We present results of Raman scattering experiments in differently doped Bi-2212 single crystals. Below Tc the spectra show pair-breaking features in the whole doping range. The low frequency power laws confirm the existence of a $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave order parameter. In the normal state between Tc and T* = 200K we find evidence for a pseudogap in B2g symmetry. Upon doping its effect on the spectra decreases while its energy scale appears to be unchanged.
We scrutinize the enhanced superconducting performance of melt quench Bismuth based Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi-2212) superconductor. The superconducting properties of melt quenched Bi-2212 (Bi2212-MQ) sample are compared with non-melted Bi2212-NM and Bi1.4Pb0.6Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 (Bi-2223). Crystal structure and morphology of the samples are studied using X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. The high field (14T) magneto-transport and DC/AC magnetic susceptibility techniques are extensively used to study the superconducting properties of the investigated samples. The superconducting critical temperature (Tc) and upper critical field (Hc2) as well as thermally activated flux flow (TAFF) activation energy are estimated from the magneto-resistive [R(T)H] measurements. Both DC magnetization and amplitude dependent AC susceptibility measurements are used to determine the field and temperature dependence of critical current density (Jc) for studied samples. On the other hand, the frequency dependent AC susceptibility is used for estimating flux creep activation energy. It is found that melt quenching significantly enhances the superconducting properties of granular Bi-2212 superconductor. The results are interpreted in terms of better alignment and inter-connectivity of the grains along with reduction of grain boundaries for Bi2212-MQ sample.
We report the pressure effect in Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+{delta} (Bi-2223) single crystal with a small amount of intergrowth of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+{delta} (Bi-2212). Their superconducting transition temperatures Tcs showed a domelike shape as a function of pressure, which showed a good agreement with the general relation between the carrier concentration and Tc. Our experimental results indicate that high pressure can induce effective carrier doping into the multilayered high-Tc cuprate superconductor
We report measurements of AC susceptibility and hence the in-plane London penetration depth on the same samples of Bi:2212 and Bi(Y):2212 for many values of the planar hole concentration/CuO2 unit (p). These support the scenario in which the pseudogap weakens the superconducting response only for p less than approximately 0.19.
In this paper, we review some of our ARPES results on the superconducting and pseudo gaps in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x. We find that optimally and overdoped samples exhibit a d-wave gap, which closes at the same temperature, Tc, for all k points. In underdoped samples, a leading edge gap is found up to a temperature T* > Tc. We find that T* scales with the maximum low temperature gap, increasing as the doping is reduced. The momentum dependence of the pseudogap is similar to that of the superconducting gap; however, the pseudogap closes at different temperatures for different k points.
High-temperature superconductivity in iron-arsenic materials (pnictides) near an antiferromagnetic phase raises the possibility of spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing. However, the interplay between antiferromagnetic fluctuations and superconductivity remains unclear in the underdoped regime, which is closer to the antiferromagnetic phase. Here we report that the superconducting gap of the underdoped pnictides scales linearly with the transition temperature, and that a distinct pseudogap coexisting with the SC gap develops on underdoping. This pseudogap occurs on Fermi surface sheets connected by the antiferromagnetic wavevector, where the superconducting pairing is stronger as well, suggesting that antiferromagnetic fluctuations drive both the pseudogap and superconductivity. Interestingly, we found that the pseudogap and the spectral lineshape vary with the Fermi surface quasi-nesting conditions in a fashion that shares similarities with the nodal-antinodal dichotomous behaviour observed in underdoped copper oxide superconductors.