polarons in real- and impulse spaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dzhumanov, S.; Abboudy, S.; Baratov, A.A.

1995-07-01

A consistent pairing theory of carriers in real- and impulse spaces is developed. The pairing of different free (F), delocalized (D) and self-trapped (S) carriers in real-space, leading to the formation of various bipolaronic states are considered within the continuum model and adiabatic approximation taking into account the combined effect of the short- and long-range components of electron-lattice interaction with and without electron correlation. The formation possibility of D- and S-bipolarons as a function of ε ∞ /ε 0 are shown. The pairing scenarios of carriers in k-space leading to the formation of different bipolarons (including also Cooper pairs dynamic bipolarons) are considered within the generalized BCS-like model taking into account the combined phonon and polaron-bag mediated processes. It is shown that the pure BCS pairing picture is the particular case of the general BCS-like one. The possible relevance of the obtained results to high-T c superconductors is discussed in details in the framework of a novel two-stage Fermi-Bose-liquid scenarios of superconductivity which is caused by single particle and pair condensation of an attracting bipolarons. (author). 51 refs, 6 figs

Tetracritical point and current circulations in superconducting state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyavskij, V.I.; Kopaev, Yu.V.; Smirnov, M.Yu.

2005-01-01

Phase diagram reflecting the key peculiar features of the standard diagram of the cuprate superconductors was studied in terms of the Ginzburg-Landau phenomenology near the tetracritical point resulting from the competition of superconducting and dielectric channels of pairing. Two-component parameter of order the relative phase of which is associated with antiferromagnetic dielectric ordering corresponds to the superconducting pairing at repulsion. In case of slight doping the dielectric order coexists with superconductivity below the temperature of superconducting phase transition and manifests itself as a slight pseudoslit above the mentioned temperature. A segment of pseudoslit region adjacent to the superconducting state corresponds to the matured fluctuations of the order parameter in the form of quasi-stationary states of noncoherent superconducting pairs and may be interpreted as a region of a strong pseudoslit. At increase of doping one observes a phase transition from the coexistence region and the orbital antiferromagnetism to the conventional superconducting state covering the region of matured fluctuations of the order parameter in the form of quasi-stationary states of the noncorrelated orbital circulation currents adjacent to the line of phase transition [ru

A large superconducting accelerator project. International linear collider (ILC). Introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Akira

2013-01-01

The international linear collider (ILC) is proposed as the next-energy-frontier particle accelerator anticipated to be realized through global cooperation. The ILC accelerator is composed of a pair of electron and positron linear accelerators to realize head-on collision with a center-of-mass energy of 500 (250+250) GeV. It is based on superconducting radio-frequency (SCRF) technology, and the R and D and technical design have progressed in the technical design phase since 2007, and the technical design report (TDR) reached completion in 2012. This report reviews the ILC general design and technology. (author)

Color symmetrical superconductivity in a schematic nuclear quark model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bohr, Henrik; Providencia, C.; da Providencia, J.

2010-01-01

In this letter, a novel BCS-type formalism is constructed in the framework of a schematic QCD inspired quark model, having in mind the description of color symmetrical superconducting states. In the usual approach to color superconductivity, the pairing correlations affect only the quasi-particle...... states of two colors, the single-particle states of the third color remaining unaffected by the pairing correlations. In the theory of color symmetrical superconductivity here proposed, the pairing correlations affect symmetrically the quasi-particle states of the three colors and vanishing net color...

Superconductivity in borides and carbides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muranaka, Takahiro

2007-01-01

It was thought that intermetallic superconductors do not exhibit superconductivity at temperatures over 30 K because of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) limit; therefore, researchers have been interested in high-T c cuprates. Our group discovered high-T c superconductivity in MgB 2 at 39 K in 2001. This discovery has initiated a substantial interest in the potential of high-T c superconductivity in intermetallic compounds that include 'light' elements (borides, carbides, etc.). (author)

A Superconducting Dual-Channel Photonic Switch.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Yogesh Kumar; Manjappa, Manukumara; Cong, Longqing; Krishnamoorthy, Harish N S; Savinov, Vassili; Pitchappa, Prakash; Singh, Ranjan

2018-06-05

The mechanism of Cooper pair formation and its underlying physics has long occupied the investigation into high temperature (high-T c ) cuprate superconductors. One of the ways to unravel this is to observe the ultrafast response present in the charge carrier dynamics of a photoexcited specimen. This results in an interesting approach to exploit the dissipation-less dynamic features of superconductors to be utilized for designing high-performance active subwavelength photonic devices with extremely low-loss operation. Here, dual-channel, ultrafast, all-optical switching and modulation between the resistive and the superconducting quantum mechanical phase is experimentally demonstrated. The ultrafast phase switching is demonstrated via modulation of sharp Fano resonance of a high-T c yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) superconducting metamaterial device. Upon photoexcitation by femtosecond light pulses, the ultrasensitive cuprate superconductor undergoes dual dissociation-relaxation dynamics, with restoration of superconductivity within a cycle, and thereby establishes the existence of dual switching windows within a timescale of 80 ps. Pathways are explored to engineer the secondary dissociation channel which provides unprecedented control over the switching speed. Most importantly, the results envision new ways to accomplish low-loss, ultrafast, and ultrasensitive dual-channel switching applications that are inaccessible through conventional metallic and dielectric based metamaterials. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dimensionality Driven Enhancement of Ferromagnetic Superconductivity in URhGe

Science.gov (United States)

Braithwaite, Daniel; Aoki, Dai; Brison, Jean-Pascal; Flouquet, Jacques; Knebel, Georg; Nakamura, Ai; Pourret, Alexandre

2018-01-01

In most unconventional superconductors, like the high-Tc cuprates, iron pnictides, or heavy-fermion systems, superconductivity emerges in the proximity of an electronic instability. Identifying unambiguously the pairing mechanism remains nevertheless an enormous challenge. Among these systems, the orthorhombic uranium ferromagnetic superconductors have a unique position, notably because magnetic fields couple directly to ferromagnetic order, leading to the fascinating discovery of the reemergence of superconductivity in URhGe at a high field. Here we show that uniaxial stress is a remarkable tool allowing the fine-tuning of the pairing strength. With a relatively small stress, the superconducting phase diagram is spectacularly modified, with a merging of the low- and high-field superconducting states and a significant enhancement of the superconductivity. The superconducting critical temperature increases both at zero field and under a field, reaching 1 K, more than twice higher than at ambient pressure. This enhancement of superconductivity is shown to be directly related to a change of the magnetic dimensionality detected from an increase of the transverse magnetic susceptibility: In addition to the Ising-type longitudinal ferromagnetic fluctuations, transverse magnetic fluctuations also play an important role in the superconducting pairing.

Geneva University - Superconducting flux quantum bits: fabricated quantum objects

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

Ecole de physique Département de physique nucléaire et corspusculaire 24, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 1211 GENEVE 4 Tél: (022) 379 62 73 Fax: (022) 379 69 92 Lundi 29 janvier 2007 COLLOQUE DE LA SECTION DE PHYSIQUE 17 heures - Auditoire Stueckelberg Superconducting flux quantum bits: fabricated quantum objects Prof. Hans Mooij / Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology The quantum conjugate variables of a superconductor are the charge or number of Cooper pairs, and the phase of the order parameter. In circuits that contain small Josephson junctions, these quantum properties can be brought forward. In Delft we study so-called flux qubits, superconducting rings that contain three small Josephson junctions. When a magnetic flux of half a flux quantum is applied to the loop, there are two states with opposite circulating current. For suitable junction parameters, a quantum superposition of those macroscopic states is possible. Transitions can be driven with resonant microwaves. These quantum ...

Pengaruh Pendekatan Cooperative Learning Tipe (TPS Think, Pair, and Share Terhadap Hasil Belajar PKn di Sekolah Dasar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sulistyani Puteri Ramadhani

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan pendekatan cooperative learning tipe think, pair, and share terhadap hasil belajar PKn pada siswa kelas V sekolah dasar. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di SDN Kebon Baru 10 Pagi dengan sampel penelitian siswa kelas V pada semester II tahun pelajaran 2016-2017. Sampel penelitian menggunakan teknik Simple Random Sampling. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen. Adapun teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan menggunakan lembar tes yang dilakukan setelah materi pembelajaran diberikan lembar tes untuk mengetahui hasil belajar PKn siswa, yang sebelumnya telah dilakukan pengujian validitas dan reliabilitas dengan justifikasi ahli dan dianalisis dengan uji normalitas dan uji homogenitas baik kelas kontrol maupun kelas eksperimen. Hasil pengujian normalitas menunjukan bahwa kedua kelas berdistribusi normal. Hasil pengujian homogenitas menunjukan bahwa kedua kelas tersebut homogen. Setelah dilakukan uji persyaratan analisis, maka dilakukan uji hipotesis dengan perhitungan uji-t. Berdasarkan hasil perhitungan uji-t maka hipotesis nol (Ho ditolak dan hipotesis kerja (H1 diterima. Dari perhitungan tersebut maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa penggunaan pendekatan cooperative learning tipe think, pair, and share berpengaruh signifikan terhadap hasil belajar PKn pada siswa kelas V sekolah dasar. Implikasi hasil penelitian ini adalah penggunaan pendekatan cooperative learning tipe think, pair, and share pada pembelajaran PKn dapat  diterapkan guru agar dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa.

Superconductivity in transition metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Slocombe, Daniel R; Kuznetsov, Vladimir L; Grochala, Wojciech; Williams, Robert J P; Edwards, Peter P

2015-03-13

A qualitative account of the occurrence and magnitude of superconductivity in the transition metals is presented, with a primary emphasis on elements of the first row. Correlations of the important parameters of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory of superconductivity are highlighted with respect to the number of d-shell electrons per atom of the transition elements. The relation between the systematics of superconductivity in the transition metals and the periodic table high-lights the importance of short-range or chemical bonding on the remarkable natural phenomenon of superconductivity in the chemical elements. A relationship between superconductivity and lattice instability appears naturally as a balance and competition between localized covalent bonding and so-called broken covalency, which favours d-electron delocalization and superconductivity. In this manner, the systematics of superconductivity and various other physical properties of the transition elements are related and unified. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Transport through hybrid superconducting/normal nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Futterer, David

2013-01-29

We mainly investigate transport through interacting quantum dots proximized by superconductors. For this purpose we extend an existing theory to describe transport through proximized quantum dots coupled to normal and superconducting leads. It allows us to study the influence of a strong Coulomb interaction on Andreev currents and Josephson currents. This is a particularly interesting topic because it combines two competing properties: in superconductors Cooper pairs are formed by two electrons which experience an attractive interaction while two electrons located on a quantum dot repel each other due to the Coulomb interaction. It seems at first glance that transport processes involving Cooper pairs should be suppressed because of the two competing interactions. However, it is possible to proximize the dot in nonequilibrium situations. At first, we study a setup composed of a quantum dot coupled to one normal, one ferromagnetic, and one superconducting lead in the limit of an infinitely-large superconducting gap. Within this limit the coupling between dot and superconductor is described exactly by the presented theory. It leads to the formation of Andreev-bound states (ABS) and an additional bias scheme opens in which a pure spin current, i.e. a spin current with a vanishing associated charge current, can be generated. In a second work, starting from the infinite-gap limit, we perform a systematic expansion of the superconducting gap around infinity and investigate Andreev currents and Josephson currents. This allows us to estimate the validity of infinite-gap calculations for real systems in which the superconducting gap is usually a rather small quantity. We find indications that a finite gap renormalizes the ABS and propose a resummation approach to explore the finite-gap ABS. Despite the renormalization effects the modifications of transport by finite gaps are rather small. This result lets us conclude that the infinite-gap calculation is a valuable tool to

Transport through hybrid superconducting/normal nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Futterer, David

2013-01-01

We mainly investigate transport through interacting quantum dots proximized by superconductors. For this purpose we extend an existing theory to describe transport through proximized quantum dots coupled to normal and superconducting leads. It allows us to study the influence of a strong Coulomb interaction on Andreev currents and Josephson currents. This is a particularly interesting topic because it combines two competing properties: in superconductors Cooper pairs are formed by two electrons which experience an attractive interaction while two electrons located on a quantum dot repel each other due to the Coulomb interaction. It seems at first glance that transport processes involving Cooper pairs should be suppressed because of the two competing interactions. However, it is possible to proximize the dot in nonequilibrium situations. At first, we study a setup composed of a quantum dot coupled to one normal, one ferromagnetic, and one superconducting lead in the limit of an infinitely-large superconducting gap. Within this limit the coupling between dot and superconductor is described exactly by the presented theory. It leads to the formation of Andreev-bound states (ABS) and an additional bias scheme opens in which a pure spin current, i.e. a spin current with a vanishing associated charge current, can be generated. In a second work, starting from the infinite-gap limit, we perform a systematic expansion of the superconducting gap around infinity and investigate Andreev currents and Josephson currents. This allows us to estimate the validity of infinite-gap calculations for real systems in which the superconducting gap is usually a rather small quantity. We find indications that a finite gap renormalizes the ABS and propose a resummation approach to explore the finite-gap ABS. Despite the renormalization effects the modifications of transport by finite gaps are rather small. This result lets us conclude that the infinite-gap calculation is a valuable tool to

Cooper pair formation dynamics in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaindl, R.A.; Carnahan, M.A.; Orenstein, J.; Chemla, D.S.; Oh, S.; Eckstein, J.N.

2003-01-01

We utilize ultrafast terahertz pulses to monitor the carrier dynamics in the high-TC superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta. The temperature, density and time dependence distinctly exposes a bimolecular recombination process of quasiparticles which underlies formation of Cooper pairs

The Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning Model of Pair Checks Type on Motivation and Mathematics Learning Outcomes of 8th Grade Junior High School Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wahyu Budi Wicaksono

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to know the effectiveness of Pair Checks cooperative model towards students’ learning result and learning motivation of eight grade. Population of this research were students of eight grade Junior High School 2 Pati in the academic year 2016/1017. The research used cluster random sampling technique.Where the selected samples were students of class VIII H as experimental class and class VIII G as control class. The data collected by the method of documentation, test methods, and scale methods. The analyzed of data used completeness test and average different test. The results showed that: (1 students’ learning result who join Pair Checks cooperative model have classical study completeness; (2 students’ mathematics learning result who join Pair Checks cooperative model is better than students mathematics learning result who join ekspository learning; (3 students’ learning motivation who join Pair Checks cooperative model is better than students’ learning motivation who join ekspository learning.

Axicell MFTF-B superconducting-magnet system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.T.; Bulmer, R.; Hanson, C.; Hinkle, R.; Kozman, T.; Shimer, D.; Tatro, R.; VanSant, J.; Wohlwend, J.

1982-01-01

The Axicell MFTF-B magnet system will provide the field environment necessary for tandem mirror plasma physics investigation with thermal barriers. The performance of the device will stimulate DT to achieve energy break-even plasma conditions. Operation will be with deuterium only. There will be 24 superconducting coils consisting of 2 sets of yin-yang pairs, 14 central-cell solenoids, 2 sets of axicell mirror-coil pairs, and 2 transition coils between the axicell mirror coil-pairs and the yin-yang coils. This paper describes the progress in the design and construction of MFTF-B Superconducting-Magnet System

Fulde-Ferrell state in superconducting core/shell nanowires: role of the orbital effect

Science.gov (United States)

Mika, Marek; Wójcik, Paweł

2017-11-01

The orbital effect on the Fulde-Ferrell (FF) phase is investigated in superconducting core/shell nanowires subjected to the axial magnetic field. Confinement in the radial direction results in quantization of the electron motion with energies determined by the radial j and orbital m quantum numbers. In the external magnetic field, the twofold degeneracy with respect to the orbital magnetic quantum number m is lifted which leads to the Fermi wave vector mismatch between the paired electrons, (k, j, m, \\uparrow) ≤ftrightarrow (-k, j, -m, \\downarrow) . This mismatch is transferred to the nonzero total momentum of the Cooper pairs, which results in a formation of the FF phase occurring sequentially with increasing magnetic field. By changing the nanowire radius R and the superconducting shell thickness d, we discuss the role of the orbital effect in the FF phase formation in both the nanowire-like (R/d \\ll 1 ) and nanofilm-like (R/d \\gg 1 ) regime. We have found that the irregular pattern of the FF phase which appears for the case of the nanowire-like regime, for the nanofilm-like geometry evolves towards the regular distribution in which the FF phase stability regions emerge periodically between the BCS states. The transition between these two different phase diagrams is explained as resulting from the orbital effect and the multigap character of superconductivity in the core/shell nanowires.

Superconductivity in the Penson-Kolb Model on a Triangular Lattice

Science.gov (United States)

Ptok, A.; Mierzejewski, M.

2008-07-01

We investigate properties of the two-dimensional Penson-Kolb model with repulsive pair hopping interaction. In the case of a bipartite square lattice this interaction may lead to the η-type pairing, when the phase of superconducting order parameter changes from one lattice site to the neighboring one. We show that this interaction may be responsible for the onset of superconductivity also for a triangular lattice. We discuss the spatial dependence of the superconducting order parameter and demonstrate that the total momentum of the paired electrons is determined by the lattice geometry.

Role of superconducting energy gap in extended BCS-Bose crossover theory

Science.gov (United States)

Chávez, I.; García, L. A.; de Llano, M.; Grether, M.

2017-10-01

The generalized Bose-Einstein condensation (GBEC) theory of superconductivity (SC) is briefly surveyed. It hinges on three distinct new ingredients: (i) Treatment of Cooper pairs (CPs) as actual bosons since they obey Bose statistics, in contrast to BCS pairs which do not obey Bose commutation relations; (ii) inclusion of two-hole Cooper pairs (2hCPs) on an equal footing with two-electron Cooper pairs (2eCPs), thus making this a complete boson-fermion (BF) model; and (iii) inclusion in the resulting ternary ideal BF gas with particular BF vertex interactions that drive boson formation/disintegration processes. GBEC subsumes as special cases both BCS (having its 50-50 symmetry of both kinds of CPs) and ordinary BEC theories (having no 2hCPs), as well as the now familiar BCS-Bose crossover theory. We extended the crossover theory with the explicit inclusion of 2hCPs and construct a phase diagram of Tc/TF versus n/nf, where Tc and TF are the critical and Fermi temperatures, n is the total number density and nf that of unbound electrons at T = 0. Also, with this extended crossover one can construct the energy gap Δ(T)/Δ(0) versus T/Tc for some elemental SCs by solving at least two equations numerically: a gap-like and a number equation. In 50-50 symmetry, the energy gap curve agrees quite well with experimental data. But ignoring 2hCPs altogether leads to the gap curve falling substantially below that with 50-50 symmetry which already fits the data quite well, showing that 2hCPs are indispensable to describe SCs.

From Electrons Paired to Electric Power Delivered- A Personal Journey in Research and Applications of Superconductivity at IBM, EPRI, and Beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Paul

2014-03-01

This talk will reprise a personal journey by the speaker in industrial and applied physics, commencing with his employment by IBM at age 17 in the early 1950s, and continuing through his corporate sponsored undergraduate and graduate years at Clarkson and Harvard Universities, resulting in 1965 in a doctorate in applied physics from the latter. He was subsequently assigned by IBM to its research division in San Jose (now Almaden), where he initially carried out both pure and applied theoretical and experimental investigations encompassing a broad range of company-related product technologies...storage, display, printer and data acquisition hardware and software. In 1973, he undertook performing DFT and quantum Monte Carlo calculations in support of group research in the then emerging field of organic and polymer superconductors, a very esoteric pursuit at the time. Following upon several corporate staff assignments involving various product development and sales strategies, in 1982 he was appointed manager of the cooperative phenomena group in the Almaden Research Center, which beginning in early 1987, made significant contributions to both the basic science and applications of high temperature superconductivity (HTSC). In 1993, after a 40-year career, he retired from IBM to accept a Science Fellow position at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) where he funded power application development of superconductivity. In 2004, he retired from his EPRI career to undertake ``due diligence'' consulting services in support of the venture capital community in Silicon Valley. As a ``hobby,'' he currently pursues and publishes DFT studies in hope of discovering the pairing mechanism of HTSC. In summary, the speaker's career in industrial and applied physics demonstrates one can combine publishing a record three PRLs in one month with crawling around underground in substations with utility lineman helping install superconducting cables, along the way publishing 10

The filled skutterudite PrOs4Sb12: superconductivity and correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Measson, M.A.

2005-12-01

The filled skutterudite PrOs 4 Sb 12 is the first Pr-based heavy fermion superconductor. This thesis addresses several important open questions including the determination of the quasi-particle mass renormalisation, the nature and mechanism of superconductivity, and the intrinsic or extrinsic nature of the double superconducting transition seen in the specific heat. A fit of the specific heat with magnetic interactions between the ions Pr is proposed. We extract from it an electronic term of between 300-750 mJ/K 2 .mol(Pr). Analysis of the specific heat jump provides evidence that heavy carriers are involved in Cooper pairing and that superconductivity is strongly coupled. Extensive characterizations by specific heat, resistivity, susceptibility measurements show that a double transition appears in the best samples. Nevertheless we bring the first serious doubts on the intrinsic nature of the double transition, because we have found samples with a single sharp transition at Tc2 and because the ratio of the two specific heat jumps shows strong dispersion among the samples. Furthermore we have measured the superconducting phase diagrams with an A.C. specific heat technique under magnetic field and under pressure up to 4.2 GPa, and we show that the two transitions, Tc1 and Tc2, exhibit similar behaviours with magnetic field and pressure. We find a strong change in the pressure dependence of Tc's above 2 GPa which might be related to a change in the nature of the superconductivity under pressure (at least partially mediated by fluctuations and only by phonons at respectively low and high pressure) which may be linked to the increase of the crystal field gap of the Pr ions. Analysis of the upper critical field shows the presence of at least two superconducting bands and concludes to a singlet nature of the pairing. A strong distortion of the flux-line lattice, which is constant with temperature and field, is obtained by small angle neutron scattering measurement

Unconventional superconductivity in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Ying [Department of Physics and Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093 (China); Mao, Zhi-Qiang [Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118 (United States)

2015-07-15

Highlights: • Constraints on and experimental support to unconventional superconductivity in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}. • Phase-sensitive determination of the pairing symmetry in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}. • Response of superconductivity to mechanical perturbations. • Superconductivity in non-bulk Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}. • Unresolved issues and outlook in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} research. - Abstract: Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}, featuring a layered perovskite crystalline and quasi-two-dimensional electronic structure, was first synthesized in 1959. Unconventional, p-wave pairing was predicted for Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} by Rice and Sigrist and Baskaran shortly after superconductivity in this material was discovered in 1994. Experimental evidence for unconventional superconductivity in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} has been accumulating in the past two decades and reviewed previously. In this article, we will first discuss constraints on the pairing symmetry of superconductivity in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} and summarize experimental evidence supporting the unconventional pairing symmetry in this material. We will then present several aspects of the experimental determination of the unconventional superconductivity in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} in some detail. In particular, we will discuss the phase-sensitive measurements that have played an important role in the determination of the pairing symmetry in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}. The responses of superconductivity to the mechanical perturbations and their implications on the mechanism of superconductivity will be discussed. A brief survey of various non-bulk Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} will also be included to illustrate the many unusual features resulted from the unconventional nature of superconductivity in this material system. Finally, we will discuss some outstanding unresolved issues on Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} and provide an outlook of the future work on Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}.

Direct measurement of the quantum state of the electromagnetic field in a superconducting transmission line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melo, F. de; Aolita, L.; Davidovich, L.; Toscano, F.

2006-01-01

We propose an experimental procedure to directly measure the state of an electromagnetic field inside a resonator, corresponding to a superconducting transmission line, coupled to a Cooper-pair box (CPB). The measurement protocol is based on the use of a dispersive interaction between the field and the CPB, and the coupling to an external classical field that is tuned to resonance with either the field or the CPB. We present a numerical simulation that demonstrates the feasibility of this protocol, which is within reach of present technology

INTERLAYER OPTICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF A SUPERCONDUCTING BILAYER

NARCIS (Netherlands)

GARTSTEIN, YN; RICE, MJ; VANDERMAREL, D

1994-01-01

We employ the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory to calculate the frequency-dependent interlayer conductivity of a superconducting bilayer, the two layers of which are coupled by weak single-particle tunneling. The effect of the superconducting transition on the normal-state absorption band is to

Similarity in the superconducting properties of chalcogenides, cuprate oxides and fullerides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsendin, K.D.; Popov, B.P.; Denisov, D.V.

2004-01-01

The idea of Anderson pairs has been put forward for explanation of many extraordinary properties of chalcogenides glassy semiconductors. Recent decades made obvious that these pairs localized on the centers with negative effective correlation energy (negative-U centers) really exist in chalcogenides. If the concentration of negative-U centers is enough to create the pair band states, this can lead to superconductivity because Anderson pairs are Bose particles. In the present paper we show that several puzzling superconductivity properties of chalcogenides, high-temperature cuprate superconductors and fullerides are similar for these three groups of materials and can be naturally explained in the frame of negative-U centers model of superconductivity

Superconducting spin valve effect in Fe/In based heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leksin, Pavel; Schumann, Joachim; Kataev, Vladislav; Schmidt, Oliver; Buechner, Bernd [Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research IFW Dresden (Germany); Garifyanov, Nadir; Garifullin, Ilgiz [Zavoisky Physical-Technical Institute, Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences (Russian Federation)

2015-07-01

We report on magnetic and superconducting properties of the spin-valve multilayer system CoOx/Fe1/Cu/Fe2/In. The Superconducting Spin Valve Effect (SSVE) assumes the T{sub c} difference between parallel (P) and antiparallel (AP) orientations of the Fe1 and Fe2 layers' magnetizations. The SSVE value oscillates and changes its sign when the Fe2 layer thickness d{sub Fe2} is varied from 0 to 5 nm. The SSVE value is positive, as expected, in the range 0.4 nm ≤ d{sub Fe2} ≤ 0.8 nm. For a rather broad range of thicknesses 1 nm ≤ d{sub Fe2} ≤ 2.6 nm the SSVE has negative sign assuming the inverse SSVE. Moreover, the magnitude of the inverse effect is larger than that of the positive direct effect. We attribute these oscillations to a quantum interference of the cooper pair wave functions in the magnetic part of the system. For most of the spin-valve samples from this set we experimentally realized the full switching between normal and superconducting states due to direct and inverse SSVE. The analysis of the experimental data has enabled the determination of all microscopic parameters of the studied system.

Properties of a tunnel point contact between aluminum and the superconducting amorphous alloy NiZr2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gantmakher, V.F.; Golubov, A.A.; Osherov, M.V.

1989-01-01

The I-V characteristics of a tunnel point contact between aluminum and an amorphous ribbon resembling NiZr 2 in composition differ qualitatively from those of ordinary tunnel junctions between a superconductor and a normal metal. It is demonstrated that the observed curve shapes cannot be explained by accounting solely for one-particle tunneling in conditions of the proximity effect. This is followed by a qualitative discussion of a model in which the current rise at the potential eV equal to the gap width Δ (T) is generated by two-particle electron tunneling through the intermediate state which is manifested as a Cooper pair on the Fermi-level in the thin superconducting layer produced in the aluminum by the proximity effect. The current flowing through the contact will cause a breakdown of superconductivity in the vicinity of the contact at voltages exceeding the gap width. Smallness of the junction plays a decisive role both in inducing superconductivity for eV Δ

Mechanisms of conventional and high Tc superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kresin, V.L.; Morawitz, H.; Wolf, S.A.

1993-01-01

This book gives a careful and objective review of theories of superconductivity in traditional superconductors, organics, and high Tc cuprates. Of course, the authors do still present their own theories of cuprate superconductivity, but only in the final chapter after other possibilities have been discussed. The book should be especially useful for researchers entering the field of high Tc superconductivity. The reviews of photon mediated pairing and strong coupling theory are very welcome, since much of this material has not been reviewed since the classic 1969 volume edited by Parks. In particular the authors dispel the various myths that phonon mediated pairing leads to upper bounds on Tc. In addition to phonon mediated pairing the book discussed in detail pairing due to exchange of acoustic (demon) plasmons, excitons, or magnetic fluctuations. There have been so many diverse mechanisms based on strong correlation and large U Hubbard models that a book like this can only discuss a limited selection of the main contenders. In particular here the emphasis on Fermi liquid based models no doubt reflects the authors' own point of view. A whole chapter discusses the concepts of induced superconductivity, in the proximity effect, and its application to materials with several different electronic subsystems

Hole superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirsch, J.E.; Marsiglio, F.

1989-01-01

The authors review recent work on a mechanism proposed to explain high T c superconductivity in oxides as well as superconductivity of conventional materials. It is based on pairing of hole carriers through their direct Coulomb interaction, and gives rise to superconductivity because of the momentum dependence of the repulsive interaction in the solid state environment. In the regime of parameters appropriate for high T c oxides this mechanism leads to characteristic signatures that should be experimentally verifiable. In the regime of conventional superconductors most of these signatures become unobservable, but the characteristic dependence of T c on band filling survives. New features discussed her include the demonstration that superconductivity can result from repulsive interactions even if the gap function does not change sign and the inclusion of a self-energy correction to the hole propagator that reduces the range of band filling where T c is not zero

Goldstone mode and pair-breaking excitations in atomic Fermi superfluids

Science.gov (United States)

Hoinka, Sascha; Dyke, Paul; Lingham, Marcus G.; Kinnunen, Jami J.; Bruun, Georg M.; Vale, Chris J.

2017-10-01

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a central paradigm of elementary particle physics, magnetism, superfluidity and superconductivity. According to Goldstone's theorem, phase transitions that break continuous symmetries lead to the existence of gapless excitations in the long-wavelength limit. These Goldstone modes can become the dominant low-energy excitation, showing that symmetry breaking has a profound impact on the physical properties of matter. Here, we present a comprehensive study of the elementary excitations in a homogeneous strongly interacting Fermi gas through the crossover from a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superfluid to a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of molecules using two-photon Bragg spectroscopy. The spectra exhibit a discrete Goldstone mode, associated with the broken-symmetry superfluid phase, as well as pair-breaking single-particle excitations. Our techniques yield a direct determination of the superfluid pairing gap and speed of sound in close agreement with strong-coupling theories.

Topological superfluids with finite-momentum pairing and Majorana fermions.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Chunlei; Zheng, Zhen; Gong, Ming; Xu, Yong; Mao, Li; Zou, Xubo; Guo, Guangcan; Zhang, Chuanwei

2013-01-01

Majorana fermions (MFs), quantum particles that are their own antiparticles, are not only of fundamental importance in elementary particle physics and dark matter, but also building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum computation. Recently MFs have been intensively studied in solid state and cold atomic systems. These studies are generally based on superconducting pairing with zero total momentum. On the other hand, finite total momentum Cooper pairings, known as Fulde-Ferrell (FF) Larkin-Ovchinnikov (LO) states, were widely studied in many branches of physics. However, whether FF and LO superconductors can support MFs has not been explored. Here we show that MFs can exist in certain types of gapped FF states, yielding a new quantum matter: topological FF superfluids/superconductors. We demonstrate the existence of such topological FF superfluids and the associated MFs using spin-orbit-coupled degenerate Fermi gases and derive their parameter regions. The implementation of topological FF superconductors in semiconductor/superconductor heterostructures is also discussed.

Concealed d-wave pairs in the s± condensate of iron-based superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ong, Tzen; Coleman, Piers; Schmalian, Jörg

2016-05-17

A central question in iron-based superconductivity is the mechanism by which the paired electrons minimize their strong mutual Coulomb repulsion. In most unconventional superconductors, Coulomb repulsion is minimized through the formation of higher angular momentum Cooper pairs, with Fermi surface nodes in the pair wavefunction. The apparent absence of such nodes in the iron-based superconductors has led to a belief they form an s-wave ([Formula: see text]) singlet state, which changes sign between the electron and hole pockets. However, the multiorbital nature of these systems opens an alternative possibility. Here, we propose a new class of [Formula: see text] state containing a condensate of d-wave Cooper pairs, concealed by their entanglement with the iron orbitals. By combining the d-wave ([Formula: see text]) motion of the pairs with the internal angular momenta [Formula: see text] of the iron orbitals to make a singlet ([Formula: see text]), an [Formula: see text] superconductor with a nontrivial topology is formed. This scenario allows us to understand the development of octet nodes in potassium-doped Ba1-x KXFe2As2 as a reconfiguration of the orbital and internal angular momentum into a high spin ([Formula: see text]) state; the reverse transition under pressure into a fully gapped state can then be interpreted as a return to the low-spin singlet. The formation of orbitally entangled pairs is predicted to give rise to a shift in the orbital content at the Fermi surface, which can be tested via laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy.

A Bethe ansatz solvable model for superpositions of Cooper pairs and condensed molecular bosons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hibberd, K.E.; Dunning, C.; Links, J.

2006-01-01

We introduce a general Hamiltonian describing coherent superpositions of Cooper pairs and condensed molecular bosons. For particular choices of the coupling parameters, the model is integrable. One integrable manifold, as well as the Bethe ansatz solution, was found by Dukelsky et al. [J. Dukelsky, G.G. Dussel, C. Esebbag, S. Pittel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 (2004) 050403]. Here we show that there is a second integrable manifold, established using the boundary quantum inverse scattering method. In this manner we obtain the exact solution by means of the algebraic Bethe ansatz. In the case where the Cooper pair energies are degenerate we examine the relationship between the spectrum of these integrable Hamiltonians and the quasi-exactly solvable spectrum of particular Schrodinger operators. For the solution we derive here the potential of the Schrodinger operator is given in terms of hyperbolic functions. For the solution derived by Dukelsky et al., loc. cit. the potential is sextic and the wavefunctions obey PT-symmetric boundary conditions. This latter case provides a novel example of an integrable Hermitian Hamiltonian acting on a Fock space whose states map into a Hilbert space of PT-symmetric wavefunctions defined on a contour in the complex plane

Magnetization induced by odd-frequency spin-triplet Cooper pairs in a Josephson junction with metallic trilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Hikino, S.; Yunoki, S.

2015-07-01

We theoretically study the magnetization inside a normal metal induced in an s -wave superconductor/ferromagnetic metal/normal metal/ferromagnetic metal/s -wave superconductor (S /F 1 /N /F 2 /S ) Josephson junction. Using the quasiclassical Green's function method, we show that the magnetization becomes finite inside the N . The origin of this magnetization is due to odd-frequency spin-triplet Cooper pairs formed by electrons of equal and opposite spins, which are induced by the proximity effect in the S /F 1 /N /F 2 /S junction. We find that the magnetization M (d ,θ ) in the N can be decomposed into two parts, M (d ,θ ) =MI(d ) +MII(d ,θ ) , where θ is the superconducting phase difference between the two S s and d is the thickness of N . The θ -independent magnetization MI(d ) exists generally in S /F junctions, while MII(d ,θ ) carries all θ dependence and represents the fingerprint of the phase coherence between the two S s in Josephson junctions. The θ dependence thus allows us to control the magnetization in the N by tuning θ for a fixed d . We show that the θ -independent magnetization MI(d ) weakly decreases with increasing d , while the θ -dependent magnetization MII(d ,θ ) rapidly decays with d . Moreover, we find that the time-averaged magnetization exhibits a discontinuous peak at each resonance dc voltage Vn=n ℏ ωS/2 e (n : integer) when dc voltage V as well as ac voltage vac(t ) with frequency ωS are both applied to the S /F 1 /N /F 2 /S junction. This is because MII(d ,θ ) oscillates generally in time t (ac magnetization) with d θ /d t =2 e [V +vac(t ) ]/ℏ and thus =0 , but can be converted into the time-independent dc magnetization for the dc voltage at Vn. We also discuss that the magnetization induced in the N can be measurably large in realistic systems. Therefore, the measurement of the induced magnetization serves as an alternative way to detect the phase coherence between the two S s in Josephson junctions. Our results

Temperature Dependence of Quasiparticle Spectral Weight and Coherence in High Tc Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yang; Zhang, Jessie; Hoffman, Jennifer; Hoffman Lab Team

2014-03-01

Superconductivity arises from the Cooper pairing of quasiparticles on the Fermi surface. Understanding the formation of Cooper pairs is an essential step towards unveiling the mechanism of high Tc superconductivity. We compare scanning tunneling microscope investigations of the temperature dependence of quasiparticle spectral weight and quasiparticle interference in several families of high Tc materials. We calculate the coherent spectral weight related to superconductivity, despite the coexistence of competing orders. The relation between pairing temperature and coherent spectral weight is discussed. We acknowledge support by the New York Community Trust-George Merck Fund.

Positive cooperativity of the specific binding between Hg2+ ion and T:T mismatched base pairs in duplex DNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torigoe, Hidetaka; Miyakawa, Yukako; Ono, Akira; Kozasa, Tetsuo

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Hg 2+ specifically bound with the T:T mismatched base pair at 1:1 molar ratio. ► The binding constant between Hg 2+ and the T:T mismatched base pair was 10 6 M −1 . ► The binding constant was larger than those for nonspecific metal–DNA interactions. ► The binding constant for the second Hg 2+ was larger than that for the first Hg 2+ . ► The positive cooperative binding was observed between Hg 2+ and multiple T:T. - Abstract: Metal-mediated base pairs by the interaction between metal ions and artificial bases in oligonucleotides have been developed for their potential applications in nanotechnology. We recently found that a natural T:T mismatched base pair bound with Hg 2+ ion to form a novel T–Hg–T base pair. Here, we examined the thermodynamic properties of the binding between Hg 2+ and each of the single and double T:T mismatched base pair duplex DNAs by isothermal titration calorimetry. Hg 2+ specifically bound with the T:T mismatched base pair at 1:1 molar ratio with 10 6 M −1 binding constant, which was significantly larger than those for nonspecific metal ion–DNA interactions. In the Hg 2+ –double T:T mismatched base pair interaction, the affinity for the second Hg 2+ binding was significantly larger than that for the first Hg 2+ binding. The positively cooperative binding may be favorable to align multiple Hg 2+ in duplex DNA for the application of the metal-mediated base pairs in nanotechnology.

Orbitally limited pair-density-wave phase of multilayer superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Möckli, David; Yanase, Youichi; Sigrist, Manfred

2018-04-01

We investigate the magnetic field dependence of an ideal superconducting vortex lattice in the parity-mixed pair-density-wave phase of multilayer superconductors within a circular cell Ginzburg-Landau approach. In multilayer systems, due to local inversion symmetry breaking, a Rashba spin-orbit coupling is induced at the outer layers. This combined with a perpendicular paramagnetic (Pauli) limiting magnetic field stabilizes a staggered layer dependent pair-density-wave phase in the superconducting singlet channel. The high-field pair-density-wave phase is separated from the low-field BCS phase by a first-order phase transition. The motivating guiding question in this paper is: What is the minimal necessary Maki parameter αM for the appearance of the pair-density-wave phase of a superconducting trilayer system? To address this problem we generalize the circular cell method for the regular flux-line lattice of a type-II superconductor to include paramagnetic depairing effects. Then, we apply the model to the trilayer system, where each of the layers are characterized by Ginzburg-Landau parameter κ0 and a Maki parameter αM. We find that when the spin-orbit Rashba interaction compares to the superconducting condensation energy, the orbitally limited pair-density-wave phase stabilizes for Maki parameters αM>10 .

Superconducting Electronic Film Structures

Science.gov (United States)

1991-02-14

Segmuller, A., Cooper, E.I., Chisholm, M.F., Gupta, A. Shinde, S., and Laibowitz, R.B. Lanthanum gallate substrates for epitaxial high-T superconducting thin...M. F. Chisholm, A. Gupta, S. Shinde, and R. B. Laibowitz, " Lanthanum Gallate Substrates for Epitaxial High-T c Superconducting Thin Films," Appl...G. Forrester and J. Talvacchio, " Lanthanum Copper Oxide Buffer Layers for Growth of High-T c Superconductor Films," Disclosure No. RDS 90-065, filed

Femtosecond optical detection of quasiparticle dynamics in high-Tc YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconducting thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, S.G.; Vardeny, Z.V.; Wong, K.S.; Symko, O.G.; Koren, G.

1990-01-01

Femtosecond dynamics of photogenerated quasiparticles in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ superconducting thin films shows, at T≤T c , two main electronic processes: (i) quasiparticle avalanche production during hot-carrier thermalization, which takes about 300 fsec; (ii) recombination of quasiparticles to form Cooper pairs, which is completed within 5 psec. In contrastr, nonsuperconducting epitaxial films such as PrBa 2 Cu 2 O 7 and YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6 show regular picosecond electronic response

Single-flavor color superconductivity with color-sextet pairing

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Brauner, Tomáš

2005-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 1 (2005), s. 9-16 ISSN 0011-4626 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA202/02/0847 Keywords : color superconductivity * spontaneous symmetry breaking Subject RIV: BE - Theoretical Physics Impact factor: 0.360, year: 2005

Kohn-Luttinger superconductivity in monolayer and bilayer semimetals with the Dirac spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kagan, M. Yu.; Mitskan, V. A.; Korovushkin, M. M.

2014-01-01

The effect of Coulomb interaction in an ensemble of Dirac fermions on the formation of superconducting pairing in monolayer and bilayer doped graphene is studied using the Kohn-Luttinger mechanism disregarding the Van der Waals potential of the substrate and impurities. The electronic structure of graphene is described using the Shubin-Vonsovsky model taking into account the intratomic, interatomic, and interlayer (in the case of bilayer graphene) Coulomb interactions between electrons. The Cooper instability is determined by solving the Bethe-Saltpeter integral equation. The renormalized scattering amplitude is obtained with allowance for the Kohn-Luttinger polarization contributions up to the second order of perturbation theory in the Coulomb interaction. It plays the role of effective interaction in the Bethe-Salpeter integral equation. It is shown that the allowance for the Kohn-Luttinger renormalizations as well as intersite Coulomb interaction noticeably affects the competition between the superconducting phases with the f-wave and d + id-wave symmetries of the order parameter. It is demonstrated that the superconducting transition temperature for an idealized graphene bilayer with significant interlayer Coulomb interaction between electrons is noticeably higher than in the monolayer case

Normal and superconducting metals at microwave frequencies-classic experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dheer, P.N.

1999-01-01

A brief review of experimental and theoretical work on the behaviour of normal and superconducting materials at microwave frequencies before the publication of Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer's theory of superconductivity is given. The work discussed is mostly that of Pippard and his coworkers. It is shown that these investigations lead not only to a better understanding of the electrodynamics of normal and superconducting state but also of the nature of the superconducting state itself. (author)

Generation of electromagnetic waves and Alfven waves during coalescence of magnetic islands in pair plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, J.I.; Haruki, T.; Kazimura, Y.

2000-01-01

It is shown by using a 2-D fully relativistic electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) code that the tearing instability in a current sheet of pair plasmas is caused by Landau resonances of both electrons and positrons. Strong magnetic flux can be generated during coalescence of magnetic islands in the nonlinear phase of the tearing instability. The magnetic flux produced in an O-type magnetic island is caused from the counter-streaming instability found by Kazimura et al. (1998). It is also shown that charge separation with a quadrupole-like structure is generated from the localized strong magnetic flux. During the decay of the quadrupole-like charge structure as well as the magnetic flux, there appear wave emission with high-frequency electromagnetic waves and Alfven waves as well as Langmuir waves. We also show by using a 3-D PIC code that current filaments associated with the O-type magnetic islands become unstable against the kink instability during the coalescence of current filaments. (orig.)

Characterisation of superconducting capillaries for magnetic shielding of twisted-wire pairs in a neutron electric dipole moment experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henry, S., E-mail: s.henry@physics.ox.ac.uk; Pipe, M.; Cottle, A.; Clarke, C.; Divakar, U.; Lynch, A.

2014-11-01

The cryoEDM neutron electric dipole moment experiment requires a SQUID magnetometry system with pick-up loops inside a magnetically shielded volume connected to SQUID sensors by long (up to 2 m) twisted-wire pairs (TWPs). These wires run outside the main shield, and therefore must run through superconducting capillaries to screen unwanted magnetic pick-up. We show that the average measured transverse magnetic pick-up of a set of lengths of TWPs is equivalent to a loop area of 5.0×10{sup −6} m{sup 2}/m, or 14 twists per metre. From this we set the requirement that the magnetic shielding factor of the superconducting capillaries used in the cryoEDM system must be greater than 8.0×10{sup 4}. The shielding factor—the ratio of the signal picked-up by an unshielded TWP to that induced in a shielded TWP—was measured for a selection of superconducting capillaries made from solder wire. We conclude the transverse shielding factor of a uniform capillary is greater than 10{sup 7}. The measured pick-up was equal to, or less than that due to direct coupling to the SQUID sensor (measured without any TWP attached). We show that discontinuities in the capillaries substantially impair the magnetic shielding, yet if suitably repaired, this can be restored to the shielding factor of an unbroken capillary. We have constructed shielding assemblies for cryoEDM made from lengths of single core and triple core solder capillaries, joined by a shielded Pb cylinder, incorporating a heater to heat the wires above the superconducting transition as required.

Nonlinearity in superconductivity and Josephson junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarides, N.

1995-01-01

Within the framework of the Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffers (BCS) theory, the influence of anisotropy on superconducting states are investigated. Crystal anisotropy exists in un-conventional low temperature superconductors as e.g. U 1-x Th x Be 13 and in high temperature superconductors. Starting from a phenomenological pairing interaction of the electrons or holes, the BCS approach is used to derive a set of coupled nonlinear algebraic equations for the momentum dependent gap parameter. The emphasis is put on bifurcation phenomena between s-, d-wave and mixed s- and d-wave symmetry and the influence on measurable quantities as the electron specific heat, spin susceptibility and Josephson tunnelling. Pitch-fork and perturbed pitch-fork bifurcations have been found separating s- and d-wave superconducting states from mixed s- and d-wave states. The additional superconducting states give rise to jumps in the electron specific heat below the transition temperature. These jumps are rounded in the case of perturbed pitch-fork bifurcations. An experiment to measure the sign of the interlayer interaction using dc SQUIDS is suggested. The Ambegaokar-Baratoff formalism has been used for calculating the quasiparticle current and the two phase coherent tunnelling currents in a Josephson junction made of anisotropic superconductors. It is shown that anisotropy can lead to a reduction in the product of the normal resistance and the critical current. For low voltages across the junction the usual resistively shunted Josephson model can be used. Finally, bunching in long circular Josephson junctions and suppression of chaos in point junctions have been investigated. (au) 113 refs

Pre-critical phenomena of two-flavor color superconductivity in heated quark matter. Diquark-pair fluctuations and non-Fermi liquid behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitazawa, Masakiyo; Kunihiro, Teiji; Koide, Tomoi; Nemoto, Yukio

2005-01-01

We investigate the fluctuations of the diquark-pair field and their effects on observables above the critical temperature T c in two-flavor color superconductivity (CSC) at moderate density using a Nambu-Jona-Lasinio-type effective model of QCD. Because of the strong-coupling nature of the dynamics, the fluctuations of the pair field develop a collective mode, which has a prominent strength even well above T c . We show that the collective mode is actually the soft mode of CSC. We examine the effects of the pair fluctuations on the specific heat and the quark spectrum for T above but close to T c . We find that the specific heat exhibits singular behavior because of the pair fluctuations, in accordance with the general theory of second-order phase transitions. The quarks display a typical non-Fermi liquid behavior, owing to the coupling with the soft mode, leading to a pseudo-gap in the density of states of the quarks in the vicinity of the critical point. Some experimental implications of the precursory phenomena are also discussed. (author)

Unconventional superconductivity of the heavy fermion compound UNi2Al3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakharov, Andrey

2008-01-01

The heavy fermion compound UNi 2 Al 3 exhibits the coexistence of superconductivity and magnetic order at low temperatures, stimulating speculations about possible exotic Cooper-pairing interaction in this superconductor. However, the preparation of good quality bulk single crystals of UNi 2 Al 3 has proven to be a non-trivial task due to metallurgical problems, which result in the formation of an UAl 2 impurity phase and hence a strongly reduced sample purity. The present work concentrates on the preparation, characterization and electronic properties investigation of UNi 2 Al 3 single crystalline thin film samples. The preparation of thin films was accomplished in a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system. (100)-oriented epitaxial thin films of UNi 2 Al 3 were grown on single crystalline YAlO 3 substrates cut in (010)- or (112)-direction. The high crystallographic quality of the samples was proved by several characterisation methods, such as X-ray analysis, RHEED and TEM. To study the magnetic structure of epitaxial thin films resonant magnetic X-ray scattering was employed. The magnetic order of thin the film samples, the formation of magnetic domains with different moment directions, and the magnetic correlation length were discussed. The electronic properties of the UNi 2 Al 3 thin films in the normal and superconducting states were investigated by means of transport measurements. A pronounced anisotropy of the temperature dependent resistivity ρ(T) was observed. Moreover, it was found that the temperature of the resistive superconducting transition depends on the current direction, providing evidence for multiband superconductivity in UNi 2 Al 3 . The initial slope of the upper critical field H' c2 (T) of the thin film samples suggests an unconventional spin-singlet superconducting state, as opposed to bulk single crystal data. To probe the superconducting gap of UNi 2 Al 3 directly by means of tunnelling spectroscopy many planar junctions of different design

Mean-field approach to unconventional superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sacks, William; Mauger, Alain; Noat, Yves

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A model Hamiltonian for unconventional superconductivity (SC) is proposed. • The pseudogap (PG) state is described in terms of pair fluctuations. • SC coherence is restored by a new pair–pair interaction, which counteracts fluctuations. • Given the temperature dependence of the parameters, the SC to PG transition is examined. • The theory fits the ‘peak–dip–hump’ features of cuprate and pnictide excitation spectra. - Abstract: We propose a model that connects the quasiparticle spectral function of high-T c superconductors to the condensation energy. Given the evidence for pair correlations above T c , we consider a coarse-grain Hamiltonian of fluctuating pairs describing the incoherent pseudogap (PG) state, together with a novel pair–pair interaction term that restores long-range superconducting (SC) coherence below T c . A mean-field solution then leads to a self-consistent gap equation containing the new pair–pair coupling. The corresponding spectral function A(k,E) reveals the characteristic peak–dip–hump features of cuprates, now observed on iron pnictides (LiFeAs). The continuous transition from SC to PG states is discussed

Magnetic flux periodicities and finite momentum pairing in unconventional superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loder, Florian

2009-12-22

This work contains a thorough study of the magnetic flux periodicity of loops of conventional and unconventional, especially d-wave, superconductors. Although already in 1961, several independent works showed that the flux period of a conventional superconducting loop is the superconducting flux quantum hc/2e, this question has never been investigated deeply for unconventional superconductors. And indeed, we show here that d-wave superconducting loops show a basic flux period of the normal flux quantum hc/e, a property originating from the nodal quasi-particle states. This doubling of the flux periodicity is best visible in the persistent current circulating in the loop, and it affects other properties of the superconductor such as the periodicity of d-wave Josephson junctions. In the second part of this work, the theory of electron pairing with finite center-of-mass momentum, necessary for the description of superconducting loops, is extended to systems in zero magnetic field. We show that even in the field free case, an unconventional pairing symmetry can lead to a superconducting ground state with finite-momentum electron pairs. Such a state has an inhomogeneous charge density and therefore is a basis for the description of coexistence of superconductivity and stripe order. (orig.)

Effect of superconducting correlation on the localization of quasiparticles in low dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiang, T.

1995-01-01

Localization lengths of superconducting quasiparticles λ s are evaluated and compared with the corresponding normal-state values λ n in one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional lattices. The effect of superconducting correlation on the localization of quasiparticles is generally stronger in an off-site pairing state than in an on-site pairing state. The modification of superconducting correlation to λ is strongly correlated with the density of states (DOS) of superconducting quasiparticles. λ s drops within the energy gap but is largely enhanced around energies where DOS peaks appear. For a gapless pairing state in 1D or a d-wave pairing state in 2D, λ s /λ n at the Fermi energy E F is of order 1 and determined purely by the value of gap parameter not by the random potential. For the d-wave pairing state, the localization effect is largely weakened compared with the corresponding normal state and quasiparticles with energies close to E F are more strongly localized than other low-energy quasiparticles

Theories of superconductivity (a few remarks)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ginzburg, V.L.

1992-01-01

The early history in the development of superconductivity. Idea of pairing, Schafroth and BCS types of theories. Some remarks on present state of the microscopical theory of high-temperature superconductors (HTSC). Mean field macroscopic theory of superconductivity and its specific features in HTSC. About generalized macroscopic theory applicable in critical region. Concluding remarks. (orig.)

Teledyne's historical contribution to developing superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, W.K.

1986-01-01

Of the contributions made to superconductivity by Teledyne Wah Change Albany (TWCA), two have been outstanding. The first is the establishment of a stable and low cost NbTi alloy. Estimates of cost savings passed along to conductor manufacturers and, subsequently, to the applications of superconductivity range between $24,000,000 and $31,000,000 over the years from 1980 to present. Secondly, TWCA has understood the necessity of cooperating with the scientific community in order to understand critical relationships of metallurgy to superconductivity characteristics. The knowledge gained is integrated into alloy production on a commercial basis. The most notable example is the recent increase in current density prospects for the proposed Superconducting Super Collider

Unconventional superconductivity in cuprates, cobaltates and graphene. What is universal and what is material-dependent in strongly versus weakly correlated materials?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiesel, Maximilian Ludwig

2013-01-01

A general theory for all classes of unconventional superconductors is still one of the unsolved key issues in condensed-matter physics. Actually, it is not yet fully settled if there is a common underlying pairing mechanism. Instead, it might be possible that several distinct sources for unconventional (not phonon-mediated) superconductivity have to be considered, or an electron-phonon interaction is not negligible. The focus of this thesis is on the most probable mechanism for the formation of Cooper pairs in unconventional superconductors, namely a strictly electronic one where spin fluctuations are the mediators. Studying different superconductors in this thesis, the emphasis is put on material-independent features of the pairing mechanism. In addition, the investigation of the phase diagrams enables a view on the vicinity of superconductivity. Thus, it is possible to clarify which competing quantum fluctuations enhance or weaken the propensity for a superconducting state. The broad range of superconducting materials requires the use of more than one numerical technique to study an appropriate microscopic description. This is not a problem but a big advantage because this facilitates the approach-independent description of common underlying physics. For this evaluation, the strongly correlated cuprates are simulated with the variational cluster approach. Especially the question of a pairing glue is taken into consideration. Furthermore, it is possible to distinguish between retarded and non-retarded contributions to the gap function. The cuprates are confronted with the cobaltate Na x CoO 2 and graphene. These weakly correlated materials are investigated with the functional renormalization group (fRG) and reveal a comprehensive phase diagram, including a d+id-wave superconductivity, which breaks time-reversal symmetry. The corresponding gap function is nodeless, but for NaCoO, it features a doping-dependent anisotropy. In addition, some general considerations on

Unconventional superconductivity in cuprates, cobaltates and graphene. What is universal and what is material-dependent in strongly versus weakly correlated materials?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiesel, Maximilian Ludwig

2013-02-08

A general theory for all classes of unconventional superconductors is still one of the unsolved key issues in condensed-matter physics. Actually, it is not yet fully settled if there is a common underlying pairing mechanism. Instead, it might be possible that several distinct sources for unconventional (not phonon-mediated) superconductivity have to be considered, or an electron-phonon interaction is not negligible. The focus of this thesis is on the most probable mechanism for the formation of Cooper pairs in unconventional superconductors, namely a strictly electronic one where spin fluctuations are the mediators. Studying different superconductors in this thesis, the emphasis is put on material-independent features of the pairing mechanism. In addition, the investigation of the phase diagrams enables a view on the vicinity of superconductivity. Thus, it is possible to clarify which competing quantum fluctuations enhance or weaken the propensity for a superconducting state. The broad range of superconducting materials requires the use of more than one numerical technique to study an appropriate microscopic description. This is not a problem but a big advantage because this facilitates the approach-independent description of common underlying physics. For this evaluation, the strongly correlated cuprates are simulated with the variational cluster approach. Especially the question of a pairing glue is taken into consideration. Furthermore, it is possible to distinguish between retarded and non-retarded contributions to the gap function. The cuprates are confronted with the cobaltate Na{sub x}CoO{sub 2} and graphene. These weakly correlated materials are investigated with the functional renormalization group (fRG) and reveal a comprehensive phase diagram, including a d+id-wave superconductivity, which breaks time-reversal symmetry. The corresponding gap function is nodeless, but for NaCoO, it features a doping-dependent anisotropy. In addition, some general

Magnetic field dependence of the superconducting proximity effect in a two atomic layer thin metallic film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caminale, Michael; Leon Vanegas, Augusto A.; Stepniak, Agnieszka; Oka, Hirofumi; Fischer, Jeison A.; Sander, Dirk; Kirschner, Juergen [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Mikrostrukturphysik, Halle (Germany)

2015-07-01

The intriguing possibility to induce superconductivity in a metal, in direct contact with a superconductor, is under renewed interest for applications and for fundamental aspects. The underlying phenomenon is commonly known as proximity effect. In this work we exploit the high spatial resolution of scanning tunneling spectroscopy at sub-K temperatures and in magnetic fields. We probe the differential conductance along a line from a superconducting 9 ML high Pb nanoisland into the surrounding two layer thin Pb/Ag wetting layer on a Si(111) substrate. A gap in the differential conductance indicates superconductivity of the Pb island. We observe an induced gap in the wetting layer, which decays with increasing distance from the Pb island. This proximity length is 21 nm at 0.38 K and 0 T. We find a non-trivial dependence of the proximity length on magnetic field. Surprisingly, we find that the magnetic field does not affect the induced superconductivity up to 0.3 T. However, larger fields of 0.6 T suppress superconductivity in the wetting layer, where the Pb island still remains superconducting. We discuss the unexpected robustness of induced superconductivity in view of the high electronic diffusivity in the metallic wetting layer.

Importance of interlayer pair tunneling: A variational perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medhi, Amal; Basu, Saurabh

2011-01-01

We study the effect of interlayer pair tunneling in a bilayer superconductor where each layer is described by a two dimensional t-J model and the two layers are connected by the Josephson pair tunneling term. We study this model using a grand canonical variational Monte Carlo (GVMC) method, for which we develop a new algorithm to perform Monte Carlo simulation of a system with fluctuating particle number. The variational wavefunction is taken to be the product of two Gutzwiller projected d-wave BCS wavefunctions with variable particle densities, one for each layer. We calculate the energy of the above state as a function of the d-wave superconducting gap parameter, Δ. We find that the interlayer pair tunneling energy, E perpendicular shows interesting variation with Δ. E perpendicular tends to enhance the optimal value of Δ, thereby the superconducting pairing. However the magnitude of the tunneling energy is found to be too small to have any appreciable effect on the physical properties. While the result is supported by early experiments and hence may appear known to the community, the current work presents a new approach to the problem and confirms the diminished role of interlayer pair tunneling by directly calculating its contribution to superconducting condensation energy.

Competition between superconductivity and magnetism in ferromagnet/superconductor heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izyumov, Yurii A; Proshin, Yurii N; Khusainov, Mensur G

2002-01-01

The mutual influence of superconductivity and magnetism in F/S systems, i.e. systems of alternating ferromagnetic (F) and superconducting (S) layers, is comprehensively reviewed. For systems with ferromagnetic metal (FM) layers, a theory of the proximity effect in the dirty limit is constructed based on the Usadel equations. For an FM/S bilayer and an FM/S superlattice, a boundary-value problem involving finite FM/S boundary transparency and the diffusion and wave modes of quasi-particle motion is formulated; and the critical temperature T c is calculated as a function of FM- and S-layer thicknesses. A detailed analysis of a large amount of experimental data amply confirms the proposed theory. It is shown that the superconducting state of an FM/S system is a superposition of two pairing mechanisms, Bardin - Cooper - Schrieffer's in S layers and Larkin - Ovchinnikov - Fulde - Ferrell's in FM ones. The competition between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spontaneous moment orientations in FM layers is explored for the 0- and π-phase superconductivity in FM/S systems. For FI/S structures, where FI is a ferromagnetic insulator, a model for exchange interactions is proposed, which, along with direct exchange inside FI layers, includes indirect Ruderman - Kittel - Kasuya - Yosida exchange between localized spins via S-layer conduction electrons. Within this framework, possible mutual accommodation scenarios for superconducting and magnetic order parameters are found, the corresponding phase diagrams are plotted, and experimental results are explained. The results of the theory of the Josephson effect for S/F/S junctions are presented and the application of the theory of spin-dependent transport to F/S/F junctions is discussed. Application aspects of the subject are examined. (reviews of topical problems)

Japan. Superconductivity for Smart Grids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayakawa, K.

2012-11-15

Currently, many smart grid projects are running or planned worldwide. These aim at controlling the electricity supply more efficiently and more stably in a new power network system. In Japan, especially superconductivity technology development projects are carried out to contribute to the future smart grid. Japanese cable makers such as Sumitomo Electric and Furukawa Electric are leading in the production of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power cables. The world's largest electric current and highest voltage superconductivity proving tests have been started this year. Big cities such as Tokyo will be expected to introduce the HTS power cables to reduce transport losses and to meet the increased electricity demand in the near future. Superconducting devices, HTS power cables, Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) and flywheels are the focus of new developments in cooperations between companies, universities and research institutes, funded by the Japanese research and development funding organization New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)

Electronic pairing mechanism due to band modification with increasing pair number

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizia, J.

1995-01-01

It is shown that a shift of an electron band with electron occupation number n, which is changing during the transition to the superconducting state, can lower the total energy of the system. In fact it will bring a negative contribution to the pairing potential, which is proportional to the product of the electron band shift with occupation number and the charge transfer during the transition to the superconducting state. The shift of the electron band comes from the change of stresses and the change of correlation effects in the CuO 2 plane with n, that in turn is caused by the changing oxygen concentration. This model explains the phenomenological success of Hirsch's model, which gives no explanation how the band shift in energy can give rise to superconductivity. (orig.)

Superconductivity in doped Dirac semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Hashimoto, Tatsuki; Kobayashi, Shingo; Tanaka, Yukio; Sato, Masatoshi

2016-07-01

We theoretically study intrinsic superconductivity in doped Dirac semimetals. Dirac semimetals host bulk Dirac points, which are formed by doubly degenerate bands, so the Hamiltonian is described by a 4 ×4 matrix and six types of k -independent pair potentials are allowed by the Fermi-Dirac statistics. We show that the unique spin-orbit coupling leads to characteristic superconducting gap structures and d vectors on the Fermi surface and the electron-electron interaction between intra and interorbitals gives a novel phase diagram of superconductivity. It is found that when the interorbital attraction is dominant, an unconventional superconducting state with point nodes appears. To verify the experimental signature of possible superconducting states, we calculate the temperature dependence of bulk physical properties such as electronic specific heat and spin susceptibility and surface state. In the unconventional superconducting phase, either dispersive or flat Andreev bound states appear between point nodes, which leads to double peaks or a single peak in the surface density of states, respectively. As a result, possible superconducting states can be distinguished by combining bulk and surface measurements.

Cooperative Search of Autonomous Vehicles for Unknown Targets

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Sheng Qing; Yu, Jian Qiao; Zhang, Si Yu

2013-01-01

We study the orbital-dependent superconducting pairing in a five-orbital t-J1-J2 model for iron pnictides. Depending on the orbital selectivity of electron correlations and the orbital characters along the Fermi surface, the superconducting gap in an A_{1g} pairing state may exhibit anisotropy. This anisotropy varies with the degree of J1-J2 magnetic frustration. We have also calculated the dynamical spin susceptibility in the superconducting state. The frequency dependence of the susceptibility at the antiferromagnetic wavevector (\\pi,0) shows a resonance, whose width is enhanced by the orbital dependence of the superconducting gap; when the latter is sufficiently strong, the resonance peak may be split into two. We discuss the implications of our results on the recent angle-resolved photoemission and neutron-scattering measurements in several superconducting iron pnictides.

Interplay of magnetism and superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhavan, M.

2006-01-01

After about two decades of intense research since the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity (HTSC) in cuprates, although many aspects of the physics and chemistry of these cuprate superconductors are now well understood, the underlying pairing mechanism remains elusive. Magnetism and superconductivity are usually thought as incompatible, but in number of special materials including HTSCs these two mutually excluding mechanisms are found to coexist. The presence in a system of superconductivity and magnetism, gives rise to a large number of interesting phenomenon. This article provides perspective on recent developments and their implications for our understanding of the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in new materials. (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Correlation-induced suppression of decoherence in capacitively coupled Cooper-pair boxes

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xuedong; You, J. Q.; Nori, Franco

2005-03-01

Charge fluctuations from gate bias and background traps severely limit the performance of a charge qubit in a Cooper-pair box (CPB). Here we discuss an encoding approachootnotetextJ.Q. You, X.Hu, and F. Nori, cond-mat/0407423. to control the decoherence effects of these charge fluctuations using two strongly capacitively coupled CPBs. This coupled-box system has a low-decoherence subspace of two states, for which we calculate the dephasing and relaxation rates using a master equation approach. Our results show that the inter-box Coulomb correlation can significantly suppress decoherence of this two-level system by reducing the strength of the system-environment interaction, making it a promising candidate as a logical qubit, encoded using two CPBs.

Absence of coherent peaks in a Z2 fractionalized BCS superconducting state

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Yin; Lu, Han-Tao; Luo, Hong-Gang

2015-01-01

We explore a Z2 fractionalized Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconducting state, which is a minimal extension of usual BCS framework. It is found that this state has similar thermal and transport properties, but its single-particle feature strongly deviates from the coherent quasiparticle behavior of the classic/conventional BCS superconducting state. The fingerprint of such Z2 BCS state is the absence of the BCS coherent peaks and instead a kink in the local density of state occurs, which in principle could be probed by scanning tunneling microscopy or point-contact spectroscopy experiments. The corresponding exactly soluble models that realize the desirable Z2 fractionalized BCS state are presented. In addition, we also study the extended t-U-J model by using Z2 slave-spin representation and find that the Z2 BCS state may exist when the paring structure is fully gapped or has nodes. The prototypical wave-function of such a Z2 BCS state is also proposed, which could be taken as trial wave-function in current numerical techniques. Furthermore, the pairing mechanism of Z2 BCS state is argued from both weak and strong coupling perspective. The present work may be helpful to further study the unconventional superconductivity and its relation to non-Fermi liquids.

On anyon superconductivity--

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y.-H.; Wilczek, F.; Witten, E.; Halperin, B.I.

1989-01-01

We investigate the statistical mechanics of a gas of fractional statistics particles in 2 + 1 dimensions. In the case of statistics very close to Fermi statistics (statistical parameter θ = π(1 - 1/n), for large n), the effect of the statistics is a weak attraction. Building upon earlier RPA calculation for the case n = 2, the authors argue that for large n perturbation theory is reliable and exhibits superfluidity (or superconductivity after coupling to electromagnetism). They describe the order parameter for this superconductng phase in terms of spontaneous breaking of commutativity of translations as opposed to the usual pairing order parameters. The vortices of the superconducting anyon gas are charged, and superconducting order parameters of the usual type vanish. They investigate the characteristic P and T violating phenomenology

The origins of macroscopic quantum coherence in high temperature superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, Philip; Nottale, Laurent

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We propose a new theoretical approach to superconductivity in p-type cuprates. • Electron pairing mechanisms in the superconducting and pseudogap phases are proposed. • A scale free network of dopants is key to macroscopic quantum coherence. - Abstract: A new, theoretical approach to macroscopic quantum coherence and superconductivity in the p-type (hole doped) cuprates is proposed. The theory includes mechanisms to account for e-pair coupling in the superconducting and pseudogap phases and their inter relations observed in these materials. Electron pair coupling in the superconducting phase is facilitated by local quantum potentials created by static dopants in a mechanism which explains experimentally observed optimal doping levels and the associated peak in critical temperature. By contrast, evidence suggests that electrons contributing to the pseudogap are predominantly coupled by fractal spin waves (fractons) induced by the fractal arrangement of dopants. On another level, the theory offers new insights into the emergence of a macroscopic quantum potential generated by a fractal distribution of dopants. This, in turn, leads to the emergence of coherent, macroscopic spin waves and a second associated macroscopic quantum potential, possibly supported by charge order. These quantum potentials play two key roles. The first involves the transition of an expected diffusive process (normally associated with Anderson localization) in fractal networks, into e-pair coherence. The second involves the facilitation of tunnelling between localized e-pairs. These combined effects lead to the merger of the super conducting and pseudo gap phases into a single coherent condensate at optimal doping. The underlying theory relating to the diffusion to quantum transition is supported by Coherent Random Lasing, which can be explained using an analogous approach. As a final step, an experimental program is outlined to validate the theory and suggests a new

Evidence for hyperconductivity and thermal superconductivity

OpenAIRE

Vdovenkov, V. A.

2008-01-01

Physical explanation of hyperconductivity and thermal superconductivity existence is done in given article on the basis of inherent atomic nuclei oscillations in atoms of materials which are connected with electrons and phonons and in accordance with the well known Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superconductivity theory. It is shown that hyperconductivity is the self-supporting, independent physical phenomenon which is caused by oscillations of atomic nuclei in atoms of materials and the minimal t...

Superconducting gap anomaly in heavy fermion systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rout, G.C.; Ojha, M.S.; Behera, S.N.

2008-01-01

The heavy fermion system (HFS) is described by the periodic Anderson model (PAM), treating the Coulomb correlation between the f-electrons in the mean-field Hartree-Fock approximation. Superconductivity is introduced by a BCS-type pairing term among the conduction electrons. Within this approximation the equation for the superconducting gap is derived, which depends on the effective position of the energy level of the f-electrons relative to the Fermi level. The latter in turn depends on the occupation probability n f of the f-electrons. The gap equation is solved self-consistently with the equation for n f ; and their temperature dependences are studied for different positions of the bare f-electron energy level, with respect to the Fermi level. The dependence of the superconducting gap on the hybridization leads to a re-entrant behaviour with increasing strength. The induced pairing between the f-electrons and the pairing of mixed conduction and f-electrons due to hybridization are also determined. The temperature dependence of the hybridization parameter, which characterizes the number of electrons with mixed character and represents the number of heavy electrons is studied. This number is shown to be small. The quasi-particle density of states (DOS) shows the existence of a pseudo-gap due to superconductivity and the signature of a hybridization gap at the Fermi level. For the choice of the model parameters, the DOS shows that the HFS is a metal and undergoes a transition to the gap-less superconducting state. (author)

Cooperative activation of cardiac transcription through myocardin bridging of paired MEF2 sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Courtney M. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Hu, Jianxin [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Thomas, Reuben [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Gladstone Inst.; Gainous, T. Blair [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Celona, Barbara [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Sinha, Tanvi [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Dickel, Diane E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Genomics Division; Heidt, Analeah B. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Xu, Shan-Mei [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Bruneau, Benoit G. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Gladstone Inst.; Pollard, Katherine S. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Gladstone Inst.; Pennacchio, Len A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Genomics Division; Black, Brian L. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Cardiovascular Research Inst.; Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States). Dept. of

2017-03-28

Enhancers frequently contain multiple binding sites for the same transcription factor. These homotypic binding sites often exhibit synergy, whereby the transcriptional output from two or more binding sites is greater than the sum of the contributions of the individual binding sites alone. Although this phenomenon is frequently observed, the mechanistic basis for homotypic binding site synergy is poorly understood. Here in this paper, we identify a bona fide cardiac-specific Prkaa2 enhancer that is synergistically activated by homotypic MEF2 binding sites. We show that two MEF2 sites in the enhancer function cooperatively due to bridging of the MEF2C-bound sites by the SAP domain-containing co-activator protein myocardin, and we show that paired sites buffer the enhancer from integration site-dependent effects on transcription in vivo. Paired MEF2 sites are prevalent in cardiac enhancers, suggesting that this might be a common mechanism underlying synergy in the control of cardiac gene expression in vivo.

Unconventional superconductivity of the heavy fermion compound UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakharov, Andrey

2008-07-01

The heavy fermion compound UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3} exhibits the coexistence of superconductivity and magnetic order at low temperatures, stimulating speculations about possible exotic Cooper-pairing interaction in this superconductor. However, the preparation of good quality bulk single crystals of UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3} has proven to be a non-trivial task due to metallurgical problems, which result in the formation of an UAl{sub 2} impurity phase and hence a strongly reduced sample purity. The present work concentrates on the preparation, characterization and electronic properties investigation of UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3} single crystalline thin film samples. The preparation of thin films was accomplished in a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system. (100)-oriented epitaxial thin films of UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3} were grown on single crystalline YAlO{sub 3} substrates cut in (010)- or (112)-direction. The high crystallographic quality of the samples was proved by several characterisation methods, such as X-ray analysis, RHEED and TEM. To study the magnetic structure of epitaxial thin films resonant magnetic X-ray scattering was employed. The magnetic order of thin the film samples, the formation of magnetic domains with different moment directions, and the magnetic correlation length were discussed. The electronic properties of the UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3} thin films in the normal and superconducting states were investigated by means of transport measurements. A pronounced anisotropy of the temperature dependent resistivity {rho}(T) was observed. Moreover, it was found that the temperature of the resistive superconducting transition depends on the current direction, providing evidence for multiband superconductivity in UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3}. The initial slope of the upper critical field H'{sub c2}(T) of the thin film samples suggests an unconventional spin-singlet superconducting state, as opposed to bulk single crystal data. To probe the superconducting gap of UNi{sub 2}Al{sub 3

Superconducting fluctuations and characteristic time scales in amorphous WSi

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaofu; Lita, Adriana E.; Sidorova, Mariia; Verma, Varun B.; Wang, Qiang; Nam, Sae Woo; Semenov, Alexei; Schilling, Andreas

2018-05-01

We study magnitudes and temperature dependencies of the electron-electron and electron-phonon interaction times which play the dominant role in the formation and relaxation of photon-induced hotspots in two-dimensional amorphous WSi films. The time constants are obtained through magnetoconductance measurements in a perpendicular magnetic field in the superconducting fluctuation regime and through time-resolved photoresponse to optical pulses. The excess magnetoconductivity is interpreted in terms of the weak-localization effect and superconducting fluctuations. Aslamazov-Larkin and Maki-Thompson superconducting fluctuations alone fail to reproduce the magnetic field dependence in the relatively high magnetic field range when the temperature is rather close to Tc because the suppression of the electronic density of states due to the formation of short-lifetime Cooper pairs needs to be considered. The time scale τi of inelastic scattering is ascribed to a combination of electron-electron (τe -e) and electron-phonon (τe -p h) interaction times, and a characteristic electron-fluctuation time (τe -f l) , which makes it possible to extract their magnitudes and temperature dependencies from the measured τi. The ratio of phonon-electron (τp h -e) and electron-phonon interaction times is obtained via measurements of the optical photoresponse of WSi microbridges. Relatively large τe -p h/τp h -e and τe -p h/τe -e ratios ensure that in WSi the photon energy is more efficiently confined in the electron subsystem than in other materials commonly used in the technology of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs). We discuss the impact of interaction times on the hotspot dynamics and compare relevant metrics of SNSPDs from different materials.

Governance, corporate social responsibility and cooperation in sustainable tourist destinations: the case of the island of Fuerteventura

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga González-Morales

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reflects on governance, corporate social responsibility (CSR and public-private cooperation in sustainable tourist destinations. The empirical analysis focuses on the island of Fuerteventura (the Canary Islands, where a process of coordinated decision making has begun, as well as putting in place plans to modernize the destination. Those responsible for tourism hotel and non-hotel accommodation were surveyed to assess the importance given to CSR in their companies. In particular, CSR’s environmental dimension and its relation with the public sector and other socio-economic factors, bearing in mind that Fuerteventura is a tourist destination in a Biosphere Reserve.

Superconducting rf activities at Cornell University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padamsee, H.; Hakimi, M.; Kirchgessner, J.

1988-01-01

Development of rf superconductivity for high energy accelerators has been a robust activity at the Cornell Laboratory of Nuclear Studies (LNS) for many years. In order to realize the potential of rf superconductivity, a two-pronged approach has been followed. On the one hand accelerator applications were selected where the existing state-of-the art of superconducting rf is competitive with alternate technologies, then LNS engaged in a program to design, construct and test suitable superconducting cavities, culminating in a full system test in an operating accelerator. On the second front the discovery and invention of ideas, techniques and materials required to make superconducting rf devices approach the ideal in performance has been aggressively pursued. Starting with the development of superconducting cavities for high energy electron synchrotrons, the technology was extended to high energy e + e - storage rings. The LE5 cavity design has now been adopted for use in the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF). When completed, this project will be one of the largest applications of SRF technology, using 440 LE5 modules[4]. In the last two years, the cavity design and the technology have been transferred to industry and CEBAF. Cornell has tested the early industrial prototypes and cavity pairs. LNS has developed, in collaboration with CEBAF, designs and procedures for cavity pair and cryomodule assembly and testing. Advanced research for future electron accelerators is badly needed if particle physicists hope to expand the energy frontier. Superconducting cavity technology continues to offer attractive opportunities for further advances in achievable voltage at reasonable cost for future accelerators. For Nb, the full potential implies an order of magnitude increase over current capabilities. 20 references, 11 figures

THz spectroscopy on superconducting NbN thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daschke, Lena; Pracht, Uwe S.; Dressel, Martin; Scheffler, Marc [1. Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Stuttgart (Germany); Ilin, Konstantin S.; Siegel, Michael [Institut fuer Mikro- und Nanoelektronische Systeme, Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (Germany)

2015-07-01

Epitaxial thin-film niobium nitride (NbN) is a conventional BCS superconductor. In presence of strong disorder, however, electronic inhomogeneities appear, which is not fully understood yet. To obtain a better insight into the physics of such disordered materials, studies on model systems such as structurally tailored films might be useful. Furthermore, disordered NbN films are used for single-photon detection devices, whose proper performance depends on a profound understanding of the superconducting properties. The studied NbN films have a T{sub c} ranging from 10 to 15 K and the superconducting energy gap is easily accessible with THz spectroscopy (0.4 - 5.6 meV). We investigate thin films of NbN sputtered on a sapphire substrate. With a Mach-Zehnder interferometer we measure the amplitude and phase shift of radiation transmitted through the thin-film sample. From there we can determine the real and imaginary parts of the optical conductivity. These results give information about the energy gap, Cooper pair density, and quasiparticle dynamics, including the temperature evolution of these quantities. We found that a film with 10 nm thickness roughly follows the BCS behavior, as expected. We will present results of our measurements on several different NbN samples.

The Physics of Superconducting Microwave Resonators

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Jiansong

Over the past decade, low temperature detectors have brought astronomers revolutionary new observational capabilities and led to many great discoveries. Although a single low temperature detector has very impressive sensitivity, a large detector array would be much more powerful and are highly demanded for the study of more difficult and fundamental problems in astronomy. However, current detector technologies, such as transition edge sensors and superconducting tunnel junction detectors, are difficult to integrate into a large array. The microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) is a promising new detector technology invented at Caltech and JPL which provides both high sensitivity and an easy solution to the detector integration. It senses the change in the surface impedance of a superconductor as incoming photons break Cooper pairs, by using high-Q superconducting microwave resonators capacitively coupled to a common feedline. This architecture allows thousands of detectors to be easily integrated through passive frequency domain multiplexing. In this thesis, we explore the rich and interesting physics behind these superconducting microwave resonators. The first part of the thesis discusses the surface impedance of a superconductor, the kinetic inductance of a superconducting coplanar waveguide, and the circuit response of a resonator. These topics are related with the responsivity of MKIDs. The second part presents the study of the excess frequency noise that is universally observed in these resonators. The properties of the excess noise, including power, temperature, material, and geometry dependence, have been quantified. The noise source has been identified to be the two-level systems in the dielectric material on the surface of the resonator. A semi-empirical noise model has been developed to explain the power and geometry dependence of the noise, which is useful to predict the noise for a specified resonator geometry. The detailed physical noise

Controlling the transmitted information of a multi-photon interacting with a single-Cooper pair box

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadry, Heba; Abdel-Aty, Abdel-Haleem; Zakaria, Nordin; Cheong, Lee Yen

2014-01-01

We study a model of a multi-photon interaction of a single Cooper pair box with a cavity field. The exchange of the information using this system is studied. We quantify the fidelity of the transmitted information. The effect of the system parameters (detuning parameter, field photons, state density and mean photon number) in the fidelity of the transmitted information is investigated. We found that the fidelity of the transmitted information can be controlled using the system parameters

Controlling the transmitted information of a multi-photon interacting with a single-Cooper pair box

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadry, Heba, E-mail: hkadry1@yahoo.com; Abdel-Aty, Abdel-Haleem, E-mail: hkadry1@yahoo.com; Zakaria, Nordin, E-mail: hkadry1@yahoo.com [Computer and Information Science Department, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Seri Iskandar, 31750 Tronoh, Perak (Malaysia); Cheong, Lee Yen [Fundamental and Applied Science Department, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Seri Iskandar, 31750 Tronoh, Perak (Malaysia)

2014-10-24

We study a model of a multi-photon interaction of a single Cooper pair box with a cavity field. The exchange of the information using this system is studied. We quantify the fidelity of the transmitted information. The effect of the system parameters (detuning parameter, field photons, state density and mean photon number) in the fidelity of the transmitted information is investigated. We found that the fidelity of the transmitted information can be controlled using the system parameters.

In-gap quasiparticle excitations induced by non-magnetic Cu impurities in Na(Fe0.96Co0.03Cu0.01)As revealed by scanning tunnelling spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Huan; Wang, Zhenyu; Fang, Delong; Deng, Qiang; Wang, Qiang-Hua; Xiang, Yuan-Yuan; Yang, Yang; Wen, Hai-Hu

2013-01-01

The origin of superconductivity in the iron pnictides remains unclear. One suggestion is that superconductivity in these materials has a magnetic origin, which would imply a sign-reversal s± pairing symmetry. Another suggests it is the result of orbital fluctuations, which would imply a sign-equal s++ pairing symmetry. There is no consensus yet which of these two distinct and contrasting pairing symmetries is the right one in iron pnictide superconductors. Here we explore the nature of the pairing symmetry in the superconducting state of Na(Fe0.97−xCo0.03Cux)As by probing the effect of scattering of Cooper pairs by non-magnetic Cu impurities. Using scanning tunnelling spectroscopy, we identify the in-gap quasiparticle states induced by the Cu impurities, showing signatures of Cooper pair breaking by these non-magnetic impurities–a process that is only consistent with s± pairing. This experiment provides strong evidence for the s± pairing. PMID:24248097

Changes of superconducting interaction in interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbritter, J.

1976-01-01

The leakage of conduction electrons from metals into dielectric or semiconducting coatings yields changes in electron phonon coupling and hybridization with localized states in the coating. The changed electron-phonon coupling explains the observed strengthened superconducting interaction with some monolayer thick coating. The hybridization with localized states, i.e. resonance scattering, yields pair weakening and hence a monotonic depression of superconductivity with coating thickness in agreement with experiments. The latter effect explains quantitatively the Tsub(c) and Δ depression (Δ/kTsub(c) approximately equal to const) and a decrease in the Maki-Thompson-fluctuation term observed with thin superconducting films. (author)

Superconductivity and spin fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scalapino, D.J.

1999-01-01

The organizers of the Memorial Session for Herman Rietschel asked that the author review some of the history of the interplay of superconductivity and spin fluctuations. Initially, Berk and Schrieffer showed how paramagnon spin fluctuations could suppress superconductivity in nearly-ferromagnetic materials. Following this, Rietschel and various co-workers wrote a number of papers in which they investigated the role of spin fluctuations in reducing the Tc of various electron-phonon superconductors. Paramagnon spin fluctuations are also believed to provide the p-wave pairing mechanism responsible for the superfluid phases of 3 He. More recently, antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations have been proposed as the mechanism for d-wave pairing in the heavy-fermion superconductors and in some organic materials as well as possibly the high-Tc cuprates. Here the author will review some of this early history and discuss some of the things he has learned more recently from numerical simulations

Superconductivity in LiFeAs probed with quasiparticle interference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Zhixiang; Nag, Pranab Kumar; Baumann, Danny; Kappenberger, Rhea [Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, IFW Dresden (Germany); Wurmehl, Sabine [Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, IFW Dresden (Germany); Institute for Solid State Physics, TU Dresden (Germany); Buechner, Bernd [Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, IFW Dresden (Germany); Institute for Solid State Physics, TU Dresden (Germany); Center for Transport and Devices, TU Dresden (Germany); Hess, Christian [Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, IFW Dresden (Germany); Center for Transport and Devices, TU Dresden (Germany)

2016-07-01

In spite of many theoretical and experimental efforts on studying the superconductivity of iron-based high temperature superconductors, the puzzle about LiFeAs's superconducting mechanism and pairing symmetry are still not clear. Here we want to present our low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy results on probing the superconductivity of LiFeAs. By taking conductance spectroscopic maps for both the superconducting state and normal state, we identify the scatterings due to the electron and hole bands close to the Fermi level. We observe a strong indication that the superconducting behavior in the hole bands are important for the formation of superconductivity in LiFeAs. Our results may also shine light on understanding the superconductivity in other iron pnictide superconductors.

Interplay between superconductivity and magnetism in iron-based superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chubukov, Andrey V [University of Wisconsin

2015-06-10

fermions, understand what sets the upper scale for attractive interaction, compute T_c, and then obtain and solve matrix non-linear gap equation for spin-mediated pairing and study various feedbacks from the pairing on fermions on ARPES spectra, optical and thermal conductivity, and other observables, The problems I have chosen are quite generic, and the understanding of magnetically-mediated superconductivity in the strong-coupling regime will not only advance the theory of superconductivity in FeSCs, but will contribute to a generic understanding of the pairing of fermions near quantum-critical points -- the problems ranging from s-wave pairing by soft optical phonons to to color superconductivity of quarks mediated by a gluon exchange.

Using Quasiparticle Poisoning To Detect Photons

Science.gov (United States)

Echternach, Pierre; Day, Peter

2006-01-01

According to a proposal, a phenomenon associated with excitation of quasiparticles in certain superconducting quantum devices would be exploited as a means of detecting photons with exquisite sensitivity. The phenomenon could also be exploited to perform medium-resolution spectroscopy. The proposal was inspired by the observation that Coulomb blockade devices upon which some quantum logic gates are based are extremely sensitive to quasiparticles excited above the superconducting gaps in their leads. The presence of quasiparticles in the leads can be easily detected via the charge states. If quasiparticles could be generated in the leads by absorption of photons, then the devices could be used as very sensitive detectors of electromagnetic radiation over the spectral range from x-rays to submillimeter waves. The devices in question are single-Cooper-pair boxes (SCBs), which are mesoscopic superconducting devices developed for quantum computing. An SCB consists of a small superconducting island connected to a reservoir via a small tunnel junction and connected to a voltage source through a gate capacitor. An SCB is an artificial two-level quantum system, the Hamiltonian of which can be controlled by the gate voltage. One measures the expected value of the charge of the eigenvectors of this quantum system by use of a radio-frequency single-electron transistor. A plot of this expected value of charge as a function of gate voltage resembles a staircase that, in the ideal case, consists of steps of height 2 e (where e is the charge of one electron). Experiments have shown that depending on the parameters of the device, quasiparticles in the form of "broken" Cooper pairs present in the reservoir can tunnel to the island, giving rise to steps of 1 e. This effect is sometimes called "poisoning." Simulations have shown that an extremely small average number of quasiparticles can generate a 1-e periodic signal. In a device according to the proposal, this poisoning would be

Crystallography of color superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowers, Jeffrey A.; Rajagopal, Krishna

2002-01-01

We develop the Ginzburg-Landau approach to comparing different possible crystal structures for the crystalline color superconducting phase of QCD, the QCD incarnation of the Larkin-Ovchinnikov-Fulde-Ferrell phase. In this phase, quarks of different flavor with differing Fermi momenta form Cooper pairs with nonzero total momentum, yielding a condensate that varies in space like a sum of plane waves. We work at zero temperature, as is relevant for compact star physics. The Ginzburg-Landau approach predicts a strong first-order phase transition (as a function of the chemical potential difference between quarks) and for this reason is not under quantitative control. Nevertheless, by organizing the comparison between different possible arrangements of plane waves (i.e., different crystal structures) it provides considerable qualitative insight into what makes a crystal structure favorable. Together, the qualitative insights and the quantitative, but not controlled, calculations make a compelling case that the favored pairing pattern yields a condensate which is a sum of eight plane waves forming a face-centered cubic structure. They also predict that the phase is quite robust, with gaps comparable in magnitude to the BCS gap that would form if the Fermi momenta were degenerate. These predictions may be tested in ultracold gases made of fermionic atoms. In a QCD context, our results lay the foundation for a calculation of vortex pinning in a crystalline color superconductor, and thus for the analysis of pulsar glitches that may originate within the core of a compact star

Probing the unconventional superconducting state of LiFeAs by quasiparticle interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Hänke, Torben; Sykora, Steffen; Schlegel, Ronny; Baumann, Danny; Harnagea, Luminita; Wurmehl, Sabine; Daghofer, Maria; Büchner, Bernd; van den Brink, Jeroen; Hess, Christian

2012-03-23

A crucial step in revealing the nature of unconventional superconductivity is to investigate the symmetry of the superconducting order parameter. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy has proven a powerful technique to probe this symmetry by measuring the quasiparticle interference (QPI) which sensitively depends on the superconducting pairing mechanism. A particularly well-suited material to apply this technique is the stoichiometric superconductor LiFeAs as it features clean, charge neutral cleaved surfaces without surface states and a relatively high T(c)∼18  K. Our data reveal that in LiFeAs the quasiparticle scattering is governed by a van Hove singularity at the center of the Brillouin zone which is in stark contrast to other pnictide superconductors where nesting is crucial for both scattering and s(±) superconductivity. Indeed, within a minimal model and using the most elementary order parameters, calculations of the QPI suggest a dominating role of the holelike bands for the quasiparticle scattering. Our theoretical findings do not support the elementary singlet pairing symmetries s(++), s(±), and d wave. This brings to mind that the superconducting pairing mechanism in LiFeAs is based on an unusual pairing symmetry such as an elementary p wave (which provides optimal agreement between the experimental data and QPI simulations) or a more complex order parameter (e.g., s+id wave symmetry).

Superconductivity in narrow-band systems with local nonretarded attractive interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Micnas, R.; Ranninger, J.; Robaszkiewicz, S.

1990-01-01

In narrow-band systems electrons can interact with each other via a short-range nonretarded attractive potential. The origin of such an effective local attraction can be polaronic or it can be due to a coupling between electrons and excitons or plasmons. It can also result from purely chemical (electronic) mechanisms, especially in compounds with elements favoring disproportionation of valent states. These mechanisms are discussed and an exhaustive list of materials in which such local electron pairing occurs is given. The authors review the thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties of such systems in several limiting scenarios: (i) Systems with on-site pairing which can be described by the extended negative-U Hubbard model. The strong-attraction limit of this model, at which it reduces to a system of tightly bound electron pairs (bipolarons) on a lattice, is extensively discussed. These electron pairs behaving as hard-core charged bosons can exhibit a superconducting state analogous to that of superfluid 4 He II. The changeover from weak-attraction BCS-like superconductivity to the superfluidity of charged hard-core bosons is examined. (ii) Systems with intersite pairing described by an extended Hubbard model with U>0 and nearest-neighbor attraction and/or nearest-neighbor spin exchange as well as correlated hopping. (iii) A mixture of local pairs and itinerant electrons interacting via a charge-exchange mechanism giving rise to a mutually induced superconductivity in both subsystems. The authors discuss to what extent the picture of local pairing, and in particular superfluidity of hard-core charged bosons on a lattice, can be an explanation for the superconducting and normal-state properties of the high-T c oxides: doped BaBiO 3 and the cuprates

Conceptual design of the superconducting magnet for the 250 MeV proton cyclotron.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Yong; Liu, Xiaogang; Gao, Xiang

2016-01-01

The superconducting cyclotron is of great importance to treat cancer parts of the body. To reduce the operation costs, a superconducting magnet system for the 250 MeV proton cyclotron was designed to confirm the feasibility of the superconducting cyclotron. The superconducting magnet system consists of a pair of split coils, the cryostat and a pair of binary high temperature superconductor current leads. The superconducting magnet can reach a central magnetic field of about 1.155 T at 160 A. The three GM cryocooler with cooling capacities of 1.5 W at 4.5 K and 35 W at 50 K and one GM cryocooler of 100 W at 50 K were adopted to cool the superconducting magnet system through the thermosiphon technology. The four GM cryocoolers were used to cool the superconducting magnet to realize zero evaporation of the liquid helium.

Pair correlations in nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Yoshifumi

2009-01-01

Except for the closed shell nuclei, almost all nuclei are in the superconducting state at their ground states. This well-known pair correlation in nuclei causes various interesting phenomena. It is especially to be noted that the pair correlation becomes weak in the excited states of nuclei with high angular momentum, which leads to the pair phase transition to the normal state in the high spin limit. On the other hand, the pair correlation becomes stronger in the nuclei with lower nucleon density than in those with normal density. In the region of neutron halo or skin state of unstable nuclei, this phenomenon is expected to be further enhanced to be observed compared to the ground state of stable nuclei. An overview of those interesting aspects caused via the pair correlation is presented here in the sections titled 'pair correlations in ground states', pair correlations in high spin states' and 'pair correlations in unstable nuclei' focusing on the high spin state. (S. Funahashi)

An introduction to superconductivity. The Meissner effect and the derivation of phenomenological models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habeney, Lucas

2016-09-23

The purpose of this work was to give the reader insight into the topic of conventional superconductors. It started out with defining the superconductive state itself as a state of ideal conductivity and ideal diamagnetism. An important phenomenon to keep in mind in this regard is the Meissner-Ochsenfeld effect. It then went on to attempt to understand those properties on a macroscopic level. This was achieved in the framework of the two major macroscopic theories, the London theory and the Ginzburg-Landau theory. While the London theory focused on the electrodynamic qualities of the superconductive state, the Ginzburg-Landau theory dealt with events close to the superconducting phase transition in a thermodynamic scope. The highlight of this section was the investigation of the Abrikosov lattice, the geometric disposition of the flux tubes in the intermediate Shubnikov phase. We closed with the BCS theory as the premier microscopic theory of superconductivity. Main subjects of this section were the concept of Cooper pairs and the calculation of various energy gap equations. We also looked at real properties of superconductors such as the specific heat to test our rather abstract calculations and came to outstanding agreements. The principles presented in this document should serve as a foundation to work on more advanced problems in superconductivity. Especially the large field of unconventional superconductivity is of huge interest in current research, as most of the high T{sub c} superconductors fall in that category. As unconventional superconductors can not be explained with BCS theory, the search for a uniform theory to describe them is still on-going. Unconventional superconductors include but are not limited to cuprates (T{sub c}

Mirror nesting and repulsion-induced superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyavsky, Vladimir I.; Kapaev, Vladimir V.; Kopaev, Yurii V.

2004-01-01

Mirror nesting condition that is a rise of pair Fermi contour due to matching of some pieces of the Fermi contour and an isoline of the pair-relative-motion kinetic energy may be satisfied, at definite total pair momenta, due to special features of electron dispersion. Perfect mirror nesting results in a rise of the possibility of superconducting ordering up to arbitrary small pairing repulsive interaction strength. Due to kinematical constraints, the order parameter exists only inside some definite domain of the momentum space and changes its sign on a line belonging to this domain

Quantum phase slip interference device based on a shaped superconducting nanowire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zorin, Alexander; Hongisto, Terhi [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, 38116 Braunschweig (Germany)

2012-07-01

As was predicted by Mooij and Nazarov, the superconducting nanowires may exhibit, depending on the impedance of external electromagnetic environment, not only quantum slips of phase, but also the quantum-mechanically dual effect of coherent transfer of single Cooper pairs. We propose and realize a transistor-like superconducting circuit including two serially connected segments of a narrow (10 nm by 18 nm) nanowire joint by a wider segment with a capacitively coupled gate in between. This circuit is made of amorphous NbSi film and embedded in a network of on-chip Cr microresistors ensuring a high external impedance (>>h/e{sup 2}∼25.8 kΩ) and, eventually, a charge bias regime. Virtual quantum phase slips in two narrow segments of the wire lead in this case to quantum interference of voltages on these segments making this circuit dual to the dc SQUID. Our samples demonstrated appreciable Coulomb blockade voltage (analog of critical current of the SQUID) and remarkable periodic modulation of this blockade by an electrostatic gate (analog of flux modulation in the SQUID). The obtained experimental results and the model of this QPS transistor will be presented.

Cooperative Control of Multi-Master-Slave Islanded Microgrid with Power Quality Enhancement Based on Conservative Power Theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortezaei, Ali; Simoes, Marcelo; Savaghebi, Mehdi

2018-01-01

Cooperative control of power converters in a microgrid offers power quality enhancement at sensitive load buses. Such cooperation is particularly important in the presence of reactive, nonlinear and unbalanced loads. In this paper, a multi-master-slave-based control of Distributed Generators (DGs...... in a selective control strategy able to share each current component with desired percentage among the microgrid inverters. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.......) interface converters in a three-phase four-wire islanded microgrid using the Conservative Power Theory (CPT) is proposed. Inverters located in close proximity operate as a group in master-salve mode. Slaves inject the available energy and compensate selectively unwanted current components of local loads...

Multiscale habitat use and selection in cooperatively breeding Micronesian kingfishers

Science.gov (United States)

Kesler, D.C.; Haig, S.M.

2007-01-01

Information about the interaction between behavior and landscape resources is key to directing conservation management for endangered species. We studied multi-scale occurrence, habitat use, and selection in a cooperatively breeding population of Micronesian kingfishers (Todiramphus cinnamominus) on the island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. At the landscape level, point-transect surveys resulted in kingfisher detection frequencies that were higher than those reported in 1994, although they remained 15-40% lower than 1983 indices. Integration of spatially explicit vegetation information with survey results indicated that kingfisher detections were positively associated with the amount of wet forest and grass-urban vegetative cover, and they were negatively associated with agricultural forest, secondary vegetation, and upland forest cover types. We used radiotelemetry and remote sensing to evaluate habitat use by individual kingfishers at the home-range scale. A comparison of habitats in Micronesian kingfisher home ranges with those in randomly placed polygons illustrated that birds used more forested areas than were randomly available in the immediate surrounding area. Further, members of cooperatively breeding groups included more forest in their home ranges than birds in pair-breeding territories, and forested portions of study areas appeared to be saturated with territories. Together, these results suggested that forest habitats were limited for Micronesian kingfishers. Thus, protecting and managing forests is important for the restoration of Micronesian kingfishers to the island of Guam (United States Territory), where they are currently extirpated, as well as to maintaining kingfisher populations on the islands of Pohnpei and Palau. Results further indicated that limited forest resources may restrict dispersal opportunities and, therefore, play a role in delayed dispersal and cooperative behaviors in Micronesian kingfishers.

Signature of magnetic-dependent gapless odd frequency states at superconductor / ferromagnet interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robinson, Jason [Department of Materials Science, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB30FS (United Kingdom)

2015-07-01

The theory of superconductivity developed by Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer (BCS) explains the stabilisation of electron pairs into a spin-singlet, even frequency, state by the formation of an energy gap below which the density of states (DoS) is zero. At a superconductor interface with an inhomogeneous ferromagnet, a gapless odd frequency superconducting state is predicted in which the Cooper pairs are in a spin-triplet state. Although indirect evidence for such a state has been obtained, the gap structure and pairing symmetry have not so far been determined. In this talk I will present scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of Nb superconducting films proximity coupled to epitaxial Ho. These measurements reveal pronounced changes to the Nb sub-gap superconducting DoS on driving the Ho through a metamagnetic transition from a helical antiferromagnetic to a homogeneous ferromagnetic state for which a BCS-like gap is recovered. The results verify odd frequency spin-triplet superconductivity at superconductor / inhomogeneous magnet interfaces.

Modern technologies in rf superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lengeler, H.

1994-01-01

The development and application of superconducting rf cavities in particle accelerators is a fine example of advanced technology and of close cooperation with industry. This contribution examines the theoretical and present-day practical limitations of sc cavities and describes some advanced technologies needed for their large scale applications. (orig.)

d-wave superconductivity in the frustrated two-dimensional periodic Anderson model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Wu

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Superconductivity in heavy-fermion materials can sometimes appear in the incoherent regime and in proximity to an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. Here, we study these phenomena using large-scale determinant quantum Monte Carlo simulations and the dynamical cluster approximation with various impurity solvers for the periodic Anderson model with frustrated hybridization. We obtain solid evidence for a d_{x^{2}−y^{2}} superconducting phase arising from an incoherent normal state in the vicinity of an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. There is a coexistence region, and the width of the superconducting dome increases with frustration. Through a study of the pairing dynamics, we find that the retarded spin fluctuations give the main contribution to the pairing glue. These results are relevant for unconventional superconductivity in the Ce-115 family of heavy fermions.

Superconducting gap anisotropy and d-wave pairing in YBa2Cu3O7-δ

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Sanjeev K.; Gupta, Anushri; Kumari, Anita; Indu, B. D.

2018-02-01

Considering Born-Mayer-Huggins potential as a most suitable potential to study the dynamical properties of high-temperature superconductors (HTS), the many-body quantum dynamics to obtain phonon Green’s functions has been developed via a Hamiltonian that incorporates the contributions of harmonic electron and phonon fields, phonon field anharmonicities, defects and electron-phonon interactions without considering BCS structure. This enables one to develop the quasiparticle renormalized frequency dispersion in the representative high-temperature cuprate superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ. The superconducting gap shows substantial changes with increased doping. The in-plane gap study revealed a v-shape gap with a nodal point along kx = ±ky direction for optimum doping (δ = 0.16) and the nodal point vanished in underdoped and overdoped regimes. The dx2-y2 pairing symmetry is observed at optimum doping with the presence of s or dxy components ( < 3%) in underdoped and overdoped regimes.

Superconductivity, Antiferromagnetism, and Kinetic Correlation in Strongly Correlated Electron Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takashi Yanagisawa

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We investigate the ground state of two-dimensional Hubbard model on the basis of the variational Monte Carlo method. We use wave functions that include kinetic correlation and doublon-holon correlation beyond the Gutzwiller ansatz. It is still not clear whether the Hubbard model accounts for high-temperature superconductivity. The antiferromagnetic correlation plays a key role in the study of pairing mechanism because the superconductive phase exists usually close to the antiferromagnetic phase. We investigate the stability of the antiferromagnetic state when holes are doped as a function of the Coulomb repulsion U. We show that the antiferromagnetic correlation is suppressed as U is increased exceeding the bandwidth. High-temperature superconductivity is possible in this region with enhanced antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation and pairing interaction.

Cooperative effects in CeCu2Si2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lang, M.; Modler, R.; Ahlheim, U.; Helfrich, R.; Reinders, P.H.P.; Steglich, F.; Assmus, W.; Sun, W.; Bruls, G.; Weber, D.; Luethi, B.

1991-01-01

Heavy-fermion superconductivity and other cooperative effects have been explored by thermal expansion, specific heat and ultrasound measurements on CeCu 2 Si 2 single crystals. Crystals annealed under Cu atmosphere show sharp superconducting transitions at Tc max =0.63 K. At the same temperature the ''as grown'', i.e., non-bulk-superconducting, crystals reveal a pronounced phase-transition anomaly, presumably of structural origin. This new transition is associated with an expansion of the volume upon cooling and gives rise to magnetic correlations. Our results indicate a complex interplay between lattice instability, magnetic phenomena and superconductivity in CeCu 2 Si 2 . (orig.)

A common thread in unconventional superconductivity. The functional renormalization group in multi-band systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Platt, Christian

2012-01-01

The superconducting properties of complex materials like the recently discovered iron-pnictides or strontium-ruthenate are often governed by multi-orbital effects. In order to unravel the superconductivity of those materials, we develop a multi-orbital implementation of the functional renormalization group and study the pairing states of several characteristic material systems. Starting with the iron-pnictides, we find competing spin-fluctuation channels that become attractive if the superconducting gap changes sign between the nested portions of the Fermi surface. Depending on material details like doping or pnictogen height, these spin fluctuations then give rise to s ± -wave pairing with or without gap nodes and, in some cases, also change the symmetry to d-wave. Near the transition from nodal s ± -wave to d-wave pairing, we predict the occurrence of a time-reversal symmetry-broken (s+id)-pairing state which avoids gap nodes and is therefore energetically favored. We further study the electronic instabilities of doped graphene, another fascinating material which has recently become accessible and which can effectively be regarded as multi-orbital system. Here, the hexagonal lattice structure assures the degeneracy of two d-wave pairing channels, and the system then realizes a chiral (d+id)-pairing state in a wide doping range around van-Hove filling. In addition, we also find spin-triplet pairing as well as an exotic spin-density wave phase which both become leading if the long-ranged hopping or interaction parameters are slightly modified, for example, by choosing different substrate materials. Finally, we consider the superconducting state of strontium-ruthenate, a possible candidate for chiral spin-triplet pairing with fascinating properties like the existence of half-quantum vortices obeying non-Abelian statistics. Using a microscopic three orbital description including spin-orbit coupling, we demonstrate that ferromagnetic fluctuations are still

Interplay between superconductivity and Coulomb blockade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lorenz, Thomas; Sprenger, Susanne; Scheer, Elke [Universitaet Konstanz (Germany)

2016-07-01

Studying the interplay between superconductivity and Coulomb blockade (CB) can be achieved by investigating an all superconducting single electron transistor (SSET) consisting of an island coupled to the leads by two tunneling contacts. The majority of experiments performed so far were using superconducting tunnel contacts made from oxide layers, in which multiple Andreev reflections (MAR) can be excluded. Using a mechanically controlled break junction (MCBJ) made of aluminum enables tuning the contributions of MAR in one junction continuously and thereby addressing different transport regimes within the same sample. Our results offer the possibility to attribute particular features in the transport characteristics to the transmission probabilities of individual modes in the MCBJ contact. We discuss our findings in terms of dynamical CB, SSET behaviour and MAR when continuously opening the MCBJ from the fully closed state to a tunneling contact.

Cooperative Control with Virtual Selective Harmonic Capacitance for Harmonic Voltage Compensation in Islanded MicroGrids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Micallef, A.; Apap, M.; Spitero-Stanies, C.

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on the islanded operation of microgrids. In this mode of operation, the microsources are required to cooperate autonomously to regulate the local grid voltage and frequency. Droop control is typically used to achieve this autonomous voltage and frequency regulation. Inverters...... having LCL output filters would cause voltage distortion to be present at the PCC of the local load when non-linear current is supplied to the load due to the voltage drop across the grid side inductor. Techniques to reduce the output voltage distortion typically consist of installing either passive...

PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN COOPERATIVE LEARNING TIPE THINK-PAIR-SHARE (TPS TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR KEWIRAUSAHAAN SISWA KELAS X SEMESTER GENAP SMK KARTIKATAMA 1 METRO T.P 2015/2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safitri Kurnia Lestari

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Metode cooperative learning tipe think-pair-share  merupakan model pembelajaran yang melibatkan peserta didik secara maksimal dalam kegiatan pembelajaran mulai dari merencanakan topik-topik yang akan dipelajari, bagaimana mendiskusikan topik suatu materi, hingga melakukan presentasi kelompok dan evaluasi. Adapun yang menjadi masalah dalam penelitian ini yaitu “ Masih banyak peserta didik yang belum tuntas hasil belajar pada mata pelajaran  kewirausahaan  peserta didik kelas X semester genap  SMK Kartikatama 1 Metro  tahun pelajaran 2015/2016”. Adapun tujuan dalam penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengatuh penggunaan model Cooperative Learning Tipe Think-Pair-Share(TPS terhadap hasil belajar kewirausahaan pada kelas X semester genap SMK Kartikatama 1 metro tahun pelajaran 2015/2016. Maka hipotesis dalam penelitian ini adalah sebagai berikut: “Ada pengaruh positif pengunaan model Cooperative Learning TipeThink-Pair-Share  terhadap hasil belajar  kewirausahaan  peserta didik kelas X semester genap  SMK Kartikatama 1 Metro  tahun pelajaran 2015/2016”. Populasi dalam penelitian ini wilayah yang sebanyak 3 kelas dengan jumlah 71 peserta didik. Sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah kelas X AK 1 yang berjumlah 24sebagai kelas eksperimen dan kelas X AK 2yang berjumlah 21 sebagai kelas kontrol. Setelah dianalisis hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa dari analisis perhitungan nilai thitung>ttabel dapat dilihat pada daftar G, pada daftar signifikan 5% yaitu 9,10>1,72. Dan pada taraf signifikan 1% yaitu 9,10>2,51. Dengan demikian hipotesisnya berbunyi bahwa : ada pengaruh positip penggunaan Cooperative Learning Tipe Think-Pair-Share (TPS dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar kewirausahaan siswa kelas X AK 1 semester genap SMK Kartikatama 1 metro tahun pelajaran 2015/2016 pada pokok bahasan mengelola konflik. Siswa yang dinyatakan tuntas dengan KKM (75 setelah treatment sebanyak 14 siswa atau sebesar 58,33% dan siswa yang dinyatakan belum

The war of the cold: an history of the superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matricon, J.; Waysand, G.

1994-01-01

The evolution of superconductivity is described from a scientific, and social points of view. The evolution of researches and realizations towards the absolute zero temperature leading to the discovery of superconductivity by Gilles Holst in 1991, is followed by the theoretical modelization of the superconductivity phenomena leading to the Ginzburg and Landau theory in 1950 and to the Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer theory in 1957. Then researches on materials that lead to high-tc superconductors are presented with some applications. (A.B.). refs., figs,. tabs

Theory of exotic superconductivity and normal states of heavy electron and high temperature superconductivity materials. Progress report, February 15, 1994--February 14, 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, D.L.

1995-01-01

This is a progress report for the DOE project covering the period 2/15/94 to 2/14/95. The PI had a fruitful sabbatical during this period, and had some important new results, particularly in the area of new phenomenology for heavy fermion superconductivity. Significant new research accomplishments are in the area of odd-in-time-reversal pairing states/staggered superconductivity, the two-channel Kondo lattice, and a general model for Ce impurities which admits one-, two-, and three-channel Kondo effects. Papers submitted touch on these areas: staggered superconductivity - a new phenomenology for UPt 3 ; theory of the two-channel Kondo lattice in infinite dimensions; general model of a Ce 3+ impurity. Other work was done in the areas: Knight shift in heavy fermion alloys and compounds; symmetry analysis of singular pairing correlations for the two-channel Kondo impurity model

Magnetoresistance in single-electron transistors comprising a superconducting island with ferromagnetic leads

Science.gov (United States)

Mizugaki, Yoshinao; Takiguchi, Masashi; Tamura, Nobuyuki; Shimada, Hiroshi

2018-03-01

We report electric and magnetic field responses of single-electron transistors (SETs) comprising a superconducting island with ferromagnetic (FM) leads. We fabricated two SETs, one of which had relatively high resistance and the other had relatively low resistance. The SETs had two states for the gate charge: SET-ON or SET-OFF. They also had two states for the FM lead magnetization: parallel (P) or anti-parallel (AP) configuration. Current-voltage characteristics of four SET states (“P & SET-ON,” “P & SET-OFF,” “AP & SET-ON,” and “AP & SET-OFF”) were measured at approximately 0.1 K in a compact dilution refrigerator. Magnetoresistance ratio (MRR) values were obtained for the SET-ON and SET-OFF states, respectively. The higher-resistance SET1 exhibited positive MRR values for all measured bias voltages. The MRR enhancement was confirmed for the SET-OFF state, which agreed well with the co-tunneling model. The lower-resistance SET2, on the other hand, exhibited negative and positive MRR values for higher and lower bias voltage conditions, respectively. The bias voltage for the MRR polarity reversal was changed by the gate voltage. It was also confirmed that the co-tunneling model was partially valid for negative MRR values.

Identifying Cost-Effective Residential Energy Efficiency Opportunities for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busche, S.; Hockett, S.

2010-06-01

This analysis is an update to the 2005 Energy Efficiency Potential Study completed by KEMA for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) and identifies potential energy efficiency opportunities in the residential sector on Kauai (KEMA 2005). The Total Resource Cost (TRC) test is used to determine which of the energy efficiency measures analyzed in the KEMA report are cost effective for KIUC to include in a residential energy efficiency program. This report finds that there remains potential energy efficiency savings that could be cost-effectively incentivized through a utility residential demand-side management program on Kauai if implemented in such a way that the program costs per measure are consistent with the current residential program costs.

Unconventional superconductivity in heavy fermionic and high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volovik, G.E.

1989-01-01

Splitting of the superconducting transition and glass spectrum in heavy fermion companies and oxide superconductors are discussed. The multicomponent order parameter leads to splitting of transition due to magnetic field, impurities, orthorhombic distortion, etc... Linear specific heat in oxide superconductors may be explained in terms of the Fermi-surface arising in superconducting state if interband is pairing strong enough

Robust Concurrent Remote Entanglement Between Two Superconducting Qubits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Narla

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Entangling two remote quantum systems that never interact directly is an essential primitive in quantum information science and forms the basis for the modular architecture of quantum computing. When protocols to generate these remote entangled pairs rely on using traveling single-photon states as carriers of quantum information, they can be made robust to photon losses, unlike schemes that rely on continuous variable states. However, efficiently detecting single photons is challenging in the domain of superconducting quantum circuits because of the low energy of microwave quanta. Here, we report the realization of a robust form of concurrent remote entanglement based on a novel microwave photon detector implemented in the superconducting circuit quantum electrodynamics platform of quantum information. Remote entangled pairs with a fidelity of 0.57±0.01 are generated at 200 Hz. Our experiment opens the way for the implementation of the modular architecture of quantum computation with superconducting qubits.

Superconductivity in doped semiconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bustarret, E., E-mail: Etienne.bustarret@neel.cnrs.fr

2015-07-15

A historical survey of the main normal and superconducting state properties of several semiconductors doped into superconductivity is proposed. This class of materials includes selenides, tellurides, oxides and column-IV semiconductors. Most of the experimental data point to a weak coupling pairing mechanism, probably phonon-mediated in the case of diamond, but probably not in the case of strontium titanate, these being the most intensively studied materials over the last decade. Despite promising theoretical predictions based on a conventional mechanism, the occurrence of critical temperatures significantly higher than 10 K has not been yet verified. However, the class provides an enticing playground for testing theories and devices alike.

Technical and economic feasibility of superconducting power transmission: a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsyth, E.B.; Mulligan, G.A.; Beck, J.W.; Williams, J.A.

1975-01-01

The long-range plans of the Long Island Lighting Company include the installation of 4600 MW of generation capacity at nuclear sites on eastern Long Island by the 1990's. A single site, Shoreham, was chosen for this study which would require transmission facilities to the Ruland Road substation, 43 miles away. Conventional 345 kV overhead and underground circuits are planned for this service. For the case study three superconducting cable schemes have been investigated which reflect various technical options. The superconducting cables have been designed to meet acceptable normal and contingency load flow conditions and to withstand maximum short circuit faults. A cost analysis has been made of the complete installation, providing a valuable comparison of the estimated cost of this new technology with conventional methods. The most favorable cost comparison is a two-circuit 345 kV superconducting system, which appears to be about one-half the cost of an all underground 345 kV high pressure oil-filled cable system. No reactive compensation will be required for the superconducting system, whereas extensive compensation is required for HPOF cables over the same distance. The cost estimate for the two-circuit superconducting system is about twice that of 345 kV overhead transmission, which would consist of two double circuits and one single circuit, assuming right-of-way could be obtained. (U.S.)

Competition between disorder and exchange splitting in superconducting ZrZn2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, B J; Annett, James F; Gyoerffy, B L

2003-01-01

We propose a simple picture for the occurrence of superconductivity and the pressure dependence of the superconducting critical temperature, T SC , in ZrZn 2 . According to our hypothesis the pairing potential is independent of pressure, but the exchange splitting, E xc , leads to a pressure dependence in the (spin dependent) density of states at the Fermi level, D σ (ε F ). Assuming p-wave pairing T SC is dependent on D σ (ε F ) which ensures that, in the absence of non-magnetic impurities, T SC decreases as pressure is applied until it reaches a minimum in the paramagnetic state. Disorder reduces this minimum to zero, this gives the illusion that the superconductivity disappears at the same pressure as ferromagnetism does. (letter to the editor)

Superconducting properties of Pb nanoislands on Pb/Ag/Si(111) studied by a "3He-cooled scanning tunnelling microscope in magnetic fields at variable temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leon Vanegas, Alvaro Augusto

2015-01-01

A "3He-cooled scanning tunneling microscope was used to investigate the superconducting properties of Pb single layers on Si(111) and Ag/Si(111) and Pb islands on Pb/Ag/Si(111) at temperatures between 0.38 K and 6 K and in magnetic fields of up to 3 T. The spectroscopy measurements show that in contrast with Pb/Si(111), a single Pb layer on Ag/Si(111) is non-superconducting. The superconductivity of Pb islands on Pb/Ag/Si(111) was characterized as a function of temperature and magnetic field. A non-uniform critical magnetic field for suppression of superconductivity on islands of uniform thickness but sitting of regions of different height is reported. The proximity induced superconductivity on the wetting layer surrounding a Pb island on Pb/Ag/Si(111) was studied. Spatially resolved, magnetic field dependent spectroscopy uncovers a non-trivial reduction of the extension of the induced superconductivity with increasing field. A breakdown of the proximity effect for fields larger than 0.5 T is found. Tunneling spectroscopy reveals a strong decrease of the proximity length with increasing temperature. This is ascribed to the thermally induced broadening of the electronic density of states in the tip used in the STM experiment.

Superconducting characteristics of the Penson-Kolb model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czart, W.R.; Robaszkiewicz, S.

2000-01-01

We study superconducting properties of the Penson-Kolb model, i. e. the tight-binding model with the pair-hopping (intersite charge exchange) interaction J. The evolution of the critical fields, the coherence length, the Ginzburg ratio, and London penetration depth with particle concentration n and pairing strength are determined. The results are compared with those found earlier for the attractive Hubbard model. (author)

Thermodynamic Green functions in theory of superconductivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.M.Plakida

2006-01-01

Full Text Available A general theory of superconductivity is formulated within the thermodynamic Green function method for various types of pairing mediated by phonons, spin fluctuations, and strong Coulomb correlations in the Hubbard and t-J models. A rigorous Dyson equation for matrix Green functions is derived in terms of a self-energy as a many-particle Green function. By applying the noncrossing approximation for the self-energy, a closed self-consistent system of equations is obtained, similar to the conventional Eliashberg equations. A brief discussion of superconductivity mediated by kinematic interaction with an estimation of a superconducting transition temperature in the Hubbard model is given.

Renormalization group approach to a p-wave superconducting model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Continentino, Mucio A.; Deus, Fernanda; Caldas, Heron

2014-01-01

We present in this work an exact renormalization group (RG) treatment of a one-dimensional p-wave superconductor. The model proposed by Kitaev consists of a chain of spinless fermions with a p-wave gap. It is a paradigmatic model of great actual interest since it presents a weak pairing superconducting phase that has Majorana fermions at the ends of the chain. Those are predicted to be useful for quantum computation. The RG allows to obtain the phase diagram of the model and to study the quantum phase transition from the weak to the strong pairing phase. It yields the attractors of these phases and the critical exponents of the weak to strong pairing transition. We show that the weak pairing phase of the model is governed by a chaotic attractor being non-trivial from both its topological and RG properties. In the strong pairing phase the RG flow is towards a conventional strong coupling fixed point. Finally, we propose an alternative way for obtaining p-wave superconductivity in a one-dimensional system without spin–orbit interaction.

Population Size and Decadal Trends of Three Penguin Species Nesting at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Michael J; Jackson, Jennifer A; Adlard, Stacey; Lynnes, Amanda S; Briggs, Dirk R; Fox, Derren; Waluda, Claire M

2016-01-01

We report long-term changes in population size of three species of sympatrically breeding pygoscelid penguins: Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) and gentoo (Pygoscelis papua ellsworthii) over a 38 year period at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, based on annual counts from selected colonies and decadal all-island systematic counts of occupied nests. Comparing total numbers of breeding pairs over the whole island from 1978/79 to 2015/16 revealed varying fortunes: gentoo penguin pairs increased by 255%, (3.5% per annum), chinstrap penguins declined by 68% (-3.6% per annum) and Adélie penguins declined by 42% (-1.5% per annum). The chinstrap population has declined steadily over the last four decades. In contrast, Adélie and gentoo penguins have experienced phases of population increase and decline. Annual surveys of selected chinstrap and Adélie colonies produced similar trends from those revealed by island-wide surveys, allowing total island population trends to be inferred relatively well. However, while the annual colony counts of chinstrap and Adélie penguins showed a trend consistent in direction with the results from all-island surveys, the magnitude of estimated population change was markedly different between colony wide and all island counts. Annual population patterns suggest that pair numbers in the study areas partly reflect immigration and emigration of nesting birds between different parts of the island. Breeding success for all three species remained broadly stable over time in the annually monitored colonies. Breeding success rates in gentoo and chinstrap penguins were strongly correlated, despite the differing trends in population size. This study shows the importance of effective, standardised monitoring to accurately determine long-term population trajectories. Our results indicate significant declines in the Adélie and chinstrap penguin populations at Signy Island over the last five decades, and a gradual

Half-metallic superconducting triplet spin multivalves

Science.gov (United States)

Alidoust, Mohammad; Halterman, Klaus

2018-02-01

We study spin switching effects in finite-size superconducting multivalve structures. We examine F1F2SF3 and F1F2SF3F4 hybrids where a singlet superconductor (S) layer is sandwiched among ferromagnet (F) layers with differing thicknesses and magnetization orientations. Our results reveal a considerable number of experimentally viable spin-valve configurations that lead to on-off switching of the superconducting state. For S widths on the order of the superconducting coherence length ξ0, noncollinear magnetization orientations in adjacent F layers with multiple spin axes leads to a rich variety of triplet spin-valve effects. Motivated by recent experiments, we focus on samples where the magnetizations in the F1 and F4 layers exist in a fully spin-polarized half-metallic phase, and calculate the superconducting transition temperature, spatially and energy resolved density of states, and the spin-singlet and spin-triplet superconducting correlations. Our findings demonstrate that superconductivity in these devices can be completely switched on or off over a wide range of magnetization misalignment angles due to the generation of equal-spin and opposite-spin triplet pairings.

Possible universal cause of high-Tc superconductivity in different metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amusia, M.Ya.; Shaginyan, V.R.

2002-01-01

Using the theory of the high temperature superconductivity based on the idea of the fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT) it is shown that neither the d-wave pairing symmetry, nor the pseudogap phenomenon, nor the presence of the Cu-O 2 planes are of decisive importance for the existence of the high-T c superconductivity. The analysis of recent experimental data on this type of superconductivity in different materials is carried out. It is shown that these facts can be understood within the theory of superconductivity based on the FCQPT. The main features of a room-temperature superconductor are discussed [ru

Topological phase diagram of superconducting carbon nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milz, Lars; Marganska-Lyzniak, Magdalena; Grifoni, Milena [Institut I - Theoretische Physik Universitaet Regensburg (Germany)

2016-07-01

The topological superconducting phase diagram of superconducting carbon nanotubes is discussed. Under the assumption of a short-ranged pairing potential, there are two spin-singlet states: an s-wave and an exotic p + ip-wave that are possible because of the special structure of the honeycomb lattice. The consequences for the possible presence of Majorana edge states in carbon nanotubes are addressed. In particular, regions in the magnetic field-chemical potential plane possibly hosting localized Majorana modes are discussed.

Pb induces superconductivity in Bi2Se3 analyzed by point contact spectroscopy

OpenAIRE

Arevalo-López, P.; López-Romero, R. E.; Escudero, R.

2015-01-01

Some topological insulators become superconducting when doped with Cu and Pd. Superconductivity in a non-superconductor may be induced by proximity effect: i.e. Contacting a non-superconductor with a superconductor. The superconducting macroscopic wave function will induce electronic pairing into the normal compound. In the simplest topological insulator, Bi$_2$Se$_3$, superconductivity may be induced with Pb. We studied with point contact junctions formed by contacting Bi$_2$Se$_3$ crystals ...

Femtosecond optical detection of quasiparticle dynamics in high- T sub c YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 7 minus. delta. superconducting thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, S.G.; Vardeny, Z.V.; Wong, K.S.; Symko, O.G. (Department of Physics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (USA)); Koren, G. (Department of Physics, Technion, 32000 Haifa (Israel))

1990-11-19

Femtosecond dynamics of photogenerated quasiparticles in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} superconducting thin films shows, at {ital T}{le}{ital T}{sub {ital c}}, two main electronic processes: (i) quasiparticle avalanche production during hot-carrier thermalization, which takes about 300 fsec; (ii) recombination of quasiparticles to form Cooper pairs, which is completed within 5 psec. In contrastr, nonsuperconducting epitaxial films such as PrBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 2}O{sub 7} and YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6} show regular picosecond electronic response.

Superconducting properties of Pb nanoislands on Pb/Ag/Si(111) studied by a {sup 3}He-cooled scanning tunnelling microscope in magnetic fields at variable temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leon Vanegas, Alvaro Augusto

2015-02-26

A {sup 3}He-cooled scanning tunneling microscope was used to investigate the superconducting properties of Pb single layers on Si(111) and Ag/Si(111) and Pb islands on Pb/Ag/Si(111) at temperatures between 0.38 K and 6 K and in magnetic fields of up to 3 T. The spectroscopy measurements show that in contrast with Pb/Si(111), a single Pb layer on Ag/Si(111) is non-superconducting. The superconductivity of Pb islands on Pb/Ag/Si(111) was characterized as a function of temperature and magnetic field. A non-uniform critical magnetic field for suppression of superconductivity on islands of uniform thickness but sitting of regions of different height is reported. The proximity induced superconductivity on the wetting layer surrounding a Pb island on Pb/Ag/Si(111) was studied. Spatially resolved, magnetic field dependent spectroscopy uncovers a non-trivial reduction of the extension of the induced superconductivity with increasing field. A breakdown of the proximity effect for fields larger than 0.5 T is found. Tunneling spectroscopy reveals a strong decrease of the proximity length with increasing temperature. This is ascribed to the thermally induced broadening of the electronic density of states in the tip used in the STM experiment.

Superconducting Fluctuations above T c and pair breaking parameters of two dimensional Niobium Nitride Films

Science.gov (United States)

Shinozaki, B.; Ezaki, S.; Odou, T.; Makise, K.; Asano, T.

2018-03-01

Transport properties have been investigated for the epitaxial superconducting NbN thin films. We analysed the excess conductance σ’ ≡ σ(T) - σN by the sum of the Aslamazov-Larkin (AL) and Maki-Thompson (MT) terms for thermal fluctuations above T c, where the σN ≡1/R sq N is the normal state sheet conductance. We have found that the theoretical expression σ’theo (T) = σ’AL (T) + σ’MT (T,δ) can be well fitted to σ’exp (T) with use of the suitable value of the pair breaking parameter δ in the MT term relating to the inelastic scattering rate 1/τin(T) as δ = πħ/8k B Tτin. The rate 1/τin(T) given by the sum of 1/τfluc(T), 1/τe-e(T) and 1/τe-ph (T) is determined from the analysis of the magneto-conductance Δσ = σ(H) – σ(0) by the sum of AL, MT and the localization terms, where the first, second and third terms correspond to the rate due to the superconducting fluctuation effect, electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions, respectively. The R sq N dependence of δ is expressed by δ = δ0 + αR sq N, where the first term δ0 due to 1/τe-ph (T) and the second term due to the sum of 1/τfluc(T) and 1/τe-e(T). Although we obtained a reasonable value of Debye temperature ΘD ≈630 K from the δ0, the magnitude of the α is about 5 times larger than the theoretical value.

SMES application for frequency control during islanded microgrid operation

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, A.-Rong; Kim, Gyeong-Hun; Heo, Serim; Park, Minwon; Yu, In-Keun; Kim, Hak-Man

2013-01-01

This paper analyzes the operating characteristics of a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) for the frequency control of an islanded microgrid operation. In the grid-connected mode of a microgrid, an imbalance between power supply and demand is solved by a power trade with the upstream power grid. The difference in the islanded mode is a critical problem because the microgrid is isolated from any power grid. For this reason, the frequency control during islanded microgrid operation is a challenging issue. A test microgrid in this paper consisted of a wind power generator, a PV generation system, a diesel generator and a load to test the feasibility of the SMES for controlling frequency during islanded operation as well as the transient state varying from the grid-connected mode to the islanded mode. The results show that the SMES contributes well for frequency control in the islanded operation. In addition, a dual and a single magnet type of SMES have been compared to demonstrate the control performance. The dual magnet has the same energy capacity as the single magnet, but there are two superconducting coils and each coil has half inductance of the single magnet. The effectiveness of the SMES application with the simulation results is discussed in detail.

Correlated Dirac particles and superconductivity on the honeycomb lattice

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wei; Scherer, Michael M.; Honerkamp, Carsten; Le Hur, Karyn

2013-03-01

We investigate the properties of the nearest-neighbor singlet pairing and the emergence of d-wave superconductivity in the doped honeycomb lattice considering the limit of large interactions and the t-J1-J2 model. First, by applying a renormalized mean-field procedure as well as slave-boson theories which account for the proximity to the Mott-insulating state, we confirm the emergence of d-wave superconductivity, in agreement with earlier works. We show that a small but finite J2 spin coupling between next-nearest neighbors stabilizes d-wave symmetry compared to the extendeds-wave scenario. At small hole doping, to minimize the energy and to gap the whole Fermi surface or all the Dirac points, the superconducting ground state is characterized by a d+id singlet pairing assigned to one valley and a d-id singlet pairing to the other, which then preserves time-reversal symmetry. The slightly doped situation is distinct from the heavily doped case (around 3/8 and 5/8 filling) supporting a pure chiral d+id symmetry and breaking time-reversal symmetry. Then, we apply the functional renormalization group and study in more detail the competition between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in the vicinity of half filling. We discuss possible applications to strongly correlated compounds with copper hexagonal planes such as In3Cu2VO9. Our findings are also relevant to the understanding of exotic superfluidity with cold atoms.

Exotic superconductivity with enhanced energy scales in materials with three band crossings

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yu-Ping; Nandkishore, Rahul M.

2018-04-01

Three band crossings can arise in three-dimensional quantum materials with certain space group symmetries. The low energy Hamiltonian supports spin one fermions and a flat band. We study the pairing problem in this setting. We write down a minimal BCS Hamiltonian and decompose it into spin-orbit coupled irreducible pairing channels. We then solve the resulting gap equations in channels with zero total angular momentum. We find that in the s-wave spin singlet channel (and also in an unusual d-wave `spin quintet' channel), superconductivity is enormously enhanced, with a possibility for the critical temperature to be linear in interaction strength. Meanwhile, in the p-wave spin triplet channel, the superconductivity exhibits features of conventional BCS theory due to the absence of flat band pairing. Three band crossings thus represent an exciting new platform for realizing exotic superconducting states with enhanced energy scales. We also discuss the effects of doping, nonzero temperature, and of retaining additional terms in the k .p expansion of the Hamiltonian.

Terahertz Mixing Characteristics of NbN Superconducting Tunnel Junctions and Related Astronomical Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Li, J.

2010-01-01

High-sensitivity superconducting SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) mixers are playing an increasingly important role in the terahertz (THz) astronomical observation, which is an emerging research frontier in modern astrophysics. Superconducting SIS mixers with niobium (Nb) tunnel junctions have reached a sensitivity close to the quantum limit, but have a frequency limit about 0.7 THz (i.e., gap frequency of Nb tunnel junctions). Beyond this frequency Nb superconducting films will absorb energetic photons (i.e., energy loss) to break Cooper pairs, thereby resulting in significant degradation of the mixer performance. Therefore, it is of particular interest to develop THz superconducting SIS mixers incorporating tunnel junctions with a larger energy gap. Niobium-nitride (NbN) superconducting tunnel junctions have been long known for their large energy gap, almost double that of Nb ones. With the introduction of epitaxially grown NbN films, the fabrication technology of NbN superconducting tunnel junctions has been considerably improved in the recent years. Nevertheless, their performances are still not as good as Nb ones, and furthermore they are not yet demonstrated in real astronomical applications. Given the facts mentioned above, in this paper we systematically study the quantum mixing behaviors of NbN superconducting tunnel junctions in the THz regime and demonstrate an astronomical testing observation with a 0.5 THz superconducting SIS mixer developed with NbN tunnel junctions. The main results of this study include: (1) successful design and fabrication of a 0.4˜0.6 THz waveguide mixing circuit with the high-dielectric-constant MgO substrate; (2) successful fabrication of NbN superconducting tunnel junctions with the gap voltage reaching 5.6 mV and the quality factor as high as 15; (3) demonstration of a 0.5 THz waveguide NbN superconducting SIS mixer with a measured receiver noise temperature (no correction) as low as five times the quantum limit

Y-chromosome diversity is inversely associated with language affiliation in paired Austronesian- and Papuan-speaking communities from Solomon Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Murray P; Mirazón Lahr, Marta

2006-01-01

The Solomon Islands lie in the center of Island Melanesia, bordered to the north by the Bismarck Archipelago and to the south by Vanuatu. The nation's half-million inhabitants speak around 70 languages from two unrelated language groups: Austronesian, a language family widespread in the Pacific and closely related to languages spoken in Island Southeast Asia, and "East Papuan", generally defined as non-Austronesian and distantly related to the extremely diverse Papuan languages of New Guinea. Despite the archipelago's presumed role as a staging post for the settlement of Remote Oceania, genetic research on Solomon Island populations is sparse. We collected paired samples from two regions that have populations speaking Austronesian and Papuan languages, respectively. Here we present Y-chromosome data from these samples, the first from Solomon Islands. We detected five Y-chromosome lineages: M-M106, O-M175, K-M9*, K-M230, and the extremely rare clade, K1-M177. Y-chromosome lineages from Solomon Islands fall within the range of other Island Melanesian populations but display markedly lower haplogroup diversity. From a broad Indo-Pacific perspective, Y-chromosome lineages show partial association with the distribution of language groups: O-M175 is associated spatially with Austronesian-speaking areas, whereas M-M106 broadly correlates with the distribution of Papuan languages. However, no relationship between Y-chromosome lineages and language affiliation was observed on a small scale within Solomon Islands. This pattern may result from a sampling strategy that targeted small communities, where individual Y-chromosome lineages can be fixed or swept to extinction by genetic drift or favored paternal exogamy. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:35-50, 2006. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Geometrical resonance effects in thin superconducting films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nedellec, P.

1977-01-01

Electron tunneling density of states measurements on thick and clear superconducting films (S 1 ) backed by films in the normal or superconducting state (S 2 ) show geometrical resonance effects associated with the spatial variation of Δ(x), the pair potential, near the interface S 1 -S 2 . The present understanding of this so-called 'Tomasch effect' is described. The dispersion relation and the nature of excitations in the superconducting state are introduced. It is shown that the introduction of Green functions give a general description of the superconducting state. The notion of Andreev scattering at the S 1 -S 2 interface is presented and connect the geometrical resonance effects to interference process between excitations. The different physical parameters involved are defined and used in the discussion of some experimental results: the variation of the period in energy with the superconducting thickness is connected to the renormalized group velocity of excitations traveling perpendicular to the film. The role of the barrier potential at the interface on the Tomasch effect is described. The main results discussed are: the decrease of the amplitude of the Tomasch structures with energy is due to the loss of the mixed electron-hole character of the superconducting excitations far away from the Fermi level; the variation of the pair potential at the interface is directly related to the amplitude of the oscillations; the tunneling selectivity is an important parameter as the amplitude as well as the phase of the oscillations are modified depending on the value of the selectivity; the phase of the Tomasch oscillations is different for an abrupt change of Δ at the interface and for a smooth variation. An ambiguity arises due to the interplay between these parameters. Finally, some experiments, which illustrate clearly the predicted effects are described [fr

Skew Information for a Single Cooper Pair Box Interacting with a Single Cavity Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metwally, N.; Al-Mannai, A.; Abdel-Aty, M.

2013-01-01

The dynamics of the skew information (SI) is investigated for a single Cooper Pair Box (CPB) interacting with a single cavity field. By suitably choosing the system parameters and precisely controlling the dynamics, novel connection is found between the SI and entanglement generation. It is shown that SI can be increased and reach its maximum value either by increasing the number of photons inside the cavity or considering the far off-resonant case. The number of oscillations of SI is increased by decreasing this ratio between the Josephson junction capacity and the gate capacity. This leads to significant improvement of the travelling time between the maximum and minimum values. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Correlation mediated superconductivity in a Spin Peierls Phase of the Hubbard Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, M.W.

1987-08-01

The author explores the consequences of a mapping of the Hubbard Hamiltonian with a view to finding possible superconducting phases. The transformation pairs up all the sites and is therefore a much more natural starting point for describing a 'Spin Peierls' transition, generating enhanced singlet correlations for this pairing, than it is for describing the 'Resonating Valence Bond' state. It is shown that in the less than half filling case, an effective non-linear hopping Hamiltonian is quite useful in describing half of the electrons. This effective Hamiltonian can show a form of superconducting instability when nearest neighbour hopping is introduced to stabilise it. This superconducting phase seems to be a very unlikely possibility for the standard Hubbard model. (author)

Topological Superconductivity on the Surface of Fe-Based Superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Gang; Lian, Biao; Tang, Peizhe; Qi, Xiao-Liang; Zhang, Shou-Cheng

2016-07-22

As one of the simplest systems for realizing Majorana fermions, the topological superconductor plays an important role in both condensed matter physics and quantum computations. Based on ab initio calculations and the analysis of an effective 8-band model with superconducting pairing, we demonstrate that the three-dimensional extended s-wave Fe-based superconductors such as Fe_{1+y}Se_{0.5}Te_{0.5} have a metallic topologically nontrivial band structure, and exhibit a normal-topological-normal superconductivity phase transition on the (001) surface by tuning the bulk carrier doping level. In the topological superconductivity (TSC) phase, a Majorana zero mode is trapped at the end of a magnetic vortex line. We further show that the surface TSC phase only exists up to a certain bulk pairing gap, and there is a normal-topological phase transition driven by the temperature, which has not been discussed before. These results pave an effective way to realize the TSC and Majorana fermions in a large class of superconductors.

Scientific Affairs Division of NATO Advanced Study Institute: abstracts for nonequilibrium superconductivity, phonons and Kapitza boundaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-05-01

Abstracts of papers presented at the meeting are given. Topics covered include: Kapitza resistance; superconducting tunneling; energy gap enhancement in superconductors; instabilities in nonequilibrium superconducting states; exchange of charge between superconducting pairs and quasiparticles; motion of magnetic flux (flux flow); and other new phenomena

Bosonic excitations and electron pairing in an electron-doped cuprate superconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, M. C.; Yu, H. S.; Xiong, J.; Yang, Y.-F.; Luo, S. N.; Jin, K.; Qi, J.

2018-04-01

By applying ultrafast optical spectroscopy to electron-doped La1.9Ce0.1CuO4 ±δ , we discern a bosonic mode of electronic origin and provide the evolution of its coupling with the charge carriers as a function of temperature. Our results show that it has the strongest coupling strength near Tc and can fully account for the superconducting pairing. This mode can be associated with the two-dimensional antiferromagnetic spin correlations emerging below a critical temperature T† larger than Tc. Our work may help to establish a quantitative relation between bosonic excitations and superconducting pairing in electron-doped cuprates.

Concurrence of superconductivity and structure transition in Weyl semimetal TaP under pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yufeng; Zhou, Yonghui; Guo, Zhaopeng; Han, Fei; Chen, Xuliang; Lu, Pengchao; Wang, Xuefei; An, Chao; Zhou, Ying; Xing, Jie; Du, Guan; Zhu, Xiyu; Yang, Huan; Sun, Jian; Yang, Zhaorong; Yang, Wenge; Mao, Ho-Kwang; Zhang, Yuheng; Wen, Hai-Hu

2017-12-01

Weyl semimetal defines a material with three-dimensional Dirac cones, which appear in pair due to the breaking of spatial inversion or time reversal symmetry. Superconductivity is the state of quantum condensation of paired electrons. Turning a Weyl semimetal into superconducting state is very important in having some unprecedented discoveries. In this work, by doing resistive measurements on a recently recognized Weyl semimetal TaP under pressures up to about 100 GPa, we show the concurrence of superconductivity and a structure transition at about 70 GPa. It is found that the superconductivity becomes more pronounced when decreasing pressure and retains when the pressure is completely released. High-pressure x-ray diffraction measurements also confirm the structure phase transition from I41md to P-6m2 at about 70 GPa. More importantly, ab-initial calculations reveal that the P-6m2 phase is a new Weyl semimetal phase and has only one set of Weyl points at the same energy level. Our discovery of superconductivity in TaP by high pressure will stimulate investigations on superconductivity and Majorana fermions in Weyl semimetals.

Pulse measurement of the hot spot current in a NbTiN superconducting filament

Science.gov (United States)

Harrabi, K.; Mekki, A.; Kunwar, S.; Maneval, J. P.

2018-02-01

We have studied the voltage response of superconducting NbTiN filaments to a step-pulse of over-critical current I > Ic. The current induces the destruction of the Cooper pairs and initiates different mechanisms of dissipation depending on the bath temperature T. For the sample investigated, and for T above a certain T*, not far from Tc, the resistance manifests itself in the form of a phase-slip center, which turns into a normal hot spot (HS) as the step-pulse is given larger amplitudes. However, at all temperatures below T*, the destruction of superconductivity still occurs at Ic(T), but leads directly to an ever-growing HS. By lowering the current amplitude during the pulse, one can produce a steady HS and thus define a threshold HS current Ih(T). That is achieved by combining two levels of current, the first and larger one to initiate an HS, the second one to search for constant voltage response. The double diagram of the functions Ic(T) and Ih(T) was plotted in the T-range Tc/2 < T < Tc, and their crossing found at T* = (8.07 ± 0.07) K.

Odd-frequency pairing in superconducting heterostructures .

Science.gov (United States)

Golubov, A. A.; Tanaka, Y.; Yokoyama, T.; Asano, Y.

2007-03-01

We present a general theory of the proximity effect in junctions between unconventional superconductors and diffusive normal metals (DN) or ferromagnets (DF). We consider all possible symmetry classes in a superconductor allowed by the Pauli principle: even-frequency spin-singlet even-parity state, even-frequency spin-triplet odd-parity state, odd-frequency spin-triplet even-parity state and odd-frequency spin-singlet odd-parity state. For each of the above states, symmetry and spectral properties of the induced pair amplitude in the DN (DF) are determined. The cases of junctions with spin-singlet s- and d-wave superconductors and spin-triplet p-wave superconductors are adressed in detail. We discuss the interplay between the proximity effect and midgap Andreev bound states arising at interfaces in unconventional (d- or p-wave) junctions. The most striking property is the odd-frequency symmetry of the pairing amplitude induced in DN (DF) in contacts with p-wave superconductors. This leads to zero-energy singularity in the density of states and to anomalous screening of an external magnetic field. Peculiarities of Josephson effect in d- or p-wave junctions are discussed. Experiments are suggested to detect an order parameter symmetry using heterostructures with unconventional superconductors.

Advances in superconducting materials and electronics technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, D.N.

1990-01-01

Technological barriers blocking the early implementation of ceramic oxide high critical temperature [Tc] and LHe Nb based superconductors are slowly being dismantled. Spearheading these advances are mechanical engineers with diverse specialties and creative interests. As the technology expands, most engineers have recognized the importance of inter-disciplinary cooperation. Cooperation between mechanical engineers and material and system engineers is of particular importance. Recently, several problems previously though to be insurmountable, has been successfully resolved. These accomplishment were aided by interaction with other scientists and practitioners, working in the superconductor research and industrial communities, struggling with similar systems and materials problems. Papers published here and presented at the 1990 ASME Winter Annual Meeting held in Dallas, Texas 25-30 November 1990 can be used as a bellwether to gauge the progress in the development of both ceramic oxide and low temperature Nb superconducting device and system technologies. Topics are focused into two areas: mechanical behavior of high temperature superconductors and thermal and mechanical problems in superconducting electronics

Population Size and Decadal Trends of Three Penguin Species Nesting at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael J Dunn

Full Text Available We report long-term changes in population size of three species of sympatrically breeding pygoscelid penguins: Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae, chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica and gentoo (Pygoscelis papua ellsworthii over a 38 year period at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, based on annual counts from selected colonies and decadal all-island systematic counts of occupied nests. Comparing total numbers of breeding pairs over the whole island from 1978/79 to 2015/16 revealed varying fortunes: gentoo penguin pairs increased by 255%, (3.5% per annum, chinstrap penguins declined by 68% (-3.6% per annum and Adélie penguins declined by 42% (-1.5% per annum. The chinstrap population has declined steadily over the last four decades. In contrast, Adélie and gentoo penguins have experienced phases of population increase and decline. Annual surveys of selected chinstrap and Adélie colonies produced similar trends from those revealed by island-wide surveys, allowing total island population trends to be inferred relatively well. However, while the annual colony counts of chinstrap and Adélie penguins showed a trend consistent in direction with the results from all-island surveys, the magnitude of estimated population change was markedly different between colony wide and all island counts. Annual population patterns suggest that pair numbers in the study areas partly reflect immigration and emigration of nesting birds between different parts of the island. Breeding success for all three species remained broadly stable over time in the annually monitored colonies. Breeding success rates in gentoo and chinstrap penguins were strongly correlated, despite the differing trends in population size. This study shows the importance of effective, standardised monitoring to accurately determine long-term population trajectories. Our results indicate significant declines in the Adélie and chinstrap penguin populations at Signy Island over the last five decades, and a

Possible coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in the Hubbard model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Zhaobin; Dong Jinming; Yu Lu; Shen Juelian

1988-01-01

The Hubbard model in the nearly half-filled case was studied in the mean field approximation using the effective Hamiltonian approach. Both antiferromagnetic order parameter and condensation of singlet pairs were considered. In certain parameter ranges the coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity is energetically favourable. Relevance to the high temperature superconductivity and other theoretical approaches is also discussed. (author). 10 refs, 3 figs

Coupled superconducting resonant cavities for a heavy ion linac

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shepard, K W [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Roy, A [Nuclear Science Center, New Delhi (India)

1992-11-01

A design for a superconducting niobium slow-wave accelerating structure has been explored that may have performance and cost advantages over existing technology. The option considered is an array of pairs of quarter-wave coaxial-line resonant cavities, the two elements of each pair strongly coupled through a short superconducting transmission line. In the linac formed by such an array, each paired structure is independently phased. A disadvantage of two-gap slow wave structures is that each cavity is relatively short, so that a large number of independently-phased elements is required for a linac. Increasing the number of drift tubes per cavity reduces the number of independently-phased elements but at the cost of reducing the range of useful velocity acceptance for each element. Coupling two cavities splits the accelerating rf eigenmode into two resonant modes each of which covers a portion of the full velocity acceptance range of the original, single cavity mode. Using both of these resonant modes makes feasible the use of coupled cavity pairs for a linac with little loss in velocity acceptance. (Author) 2 figs., 8 refs.

Coupled superconducting resonant cavities for a heavy ion linac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shepard, K.W.; Roy, A.

1992-01-01

A design for a superconducting niobium slow-wave accelerating structure has been explored that may have performance and cost advantages over existing technology. The option considered is an array of pairs of quarter-wave coaxial-line resonant cavities, the two elements of each pair strongly coupled through a short superconducting transmission line. In the linac formed by such an array, each paired structure is independently phased. A disadvantage of two-gap slow wave structures is that each cavity is relatively short, so that a large number of independently-phased elements is required for a linac. Increasing the number of drift tubes per cavity reduces the number of independently-phased elements but at the cost of reducing the range of useful velocity acceptance for each element. Coupling two cavities splits the accelerating rf eigenmode into two resonant modes each of which covers a portion of the full velocity acceptance range of the original, single cavity mode. Using both of these resonant modes makes feasible the use of coupled cavity pairs for a linac with little loss in velocity acceptance. (Author) 2 figs., 8 refs

Temperature dependence of the superconducting proximity effect quantified by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Stępniak

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Here, we present the first systematic study on the temperature dependence of the extension of the superconducting proximity effect in a 1–2 atomic layer thin metallic film, surrounding a superconducting Pb island. Scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS measurements reveal the spatial variation of the local density of state on the film from 0.38 up to 1.8 K. In this temperature range the superconductivity of the island is almost unaffected and shows a constant gap of a 1.20 ± 0.03 meV. Using a superconducting Nb-tip a constant value of the proximity length of 17 ± 3 nm at 0.38 and 1.8 K is found. In contrast, experiments with a normal conductive W-tip indicate an apparent decrease of the proximity length with increasing temperature. This result is ascribed to the thermal broadening of the occupation of states of the tip, and it does not reflect an intrinsic temperature dependence of the proximity length. Our tunneling spectroscopy experiments shed fresh light on the fundamental issue of the temperature dependence of the proximity effect for atomic monolayers, where the intrinsic temperature dependence of the proximity effect is comparably weak.

Competition/coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity in iron pnictides probed by muon spin rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeshita, Soshi; Kadono, Ryosuke

2009-01-01

The presence of macroscopic phase separation into superconducting and magnetic phases in LaFeAsO 1-x F x and CaFe 1-x Co x AsF is demonstrated by muon spin rotation (μSR) measurement across their phase boundaries (x=0.06 for LaFeAsO 1-x F x and x=0.075-0.15 for CaFe 1-x Co x AsF). In LaFeAsO 0.94 F 0.06 , both magnetism and superconductivity develop simultaneously below a common critical temperature, T m ≅T c ≅18 K, where the magnetism is characterized by strong randomness. A similar, but more distinct segregation of these two phases is observed in CaFe 1-x Co x AsF, where the magnetic phase retains T m close to that of the parent compound (T c m ≅80-120 K) and the superconducting volume fraction is mostly proportional to the Co content x. The close relationship between magnetism and superconductivity is discussed based on these experimental observations. Concerning the superconducting phase, an assessment is made on the anisotropy of the order parameter in the superconducting state of LaFeAsO 1-x F x , CaFe 1-x Co x AsF and Ba 1-x K x Fe 2 As 2 (x=0.4) based on the temperature dependence of superfluid density [n s (T)] measured by μSR. The gap parameter, 2Δ/k B T c , determined from n s (T) exhibits a tendency that values in the hole-doped pnictides (Ba 1-x K x Fe 2 As 2 ) are much greater than those in electron-doped ones (LaFeAsO 1-x F x and CaFe 1-x Co x AsF), suggesting a difference in the coupling to bosons mediating the Cooper pairs between relevant d electron bands.

History of the theory of superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frohlich, H.

1983-01-01

This chapter points out that in the years from Onnes' discovery that the electric resistivity of mercury completely disappeared at about 4K in 1911 up to 1950, many attempts to develop a theory of superconductivity failed, and the subject became an outstanding problem in physics. Discusses the introduction of field theory into solid state physics, which proved to be the decisive step toward a theory. Describes how Schrieffer's suggestion of a wave function for the multielectron problem in terms of electron pairs led to the theory of superconductivity, or the so called B.C.S. theory

Kinetics-Driven Superconducting Gap in Underdoped Cuprate Superconductors Within the Strong-Coupling Limit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yucel Yildirim

2011-09-01

Full Text Available A generic theory of the quasiparticle superconducting gap in underdoped cuprates is derived in the strong-coupling limit, and found to describe the experimental “second gap” in absolute scale. In drastic contrast to the standard pairing gap associated with Bogoliubov quasiparticle excitations, the quasiparticle gap is shown to originate from anomalous kinetic (scattering processes, with a size unrelated to the pairing strength. Consequently, the k dependence of the gap deviates significantly from the pure d_{x^{2}-y^{2}} wave of the order parameter. Our study reveals a new paradigm for the nature of the superconducting gap, and is expected to reconcile numerous apparent contradictions among existing experiments and point toward a more coherent understanding of high-temperature superconductivity.

PENGARUH PELAKSANAAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF TIPE THINK PAIR SHARE TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR IPS SISWA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

andi fathur asdar

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research was to describe: 1 Teacher ability in the implementation of cooperative learning Think Pair Share, 2 Ttudent activities in the implementation of cooperative learning Think Pair Share, 3 Tearning result on IPS before and after the implementation of cooperative learning Think Pair Share, 4 learning result on IPS before and after learning process with lecture method, 5 to find out the influence of the implementation of cooperative learning Think Pair Share toward learning result on IPS. The method used was true experiment with pre-test post-test control group design. The population in the study are 4th grade student at SDN Sungguminasa II Somba Opu District Gowa Regency. Samples used are 40 student 20 student each from experiment and comparing group. chosen by simple random sampling. The data obtained from samples were analyzed with descritive and inferensial statistic. The result shows: 1 teacher ability in the implementation of cooperative learning Think Pair Share have increased, 2 student activities in the implementation of cooperative learning Think Pair Share, 3 student learning result who teached by cooperative learning Think Pair Share have increased, 4 student learning result who teached by lecture method have not increased, 5 the implementation of cooperative learning Think Pair Share is influencing toward learning result on IPS in 4th grade student at SDN Sungguminasa II Somba Opu District Gowa Regency.

SMES application for frequency control during islanded microgrid operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, A-Rong; Kim, Gyeong-Hun; Heo, Serim; Park, Minwon; Yu, In-Keun; Kim, Hak-Man

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The operating characteristics of SMES for the frequency control of an islanded microgrid were investigated. ► The SMES contributes well for frequency control in the islanded operation. ► A dual and a single magnet type of SMES have been compared to demonstrate the performances. -- Abstract: This paper analyzes the operating characteristics of a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) for the frequency control of an islanded microgrid operation. In the grid-connected mode of a microgrid, an imbalance between power supply and demand is solved by a power trade with the upstream power grid. The difference in the islanded mode is a critical problem because the microgrid is isolated from any power grid. For this reason, the frequency control during islanded microgrid operation is a challenging issue. A test microgrid in this paper consisted of a wind power generator, a PV generation system, a diesel generator and a load to test the feasibility of the SMES for controlling frequency during islanded operation as well as the transient state varying from the grid-connected mode to the islanded mode. The results show that the SMES contributes well for frequency control in the islanded operation. In addition, a dual and a single magnet type of SMES have been compared to demonstrate the control performance. The dual magnet has the same energy capacity as the single magnet, but there are two superconducting coils and each coil has half inductance of the single magnet. The effectiveness of the SMES application with the simulation results is discussed in detail

SMES application for frequency control during islanded microgrid operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, A-Rong, E-mail: haven21c@changwon.ac.kr [Changwon National University, Sarim-dong, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Gyeong-Hun; Heo, Serim; Park, Minwon [Changwon National University, Sarim-dong, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Yu, In-Keun, E-mail: yuik@changwon.ac.kr [Changwon National University, Sarim-dong, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hak-Man [University of Incheon, Songdo-dong, Incheon 406-772 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-01-15

Highlights: ► The operating characteristics of SMES for the frequency control of an islanded microgrid were investigated. ► The SMES contributes well for frequency control in the islanded operation. ► A dual and a single magnet type of SMES have been compared to demonstrate the performances. -- Abstract: This paper analyzes the operating characteristics of a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) for the frequency control of an islanded microgrid operation. In the grid-connected mode of a microgrid, an imbalance between power supply and demand is solved by a power trade with the upstream power grid. The difference in the islanded mode is a critical problem because the microgrid is isolated from any power grid. For this reason, the frequency control during islanded microgrid operation is a challenging issue. A test microgrid in this paper consisted of a wind power generator, a PV generation system, a diesel generator and a load to test the feasibility of the SMES for controlling frequency during islanded operation as well as the transient state varying from the grid-connected mode to the islanded mode. The results show that the SMES contributes well for frequency control in the islanded operation. In addition, a dual and a single magnet type of SMES have been compared to demonstrate the control performance. The dual magnet has the same energy capacity as the single magnet, but there are two superconducting coils and each coil has half inductance of the single magnet. The effectiveness of the SMES application with the simulation results is discussed in detail.

Investigations into nuclear pairing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, R.M.

2006-01-01

This paper is divided in two main sections focusing on different aspects of collective nuclear behavior. In the first section, solutions are considered for the collective pairing Hamiltonian. In particular, an approximate solution at the critical point of the pairing transition from harmonic vibration (normal nuclear behavior) to deformed rotation (superconducting behavior) in gauge space is found by analytic solution of the Hamiltonian. The eigenvalues are expressed in terms of the zeros of Bessel functions of integer order. The results are compared to the pairing bands based on the Pb isotopes. The second section focuses on the experimental search for the Giant Pairing Vibration (GPV) in nuclei. After briefly describing the origin of the GPV, and the reasons that the state has remained unidentified, a novel idea for populating this state is presented. A recent experiment has been performed using the LIBERACE+STARS detector system at the 88-Inch Cyclotron of LBNL to test the idea. (Author)

Formation energies of local pairs in fullerene isomer mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solecki, J.

1996-01-01

It is well-known that the alkali metal-doped fullerides are superconductors of type II. There were so far many trials to explain the pairing mechanism in the superconducting fullerides. A description of the superconducting mechanism in terms of the so-called local pair model has been proposed in this note. A purely electronic interaction was also considered within the resonating valence bond model (RVB). In fact, other models were not able to explain exactly why superconductivity appears for the stoichiometry of A 3 C 60 in the alkali metal-doped fullerides. An exception of this rule is, e.g., Ca 5 C 60 which is a superconductor with T c = 8.4 K. However, measurements show that electronic structures near the Fermi level of the A 3 C 60 (A = K, Rb) as well as the Ca 5 C 60 superconductors are remarkably similar although their charge carriers form energy bands of different character. Therefore, the results obtained for the stoichiometry A 3 C 60 can roughly refer to the Ca 5 C 60 case as well. (orig.)

High-temperature superconductivity: Perseverance and cooperation on the road to commercialization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

Early in 1986 two European researchers working in the Swiss laboratory of a U.S. firm made a remarkable and unexpected discovery. After years of dedicated materials research they had in fact found a class of materials which exhibited the remarkable phenomenon of superconductivity at a new and higher range of temperatures. Scientifically, the result was completely unexpected. Technologically, the result immediately brought out of mothballs the many applications of superconductivity that had generally seemed out of reach with the earlier materials. The recommendations are in two parts, the first aimed at strengthening the purely scientific effort, and the second aimed at providing strength and stability in the long term race for applications

Single-particle spectra and magnetic field effects within precursor superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieri, P.; Pisani, L.; Strinati, G.C.; Perali, A.

2004-01-01

We study the single-particle spectra below the superconducting critical temperature from weak to strong coupling within a precursor superconductivity scenario. The spectral-weight function is obtained from a self-energy that includes pairing-fluctuations within a continuum model representing the hot spots of the Brillouin zone. The effects of strong magnetic fields on the pseudogap temperature are also discussed within the same scenario

A progress report of the Marshall Islands nationwide thyroid study: an international cooperative scientific study.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, T; Simon, S L; Trott, K R; Fujimori, K; Nakashima, N; Arisawa, K; Schoemaker, M J

1999-04-01

The objective of this report is to present a summary of progress of the Marshall Islands Nationwide Thyroid Study. As well known, the US atomic weapons testing program in the Pacific was conducted primarily between 1946 and 1958 in the Marshall Islands. The nuclear tests resulted in radioactive contamination of a number of atolls and resulted in exposure of Marshallese to undefined levels before our study. Little information has been paid to health consequences among residents of the nearly twenty inhibited atolls except for some information about nodular thyroid disease which was reported on by an US group. In a cooperative agreement with the Government of the Marshall Islands, between 1993 and 1997 we studied the prevalence of both thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer among 4766 Marshallese potentially exposed to radioiodines from bomb test fallout. That group represents more than 65% of the population at risk. We diagnosed 45 thyroid cancers and 1398 benign thyroid nodules. In addition, 23 study participants had been operated on prior to our study for thyroid cancer. Presently, we are developing a database of information to estimate radiation doses and planning a statistical analysis to determine if a dose-response relationship exists. These data will be important for the health promotion of exposed people all over the world including Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Semipalatinsk, Chernobyl and other locations. A timely completion is important for purpose of assisting Marshallese as well as to add the global understanding of radiation induced thyroid cancer.

A progress report of the Marshall Islands nationwide thyroid study. An international cooperative scientific study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takahashi, Tatsuya; Arisawa, Kokichi [Nagasaki Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine; Simon, S.L.; Trott, K.R.; Fujimori, Keisei; Nakashima, Noriaki; Schoemaker, M.J.

1999-04-01

The objective of this report is to present a summary of progress of the Marshall Islands Nationwide Thyroid Study. As well known, the US atomic weapons testing program in the Pacific was conducted primarily between 1946 and 1958 in the Marshall Islands. The nuclear tests resulted in radioactive contamination of a number of atolls and resulted in exposure of Marshallese to undefined levels before our study. Little information has been paid to health consequences among residents of the nearly twenty inhibited atolls except for some information about nodular thyroid disease which was reported on by an US group. In a cooperative agreement with the Government of the Marshall Islands, between 1993 and 1997 we studied the prevalence of both thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer among 4766 Marshallese potentially exposed to radioiodines from bomb test fallout. That group represents more than 65% of the population at risk. We diagnosed 45 thyroid cancers and 1398 benign thyroid nodules. In addition, 23 study participants had been operated on prior to our study for thyroid cancer. Presently, we are developing a database of information to estimate radiation doses and planning a statistical analysis to determine if a dose-response relationship exists. These data will be important for the health promotion of exposed people all over the world including Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Semipalatinsk, Chernobyl and other locations. A timely completion is important for purpose of assisting Marshallese as well as to add the global understanding of radiation induced thyroid cancer. (author)

A progress report of the Marshall Islands nationwide thyroid study. An international cooperative scientific study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Tatsuya; Arisawa, Kokichi; Simon, S.L.; Trott, K.R.; Fujimori, Keisei; Nakashima, Noriaki; Schoemaker, M.J.

1999-01-01

The objective of this report is to present a summary of progress of the Marshall Islands Nationwide Thyroid Study. As well known, the US atomic weapons testing program in the Pacific was conducted primarily between 1946 and 1958 in the Marshall Islands. The nuclear tests resulted in radioactive contamination of a number of atolls and resulted in exposure of Marshallese to undefined levels before our study. Little information has been paid to health consequences among residents of the nearly twenty inhibited atolls except for some information about nodular thyroid disease which was reported on by an US group. In a cooperative agreement with the Government of the Marshall Islands, between 1993 and 1997 we studied the prevalence of both thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer among 4766 Marshallese potentially exposed to radioiodines from bomb test fallout. That group represents more than 65% of the population at risk. We diagnosed 45 thyroid cancers and 1398 benign thyroid nodules. In addition, 23 study participants had been operated on prior to our study for thyroid cancer. Presently, we are developing a database of information to estimate radiation doses and planning a statistical analysis to determine if a dose-response relationship exists. These data will be important for the health promotion of exposed people all over the world including Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Semipalatinsk, Chernobyl and other locations. A timely completion is important for purpose of assisting Marshallese as well as to add the global understanding of radiation induced thyroid cancer. (author)

Possible Measurable Effects of Dark Energy in Rotating Superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clovis Jacinto de Matos

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We discuss recent laboratory experiments with rotating superconductors and show that three so far unexplained experimentally observed effects (anomalous acceleration signals, anomalous gyroscope signals, Cooper pair mass excess can be physically explained in terms of a possible interaction of dark energy with Cooper pairs. Our approach is based on a Ginzburg-Landau-like model of electromagnetic dark energy, where gravitationally active photons obtain mass in the superconductor. We show that this model can account simultaneously for the anomalous acceleration and anomalous gravitomagnetic fields around rotating superconductors measured by Tajmar et al. and for the anomalous Cooper pair mass in superconductive Niobium, measured by Cabrera and Tate. It is argued that these three different physical effects are ultimately different experimental manifestations of the simultaneous spontaneous breaking of gauge invariance and of the principle of general covariance in superconductive materials.

Normal-metal quasiparticle traps for superconducting qubits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseinkhani, Amin [Peter Grunberg Institute (PGI-2), Forschungszentrum Julich, D-52425 Julich (Germany); JARA-Institute for Quantum Information, RWTH Aachen University, D-52056 Aachen (Germany)

2016-07-01

Superconducting qubits are promising candidates to implement quantum computation, and have been a subject of intensive research in the past decade. Excitations of a superconductor, known as quasiparticles, can reduce the qubit performance by causing relaxation; the relaxation rate is proportional to the density of quasiparticles tunneling through Josephson junction. Here, we consider engineering quasiparticle traps by covering parts of a superconducting device with normal-metal islands. We utilize a phenomenological quasiparticle diffusion model to study both the decay rate of excess quasiparticles and the steady-state profile of the quasiparticle density in the device. We apply the model to various realistic configurations to explore the role of geometry and location of the traps.

Effective theory of exotic superconductivity in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Esmailzadeh, Haniyeh; Moghaddam, Ali G.

2018-05-01

Motivated by experimental and theoretical works about superconductivity at the oxide interfaces, we provide a simple model for possible unconventional pairings inside the exotic two-dimensional electron gas formed in heterostructures of SrTiO3 and LaAlO3. At the low energy limit, the electron gas at the interfaces is usually modeled with an effective three band model considering of 3d t2g orbitals which are slightly coupled by atomic spin-orbit couplings (SOC). Considering direct superconducting pairing in two higher delocalized bands and by exploiting a perturbative scheme based on canonical transformation, we derive the effective pairing amplitudes with possibly exotic nature inside the localized dxy band as well as various inter-band pairing components. In particular we show that equal-spin triplet pairings are possible between the band dxy and any of other dxz and dyz bands. In addition weaker effective pairings take place inside the localized band itself and between delocalized dxz and dyz bands with singlet and opposite-spin triplet characters. These unconventional effective pairings are indeed mediated by SOC-induced higher order virtual transitions between the bands and particularly into the localized band. Our model suggest that unconventional effective superconductivity is possible at oxide interfaces, simply, due to the special band structure and important role of atomic SOC and perhaps other magnetic effects present at these heterostructures.

Competition between disorder and exchange splitting in superconducting ZrZn sub 2

CERN Document Server

Powell, B J; Györffy, B L

2003-01-01

We propose a simple picture for the occurrence of superconductivity and the pressure dependence of the superconducting critical temperature, T sub S sub C , in ZrZn sub 2. According to our hypothesis the pairing potential is independent of pressure, but the exchange splitting, E sub x sub c , leads to a pressure dependence in the (spin dependent) density of states at the Fermi level, D subsigma (epsilon sub F). Assuming p-wave pairing T sub S sub C is dependent on D subsigma (epsilon sub F) which ensures that, in the absence of non-magnetic impurities, T sub S sub C decreases as pressure is applied until it reaches a minimum in the paramagnetic state. Disorder reduces this minimum to zero, this gives the illusion that the superconductivity disappears at the same pressure as ferromagnetism does. (letter to the editor)

Positive Noise Cross Correlation in a Copper Pair Splitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Anindya; Ronen, Yuval; Heiblum, Moty; Shtrikman, Hadas; Mahalu, Diana

2012-02-01

Entanglement is in heart of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) paradox, in which non-locality is a fundamental property. Up to date spin entanglement of electrons had not been demonstrated. Here, we provide direct evidence of such entanglement by measuring: non-local positive current correlation and positive cross correlation among current fluctuations, both of separated electrons born by a Cooper-pair-beam-splitter. The realization of the splitter is provided by injecting current from an Al superconductor contact into two, single channel, pure InAs nanowires - each intercepted by a Coulomb blockaded quantum dot (QD). The QDs impedes strongly the flow of Cooper pairs allowing easy single electron transport. The passage of electron in one wire enables the simultaneous passage of the other in the neighboring wire. The splitting efficiency of the Cooper pairs (relative to Cooper pairs actual current) was found to be ˜ 40%. The positive cross-correlations in the currents and their fluctuations (shot noise) are fully consistent with entangled electrons produced by the beam splitter.

Controlled finite momentum pairing and spatially varying order parameter in proximitized HgTe quantum wells

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, Sean; Ren, Hechen; Kosowsky, Michael; Ben-Shach, Gilad; Leubner, Philipp; Bruene, Christoph; Buhmann, Hartmut; Molenkamp, Laurens; Halperin, Bertrand; Yacoby, Amir

Conventional s-wave superconductivity arises from singlet pairing of electrons with opposite Fermi momenta, forming Cooper pairs with zero net momentum. Recent studies have focused on coupling s-wave superconductors to systems with an unusual configuration of electronic spin and momentum at the Fermi surface, where the nature of the paired state can be modified and the system may even undergo a topological phase transition. Here we present measurements on Josephson junctions based on HgTe quantum wells coupled to aluminum or niobium superconductors, and subject to a magnetic field in the plane of the quantum well. We observe that the in-plane magnetic field modulates the Fraunhofer interference pattern, and that this modulation depends both on electron density and on the direction of the in-plane field with respect to the junction. However, the orientation of the junction with respect to the underlying crystal lattice does not impact the measurements. These findings suggest that spin-orbit coupling plays a role in the observed behavior, and that measurements of Josephson junctions in the presence of an in-plane field can elucidate the Fermi surface properties of the weak link material. NSF DMR-1206016; STC Center for Integrated Quantum Materials under NSF Grant No. DMR-1231319; NSF GRFP under Grant DGE1144152, Microsoft Corporation Project Q.

Exotic Paired States with Anisotropic Spin-Dependent Fermi Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feiguin, Adrian E.; Fisher, Matthew P. A.

2009-01-01

We propose a model for realizing exotic paired states in cold Fermi gases by using a spin-dependent optical lattice to engineer mismatched Fermi surfaces for each hyperfine species. The BCS phase diagram shows a stable paired superfluid state with coexisting pockets of momentum space with gapless unpaired carriers, similar to the Sarma state in polarized mixtures, but in our case the system is unpolarized. We propose the possible existence of an exotic 'Cooper-pair Bose-metal' phase, which has a gap for single fermion excitations but gapless and uncondensed 'Cooper-pair' excitations residing on a 'Bose surface' in momentum space.

The design of a five-cell high-current superconducting cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yongming; Zhu Feng; Quan Shengwen; Liu Kexin; Nassiri, Ali

2012-01-01

Energy recovery linacs are promising for achieving high average current with superior beam quality. The key component for accelerating such high-current beams is the superconducting radio-frequency cavity. The design of a 1.3 GHz five-cell high-current superconducting cavity has been carried out under cooperation between Peking University and the Argonne National Laboratory. The radio-frequency properties, damping of the higher order modes, multipacting and mechanical features of this cavity have been discussed and the final design is presented. (authors)

The pairing theory - its physical basis and its consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schrieffer, J.R.

1992-01-01

The key developments which set the scene for the microscopic theory of superconductivity are discussed and the physical reasoning which lead to the pairing theory is presented. Consequences of the BCS theory are reviewed. (orig.)

Pairing from strong repulsion in triangular lattice Hubbard model

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shang-Shun; Zhu, Wei; Batista, Cristian D.

2018-04-01

We propose a pairing mechanism between holes in the dilute limit of doped frustrated Mott insulators. Hole pairing arises from a hole-hole-magnon three-body bound state. This pairing mechanism has its roots on single-hole kinetic energy frustration, which favors antiferromagnetic (AFM) correlations around the hole. We demonstrate that the AFM polaron (hole-magnon bound state) produced by a single hole propagating on a field-induced polarized background is strong enough to bind a second hole. The effective interaction between these three-body bound states is repulsive, implying that this pairing mechanism is relevant for superconductivity.

Theory of high temperature superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, C.M.

1989-01-01

This paper develops a semi-empirical electronic band structure for a high T c superconductor like YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6 - δ . The author accounts for the electrical transport properties on the model based on the correlated electron transfer arising from the electron-phonon interaction. The momentum pairing leading to the superconducting phase amongst the mobile charge carriers is shown

Quantum teleportation and entanglement swapping of electron spins in superconducting hybrid structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bubanja, Vladimir, E-mail: vladimir.bubanja@callaghaninnovation.govt.nz

2015-06-15

We present schemes for quantum teleportation and entanglement swapping of electronic spin states in hybrid superconductor–normal-metal systems. The proposed schemes employ subgap transport whereby the lowest order processes involve Cooper pair-electron and double Cooper-pair cotunneling in quantum teleportation and entanglement swapping protocols, respectively. The competition between elastic cotunneling and Cooper-pair splitting results in the success probability of 25% in both cases. Described implementations of these protocols are within reach of present-day experimental techniques.

The filled skutterudite PrOs{sub 4}Sb{sub 12}: superconductivity and correlations; La skutterudite PrOs{sub 4}Sb{sub 12}: supraconductivite et correlations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Measson, M.A

2005-12-15

The filled skutterudite PrOs{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} is the first Pr-based heavy fermion superconductor. This thesis addresses several important open questions including the determination of the quasi-particle mass renormalisation, the nature and mechanism of superconductivity, and the intrinsic or extrinsic nature of the double superconducting transition seen in the specific heat. A fit of the specific heat with magnetic interactions between the ions Pr is proposed. We extract from it an electronic term of between 300-750 mJ/K{sup 2}.mol(Pr). Analysis of the specific heat jump provides evidence that heavy carriers are involved in Cooper pairing and that superconductivity is strongly coupled. Extensive characterizations by specific heat, resistivity, susceptibility measurements show that a double transition appears in the best samples. Nevertheless we bring the first serious doubts on the intrinsic nature of the double transition, because we have found samples with a single sharp transition at Tc2 and because the ratio of the two specific heat jumps shows strong dispersion among the samples. Furthermore we have measured the superconducting phase diagrams with an A.C. specific heat technique under magnetic field and under pressure up to 4.2 GPa, and we show that the two transitions, Tc1 and Tc2, exhibit similar behaviours with magnetic field and pressure. We find a strong change in the pressure dependence of Tc's above 2 GPa which might be related to a change in the nature of the superconductivity under pressure (at least partially mediated by fluctuations and only by phonons at respectively low and high pressure) which may be linked to the increase of the crystal field gap of the Pr ions. Analysis of the upper critical field shows the presence of at least two superconducting bands and concludes to a singlet nature of the pairing. A strong distortion of the flux-line lattice, which is constant with temperature and field, is obtained by small angle neutron scattering

Superconducting classes in heavy fermions systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volovik, G.E.; Gor'kov, L.P.

1985-01-01

A mathematical method for constructing of the superconductivity classes for nontrivial superconductors is described. All superconducting phases which can arise directly on transition from the normal state for cubic, hexagonal and tetragonal symmetries are enumerated. It is shown that in the triplet case the types of zeros in the energy gap always correspond to points on the Fermi surface, whereas for signlet pairing the whole zero lines are possible. For the phases with zeros on the lines or points, the low-temperature specific heat varies as T 2 on T 3 respectivelty. The superconducting phases which arise from the multydimensional representations may possess a magnetic moment which induces currents on the surface of a monodomain sample even in the absence of an external magnetic field. The specific case of a domain wall is considered and it is shown that large magnetic currents of magnetization are present in the wall

MODEL PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF TIPE THINK PAIR SHARE DAN HASIL BELAJAR DI SEKOLAH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elhefni Elhefni

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Cooperative learning is learning that requires students to be responsible for himself and his group are responsible for. With cooperative learning students will more easily find and understand difficult concepts if they were in discussions with his students regularly work in groups to help each other in solving complex problems. In cooperative learning are learning techniques of the type of think-pair-share. Type of cooperative learning model think-pair-share it has the advantage that students can be a lot of time to think, respond, and help each other, the teacher only to deliver the material briefly, then ask a question, then the teacher wants students to think more deeply about the material that has been described and experienced. This technique can encourage students to enthusiastic in working together, and by applying a type of cooperative learning model think-pair-share is expected to better learning outcomes for students who learn on their own. Keywords: Type of cooperative learning model think-pair-share, learning outcomes

Unconventional superconductivity and surface pairing symmetry in half-Heusler compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qing-Ze; Yu, Jiabin; Liu, Chao-Xing

2018-06-01

Signatures of nodal line/point superconductivity [Kim et al., Sci. Adv. 4, eaao4513 (2018), 10.1126/sciadv.aao4513; Brydon et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 177001 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.177001] have been observed in half-Heusler compounds, such as LnPtBi (Ln = Y, Lu). Topologically nontrivial band structures, as well as topological surface states, have also been confirmed by angular-resolved photoemission spectroscopy in these compounds [Liu et al., Nat. Commun. 7, 12924 (2016), 10.1038/ncomms12924]. In this paper, we present a systematical classification of possible gap functions of bulk states and surface states in half-Heusler compounds and the corresponding topological properties based on the representations of crystalline symmetry group. Different from all the previous studies based on the four band Luttinger model, our study starts with the six-band Kane model, which involves both four p-orbital type of Γ8 bands and two s-orbital type of Γ6 bands. Although the Γ6 bands are away from the Fermi energy, our results reveal the importance of topological surface states, which originate from the band inversion between Γ6 and Γ8 bands, in determining surface properties of these compounds in the superconducting regime by combining topological bulk state picture and nontrivial surface state picture.

Correlation effects in superconducting quantum dot systems

Science.gov (United States)

Pokorný, Vladislav; Žonda, Martin

2018-05-01

We study the effect of electron correlations on a system consisting of a single-level quantum dot with local Coulomb interaction attached to two superconducting leads. We use the single-impurity Anderson model with BCS superconducting baths to study the interplay between the proximity induced electron pairing and the local Coulomb interaction. We show how to solve the model using the continuous-time hybridization-expansion quantum Monte Carlo method. The results obtained for experimentally relevant parameters are compared with results of self-consistent second order perturbation theory as well as with the numerical renormalization group method.

Connections between magnetism and superconductivity in UBe13 doped with thorium or boron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heffner, R.H.; Ott, H.R.; Schenck, A.; Mydosh, J.A.; MacLaughlin, D.E.

1991-06-01

Magnetism and superconductivity appear to be intimately connected in the heavy electron (HE) superconductors. For example, it has been conjectured but not proven that the exchange of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations are responsible for pairing in HE superconductors. In this paper we review recent results in U 1-x Th x Be 13 , where specific heat, lower critical field and zero-field μSR measurements reveal another second-order phase transition to a state which possesses small-moment magnetic correlations for 0.019 ≤ x ≤ 0.043. We present a new phase diagram for (U,Th)Be 13 which indicates that the superconducting and magnetic order parameters are closely coupled. A discussion of the nature of the lower phase is presented, including the consideration of a possible magnetic superconducting state. When UBe 13 is doped with B (UBe 12.97 B 0.03 ) the Kondo temperature is decreased and the specific heat jump at the superconducting transition temperature is significantly enhanced. However, μSR measurements reveal no magnetic signature in UBe 12.97 B 0.03 , unlike the case for Th doping. The correlation between changes in the Kondo temperature and changes in the superconducting properties induced by B doping provide evidence for the importance of magnetic excitations in the superconducting pairing interaction in UBe 13

Resonance superfluidity in a quantum degenerate Fermi gas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kokkelmans, S.J.J.M.F.; Holland, M.; Walser, R.; Chiofalo, M.L.; Chu, S.; Vuletic, V.; Kerman, A.J.; Chin, C.

2002-01-01

We consider the superfluid phase transition that arises when a Feshbach resonance pairing occurs in a dilute Fermi gas. This is related to the phenomenon of superconductivity described by the seminal Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory. In superconductivity, the phase transition is caused by a

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy to probe odd-triplet contributions to the long-ranged proximity effect in Al-EuS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diesch, Simon; Machon, Peter; Belzig, Wolfgang; Scheer, Elke [Universitaet Konstanz, Konstanz (Germany); Suergers, Christoph; Beckmann, Detlef [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe (Germany)

2016-07-01

Experiments on superconductor-ferromagnet-systems have shown Cooper pairs tunneling through ferromagnetic layers, indicating Cooper pairs of equal spin, thus corresponding to a long-range triplet proximity effect. Most experimental evidence for triplet superconductivity comes from observations of the thickness dependence of the Josephson current through a ferromagnetic barrier, but there is an increasing interest in obtaining direct spectroscopic evidence. This project aims to analyze the DOS of thin films of the ferromagnetic insulator europium sulfide on superconducting aluminum or vice versa, using a scanning tunneling microscope in spectroscopy mode at 280 mK and in varying magnetic fields. We observe significant broadening of the superconducting energy gap and a variety of sub-gap structures induced by the presence of the ferromagnet and interpret our findings based on the diffusive theory.

Topological confinement and superconductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-hassanieh, Dhaled A [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Batista, Cristian D [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2008-01-01

We derive a Kondo Lattice model with a correlated conduction band from a two-band Hubbard Hamiltonian. This mapping allows us to describe the emergence of a robust pairing mechanism in a model that only contains repulsive interactions. The mechanism is due to topological confinement and results from the interplay between antiferromagnetism and delocalization. By using Density-Matrix-Renormalization-Group (DMRG) we demonstrate that this mechanism leads to dominant superconducting correlations in aID-system.

Pairing phase transition and thermodynamical quantities in 148,149Sm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Razavi, R.; Behkami, A.N.; Dehghani, V.

2014-01-01

The nuclear level densities and entropies in 148,149 Sm have been calculated in the framework of the superconducting theory that includes modified nuclear pairing gap. For modified pairing gap parameter the smooth transition from the BCS to the Fermi type distributions is used. By applying modified pairing gap, the extracted S-shaped heat capacity as a function of nuclear temperature exhibits a physical and smoother behavior instead of the singular behavior predicted by the BCS equations at critical temperature

Novel Approach to Linear Accelerator Superconducting Magnet System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashikhin, Vladimir

2011-01-01

Superconducting Linear Accelerators include a superconducting magnet system for particle beam transportation that provides the beam focusing and steering. This system consists of a large number of quadrupole magnets and dipole correctors mounted inside or between cryomodules with SCRF cavities. Each magnet has current leads and powered from its own power supply. The paper proposes a novel approach to magnet powering based on using superconducting persistent current switches. A group of magnets is powered from the same power supply through the common, for the group of cryomodules, electrical bus and pair of current leads. Superconducting switches direct the current to the chosen magnet and close the circuit providing the magnet operation in a persistent current mode. Two persistent current switches were fabricated and tested. In the paper also presented the results of magnetic field simulations, decay time constants analysis, and a way of improving quadrupole magnetic center stability. Such approach substantially reduces the magnet system cost and increases the reliability.

Effect of Fibonacci modulation on superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, Sanjay; Sil, Shreekantha; Bhattacharyya, Bibhas

2006-01-01

We have studied finite-sized single band models with short-range pairing interactions between electrons in the presence of diagonal Fibonacci modulation in one dimension. Two models, namely the attractive Hubbard model and the Penson-Kolb model, have been investigated at half-filling at zero temperature by solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations in real space within a mean-field approximation. The competition between 'disorder' and the pairing interaction leads to a suppression of superconductivity (of usual pairs with zero centre-of-mass momenta) in the strong-coupling limit while an enhancement of the pairing correlation is observed in the weak-coupling regime for both models. However, the dissimilarity of the pairing mechanisms in these two models brings about notable differences in the results. The extent to which the bond-ordered wave and the η-paired (of pairs with centre-of-mass momenta = π) phases of the Penson-Kolb model are affected by the disorder has also been studied in the present calculation. Some finite size effects are also identified

Conventional superconductivity at 203 K at high pressures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drozdov, Alexander; Eremets, Mikhail; Troyan, Ivan [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Chemie, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Ksenofontov, Vadim; Shylin, Sergii [Institut fuer Anorganische Chemie und Analytische Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universitet Mainz, Staudingerweg 9, 55099 Mainz (Germany)

2016-07-01

A search for high, room temperature conventional superconductivity is promising as the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory in the Eliashberg formulation puts no apparent limits on T{sub c}. Materials with light elements are especially favorable as they provide high frequencies in the phonon spectrum. However only a moderately high T{sub c} = 39 K has been found in this search in MgB{sub 2}. We systematically studied metallic hydrogen and covalent hydrogen dominant compounds and found the record T{sub c} of 203 K at pressure 140 GPa in sulfur hydride. We proved occurrence of superconductivity by the sharp drop of the resistivity to zero; the decrease of T{sub c} with magnetic field; the pronounce isotope shift of T{sub c} in D{sub 2}S which evidences of a major role of phonons in the superconductivity; and the magnetic susceptibility measurements. The X-ray diffraction data confirmed that the superconductive phase has the predicted bcc structure. This phase can be considered as an atomic hydrogen superconductor stabilized by sulfur.

Extra-pair parentage and personality in a cooperatively breeding bird

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Edwards, Hannah A; Dugdale, Hannah L; Richardson, David S; Komdeur, Jan; Burke, Terry

Abstract: Why so much variation in extra-pair parentage occurs within and among populations remains unclear. Often the fitness costs and benefits of extra-pair parentage are hypothesised to explain its occurrence; therefore, linking extra-pair parentage with traits such as personality (behavioural

Antiferromagnetism and d-wave superconductivity in the Hubbard model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krahl, H.C.

2007-07-25

The two-dimensional Hubbard model is a promising effective model for the electronic degrees of freedom in the copper-oxide planes of high temperature superconductors. We present a functional renormalization group approach to this model with focus on antiferromagnetism and d-wave superconductivity. In order to make the relevant degrees of freedom more explicitly accessible on all length scales, we introduce composite bosonic fields mediating the interaction between the fermions. Spontaneous symmetry breaking is reflected in a non-vanishing expectation value of a bosonic field. The emergence of a coupling in the d-wave pairing channel triggered by spin wave fluctuations is demonstrated. Furthermore, the highest temperature at which the interaction strength for the electrons diverges in the renormalization flow is calculated for both antiferromagnetism and d-wave superconductivity over a wide range of doping. This ''pseudo-critical'' temperature signals the onset of local ordering. Moreover, the temperature dependence of d-wave superconducting order is studied within a simplified model characterized by a single coupling in the d-wave pairing channel. The phase transition within this model is found to be of the Kosterlitz-Thouless type. (orig.)

A dielectric approach to high temperature superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahanty, J.; Das, M.P.

1989-01-01

The dielectric response of an electron-ion system to the presence of a pair of charges is investigated. From the nature of the dielectric function, it is shown that a strong attractive pair formation is possible depending on the dispersion of the ion branches. The latter brings a reduction to the sound velocity which is used as a criterion for the superconductivity. By solving the BCS equation with the above dielectric function, we obtain a reasonable value of T/sub c/. 17 refs., 1 fig

Two-particle self-consistent approach to unconventional superconductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otsuki, Junya [Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan); Theoretische Physik III, Zentrum fuer Elektronische Korrelationen und Magnetismus, Universitaet Augsburg (Germany)

2013-07-01

A non-perturbative approach to unconventional superconductivity is developed based on the idea of the two-particle self-consistent (TPSC) theory. An exact sum-rule which the momentum-dependent pairing susceptibility satisfies is derived. Effective pairing interactions between quasiparticles are determined so that an approximate susceptibility should fulfill this sum-rule, in which fluctuations belonging to different symmetries mix at finite momentum. The mixing leads to a suppression of the d{sub x{sup 2}-y{sup 2}} pairing close to the half-filling, resulting in a maximum of T{sub c} away from half-filling.

Fidelity study of the superconducting phase diagram in the two-dimensional single-band Hubbard model

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, C. J.; Moritz, B.; Chen, C.-C.; Shastry, B. Sriram; Devereaux, T. P.

2011-09-01

Extensive numerical studies have demonstrated that the two-dimensional single-band Hubbard model contains much of the key physics in cuprate high-temperature superconductors. However, there is no definitive proof that the Hubbard model truly possesses a superconducting ground state or, if it does, of how it depends on model parameters. To answer these longstanding questions, we study an extension of the Hubbard model including an infinite-range d-wave pair field term, which precipitates a superconducting state in the d-wave channel. Using exact diagonalization on 16-site square clusters, we study the evolution of the ground state as a function of the strength of the pairing term. This is achieved by monitoring the fidelity metric of the ground state, as well as determining the ratio between the two largest eigenvalues of the d-wave pair/spin/charge-density matrices. The calculations show a d-wave superconducting ground state in doped clusters bracketed by a strong antiferromagnetic state at half filling controlled by the Coulomb repulsion U and a weak short-range checkerboard charge ordered state at larger hole doping controlled by the next-nearest-neighbor hopping t'. We also demonstrate that negative t' plays an important role in facilitating d-wave superconductivity.

Influence of a superconducting lead on orbital entanglement production in chaotic cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Perez, Sergio; Novaes, Marcel

2015-01-01

We study orbital entanglement production in a chaotic cavity connected to four single-channel normal metal leads and one superconducting lead, assuming the presence of time-reversal symmetry and within a random matrix theory approach. The scattered state of two incident electrons is written as the superposition of several two-outgoing quasi-particle components, four of which are orbitally entangled in a left-right bipartition. We calculate numerically the mean value of the squared norm of each entangled component, as functions of the number of channels in the superconducting lead. Its behavior is explained as resulting from the proximity effect. We also study statistically the amount of entanglement carried by each pair of outgoing quasi-particles. When the influence of the superconductor is more intense, the device works as an entangler of electron-hole pairs, and the average entanglement is found to be considerably larger than that obtained without the superconducting lead. (author)

Influence of a superconducting lead on orbital entanglement production in chaotic cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez-Perez, Sergio [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil). Escola de Ciencias e Tecnologia; Novaes, Marcel, E-mail: sergio.rodriguez@ect.ufrn.br [Universidade Federal de Uberlandia (UFU), MG (Brazil). Instituto de Fisica

2015-10-15

We study orbital entanglement production in a chaotic cavity connected to four single-channel normal metal leads and one superconducting lead, assuming the presence of time-reversal symmetry and within a random matrix theory approach. The scattered state of two incident electrons is written as the superposition of several two-outgoing quasi-particle components, four of which are orbitally entangled in a left-right bipartition. We calculate numerically the mean value of the squared norm of each entangled component, as functions of the number of channels in the superconducting lead. Its behavior is explained as resulting from the proximity effect. We also study statistically the amount of entanglement carried by each pair of outgoing quasi-particles. When the influence of the superconductor is more intense, the device works as an entangler of electron-hole pairs, and the average entanglement is found to be considerably larger than that obtained without the superconducting lead. (author)

Dual origin of pairing in nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Idini, A. [University of Jyvaskyla, Department of Physics (Finland); Potel, G. [Michigan State University, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (United States); Barranco, F. [Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Departamento de Fìsica Aplicada III (Spain); Vigezzi, E., E-mail: enrico.vigezzi@mi.infn.it [INFN Sezione di Milano (Italy); Broglia, R. A. [Università di Milano, Dipartimento di Fisica (Italy)

2016-11-15

The pairing correlations of the nucleus {sup 120}Sn are calculated by solving the Nambu–Gor’kov equations, including medium polarization effects resulting from the interweaving of quasiparticles, spin and density vibrations, taking into account, within the framework of nuclear field theory (NFT), processes leading to self-energy and vertex corrections and to the induced pairing interaction. From these results one can not only demonstrate the inevitability of the dual origin of pairing in nuclei, but also extract information which can be used at profit to quantitatively disentangle the contributions to the pairing gap Δ arising from the bare and from the induced pairing interaction. The first is the strong {sup 1}S{sub 0} short-range NN potential resulting from meson exchange between nucleons moving in time reversal states within an energy range of hundreds of MeV from the Fermi energy. The second results from the exchange of vibrational modes between nucleons moving within few MeV from the Fermi energy. Short- (v{sub p}{sup bare}) and long-range (v{sub p}{sup ind}) pairing interactions contribute essentially equally to nuclear Cooper pair stability. That is to the breaking of gauge invariance in open-shell superfluid nuclei and thus to the order parameter, namely to the ground state expectation value of the pair creation operator. In other words, to the emergent property of generalized rigidity in gauge space, and associated rotational bands and Cooper pair tunneling between members of these bands.

Dual origin of pairing in nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Idini, A.; Potel, G.; Barranco, F.; Vigezzi, E.; Broglia, R. A.

2016-11-01

The pairing correlations of the nucleus 120Sn are calculated by solving the Nambu-Gor'kov equations, including medium polarization effects resulting from the interweaving of quasiparticles, spin and density vibrations, taking into account, within the framework of nuclear field theory (NFT), processes leading to self-energy and vertex corrections and to the induced pairing interaction. From these results one can not only demonstrate the inevitability of the dual origin of pairing in nuclei, but also extract information which can be used at profit to quantitatively disentangle the contributions to the pairing gap Δ arising from the bare and from the induced pairing interaction. The first is the strong 1 S 0 short-range NN potential resulting from meson exchange between nucleons moving in time reversal states within an energy range of hundreds of MeV from the Fermi energy. The second results from the exchange of vibrational modes between nucleons moving within few MeV from the Fermi energy. Short- ( v p bare) and long-range ( v p ind) pairing interactions contribute essentially equally to nuclear Cooper pair stability. That is to the breaking of gauge invariance in open-shell superfluid nuclei and thus to the order parameter, namely to the ground state expectation value of the pair creation operator. In other words, to the emergent property of generalized rigidity in gauge space, and associated rotational bands and Cooper pair tunneling between members of these bands.

Spin-orbit scattering in superconducting nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alhassid, Y. [Center for Theoretical Physics, Sloane Physics Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520 (United States); Nesterov, K.N. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706 (United States)

2017-06-15

We review interaction effects in chaotic metallic nanoparticles. Their single-particle Hamiltonian is described by the proper random-matrix ensemble while the dominant interaction terms are invariants under a change of the single-particle basis. In the absence of spin-orbit scattering, the nontrivial invariants consist of a pairing interaction, which leads to superconductivity in the bulk, and a ferromagnetic exchange interaction. Spin-orbit scattering breaks spin-rotation invariance and when it is sufficiently strong, the only dominant nontrivial interaction is the pairing interaction. We discuss how the magnetic response of discrete energy levels of the nanoparticle (which can be measured in single-electron tunneling spectroscopy experiments) is affected by such pairing correlations and how it can provide a signature of pairing correlations. We also consider the spin susceptibility of the nanoparticle and discuss how spin-orbit scattering changes the signatures of pairing correlations in this observable. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Fermi surface of superconducting LaFePO determined by quantum oscillations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mcdonald, Ross D [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Coldea, A I [BRISTOL UNIV; Fletcher, J D [BRISTOL UNIV; Carrington, A [BRISTOL UNIV; Bangura, A F [BRISTOL UNIV; Hussey, N E [BRISTOL UNIV; Analytis, J G [STANFORD UNIV; Chu, J-h [STANFORD UNIV; Erickson, A S [STANFORD UNIV; Fisher, I R [STANFORD UNIV

2008-01-01

The recent discovery of superconductivity in ferrooxypnictides, which have a maximum transition temperature intermediate between the two other known high temperature superconductors MgB{sub 2} and the cuprate family, has generated huge interest and excitement. The most critical issue is the origin of the pairing mechanism. Whereas superconductivity in MgB{sub 2} has been shown to arise from strong electron-phonon coupling, the pairing glue in cuprate superconductors is thought by many to have a magnetic origin. The oxypnictides are highly susceptible to magnetic instabilities, prompting analogies with cuprate superconductivity. Progress on formulating the correct theory of superconductivity in these materials will be greatly aided by a detailed knowledge of the Fermi surface parameters. Here we report for the first time extensive measurements of quantum oscillations in a Fe-based superconductor, LaFePO, that provide a precise calliper of the size and shape of the Fermi surface and the effective masses of the relevant charge carriers. Our results show that the Fermi surface is composed of nearly-nested electron and hole pockets in broad agreement with the band-structure predictions but with significant enhancement of the quasiparticle masses. The correspondence in the electron and hole Fermi surface areas provides firm experimental evidence that LaFePO, whilst unreconstructed, lies extremely close to a spin-density-wave instability, thus favoring models that invoke such a magnetic origin for high-temperature superconductivity in oxypnictides.

Superconductivity mediated by quantum critical antiferromagnetic fluctuations: The rise and fall of hot spots

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoyu; Schattner, Yoni; Berg, Erez; Fernandes, Rafael M.

2017-05-01

In several unconventional superconductors, the highest superconducting transition temperature Tc is found in a region of the phase diagram where the antiferromagnetic transition temperature extrapolates to zero, signaling a putative quantum critical point. The elucidation of the interplay between these two phenomena—high-Tc superconductivity and magnetic quantum criticality—remains an important piece of the complex puzzle of unconventional superconductivity. In this paper, we combine sign-problem-free quantum Monte Carlo simulations and field-theoretical analytical calculations to unveil the microscopic mechanism responsible for the superconducting instability of a general low-energy model, called the spin-fermion model. In this approach, low-energy electronic states interact with each other via the exchange of quantum critical magnetic fluctuations. We find that even in the regime of moderately strong interactions, both the superconducting transition temperature and the pairing susceptibility are governed not by the properties of the entire Fermi surface, but instead by the properties of small portions of the Fermi surface called hot spots. Moreover, Tc increases with increasing interaction strength, until it starts to saturate at the crossover from hot-spots-dominated to Fermi-surface-dominated pairing. Our work provides not only invaluable insights into the system parameters that most strongly affect Tc, but also important benchmarks to assess the origin of superconductivity in both microscopic models and actual materials.

New universality class for superconducting order parameter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobroliubov, M.I.; Khlebnikov, S.Yu.

1991-04-01

We present a model of superconductivity with pairing due to Aharonov-Bohm forces. The gap is proportional to the first power of the small parameter (in which the self-consistent perturbation scheme is developed), as opposed to the BCS class of models where the gap is exponentially suppressed with the small parameter. (orig.)

Superconductivity and Competing Ordered Phase in RuPn (Pn = As, P)

Science.gov (United States)

Hirai, Daigorou; Takayama, Tomohiro; Hashizume, Daisuke; Yamamoto, Ayako; Takagi, Hidenori

2011-03-01

Unconventional superconductivity likely manifests itself when some competing electronic phases are suppressed down to zero temperature such as cuprates and iron-pnictide superconductors. Therefore, the correlated metallic state neighboring a competing electronic ordering can be a promising playground for unconventional superconductivity. Here we report superconductivity emerging adjacent to electronically ordered phases of RuPn (Pn = As, P). We found that RuAs(P) exhibits phase transitions at 240 (265) K, which is discerned as a drop of magnetic susceptibility or a resistivity upturn. Such anomalies can be suppressed by substituting Rh to the Ru site. Accompanied by the disappearance of the electronic order, superconductivity was found to emerge below 1.8 K and 3.8 K for RuAs and RuP, respectively. The superconductivity in Rh substituted RuPn, which neighbors a competing electronic order, might exhibit an exotic pairing state as seen in the unconventional superconductors known to date.

Superconducting nanowire networks formed on nanoporous membrane substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Qiong

Introducing a regular array of holes into superconducting thin films has been actively pursued to stabilize and pin the vortex lattice against external driving forces, enabling higher current capabilities. If the width of the sections between neighboring holes is comparable to the superconducting coherence length, the circulation of the Cooper pairs in around the holes in the presence of a magnetic field can also produce the Little-Parks effect, i.e. periodic oscillation of the critical temperature. These two mechanisms, commensurate vortex pinning enhancement by the hole-array and the critical temperature oscillations of a wire network due to Little-Parks effect can induce similar experimental observations such as magnetoresistance oscillation and enhancement of the critical current at specific magnetic fields. This dissertation work investigates the effect of a hole-array on the properties of superconducting films deposited onto nanoporous substrates. Experiments on anisotropies of the critical temperature for niobium films on anodic aluminum oxide membrane substrates containing a regular hole-array reveal that the critical temperature exhibits two strong anisotropic effects: Little-Parks oscillations whose period varies with field direction superimposed on a smooth background arising from one dimensional confinement by the finite lateral space between neighboring holes. The two components of the anisotropy are intrinsically linked and appear in concert. That is, the hole-array changes the dimensionality of a two-dimensional (2D) film to a network of 1D nanowire network. Network of superconducting nanowires with transverse dimensions as small as few nanometers were achieved by coating molybdenum germanium (MoGe) layer onto commercially available filtration membranes which have extremely dense nanopores. The magnetoresistance, magnetic field dependence of the critical temperature and the anisotropies of the synthesized MoGe nanowire networks can be consistently

Heteroditopic receptors for ion-pair recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

McConnell, Anna J; Beer, Paul D

2012-05-21

Ion-pair recognition is a new field of research emerging from cation and anion coordination chemistry. Specific types of heteroditopic receptor designs for ion pairs and the complexity of ion-pair binding are discussed to illustrate key concepts such as cooperativity. The importance of this area of research is reflected by the wide variety of potential applications of ion-pair receptors, including applications as membrane transport and salt solubilization agents and sensors. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Probing odd-triplet contributions to the long-ranged proximity effect by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diesch, Simon; Machon, Peter; Belzig, Wolfgang; Scheer, Elke [Universitaet Konstanz, Konstanz (Germany); Suergers, Christoph; Beckmann, Detlef [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe (Germany)

2015-07-01

In conventional superconductors, electrons are bound in singlet Cooper pairs, i.e. with opposite spin. More recently, experiments on superconductor-ferromagnet-systems have shown Cooper pairs tunneling through ferromagnetic layers, indicating Cooper pairs of equal spin, thus corresponding to a long-range triplet proximity effect. Most experimental evidence for triplet superconductivity comes from observations of the thickness dependence of the Josephson current through a ferromagnetic barrier, but there is an increasing interest in obtaining direct spectroscopic evidence. This project aims at analyzing the electronic density of states of a thin diffusive normal metal layer (Ag) coupled to a superconductor (Al) across a ferromagnetic insulator (EuS) using a scanning tunneling microscope in spectroscopy mode at 280 mK. For this purpose, we fabricated EuS films of different thicknesses and acquired spectroscopic data at different magnetic fields. We observe significant broadening of the superconductive energy gap and a variety of sub-gap structures including zero-bias conductance peaks induced by the presence of the ferromagnet.

Deenergizing method of superconducting magnets for Maglev in an emergency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kishikawa, Akihiko [Railway Technical Research Inst., Tokyo (Japan); Nemoto, Kaoru [Railway Technical Research Inst., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-12-31

The running stability of the superconducting magnets (SCMs) mounted on the JR Maglev vehicle has been confirmed through many researches and actual running tests. So we could confirm that the high performance of our SCMs during the last few years, but we must bear in mind that the SCM which consists of the superconducting wire has the possibility of changing into normal resistive state from superconducting state. If one of the pair SCMs normalizes, a huge lateral force on one side of a bogie will occur suddenly and push the vehicle toward the sidewall of the guideway. This paper describes the method that reduces this huge force acting on one side of a bogie in an SCM accident. (orig.)

Anisotropic energy-gaps of iron-based superconductivity from intra-band quasiparticle interference in LiFeAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rost, A.W. [LASSP, Department of Physics, Cornell, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Univ. of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Allan, M.P. [LASSP, Department of Physics, Cornell, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Univ. of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); CMPMS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Mackenzie, A.P. [SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Univ. of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Xie, Y. [CMPMS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Davis, J.C. [LASSP, Department of Physics, Cornell, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Univ. of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); CMPMS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); Kihou, K.; Lee, C.H.; Iyo, A.; Eisaki, H. [AIST, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Chuang, T.M. [LASSP, Department of Physics, Cornell, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); CMPMS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Inst. of Physics, Academica Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan (China)

2012-07-01

Cooper pairing in the Fe-based superconductors is thought to occur due to the projection of the antiferromagnetic interactions between iron atoms onto the complex momentum-space electronic structure. A key consequence is that distinct anisotropic energy gaps {Delta}{sub i}(k) with specific relative orientations should occur on the different electronic bands i. To determine this previously unresolved gap structure high-precision spectroscopy is required. Here we introduce the STM technique of intra-band Bogolyubov quasiparticle scattering interference (QPI) to iron-based superconductor studies, focusing on LiFeAs. We identify the QPI signatures of three hole-like dispersions and, by introducing a new QPI technique, determine the magnitude and relative orientations of corresponding anisotropic {Delta}{sub i}(k). Intra-band Bogolyubov QPI therefore yields the spectroscopic information required to identify the mechanism of superconductivity in Fe-based superconductors.

Evidence for phononic pairing in extremely overdoped ``pure'' d-wave superconductor Bi2212

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yu; Hishimoto, Makoto; Song, Dongjoon; Eisaki, Hiroshi; Shen, Zhi-Xun

2015-03-01

Recent advancement in High Tc cuprate superconductor research has elucidated strong interaction between superconductivity and competing orders. Therefore, the mechanism behind the 'pure' d-wave superconducting behavior becomes the next stepping stone to further the understanding. We have performed photoemission study on extremely overdoped Bi2212 single crystal synthesized via high pressure method. In this regime, we demonstrate the much reduced superconducting gap and the absence of pseudogap. Clear gap shifted bosonic mode coupling is observed throughout the entire Brillouin zone. Via full Eliashberg treatment, we find the electron-phonon coupling strength capable of producing a transition temperature very close to Tc. This strongly implies bosonic contribution to cuprate superconductivity's pairing glue.

Making Cooperative Learning Groups Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawley, James; De Jong, Cherie

1995-01-01

Discusses the use of cooperative-learning groups with middle school students. Describes cooperative-learning techniques, including group roles, peer evaluation, and observation and monitoring. Considers grouping options, including group size and configuration, dyads, the think-pair-share lecture, student teams achievement divisions, jigsaw groups,…

Superconducting properties and microstructure of YBa2Cu3O7-δ/PrBa2Cu3O7-δ superlattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowndes, D.H.; Norton, D.P.; Zheng, X.Y.; Zhu, Shen

1991-10-01

Epitaxial YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ /PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO/PBCO) superlattices are tools for systematic, fundamental studies of high-temperature superconductivity. The variation of T c in YBCO/PBCO superlattices can be understood as arising from changes in the interlayer phase coupling between YBCO layers that are highly two-dimensional when they are very thin (∼1--2 c-axis unit cells) and completely isolated from each other. Single-cell-thick YBCO layers, containing isolated pairs of CuO 2 planes, are found to be superconducting at T c ∼ 20 K, in a PBCO matrix. The resistance in the superconducting transition region scales with temperature as expected for the (flux flow) resistance produced by thermally generated 2D vortices, or for a 2D array of superconducting weak links. Relative to both thin-film and single-crystal HTSc specimens, the thin superconducting layers in YBCO/PBCO superlattices exhibit a greatly expanded temperature range over which characteristic 2D dissipation can be observed, as a consequence of the enhanced anisotropy and reduced dimensionality of the YBCO layers. Scanning tunneling microscope studies reveal that YBCO films and YBCO/PBCO superlattices grow unit cell-by-unit cell by a terraced-island growth mechanism. On miscut, near-(001) substrates the terraces are epitaxially aligned with the substrate crystal lattice and spiral growth structures (screw dislocation-mediated growth) are not seen. These observations explain the steps or ''kinks'' that are seen in cross-section Z-contrast TEM images of YBCO/PBCO superlattices. The kinks may correspond physically to regions where the supercurrent must tunnel along the c- axis, and thus may be weak-link barriers. 31 refs., 7 figs

Superconducting proximity effect in topological materials

Science.gov (United States)

Reeg, Christopher R.

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the proximity effect due to its role in the realization of topological superconductivity. In this dissertation, we discuss several results that have been obtained in the field of proximity-induced superconductivity and relate the results to the search for Majorana fermions. First, we show that repulsive electron-electron interactions can induce a non-Majorana zero-energy bound state at the interface between a conventional superconductor and a normal metal. We show that this state is very sensitive to disorder, owing to its lack of topological protection. Second, we show that Rashba spin-orbit coupling, which is one of the key ingredients in engineering a topological superconductor, induces triplet pairing in the proximity effect. When the spin-orbit coupling is strong (i.e., when the characteristic energy scale for spin-orbit coupling is comparable to the Fermi energy), the induced singlet and triplet pairing amplitudes can be comparable in magnitude. Finally, we discuss how the size of the proximity-induced gap, which appears in a low-dimensional material coupled to a superconductor, evolves as the thickness of the (quasi-)low-dimensional material is increased. We show that the induced gap can be comparable to the bulk energy gap of the underlying superconductor in materials that are much thicker than the Fermi wavelength, even in the presence of an interfacial barrier and strong Fermi surface mismatch. This result has important experimental consequences for topological superconductivity, as a sizable gap is required to isolate and detect the Majorana modes.

The superconducting magnet system for the Tokamak Physics Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lang, D.D.; Bulmer, R.J.; Chaplin, M.R.; O'Connor, T.G.; Slack, D.S.; Wong, R.L.; Zbasnik, J.P.; Schultz, J.H.; Diatchenko, N.; Montgomery, D.B.

1994-01-01

The superconducting magnet system for the Tokamak Physics eXperiment (TPX) will be the first all superconducting magnet system for a Tokamak, where the poloidal field coils, in addition to the toroidal field coils are superconducting. The magnet system is designed to operate in a steady state mode, and to initiate the plasma discharge ohmically. The toroidal field system provides a peak field of 4.0 Tesla on the plasma axis at a plasma major radius of 2.25 m. The peak field on the niobium 3-tin, cable-in-conduit (CIC) conductor is 8.4 Tesla for the 16 toroidal field coils. The toroidal field coils must absorb approximately 5 kW due to nuclear heating, eddy currents, and other sources. The poloidal field system provides a total of 18 volt seconds to initiate the plasma and drive a plasma current up to 2 MA. The poloidal field system consists of 14 individual coils which are arranged symmetrically above and below the horizontal mid plane. Four pairs of coils make up the central solenoid, and three pairs of poloidal ring coils complete the system. The poloidal field coils all use a cable-in-conduit conductor, using either niobium 3-tin (Nb 3 Sn) or niobium titanium (NbTi) superconducting strands depending on the operating conditions for that coil. All of the coils are cooled by flowing supercritical helium, with inlet and outlet connections made on each double pancake. The superconducting magnet system has gone through a conceptual design review, and is in preliminary design started by the LLNL/MIT/PPPL collaboration. A number of changes have been made in the design since the conceptual design review, and are described in this paper. The majority of the design and all fabrication of the superconducting magnet system will be ,accomplished by industry, which will shortly be taking over the preliminary design. The magnet system is expected to be completed in early 2000

Electronic structure of the cuprate superconducting and pseudogap phases from spectroscopic imaging STM

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, A. R.; Fujita, K.; Kim, E.-A.; Lawler, M. J.; Eisaki, H.; Uchida, S.; Lee, D.-H.; Davis, J. C.

2011-06-01

We survey the use of spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy (SI-STM) to probe the electronic structure of underdoped cuprates. Two distinct classes of electronic states are observed in both the d-wave superconducting (dSC) and the pseudogap (PG) phases. The first class consists of the dispersive Bogoliubov quasiparticle excitations of a homogeneous d-wave superconductor, existing below a lower energy scale E=Δ0. We find that the Bogoliubov quasiparticle interference (QPI) signatures of delocalized Cooper pairing are restricted to a k-space arc, which terminates near the lines connecting k=±(π/a0,0) to k=±(0,π/a0). This arc shrinks continuously with decreasing hole density such that Luttinger's theorem could be satisfied if it represents the front side of a hole-pocket that is bounded behind by the lines between k=±(π/a0,0) and k=±(0,π/a0). In both phases, the only broken symmetries detected for the |E|modulations, locally breaking both rotational and translational symmetries, coexist with this intra-unit-cell electronic symmetry breaking at E=Δ1. Their characteristic wavevector Q is determined by the k-space points where Bogoliubov QPI terminates and therefore changes continuously with doping. The distinct broken electronic symmetry states (intra-unit-cell and finite Q) coexisting at E~Δ1 are found to be indistinguishable in the dSC and PG phases. The next challenge for SI-STM studies is to determine the relationship of the E~Δ1 broken symmetry electronic states with the PG phase, and with the E<Δ0 states associated with Cooper pairing.

Evidence for phonon-mediated coupling in superconducting Ba0.6K0.4BiO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinks, D.G.; Dabrowski, B.; Richards, D.R.; Jorgensen, J.D.; Pei, S.; Zasadzinski, J.F.

1989-01-01

Superconducting Ba 0.6 K 0.4 BiO 3 , with a T c of 30 K, shows a large 18 O isotope effect which indicates that phonons are involved in the pairing mechanism. Infrared reflectivity measurements indicate a value for the superconducting gap consistent with moderate coupling (2Δ/k T c = 3.5 ± 0.5). A mediating energy for pairing of about 40 meV would be required to obtain a T c of 30 K. Strong coupling of electrons by optical phonons (which are present in this material with energies up to 80 meV) could account for the observed transition temperature. Recent tunneling spectroscopy shows the presence of strongly coupled optical phonons in the 40 to 70 meV region, indicating that superconductivity in this material may be phonon mediated

A mobile superconducting cyclotron for PET and neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffiths, R.

1988-01-01

The report addresses the development of a mobile superconducting cyclotron for PET (positron emission tomography) and neutron radiography. Proposals for an ultralight cyclotron were made by Finlan et al., who suggested a novel technique of utilising a superconducting magnet with RF acceleration and iron sectors contained within the room temperature bore of the magnet. Detailed design of a cyclotron based on this concept has progressed well at Oxford Instruments. The main design priorities were to minimise the weight and power consumption of the cyclotron. The cyclotron required a large amount of shielding to reduce either radiation background levels or stray magnetic field. Thus low background levels of radiation and magnetic field are key design criteria. The superconducting magnet has a mean field of 2.35 Tesla and a room temperature bore diameter of 500 mm. Three pairs of profiled iron sectors placed in the center of the warm bore of the magnet provide an azimuthally varying magnetic field. This permits the use of high beam currents with low background. A novel technique is incorporated to reduce the stray magnetic field and radiation from the cyclotron. The RF system consists of three pairs of resonators mounted within the warm bore of the magnet between the iron sectors. (Nogami, K.)

Spin correlation and entanglement detection in Cooper pair splitters by current measurements using magnetic detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Busz, Piotr; Tomaszewski, Damian; Martinek, Jan

2017-08-01

We analyze a model of a double quantum dot Cooper pair splitter coupled to two ferromagnetic detectors and demonstrate the possibility of determination of spin correlation by current measurements. We use perturbation theory, taking account of the exchange interaction with the detectors, which leads to complex spin dynamics in the dots. This affects the measured spin and restricts the use of ferromagnetic detectors to the nonlinear current-voltage characteristic regime at the current plateau, where the relevant spin projection is conserved, in contrast to the linear current-voltage characteristic regime, in which the spin information is distorted. Moreover, we show that for separable states the spin correlation can only be determined in a limited parameter regime, much more restricted than in the case of entangled states. We propose an entanglement test based on the Bell inequality.

Power system analysis of Hanlim superconducting HVDC system using real time digital simulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, Y.J.; Kim, J.G.; Kim, A.R.; Kim, G.H.; Park, M.; Yu, I.K.; Sim, K.D.; Cho, J.; Lee, S.; Jeong, K.W.; Watanabe, K.

2011-01-01

KEPCO has planned to construct a test site for renewable energy in Jeju power system. One kilometer length of total 8 km was designed as superconducting DC cable. We have developed a simulation model of the 8 km HVDC system using real time digital simulator. The simulation result shows that the HVDC line was not affected by wind power variation. Jeju island is located approximately 100 km south from the mainland of Korea, and had a peak load of about 553 MW in 2008. The demand increases 7.2% a year over the last 5 years. Since the wind profiles of Jeju island are more favorable than mainland of Korea, many companies have shown interest in the wind power business at the Jeju island. Moreover KEPCO has a plan for renewable energy test too whose power will be delivered by HVDC system. One kilometer length of total 8 km was designed as superconducting DC cable. Rest 7 km will be the conventional overhead line. In this paper, the authors have developed a simulation model of the power network around 8 km HVDC system using real time digital simulator (RTDS).

Theory-guided discovery of new superconducting materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kolmogorov, Aleksey

2015-03-01

Extensive theoretical effort to predict new superconductors has resulted in remarkably few discoveries. Successful examples so far have been restricted primarily to pressure- or doping-driven superconducting transformations in existing materials. In this talk I will describe our work that has led to the prediction and discovery of a brand-new superconducting FeB4 compound with a previously unknown crystal structure. First measurements supported the predicted phonon-mediated pairing mechanism, rare for an iron-based superconductor. The identification of FeB4 candidate material was a result of combined high-throughput screening, targeted evolutionary search, and rational design. The systematic study of more than 12,000 metal boride phases has identified dozens of synthesizable materials with unusual structural motifs, some of which have been confirmed experimentally. I will overview employed strategies for selecting promising superconducting compounds and describe our on-going work on accelerating the search for stable materials. Research is sponsered by the NSF.

Superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmieri, V.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on superconductivity the absence of electrical resistance has always fascinated the mind of researchers with a promise of applications unachievable by conventional technologies. Since its discovery superconductivity has been posing many questions and challenges to solid state physics, quantum mechanics, chemistry and material science. Simulations arrived to superconductivity from particle physics, astrophysic, electronics, electrical engineering and so on. In seventy-five years the original promises of superconductivity were going to become reality: a microscopical theory gave to superconductivity the cloth of the science and the level of technological advances was getting higher and higher. High field superconducting magnets became commercially available, superconducting electronic devices were invented, high field accelerating gradients were obtained in superconductive cavities and superconducting particle detectors were under study. Other improvements came in a quiet progression when a tornado brought a revolution in the field: new materials had been discovered and superconductivity, from being a phenomenon relegated to the liquid Helium temperatures, became achievable over the liquid Nitrogen temperature. All the physics and the technological implications under superconductivity have to be considered ab initio

A Subcarrier-Pair Based Resource Allocation Scheme Using Proportional Fairness for Cooperative OFDM-Based Cognitive Radio Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yongtao; Zhou, Liuji; Liu, Kaihua

2013-01-01

The paper presents a joint subcarrier-pair based resource allocation algorithm in order to improve the efficiency and fairness of cooperative multiuser orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MU-OFDM) cognitive radio (CR) systems. A communication model where one source node communicates with one destination node assisted by one half-duplex decode-and-forward (DF) relay is considered in the paper. An interference-limited environment is considered, with the constraint of transmitted sum-power over all channels and aggregate average interference towards multiple primary users (PUs). The proposed resource allocation algorithm is capable of maximizing both the system transmission efficiency and fairness among secondary users (SUs). Besides, the proposed algorithm can also keep the interference introduced to the PU bands below a threshold. A proportional fairness constraint is used to assure that each SU can achieve a required data rate, with quality of service guarantees. Moreover, we extend the analysis to the scenario where each cooperative SU has no channel state information (CSI) about non-adjacent links. We analyzed the throughput and fairness tradeoff in CR system. A detailed analysis of the performance of the proposed algorithm is presented with the simulation results. PMID:23939586

Development of superconducting acceleration cavity technology for free electron lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Min; Lee, Byung Cheol; Kim, Sun Kook; Jeong, Young Uk; Cho, Sung Oh

2000-10-01

As a result of the cooperative research between the KAERI and Peking University, the key technologies of superconducting acceleration cavity and photoelectron gun have been developed for the application to high power free electron lasers. A 1.5-GHz, 1-cell superconducting RF cavity has been designed and fabricated by using pure Nb sheets. The unloaded Q values of the fabricated superconducting cavity has been measured to be 2x10 9 at 2.5K, and 8x10 9 at 1.8K. The maximum acceleration gradient achieved was 12 MeV/m at 2.5K, and 20MV/m at 1.8 K. A cryostat for the 1-cell superconducting cavity has been designed. As a source of electron beam, a DC photocathode electron gun has been designed and fabricated, which is composed of a photocathode evaporation chamber and a 100-keV acceleration chamber. The efficiency of the Cs2Te photocathode is 3% nominally at room temperature, 10% at 290 deg C. The superconducting photoelectron gun system developed has been estimated to be a good source of high-brightness electron beam for high-power free electron lasers

Development of superconducting acceleration cavity technology for free electron lasers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jong Min; Lee, Byung Cheol; Kim, Sun Kook; Jeong, Young Uk; Cho, Sung Oh

2000-10-01

As a result of the cooperative research between the KAERI and Peking University, the key technologies of superconducting acceleration cavity and photoelectron gun have been developed for the application to high power free electron lasers. A 1.5-GHz, 1-cell superconducting RF cavity has been designed and fabricated by using pure Nb sheets. The unloaded Q values of the fabricated superconducting cavity has been measured to be 2x10{sup 9} at 2.5K, and 8x10{sup 9} at 1.8K. The maximum acceleration gradient achieved was 12 MeV/m at 2.5K, and 20MV/m at 1.8 K. A cryostat for the 1-cell superconducting cavity has been designed. As a source of electron beam, a DC photocathode electron gun has been designed and fabricated, which is composed of a photocathode evaporation chamber and a 100-keV acceleration chamber. The efficiency of the Cs2Te photocathode is 3% nominally at room temperature, 10% at 290 deg C. The superconducting photoelectron gun system developed has been estimated to be a good source of high-brightness electron beam for high-power free electron lasers.

The role of local repulsion in superconductivity in the Hubbard-Holstein model

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chungwei; Wang, Bingnan; Teo, Koon Hoo

2017-01-01

We examine the superconducting solution in the Hubbard-Holstein model using Dynamical Mean Field Theory. The Holstein term introduces the site-independent Boson fields coupling to local electron density, and has two competing influences on superconductivity: The Boson field mediates the effective electron-electron attraction, which is essential for the S-wave electron pairing; the same coupling to the Boson fields also induces the polaron effect, which makes the system less metallic and thus suppresses superconductivity. The Hubbard term introduces an energy penalty U when two electrons occupy the same site, which is expected to suppress superconductivity. By solving the Hubbard-Holstein model using Dynamical Mean Field theory, we find that the Hubbard U can be beneficial to superconductivity under some circumstances. In particular, we demonstrate that when the Boson energy Ω is small, a weak local repulsion actually stabilizesthe S-wave superconducting state. This behavior can be understood as an interplay between superconductivity, the polaron effect, and the on-site repulsion: As the polaron effect is strong and suppresses superconductivity in the small Ω regime, the weak on-site repulsion reduces the polaron effect and effectively enhances superconductivity. Our calculation elucidates the role of local repulsion in the conventional S-wave superconductors.

Superconductivity in Na{sub 1-x}CoO{sub 2}.yH{sub 2}O thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hildebrandt, Sandra; Komissinkiy, Philipp; Alff, Lambert [Institute for Materials Science, TU Darmstadt (Germany); Fritsch, Ingo; Habermeier, Hanns-Ulrich [Max-Planck-Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart (Germany); Lemmens, Peter [Institute for Condensed Matter Physics, TU Braunschweig (Germany)

2010-07-01

Sodium cobaltate (Na{sub 1-x}CoO{sub 2}) is a novel material with thermoelectric behavior, charge and spin ordered states dependent on the sodium content in the composition. A superconducting phase was found in water intercalated sodium cobaltate (Na{sub 1-x}CoO{sub 2}.yH{sub 2}O) with x=0.65-0.7 and y=0.9-1.3. The pairing state is still under debate, but there are some indications for a spin-triplet or p-wave superconducting pairing state. First films of Na{sub 1-x}CoO{sub 2}.yH{sub 2}O with a superconducting transition temperature near 5 K have been successfully grown. Here we report on thin films of Na{sub 1-x}CoO{sub 2} grown by pulsed laser deposition technique. The deposition parameters, sodium deintercalation and water intercalation conditions are tuned in order to obtain the superconducting phase. The instability of this phase might be an indication for triplet superconductivity, which is known to be affected strongly by impurities and defects.This observation is in agreement with the fact that so far also no superconducting thin films of the most famous triplet superconductor Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4} have been reported.

Interplay of superconductivity and magnetism in presence of inter sub-lattice effect in cuprates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishoyi, K.C.; Mohapatra, S.P.; Rout, G.C.

2010-01-01

In the present communication, we report a model Hamiltonian to study the interplay between the two long range orders of anti-ferromagnetism (AFM) and superconductivity (SC) in cuprate superconductors in presence of the intersite pairing effect. The BCS type but non-phonon pairing mechanism is considered among the electrons of two equivalent Cu sites. The pairing among the electrons of two nearest neighbour non-equivalent Cu sites is included in the Hamiltonian and its effect on the interplay of SC and AFM is investigated. The Hamiltonian is solved by the Green's function method and the corresponding gap equations are calculated and solved self-consistently. The influence of model parameters like AFM coupling (λ), SC coupling (λ 1 ) and the coupling (λ 2 ) for intersite superconducting interactions on the gaps (SC and AFM) are studied numerically and the results are reported. (author)

Effect of anitiferromagnetism on superconducting gap of cuprates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rout, G.C.; Panda, B.N.; Bishoyi, K.C.

2000-01-01

The interplay between superconductivity (SC) and antiferromagnetism (AF) is studied in strongly correlated systems: R 2-x M x CuO 4 (R = Nd, La, Pr, Gd; M = Sr, Ge). It is assumed that superconductivity arises due to BCS pairing mechanism in presence of AF in Cu lattices of Cu-O planes. Temperature dependence of SC gap as well as staggered magnetic field are calculated analytically and solved self-consistently with respect to half-filled band situation for different model parameters λ 1 , and λ 2 being SC and AF coupling parameters respectively. The SC gap is studied in the coexistent phase of SC and AFM. (author)

A new quantum interferometer effect in superconducting oxide ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chela Flores, J.; Shehata, L.N.

1987-08-01

On the basis of a phenomenological approach to type II high T c superconductivity, we suggest that in the lanthanum compounds the Mercereau effect for a coupled junction pair should display and ex-dependent shift in the period of modulation of the tunnelling current. (author). 14 refs

Tailoring Superconductivity with Quantum Dislocations.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mingda; Song, Qichen; Liu, Te-Huan; Meroueh, Laureen; Mahan, Gerald D; Dresselhaus, Mildred S; Chen, Gang

2017-08-09

Despite the established knowledge that crystal dislocations can affect a material's superconducting properties, the exact mechanism of the electron-dislocation interaction in a dislocated superconductor has long been missing. Being a type of defect, dislocations are expected to decrease a material's superconducting transition temperature (T c ) by breaking the coherence. Yet experimentally, even in isotropic type I superconductors, dislocations can either decrease, increase, or have little influence on T c . These experimental findings have yet to be understood. Although the anisotropic pairing in dirty superconductors has explained impurity-induced T c reduction, no quantitative agreement has been reached in the case a dislocation given its complexity. In this study, by generalizing the one-dimensional quantized dislocation field to three dimensions, we reveal that there are indeed two distinct types of electron-dislocation interactions. Besides the usual electron-dislocation potential scattering, there is another interaction driving an effective attraction between electrons that is caused by dislons, which are quantized modes of a dislocation. The role of dislocations to superconductivity is thus clarified as the competition between the classical and quantum effects, showing excellent agreement with existing experimental data. In particular, the existence of both classical and quantum effects provides a plausible explanation for the illusive origin of dislocation-induced superconductivity in semiconducting PbS/PbTe superlattice nanostructures. A quantitative criterion has been derived, in which a dislocated superconductor with low elastic moduli and small electron effective mass and in a confined environment is inclined to enhance T c . This provides a new pathway for engineering a material's superconducting properties by using dislocations as an additional degree of freedom.

Theory of normal and superconducting properties of fullerene-based solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, M.L.

1992-10-01

Recent experiments on the normal-state and superconducting properties of fullerene-based solids are used to constrain the proposal theories of the electronic nature of these materials. In general, models of superconductivity based on electron pairing induced by phonons are consistent with electronic band theory. The latter experiments also yield estimates of the parameters characterizing these type H superconductors. It is argued that, at this point, a ''standard model'' of phonons interacting with itinerant electrons may be a good first approximation for explaining the properties of the metallic fullerenes

Requirements for accuracy of superconducting coils in the Large Helical Device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamazaki, K; Yanagi, N; Ji, H; Kaneko, H; Ohyabu, N; Satow, T; Morimoto, S; Yamamoto, J; Motojima, O [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Chikusa, Nagoya (Japan); LHD Design Group

1993-01-01

Irregular magnetic fields resonate with the rational surface of the magnetic confinement systems, form magnetic islands and ergodic layers, and destruct the plasma confinement. To avoid this confinement destruction the requirement of an accuracy of 10[sup -4] in the magnetic field is adopted as the magnetic-accuracy design criterion for the LHD machine. Following this criterion the width of the undesirable magnetic island is kept less than one tenth of the plasma radius. The irregular magnetic field from the superconducting (SC) helical and poloidal coils is produced by winding irregularity, installing irregularity, cooling-down deformations and electromagnetic deformations. The local irregularities such as feeders, layer connections, adjacent-conductor connections of the coils also produce an error field. The eddy currents on the supporting shell structure of SC coils, the cryostat, etc. are also evaluated. All irregular effects are analyzed using Fourier decomposition and field mapping methods for the LHD design, and it is confirmed that the present design of the superconducting coil system satisfies the design criterion for these field irregularities. (orig.).

Feshbach shape resonance for high Tc superconductivity in superlattices of nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianconi, Antonio

2006-01-01

The case of a Feshbach shape resonance in the pairing mechanism for high T c superconductivity in a crystalline lattice of doped metallic nanotubes is described. The superlattice of doped metallic nanotubes provides a superconductor with a strongly asymmetric gap. The disparity and different spatial locations of the wave functions of electrons in different subbands at the Fermi level should suppress the single electron impurity interband scattering giving multiband superconductivity in the clean limit. The Feshbach resonances will arise from the component single-particle wave functions out of which the electron pair wave function is constructed: pairs of wave functions which are time inverse of each other. The Feshbach shape resonance increases the critical temperature by tuning the chemical potential at the Lifshitz electronic topological transition (ETT) where the Fermi surface of one of the bands changes from the one dimensional (1D) to the two dimensional (2D) topology (1D/2D ETT). (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Single-flavour and two-flavour pairing in three-flavour quark matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alford, Mark G; Cowan, Greig A

2006-01-01

We study single-flavour quark pairing ('self-pairing') in colour-superconducting phases of quark matter, paying particular attention to the difference between scenarios where all three flavours undergo single-flavour pairing, and scenarios where two flavours pair with each other ('2SC' pairing) and the remaining flavour self-pairs. We perform our calculations in the mean-field approximation using a pointlike four-fermion interaction based on single gluon exchange. We confirm the result from previous weakly-coupled-QCD calculations that when all three flavours self-pair the favoured channel for each is colour-spin-locked (CSL) pseudoisotropic pairing. However, we find that when the up and down quarks undergo 2SC pairing, they induce a colour chemical potential that disfavours the CSL phase. The strange quarks then self-pair in a 'polar' channel that breaks rotational invariance, although the CSL phase may survive in a narrow range of densities

The role of local repulsion in superconductivity in the Hubbard–Holstein model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Chungwei, E-mail: clin@merl.com; Wang, Bingnan; Teo, Koon Hoo

2017-01-15

Highlights: • There exists an optimal Boson energy for superconductivity in Hubbard–Holstein model. • The electron-Boson coupling is essential for superconductivity, but the same coupling can lead to polaron insulator, which is against superconductivity. • The local Coulomb repulsion can sometimes enhance superconductivity. - Abstract: We examine the superconducting solution in the Hubbard–Holstein model using Dynamical Mean Field Theory. The Holstein term introduces the site-independent Boson fields coupling to local electron density, and has two competing influences on superconductivity: The Boson field mediates the effective electron-electron attraction, which is essential for the S-wave electron pairing; the same coupling to the Boson fields also induces the polaron effect, which makes the system less metallic and thus suppresses superconductivity. The Hubbard term introduces an energy penalty U when two electrons occupy the same site, which is expected to suppress superconductivity. By solving the Hubbard–Holstein model using Dynamical Mean Field theory, we find that the Hubbard U can be beneficial to superconductivity under some circumstances. In particular, we demonstrate that when the Boson energy Ω is small, a weak local repulsion actually stabilizes the S-wave superconducting state. This behavior can be understood as an interplay between superconductivity, the polaron effect, and the on-site repulsion: As the polaron effect is strong and suppresses superconductivity in the small Ω regime, the weak on-site repulsion reduces the polaron effect and effectively enhances superconductivity. Our calculation elucidates the role of local repulsion in the conventional S-wave superconductors.

Superconductivity and electrical resistivity in alkali metal doped ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We consider a two-peak model for the phonon density of states to investigate the nature of electron pairing mechanism for superconducting state in fullerides. We first study the intercage interactions between the adjacent C60 cages and expansion of lattice due to the intercalation of alkali atoms based on the spring model to ...

Further test of new pairing scheme used in overhaul of BCS theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, X.H.; Walmsley, D.G.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Explanation of a new pairing scheme to overhaul BCS theory. • Prediction of superconductor properties from normal state resistivity. • Applications to Nb, Pb, Al, Ta, Mo, Ir and W, T c between 9.5 and 0.012 K. • High accuracy compared with measured energy gap of Nb, Pb, Al and Ta. • Prediction of energy gap for Mo, Ir and W (so far not measured). - Abstract: A new electron pairing scheme, rectifying a fundamental flaw of the BCS theory, is tested extensively. It postulates that superconductivity arises solely from residual umklapp scattering when it is not in competition for the same destination electron states with normal scattering. It reconciles a long standing theoretical discrepancy in the strength of the electron–phonon interaction between the normal and superconductive states. The new scheme is exploited to calculate the superconductive electron–phonon spectral density, α 2 F(ν), entirely on the basis of normal state electrical resistivity. This leads to first principles superconductive properties (zero temperature energy gap and tunnelling conductance) in seven metals which turn out to be highly accurate when compared with known data; in other cases experimental verification is invited. The transition temperatures involved vary over almost three orders of magnitude: from 9.5 K for niobium to 0.012 K for tungsten

Cooper pairs versus Bose condensed molecules: The ground-state current in superfluid 3He-A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mermin, N.D.; Muzikar, P.

1980-01-01

We present a new calculation of the current g flowing in a ground state of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) form for a weakly inhomogeneous superfluid with the symmetry of 3 He-A. When the structure of the order parameter not determined by symmetry is appropriate to 3 He-A and when the mass density rho of the helium is essentially uniform, our current reduces to that calculated by Cross. If the mass density is allowed to vary, we find a generalization of the Cross current which shows that when v/sub s/=0 and the anisotropy axis l is uniform, then the current is simply (h/4M) del-arrow-rightrho x l. We show that this property of the BCS ground state, which taken with the Cross definition leads to an ''intrinsic angular momentum density'' of rhoh/2M at zero temperature, also follows directly from the Gor'kov equations. If the range of the order parameter is taken to be small compared with the interatomic separation, then the ground state does not describe 3 He-A, but a Bose-Einstein condensate of tightly bound diatomic molecules. In this limit our current reduces to the form calculated by Ishikawa et al. We indicate why their analysis is only valid in this limit, and offer some rather more general remarks on the differences between Cooper pairing and the Bose-Einstein condensation of diatomic molecules

Quasi-particles ultrafastly releasing kink bosons to form Fermi arcs in a cuprate superconductor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishida, Y; Saitoh, T; Mochiku, T; Nakane, T; Hirata, K; Shin, S

2016-01-05

In a conventional framework, superconductivity is lost at a critical temperature (Tc) because, at higher temperatures, gluing bosons can no longer bind two electrons into a Cooper pair. In high-Tc cuprates, it is still unknown how superconductivity vanishes at Tc. We provide evidence that the so-called ≲ 70-meV kink bosons that dress the quasi-particle excitations are playing a key role in the loss of superconductivity in a cuprate. We irradiated a 170-fs laser pulse on Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8+δ) and monitored the responses of the superconducting gap and dressed quasi-particles by time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We observe an ultrafast loss of superconducting gap near the d-wave node, or light-induced Fermi arcs, which is accompanied by spectral broadenings and weight redistributions occurring within the kink binding energy. We discuss that the underlying mechanism of the spectral broadening that induce the Fermi arc is the undressing of quasi-particles from the kink bosons. The loss mechanism is beyond the conventional framework, and can accept the unconventional phenomena such as the signatures of Cooper pairs remaining at temperatures above Tc.

Superconductivity at 43K in SmFeAsO1-xFx

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, X. H.; Wu, T.; Wu, G.; Liu, R. H.; Chen, H.; Fang, D. F.

2008-06-01

Since the discovery of high-transition-temperature (high-Tc) superconductivity in layered copper oxides, extensive effort has been devoted to exploring the origins of this phenomenon. A Tc higher than 40K (about the theoretical maximum predicted from Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory), however, has been obtained only in the copper oxide superconductors. The highest reported value for non-copper-oxide bulk superconductivity is Tc = 39K in MgB2 (ref. 2). The layered rare-earth metal oxypnictides LnOFeAs (where Ln is La-Nd, Sm and Gd) are now attracting attention following the discovery of superconductivity at 26K in the iron-based LaO1-xFxFeAs (ref. 3). Here we report the discovery of bulk superconductivity in the related compound SmFeAsO1-xFx, which has a ZrCuSiAs-type structure. Resistivity and magnetization measurements reveal a transition temperature as high as 43K. This provides a new material base for studying the origin of high-temperature superconductivity.

Power supply system for the superconducting outsert of the CHMFL hybrid magnet

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Z.; Zhu, J.; Chen, W.; Jiang, D.; Huang, P.; Chen, Z.; Tan, Y.; Kuang, G.

2017-12-01

The construction of a new hybrid magnet, consisting of a 11 T superconducting outsert and a 34 T resistive insert magnet, has been finished at the Chinese High Magnetic Field Laboratory (CHMFL) in Hefei. With a room temperature bore of 800 mm in diameter, the hybrid magnet superconducting outsert is composed of four separate Nb3Sn-based Cable-in-Conduit Conductor (CICC) coils electrically connected in series and powered by a single power supply system. The power supply system for the superconducting outsert consists of a 16 kA DC power supply, a quench protection system, a pair of 16 kA High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) current leads, and two Low Temperature Superconducting bus-lines. The design and manufacturing of the power supply system have been completed at the CHMFL. This paper describes the design features of the power supply system as well as the current fabrication condition of its main components.

Superconductivity

CERN Document Server

Thomas, D B

1974-01-01

A short general review is presented of the progress made in applied superconductivity as a result of work performed in connection with the high-energy physics program in Europe. The phenomenon of superconductivity and properties of superconductors of Types I and II are outlined. The main body of the paper deals with the development of niobium-titanium superconducting magnets and of radio-frequency superconducting cavities and accelerating structures. Examples of applications in and for high-energy physics experiments are given, including the large superconducting magnet for the Big European Bubble Chamber, prototype synchrotron magnets for the Super Proton Synchrotron, superconducting d.c. beam line magnets, and superconducting RF cavities for use in various laboratories. (0 refs).

Melt formed superconducting joint between superconducting tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benz, M.G.; Knudsen, B.A.; Rumaner, L.E.; Zaabala, R.J.

1992-01-01

This patent describes a superconducting joint between contiguous superconducting tapes having an inner laminate comprised of a parent-metal layer selected from the group niobium, tantalum, technetium, and vanadium, a superconductive intermetallic compound layer on the parent-metal layer, a reactive-metal layer that is capable of combining with the parent-metal and forming the superconductive intermetallic compound, the joint comprising: a continuous precipitate of the superconductive intermetallic compound fused to the tapes forming a continuous superconducting path between the tapes

Magnetic and superconductivity studies on (In{sub 1−x}Fe{sub x}){sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sai Krishna, N. [Thin Films Laboratory, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nadu (India); Kaleemulla, S., E-mail: skaleemulla@gmail.com [Thin Films Laboratory, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nadu (India); Amarendra, G. [Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603 102, Tamil Nadu (India); UGC-DAE-CSR, Kalpakkam Node, Kokilamedu 603 104, Tamil Nadu (India); Madhusudhana Rao, N.; Krishnamoorthi, C.; Rigana Begam, M. [Thin Films Laboratory, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632 014, Tamil Nadu (India); Omkaram, I. [Department of Electronics and Radio Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si Gyeonggi-do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Sreekantha Reddy, D. [Department of Physics and Sungkyunkwan Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-07-15

Highlights: • Fe doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films deposited using electron beam evaporation technique. • Characterization of the samples using XRD, SEM, EDAX, AES, Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR, VSM and magnetoresistance. • All Fe doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films exhibited the cubic structure of In{sub 2}O{sub 3}. • Pure and Fe doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} samples exhibited room temperature ferromagnetism and superconductivity at 2 K. - Abstract: Magnetic, magnetoresistivity and superconductivity studies were carried out on (In{sub 1−x}Fe{sub x}){sub 2}O{sub 3} (x = 0.00, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07) thin films (2D structures) grown on glass substrate by electron beam evaporation technique at 350 °C. The films have an average size of 120 nm particles. All the samples shown soft ferromagnetic hysteresis loops at room temperature and saturation magnetization increased with iron dopant concentration. Observed magnetization could be best interpreted by F-center mediated magnetic exchange interaction in the samples. Temperature dependent resistivity of the sample (x = 0.00 and 0.07) showed metallic behavior down to very low temperatures and superconductivity at 2 K for undoped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} whereas the In{sub 1.86}Fe{sub 0.14}O{sub 3} sample shows superconductivity below 2 K in the absence of magnetic fields. The reduction in transition temperature was attributed to increase electrical disorder with iron doping. Both samples showed positive magnetoresistivity (MR) in superconducting state due to increase of resistivity resulting from breaking of superconducting Cooper pairs upon application of magnetic field. In addition, both the samples show feeble negative MR in normal electrical state. The observed MR in normal state is not due to spin polarized tunneling instead it is due to suppression of scattering of charge carrier by single occupied localized states.

Students' Perceptions of Cooperative Learning Strategies in Post-Secondary Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Fennell, Hope-Arlene

A study of graduate students in education and forestry explored their preferences and perceptions of cooperative learning strategies. The study examined strategies derived from the work of R. Slavin and D. Johnson including the following: think-pair-square, think-pair-share, jigsaw strategies, and cooperative group investigation. Of the 208…

Exotic superconducting states in the extended attractive Hubbard model.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayak, Swagatam; Kumar, Sanjeev

2018-04-04

We show that the extended attractive Hubbard model on a square lattice allows for a variety of superconducting phases, including exotic mixed-symmetry phases with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] symmetries, and a novel [Formula: see text] state. The calculations are performed within the Hartree-Fock Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer framework. The ground states of the mean-field Hamiltonian are obtained via a minimization scheme that relaxes the symmetry constraints on the superconducting solutions, hence allowing for a mixing of s-, p- and d-wave order parameters. The results are obtained within the assumption of uniform-density states. Our results show that extended attractive Hubbard model can serve as an effective model for investigating properties of exotic superconductors.

Spin-fluctuation mediated superconductivity and magnetic order in the cuprate La_1.88Sr_0.12CuO₄

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rømer, Astrid Tranum

, show a very rich electronic phase diagram. A common feature that characterizes both cuprates, heavy fermions, and iron pnictides is the proximity to magnetic order. Therefore, the idea of spin-uctuation mediated pairing is a popular paradigm proposed for unconventional superconductivity. A _ngerprint...... of the pairing mechanism is found in the superconducting gap symmetry. Therefore the study of gap symmetries constitutes one of the most important parts of resolving the superconducting puzzle. This thesis consists of a theoretical and an experimental part. In the theoretical part, we address spin...

Recovery time of high temperature superconducting tapes exposed in liquid nitrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng, Jie; Zeng, Weina; Yao, Zhihao; Zhao, Anfeng; Hu, Daoyu; Hong, Zhiyong

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A novel method based on a sequence of AC pulses is presented. • Liquid nitrogen temperature is used as criterion to judge whether the sample has recovered. • Recovery time of some tape doesn't increase with the amplitude of fault current. • This phenomenon is caused by boiling heat transfer process of liquid nitrogen. • This phenomenon can be used in optimizing both the limiting rate and reclosing system. - Abstract: The recovery time is a crucial parameter to high temperature superconducting tapes, especially in power applications. The cooperation between the reclosing device and the superconducting facilities mostly relies on the recovery time of the superconducting tapes. In this paper, a novel method is presented to measure the recovery time of several different superconducting samples. In this method criterion used to judge whether the sample has recovered is the liquid nitrogen temperature, instead of the critical temperature. An interesting phenomenon is observed during the testing of superconducting samples exposed in the liquid nitrogen. Theoretical explanations of this phenomenon are presented from the aspect of heat transfer. Optimization strategy of recovery characteristics based on this phenomenon is also briefly discussed.

Collective modes and dielectric and superconducting properties of electronic systems in confined geometries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulloa, S.E.

1984-01-01

The dielectric response function of electronic systems in restricted geometries is studied as well as some of the consequences, using the self-consistent field method. These consequences include: 1) existence of multiple branches of longitudinal slender acoustic plasma oscillations (SAP) in thin wires; 2) a new superconductivity mechanism in thin wires via the exchange of SAPs by the electrons forming the Cooper pairs, and 3) reduction of the static screening offered by the valence electrons in a thin semiconductor film with respect to the bulk case. The SAP modes are collective modes shown to exist only in thin wires and neither in a bulk system nor in a thin film. They have linear dispersion relations with phase velocities smaller than the Fermi velocity of the system and are not Landau-damped. Numerical examples of these SAP modes in metallic and semiconductor wires are presented, showing that they sould be more easily observable in semiconductor structures. The SAP-induced mechanism of superconductivity is shown to possibly give higher critical temperature T/sub c/ than the phonon mechanism in thin wires. The author presents a semi-rigorous calculation of T/sub c/ and shows that by increasing the frequency of the SAP modes and having a small effective electron mass one would be able to increase T/sub c/. He also shows that the dielectric function of a thin semiconductor slab is wavenumber dependent even at long wavelengths and is not a constant as in the bulk case

The USP pelletron-superconducting linac project in conjunction with ANL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sala, O.; Pessoa, E.F.

1988-12-01

This report is a synopsis of the present day technology involved in the use of superconducting radio frequency resonators as accelerating units for heavy ion beams and the plans for employing this technology in the new extension of the Sao Paulo Pelletron accelerator in a cooperative program with Argonne National Laboratory, USA. (author) [pt

TRILEX and G W +EDMFT approach to d -wave superconductivity in the Hubbard model

Science.gov (United States)

Vučičević, J.; Ayral, T.; Parcollet, O.

2017-09-01

We generalize the recently introduced TRILEX approach (TRiply irreducible local EXpansion) to superconducting phases. The method treats simultaneously Mott and spin-fluctuation physics using an Eliashberg theory supplemented by local vertex corrections determined by a self-consistent quantum impurity model. We show that, in the two-dimensional Hubbard model, at strong coupling, TRILEX yields a d -wave superconducting dome as a function of doping. Contrary to the standard cluster dynamical mean field theory (DMFT) approaches, TRILEX can capture d -wave pairing using only a single-site effective impurity model. We also systematically explore the dependence of the superconducting temperature on the bare dispersion at weak coupling, which shows a clear link between strong antiferromagnetic (AF) correlations and the onset of superconductivity. We identify a combination of hopping amplitudes particularly favorable to superconductivity at intermediate doping. Finally, we study within G W +EDMFT the low-temperature d -wave superconducting phase at strong coupling in a region of parameter space with reduced AF fluctuations.

Pairing States of Spin-3/2 Fermions: Symmetry-Enforced Topological Gap Functions

Science.gov (United States)

Venderbos, Jörn W. F.; Savary, Lucile; Ruhman, Jonathan; Lee, Patrick A.; Fu, Liang

2018-01-01

We study the topological properties of superconductors with paired j =3/2 quasiparticles. Higher spin Fermi surfaces can arise, for instance, in strongly spin-orbit coupled band-inverted semimetals. Examples include the Bi-based half-Heusler materials, which have recently been established as low-temperature and low-carrier density superconductors. Motivated by this experimental observation, we obtain a comprehensive symmetry-based classification of topological pairing states in systems with higher angular momentum Cooper pairing. Our study consists of two main parts. First, we develop the phenomenological theory of multicomponent (i.e., higher angular momentum) pairing by classifying the stationary points of the free energy within a Ginzburg-Landau framework. Based on the symmetry classification of stationary pairing states, we then derive the symmetry-imposed constraints on their gap structures. We find that, depending on the symmetry quantum numbers of the Cooper pairs, different types of topological pairing states can occur: fully gapped topological superconductors in class DIII, Dirac superconductors, and superconductors hosting Majorana fermions. Notably, we find a series of nematic fully gapped topological superconductors, as well as double- and triple-Dirac superconductors, with quadratic and cubic dispersion, respectively. Our approach, applied here to the case of j =3/2 Cooper pairing, is rooted in the symmetry properties of pairing states, and can therefore also be applied to other systems with higher angular momentum and high-spin pairing. We conclude by relating our results to experimentally accessible signatures in thermodynamic and dynamic probes.

Possible superconductivity in the Bismuth IV solid phase under pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Valladares, Ariel A; Rodríguez, Isaías; Hinojosa-Romero, David; Valladares, Alexander; Valladares, Renela M

2018-04-13

The first successful theory of superconductivity was the one proposed by Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer in 1957. This breakthrough fostered a remarkable growth of the field that propitiated progress and questionings, generating alternative theories to explain specific phenomena. For example, it has been argued that Bismuth, being a semimetal with a low number of carriers, does not comply with the basic hypotheses underlying BCS and therefore a different approach should be considered. Nevertheless, in 2016 based on BCS we put forth a prediction that Bi at ambient pressure becomes a superconductor at 1.3 mK. A year later an experimental group corroborated that in fact Bi is a superconductor with a transition temperature of 0.53 mK, a result that eluded previous work. So, since Bi is superconductive in almost all the different structures and phases, the question is why Bi-IV has been elusive and has not been found yet to superconduct? Here we present a study of the electronic and vibrational properties of Bi-IV and infer its possible superconductivity using a BCS approach. We predict that if the Bi-IV phase structure were cooled down to liquid helium temperatures it would also superconduct at a T c of 4.25 K.

Rate of tunneling nonequilibrium quasiparticles in superconducting qubits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansari, Mohammad H

2015-01-01

In superconducting qubits the lifetime of quantum states cannot be prolonged arbitrarily by decreasing temperature. At low temperature quasiparticles tunneling between the electromagnetic environment and superconducting islands takes the condensate state out of equilibrium due to charge imbalance. We obtain the tunneling rate from a phenomenological model of non-equilibrium, where nonequilibrium quasiparticle tunnelling stimulates a temperature-dependent chemical potential shift in the superconductor. As a result we obtain a non-monotonic behavior for relaxation rate as a function of temperature. Depending on the fabrication parameters for some qubits, the lowest tunneling rate of nonequilibrium quasiparticles can take place only near the onset temperature below which nonequilibrium quasiparticles dominate over equilibrium one. Our theory also indicates that such tunnelings can influence the probability of transitions in qubits through a coupling to the zero-point energy of phase fluctuations. (paper)

High-temperature superconductors learn from heavy fermions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varma, C.

1998-01-01

Physicists have been intrigued by the nature of high-temperature superconductors since they were discovered 12 years ago. Superconducting materials lose their electrical resistance below a transition temperature, T c , and certain copper-oxide compounds remain superconducting at temperatures up to 160 K. Research into these materials has been driven by fundamental, yet intractable, questions about the basic concepts of condensed-matter physics and the mechanisms of superconductivity. A key question is how the electrons come together to form the Cooper pairs responsible for superconductivity. Physicists at Cambridge University have now studied two heavy-fermion compounds experimentally, and have found that the electron pairing is caused by magnetic effects (N Mathur et al. 1998 Nature 394 39). In this article the author describes their research. (UK)

Superconductivity

CERN Document Server

Poole, Charles P; Farach, Horacio A

1995-01-01

Superconductivity covers the nature of the phenomenon of superconductivity. The book discusses the fundamental principles of superconductivity; the essential features of the superconducting state-the phenomena of zero resistance and perfect diamagnetism; and the properties of the various classes of superconductors, including the organics, the buckministerfullerenes, and the precursors to the cuprates. The text also describes superconductivity from the viewpoint of thermodynamics and provides expressions for the free energy; the Ginzburg-Landau and BCS theories; and the structures of the high

Bosonic Confinement and Coherence in Disordered Nanodiamond Arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Gufei; Samuely, Tomas; Du, Hongchu; Xu, Zheng; Liu, Liwang; Onufriienko, Oleksandr; May, Paul W; Vanacken, Johan; Szabó, Pavol; Kačmarčík, Jozef; Yuan, Haifeng; Samuely, Peter; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E; Hofkens, Johan; Moshchalkov, Victor V

2017-11-28

In the presence of disorder, superconductivity exhibits short-range characteristics linked to localized Cooper pairs which are responsible for anomalous phase transitions and the emergence of quantum states such as the bosonic insulating state. Complementary to well-studied homogeneously disordered superconductors, superconductor-normal hybrid arrays provide tunable realizations of the degree of granular disorder for studying anomalous quantum phase transitions. Here, we investigate the superconductor-bosonic dirty metal transition in disordered nanodiamond arrays as a function of the dispersion of intergrain spacing, which ranges from angstroms to micrometers. By monitoring the evolved superconducting gaps and diminished coherence peaks in the single-quasiparticle density of states, we link the destruction of the superconducting state and the emergence of bosonic dirty metallic state to breaking of the global phase coherence and persistence of the localized Cooper pairs. The observed resistive bosonic phase transitions are well modeled using a series-parallel circuit in the framework of bosonic confinement and coherence.

The war of the cold: an history of the superconductivity; La guerre du froid: une histoire de la supraconductivite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matricon, J; Waysand, G [Paris-7 Univ., 75 (France)

1994-12-31

The evolution of superconductivity is described from a scientific, and social points of view. The evolution of researches and realizations towards the absolute zero temperature leading to the discovery of superconductivity by Gilles Holst in 1991, is followed by the theoretical modelization of the superconductivity phenomena leading to the Ginzburg and Landau theory in 1950 and to the Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer theory in 1957. Then researches on materials that lead to high-tc superconductors are presented with some applications. (A.B.). refs., figs,. tabs.

Effect of Inhomogeneity on s-wave Superconductivity in the Attractive Hubbard Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aryanpour, K. A. [University of California, Davis; Dagotto, Elbio R [ORNL; Mayr, Matthias [Max-Planck-Institut fur Feskorperforschung, Stuttgart, Germany; Paiva, T. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Pickett, W. E. [University of California, Davis; Scalettar, Richard T [ORNL

2006-01-01

Inhomogeneous s-wave superconductivity is studied in the two-dimensional, square lattice attractive Hubbard Hamiltonian using the Bogoliubov-de Gennes BdG mean field approximation. We find that at weak coupling, and for densities mainly below half-filling, an inhomogeneous interaction in which the on-site interaction Ui takes on two values, Ui=0, 2U results in a larger zero temperature pairing amplitude, and that the superconducting Tc can also be significantly increased, relative to a uniform system with Ui=U on all sites. These effects are observed for stripe, checkerboard, and even random patterns of the attractive centers, suggesting that the pattern of inhomogeneity is unimportant. Monte Carlo calculations which reintroduce some of the fluctuations neglected within the BdG approach see the same effect, both for the attractive Hubbard model and a Hamiltonian with d-wave pairing symmetry.

Design and investigations of the superconducting magnet system for the multipurpose superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source.

Science.gov (United States)

Tinschert, K; Lang, R; Mäder, J; Rossbach, J; Spädtke, P; Komorowski, P; Meyer-Reumers, M; Krischel, D; Fischer, B; Ciavola, G; Gammino, S; Celona, L

2012-02-01

The production of intense beams of heavy ions with electron cyclotron resonance ion sources (ECRIS) is an important request at many accelerators. According to the ECR condition and considering semi-empirical scaling laws, it is essential to increase the microwave frequency together with the magnetic flux density of the ECRIS magnet system. A useful frequency of 28 GHz, therefore, requires magnetic flux densities above 2.2 T implying the use of superconducting magnets. A cooperation of European institutions initiated a project to build a multipurpose superconducting ECRIS (MS-ECRIS) in order to achieve an increase of the performances in the order of a factor of ten. After a first design of the superconducting magnet system for the MS-ECRIS, the respective cold testing of the built magnet system reveals a lack of mechanical performance due to the strong interaction of the magnetic field of the three solenoids with the sextupole field and the magnetization of the magnetic iron collar. Comprehensive structural analysis, magnetic field calculations, and calculations of the force pattern confirm thereafter these strong interactions, especially of the iron collar with the solenoidal fields. The investigations on the structural analysis as well as suggestions for a possible mechanical design solution are given.

A Precoded OFDMA System with User Cooperation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yu, Yao; Yatawatta, Sarod; Petropulu, Athina P.

2010-01-01

A new cooperative scheme for a two-user orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) uplink communication scenario is proposed. Each user is equipped with one transmit/receive antenna. Before transmission, inter-block linear precoding is introduced to pairs of blocks. The cooperative

Possible high-T/sub c/ superconductivity in thin wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y.C.; Mendoza, B.S.

1989-01-01

A heuristic approach to the theory of superconductivity based on a simple physical picture and capable of treating the simultaneous participation of multiple bosonic modes that mediate the pairing interaction is first developed. The effect of the bosonic mode damping is also accounted for. We then propose a possible mechanism of superconductivity in slender electronic systems of finite cross sections based on the pairing interaction mediated by the multiple modes of acoustic plasmons in these structures. Such modes include the quasi-one-dimensional plasmon as well as the so-called slender acoustic plasmons. The critical temperature and the energy gap/T/sub c/ ratio are then calculated by the heuristic method just developed. Numerical results on T/sub c/ in various samples are presented, showing T/sub c/ in the 150--200 K range. The ratio 2Δ 0 /T/sub c/ differs generally from the BCS value due to the temperature dependence of the mode damping. The associated coherence length is shown to be considerably smaller than the transverse dimension of the wires

Superconducting correlations in the one-band Hubbard model with intermediate on-site and weak attractive intersite interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, K.P.; Ramakumar, R.; Chancey, C.C.

1990-01-01

In this paper, we analyze a simple extended Hubbard model with an intermediate on-site interaction (both repulsive and attractive) and a weak intersite attractive interaction. Following Hubbard decoupling approximations and introducing Hubbard subband operators, we obtain a generalized gap function for singlet s-wave pairing that explicitly depends on the Hubbard subband energies. For the on-site repulsive-interaction case, we find that the superconductivity is not destroyed in the intermediate-interaction regime, contrary to the prediction of a Hartree-Fock mean-field treatment. The essential consequence of the on-site repulsion is the formation of the Hubbard subbands separated by the Mott-Hubbard gap, and it is within these subbands that pairing induced by the intersite interaction occurs. For the attractive on-site interaction case, the on-site pairing amplitude is found to be proportional to the bandwidth, and the gap function has contributions from both on-site and intersite pairing. The relevance of the model to high-temperature superconductivity is discussed

Crossover from phonon-mediated to repulsion-induced superconducting pairing with large momentum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyavsky, V.I.; Kopaev, Yu.V.; Nguyen, N.T.; Togushova, Yu.N.

2005-01-01

There are asymmetric and symmetric solutions of the self-consistency equation which takes into account both phonon-mediated and Coulomb pairing interactions. The first of them leads to the order parameter with a nodal line and, in the case of pairing with large momentum, exists at any repulsive and attractive strengths. The second one arises if the attraction exceeds a level depending on the repulsion strength and dominates the pairing in the strong attraction limit. The competition of attraction and repulsion results in unusual isotope-effect exponent observed in the cuprates

Superconductivity and fluctuations in Ba_1_–_pK_pFe_2As_2 and Ba(Fe_1_–_nCo_n)_2As_2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Böhm, T.; Hosseinian Ahangharnejhad, R.; Technical University of Munich, Garching

2016-01-01

In this paper, we study the interplay of fluctuations and superconductivity in BaFe_2As_2 (Ba-122) compounds with Ba and Fe substituted by K (p doping) and Co (n doping), respectively. To this end, we measured electronic Raman spectra as a function of polarization and temperature. We observe gap excitations and fluctuations for all doping levels studied. The response from fluctuations is much stronger for Co substitution and, according to the selection rules and the temperature dependence, originates from the exchange of two critical spin fluctuations with characteristic wave vectors (±π,0) and (0,±π). At 22% K doping (p = 0.22), we find the same selection rules and spectral shape for the fluctuations but the intensity is smaller by a factor of 5. Since there exists no nematic region above the orthorhombic spin-density-wave (SDW) phase, the identification of the fluctuations via the temperature dependence is not possible. The gap excitations in the superconducting state indicate strongly anisotropic near-nodal gaps for Co substitution which make the observation of collective modes difficult. The variation with doping of the spectral weights of the A_1_g and B_1_g gap features does not support the influence of fluctuations on Cooper pairing. Thus, the observation of Bardasis–Schrieffer modes inside the nearly clean gaps on the K-doped side remains the only experimental evidence for the relevance of fluctuations for pairing.