Superconductor YBa Research Articles

Impact of Calcium Doping of YBa2Cu3O7-δ Multilayer Thin Films on the Flux Pinning Landscape at 65–5 K, 0–9 T for Various Applications

An important research goal in the applications of high temperature superconductor YBa <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Cu <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">7-δ</sub> (YBCO) thin films is increasing both the critical current density and also the isotropic nature of the film. YBCO is inherently anisotropic due to its layered perovskite structure. The critical current density of YBCO thin films is enhanced by increasing the flux pinning sites in the film by the addition of insulating nano-phase materials, such as BaZrO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> (BZO) nanorods, which are also anisotropic in nature. Using a multilayer pulsed laser deposition technique has been shown to produce films with inclusions that are more isotropic in nature. However, the defective BZO nanorod interface, resulting from its lattice mismatch with YBCO, prevents obtaining optimum pinning force. This research explores the effect of Ca doped YBCO space layers in the multilayer composite film, on the BZO nanorod/YBCO interface, over a wide range of conditions of 65–5 K and 0– 9T that are suitable for various applications. The interplay of combining these three variables: BaZrO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> addition to YBCO, multilayer film growth resulting from varying pulsed laser deposition conditions, and employing calcium doped YBCO space layers, and the resulting impact on film microstructures and superconducting properties, will be presented.

Structural and magnetic anisotropy in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$/La$_{0.67}$Sr$_{0.33}$MnO$_3$ bilayer on SrTiO$_3$ substrate

We study the magnetic properties and emergence of superconductivity in YBa_22Cu_33O_77 (YBCO)/ La_{0.67}0.67Sr_{0.33}0.33MnO_33 (LSMO) heterostructures. Bilayer films of superconducting layer, YBCO, and ferromagnetic layer, LSMO were grown on SrTiO_{3}3 (STO) (001) substrate using ultrahigh vacuum Pulsed Laser Deposition system. Magnetization data at 100 K as a function of applied magnetic field shows ferromagnetic behaviour due to the LSMO layer. Cooling below 100 K leads to superconductivity in this material; the onset of superconductivity occurs at a temperature, T_{c,SC},Tc,SC, of 86 K for H_{ext}\perp cHext⊥c (in-plane) &amp; 84 K for H_{ext}||cHext||c (out-of-plane) under 100 Oe applied field. In-plane magnetic measurements show significant suppression of diamagnetic behaviour as compared to the out-of-plane measurements. The susceptibility signals are higher for out-of-plane direction. Such strong anisotropy in magnetism and the transition temperatures reveal complex interplay of magnetism and superconductivity in this system and calls for further study in this direction.

Pairon spectral function for high-Tc cuprate superconductors

The pairon spectral function for the high-[Formula: see text] cuprate superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O[Formula: see text] has been evaluated through renormalized pairon frequency, analogous to the frequency (energy) of excited pairons. The exercise has been carried out with the help of many-body quantum dynamical Green’s function theory via a model Hamiltonian that includes the effects of the electrons, phonons, impurities and anharmonic fields. The analysis of the obtained results reveals that renormalized pairon frequency progressively increases up to the critical temperature [Formula: see text] and afterwards, instead of dropping to zero, it decreases smoothly with increasing temperature, capturing the essence of the pseudogap in high-[Formula: see text] cuprates. A further analysis of temperature-dependent spectral function also establishes the presence of the pseudogap above [Formula: see text]. The spectral function displays a conscious behavior with the variation of electron–phonon coupling constant ([Formula: see text]).

Amplification of Superconducting Fluctuations in Driven YBa2Cu3O6+x

Experiments show that the mechanism of light-induced superconductivity in YBa${}_{2}$Cu${}_{3}$O${}_{6+x}$ bilayer cuprates involves amplification of superconducting fluctuations, which is observed throughout the pseudogap phase.

Observing and Modeling the Sequential Pairwise Reactions that Drive Solid-State Ceramic Synthesis.

Solid-state synthesis from powder precursors is the primary processing route to advanced multicomponent ceramic materials. Designing reaction conditions and precursors for ceramic synthesis can be a laborious, trial-and-error process, as heterogeneous mixtures of precursors often evolve through a complicated series of reaction intermediates. Here, ab initio thermodynamics is used to model which pair of precursors has the most reactive interface, enabling the understanding and anticipation of which non-equilibrium intermediates form in the early stages of a solid-state reaction. In situ X-ray diffraction and in situ electron microscopy are then used to observe how these initial intermediates influence phase evolution in the synthesis of the classic high-temperature superconductor YBa2 Cu3 O6+ x (YBCO). The model developed herein rationalizes how the replacement of the traditional BaCO3 precursor with BaO2 redirects phase evolution through a low-temperature eutectic melt, facilitating the formation of YBCO in 30 min instead of 12+ h. Precursor selection plays an important role in tuning the thermodynamics of interfacial reactions and emerges as an important design parameter in planning kinetically favorable synthesis pathways to complex ceramic materials.

Intrinsic mechanism for magnetothermal conductivity oscillations in spin-orbit-coupled nodal superconductors

We describe a mechanism by which the longitudinal thermal conductivity $\kappa_{xx}$, measured in an in-plane magnetic field, oscillates as a function of field angle in layered nodal superconductors. These oscillations occur when the spin-orbit splitting at the nodes is larger than the nodal scattering rate, and are complementary to vortex-induced oscillations identified previously. In sufficiently anisotropic materials, the spin-orbit mechanism may be dominant. As a particular application, we focus on the cuprate high-temperature superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$. This material belongs to the class of Rashba bilayers, in which individual CuO$_2$ layers lack inversion symmetry although the crystal itself is globally centrosymmetric. We show that spin-orbit coupling endows $\kappa_{xx}/T$ with a characteristic dependence on magnetic field angle that should be easily detected experimentally, and argue that for underdoped samples the spin-orbit contribution is larger than the vortex contribution. A key advantage of the magneto-thermal conductivity is that it is a bulk probe of spin-orbit physics, and therefore not sensitive to inversion breaking at surfaces.

Charge Density Waves in YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6.67} Probed by Resonant X-Ray Scattering under Uniaxial Compression.

We report a comprehensive Cu L_{3}-edge resonant x-ray scattering (RXS) study of two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) incommensurate charge correlations in single crystals of the underdoped high-temperature superconductor YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6.67} under uniaxial compression up to 1% along the two inequivalent Cu─O─Cu bond directions (a and b) in the CuO_{2} planes. We confirm the strong in-plane anisotropy of the 2D charge correlations and observe their symmetric response to pressure: pressure along a enhances correlations along b, and vice versa. Our results imply that the underlying order parameter is uniaxial. In contrast, 3D long-range charge order is only observed along b in response to compression along a. Spectroscopic RXS measurements show that the 3D charge order resides exclusively in the CuO_{2} planes and may thus be generic to the cuprates. We discuss implications of these results for models of electronic nematicity and for the interplay between charge order and superconductivity.

Multichannel Transmitting System Based on High-Temperature Superconducting Phase Shifter

Multichannel very high frequency (VHF) high-power transmission system, based on a 90 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">°</sup> , high-temperature superconductor YBa <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Cu <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">7</sub> (YBCO) hybrid coupler is presented. The small dimension coupler performs as a phase shifter utilized for matching several different channels into a single junction. The planar coupler was implemented in a microstrip geometry by patterning a thin layer of YBCO on a sapphire substrate. Superconductivity is essential for obtaining low losses and high-power capabilities. The system was tested for power transmission of up to 52.9 dBm over a period of several hours. No deterioration with time was recorded. Maximum losses of 0.8 dB per channel were measured. The proposed system shows high-precision tuning capabilities, a critical feature for multichannel systems.

Micrometer Scale Y–Ba–Cu–O SQUID Arrays Fabricated With a Focused Helium Ion Beam

We present the fabrication and testing of microarrays of superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) fabricated from the high-transition temperature superconductor YBa $_2$ Cu $_3$ O $_{7-\delta }$ (YBCO). The arrays consisted of 84 SQUIDs, each with loop area 25 $\mu \text{m}^{2}$ , connected electrically in series with a meander line structure. The entire array was contained in an area of just $\text{100}\,\mu \text{m}\times \text{100}\,\mu \text{m}$ . The Josephson junctions in the arrays were directly written into YBCO thin films with ion irradiation from a focused helium ion beam. We found that the electrical properties can be controlled by changing the diameter of the ion beam through selection of either a 20 or 5 $\mu \text{m}$ beam aperture. In particular, larger aperture or beam size results in a weaker link junction with higher operating temperature and smaller critical voltage. The voltages across the dc-biased arrays were measured as a function of magnetic field. The data exhibited maximum voltage modulations of 300 $\mu \text{V}$ at 65 K and 1 mV at 52 K for the 20 and 5 $\mu \text{m}$ beam aperture, respectively. The magnetic field periodicity for both arrays was approximately 30 $\mu$ T per flux quantum.

Backfolded acoustic phonons as ultrasonic probes in metal-oxide superlattices

We report the observation of low-frequency modes in the Raman spectra of thin-film superlattices of the high-temperature superconductor YBa$ _{2} $Cu$ _{3} $O$ _{7-\delta} $ and various manganite perovskites. Our study shows that these modes are caused by the backfolding of acoustic phonons due to the additional periodicity introduced by the superlattice. Such modes were previously only observed for ultra-pure semiconductor superlattices. They can be used to determine the bilayer thickness of the superlattice and its speed of sound. Moreover, we use the spatial resolution of Raman microscopy to map the film thickness inhomogeneity across a sample, making these modes a useful tool to characterize thin-film superlattices.

Probing the lattice anharmonicity of superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−δ via phonon harmonics

We examine coherent phonons in a strongly driven sample of optimally-doped high temperature superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$. We observe a non-linear lattice response of the 4.5\,THz copper-oxygen vibrational mode at high excitation densities, evidenced by the observation of the phonon third harmonic and indicating the mode is strongly anharmonic. In addition, we observe how high-amplitude phonon vibrations modify the position of the electronic charge transfer resonance. Both of these results have important implications for possible phonon-driven non-equilibrium superconductivity.

Tuning Y–Ba–Cu–O Focused Helium Ion Beam Josephson Junctions for Use as THz Mixers

We present Josephson junctions fabricated from high transition temperature superconductor YBa <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Cu <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">7</sub> coupled to spiral THz antennas. The fabrication process involves creating a Josephson junction at the center of a superconducting bridge embedded into a THz spiral antenna using irradiation from a focused helium ion beam. For low doses of helium irradiation, the junctions have metallic barriers and operate at temperatures as high as 67 K. For higher doses of irradiation, insulator barriers are created. These devices have higher resistance but require cooling to lower temperatures (~10 K) due to smaller critical currents. Through optimization of the dose and by trimming the width of the junctions, we have created high resistance devices to improve the impedance match to a spiral antenna. Under 90-GHz radiation, we observe up to 17 Shapiro steps in the I-V curve out to approximately 3 mV at a temperature of 10 K.

Ultradense Tailored Vortex Pinning Arrays in Superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−δThin Films Created by Focused He Ion Beam Irradiation for Fluxonics Applications

Magnetic fields penetrate a type-II superconductor as magnetic flux quanta, called vortices. In a clean superconductor they arrange in a hexagonal lattice, while by adding periodic artificial pinning centers many other arrangements can be realized. Using the focused beam of a helium ion microscope we have fabricated periodic patterns of dense pinning centers with spacings as small as 70 nm in thin films of the cuprate superconductor YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-\delta}$. In these ultradense kagom\'e-like patterns, the voids lead to magnetic caging of vortices, resulting in unconventional commensurability effects that manifest themselves as peaks in the critical current and minima in the resistance versus applied magnetic field up to $\sim 0.4\,$T. The various vortex patterns at different magnetic fields are analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations of vortex motion, and the magnetic field dependence of the critical current is confirmed. These findings open the way for a controlled manipulation of vortices in cuprate superconductors by artificial sub-100 nm pinning landscapes.

Transverse vortex commensurability effect and sign change of the Hall voltage in superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films with a nanoscale periodic pinning landscape

The transverse (Hall) voltage in thin films of the high-temperature superconductor YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-\delta}$ with an artificial periodic pinning array is investigated. Columnar defect regions along the crystallographic $c$ axis, in which superconductivity is suppressed, are created by irradiation with He$^+$ ions through a silicon stencil mask. The commensurate arrangement of magnetic flux quanta with the artificial defect lattice is confirmed by maxima of the critical current and minima of the resistance, respectively. The magnetic field dependence of the transverse voltage reveals a commensurability effect characterized by a narrow peak of the Hall coefficient with reversed polarity compared to the background signal. This signature of vortex matching disappears at larger vortex velocities substantiating its close connection with enhanced pinning of vortices at the periodic pinning landscape.

The role of ionic liquids in the synthesis of the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7−δ

A deep understanding of the mechanisms of ionic liquid-mediated syntheses in the case of a high-temperature superconductor is presented.

Влияние температуры, внешнего магнитного поля и транспортного тока на электрофизические свойства, процессы эволюции вихревой структуры и фазовые переходы в подсистемах сверхпроводящих гранул и "слабых связей" гранулярного двухуровневого высокотемпературного сверхпроводника YBa-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-Cu-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=-O-=SUB=-7-delta-=/SUB=-

AbstractThe temperature dependences of the resistivity of granular high-temperature superconductor YBa_2Cu_3O_7–δ ρ( T ) are measured at various transverse external magnetic fields 0 ≤ H _ext ≤ 100 Oe in the temperature range from the resistivity onset temperature T _ρ = 0 to the superconducting transition critical temperature T _ c at the transport current density from 50 to 2000 mA/cm^2. The effect of the external magnetic field and transport current density on the kinetics of phase transitions in both subsystems of granular two-level HTSC ( T = T _ c 2J, T _ c 1g, T _ c ) is determined. The feasibility of the topological phase transition, i.e., the Berezinsky–Kosterlitz–Thouless transition, in the Josephson medium at T _ c 2J &lt; T _BKT &lt; T _ c 1g “in transport current” is established, and its feasibility conditions are studied.

Hall number across a van Hove singularity

In the context of the relaxation time approximation to Boltzmann transport theory, we examine the behavior of the Hall number, $n_H$, of a metal in the neighborhood of a Lifshitz transition from a closed Fermi surface to open sheets. We find a universal non-analytic dependence of $n_H$ on the electron density in the high field limit, but a non-singular dependence at low fields. The existence of an assumed nematic transition produces a doping dependent $n_H$ similar to that observed in recent experiments in the high temperature superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$.

Advanced Electron Holography Applied to Electromagnetic Field Study in Materials Science.

Advances and applications of electron holography to the study of electromagnetic fields in various functional materials are presented. In particular, the development of split-illumination electron holography, which introduces a biprism in the illumination system of a holography electron microscope, enables highly accurate observations of electromagnetic fields and the expansion of the observable area. First, the charge distributions on insulating materials were studied by using split-illumination electron holography and including a mask in the illumination system. Second, the three-dimensional spin configurations of skyrmion lattices in a helimagnet were visualized by using a high-voltage holography electron microscope. Third, the pinning of the magnetic flux lines in a high-temperature superconductor YBa2 Cu3 O7-y was analyzed by combining electron holography and scanning ion microscopy. Finally, the dynamic accumulation and collective motions of electrons around insulating biomaterial surfaces were observed by utilizing the amplitude reconstruction processes of electron holography.

Long-range charge-density-wave proximity effect at cuprate/manganate interfaces.

The interplay between charge density waves (CDWs) and high-temperature superconductivity is currently under intense investigation. Experimental research on this issue is difficult because CDW formation in bulk copper oxides is strongly influenced by random disorder, and a long-range-ordered CDW state in high magnetic fields is difficult to access with spectroscopic and diffraction probes. Here we use resonant X-ray scattering in zero magnetic field to show that interfaces with the metallic ferromagnet La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 greatly enhance CDW formation in the optimally doped high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+δ (δ ∼ 1), and that this effect persists over several tens of nanometres. The wavevector of the incommensurate CDW serves as an internal calibration standard of the charge carrier concentration, which allows us to rule out any significant influence of oxygen non-stoichiometry, and to attribute the observed phenomenon to a genuine electronic proximity effect. Long-range proximity effects induced by heterointerfaces thus offer a powerful method to stabilize the charge-density-wave state in the cuprates and, more generally, to manipulate the interplay between different collective phenomena in metal oxides.

Collective nature of spin excitations in superconducting cuprates probed by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering.

We used resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) with and without analysis of the scattered photon polarization, to study dispersive spin excitations in the high temperature superconductor YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6+x} over a wide range of doping levels (0.1≤x≤1). The excitation profiles were carefully monitored as the incident photon energy was detuned from the resonant condition, and the spin excitation energy was found to be independent of detuning for all x. These findings demonstrate that the largest fraction of the spin-flip RIXS profiles in doped cuprates arises from magnetic collective modes, rather than from incoherent particle-hole excitations as recently suggested theoretically [Benjamin etal. Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 247002 (2014)]. Implications for the theoretical description of the electron system in the cuprates are discussed.