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At least 19 records

A Sequential Quadratic Programming Algorithm for Nonsmooth Problems with Upper- \({\boldsymbol{\mathcal{C}^2}}\) Objective

An optimization algorithm for nonsmooth nonconvex constrained optimization problems with upper- \({\boldsymbol{\mathcal{C}^2}}\) objective functions is proposed and analyzed. Upper- \({\boldsymbol{\mathcal{C}^2}}\) is a weakly concave property that exists in difference of convex (DC) functions and arises naturally in many applications, particularly certain classes of solutions to parametric optimization problems e.g., recourse of stochastic programming and projection onto closed sets. The algorithm can be viewed as an extension of sequential quadratic programming (SQP) to nonsmooth problems with upper- \({\boldsymbol{\mathcal{C}^2}}\) objectives or a simplified bundle method. It is globally convergent with bounded algorithm parameters that are updated with a trust-region criterion. The algorithm handles general smooth constraints through linearization and uses a line search to ensure progress. The potential inconsistencies from the linearization of the constraints are addressed through a penalty method. In conclusion, the capabilities of the algorithm are demonstrated by solving both simple upper- \({\boldsymbol{\mathcal{C}^2}}\) problems and a real-world optimal power flow problem used in current power grid industry practices.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

The first identification of C2 emission bands in comet Scorichenko-George (1989e1) spectrum

Wave lengths from 360 emissions within the spectral range lambda lambda 3380-6290 A in the spectrum of the comet Scorichenko-George, obtained with the help of the TV spectral scanner of a 6-meter reflector BTA (in Special AO) have been determined. The CN, C2, C3, NH, CH, CO, Na, NH2, N2(+), CO(+), CO2(+), H2O(+), and C2(-) emissions have been identified. For the first time, it has been shown that emissions of C2(-) (the transitions 0-0, 0-1, et al.) in the cometary spectrum possibly exist. Molecular ions C2(-) column density with cross-section 1 sq cm is N = 1.44 10(exp -12) cm(exp -2) and their upper limits of gas C2(-) productivity is Q(C2(-)) = 2 10(exp 28) c(exp -1).

Churyumov, Klim I.↗

Practically universal representation of the Helfand-Werthamer upper critical field for any transport scattering rate

Here, the simplified scaling of the orbital upper critical field, H c2 ⁡(T), for an isotropic s-wave superconductor is introduced. To facilitate the analysis of the experimental data, we suggest a simple but accurate approximation of the Helfand-Werthamer upper critical field in the entire temperature range valid for any transport scattering rate: H c⁢2 ⁡/⁢H c⁢⁢2 ⁡(0) ≈ (1 -t 2 )/(1 + 0.42t 1.47 ).

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Interstellar C2 molecules in a Taurus dark cloud

Five relatively strong interstellar absorption lines of C2 in the (2-0) Phillips band near 8670 A have been detected toward the heavily reddened, late B star HD 29647, which lies behind a substantial part of one of the darkest regions of the nearest molecular cloud complex, the dark clouds of Taurus. Stringent upper limits on the C2 absorption toward two lightly reddened stars, Nu Cyg and Omicron And, are also reported. The observations yield a column density of about 9 x 10 to the 13th/sq cm, comparable to those of widely distributed molecules like CH and H2CO. Theoretical treatment of the data yields a kinetic temperature of 14 K and a mean density of less than about 1000/cu cm. A narrow, anomalously strong, stellar Mn II line yields a projected rotational velocity of less than about 7 km/s and is explained by previous identifications of the star as Hg-Mn peculiar.

Hobbs, L. M.↗

Influence of Nb alloying on Nb recrystallization and the upper critical field of Nb 3 ⁢Sn

Nb 3 Sn conductors are important candidates for high-field magnets for particle accelerators, and they continue to be widely used for many laboratory and NMR magnets. However, the critical current density, J c , of present Nb 3 Sn conductors declines swiftly above 12-15 T. State-of-the-art Ta- and Ti-doped strands exhibit upper critical field, H c2 , values of ~ 24-26.5 T (4.2 K) and do not reach the FCC target J c , which serves as the present stretch target for Nb 3 Sn development. As recently demonstrated, to meet this goal requires enhanced vortex pinning but an independent and supplementary approach is to significantly enhance H c2 . In this study, we have arc-melted multiple Nb alloys with added Hf, Zr, Ta and Ti and drawn them successfully into monofilament wires to investigate the possibilities of H c2 enhancement through alloying. H c2 (T) was measured for all samples in fields up to 16 T and some up to 31 T. We have found that all alloys show good agreement with the standard Werthamer, Helfand, and Hohenberg (WHH) fitting procedure without the need to adjust the paramagnetic limitation parameter (α) and spin-orbit scattering parameter (λ so ). The evaluation of dH c2 /dT near T c , which is proportional to the electronic specific heat coefficient γ and the normal state resistivity ρn, allows a better understanding of the induced disorder introduced by alloying in the A15 phase. So far, we have observed that Hf alloying of pure Nb can enhance H c2 (0) by 3-4 T to ~28 T, while adding just 1 at. %Hf or Zr into a Nb4Ta base alloy can raise H c2 (0) to ~31 T. Very importantly we find that Hf and Zr raise the alloy recrystallization temperature above the usual A15 reaction temperature range of 650°C – 750°C, thus ensuring denser A15 phase nucleation in the Nb alloy grain boundaries, possibly leading to a more homogeneous A15 phase Sn content and refined A15 grain size. Furthermore, the potential for further advancements in Nb 3 Sn properties is explored in relation to the recrystallization of the Nb alloy and the factors controlling the upper critical field.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Type-II superconductivity at 9K in Pb–Bi alloy

In the present work, we report the synthesis of Pb–Bi alloy with enhanced Tc of up to 9K, which is higher than that of Pb. The alloy is synthesized via a solid-state reaction route in the vacuum-encapsulated quartz tube at 700°C in an automated furnace. The synthesized sample is characterized by X-ray Diffraction(XRD) and Energy dispersive X-ray analysis(EDAX) for its phase purity and elemental composition. Rietveld refinement of XRD reveals that the end product is a majority hexagonal Pb 7 Bi 3 , with minor rhombohedral Bi. The electronic transport measurement shows metallic behavior with the Debye temperature of 108K and a superconductivity transition temperature (T c ) below 9K, which is the maximum to date for any reported Pb–Bi alloy, Pb or Bi at ambient pressure. Partial substitution of Bi at the Pb site may modify the free density of electronic states within the BCS model to attain the optimum T c , which is higher by around 2K from the reported T c of Pb. The superconductor phase diagram derived from magneto-transport measurements reveals that the synthesized alloy is a conventional superconductor with an upper critical field (H c2 ) of 3.9 T, which lies well within the Pauli paramagnetic limit. The magnetization measurements carried out following ZFC(Zero Field Cool) protocols infer that the synthesized alloy is a bulk superconductor below 9K. The isothermal M-H(Magnetization vs. Field) measurements performed below T c establish it as a type-II superconductor. Furthermore, the specific heat capacity measurements show that the Pb–Bi alloy is a strongly coupled bulk superconductor below around 9K with possibly two superconducting gaps.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Signature of magnetoelectric coupling driven finite momentum pairing in 3D ising superconductor

The finite momentum superconducting paring states (FMPs) represent a forefront of condensed matter physics. Here we report experimental evidence of FMP in a locally noncentrosymmetric bulk superconductor 4H b -TaS 2 . Using hard X-ray diffraction and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we reveal unusual 2D ferro-rotational charge density wave (CDW) and weak interlayer hopping in 4H b -TaS 2 . The superconducting upper critical field, H c2 , linearly increases via decreasing temperature, and well exceeds the Pauli limit, suggesting the dominant orbital pair-breaking mechanism. Remarkably, we observed evidence of field-induced superconductivity-to-superconductivity transition that breaks continuous rotational symmetry of the s-wave uniform pairing in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory down to the six-fold rotation symmetry. Ginzburg-Landau free energy analysis shows that magnetoelectric coupling, induced by 2D ferro-rotational CDW, stabilizes FMP that provides an explanation of the lowering rotation symmetry. Our results provide a new understanding of unconventional superconducting behaviors of the bulk quantum heterostructure 4H b -TaS 2 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Nodal superconductivity in miassite Rh 17 S 15

Solid state chemistry has produced a plethora of materials with properties not found in nature. For example, high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates is drastically different from the superconductivity of naturally occurring metals and alloys and is frequently referred to as unconventional. Unconventional superconductivity is also found in other synthetic compounds, such as iron-based and heavy-fermion superconductors. Here, we report compelling evidence of unconventional nodal superconductivity in synthetic samples of Rh 17 S 15 (T c = 5.4 K), which is also found in nature as the mineral miassite. We investigated the temperature-dependent variation of the London penetration depth Δλ(T) and the disorder evolution of the critical superconducting temperature T c and the upper critical field H c2 (T) in single crystalline Rh 17 S 15 . We found a T - linear temperature variation of Δλ(T) below 0.3T c , which is consistent with the presence of nodal lines in the superconducting gap of Rh 17 S 15 . The nodal character of the superconducting state is supported by the observed suppression of T c and H c2 (T) in samples with a controlled level of non-magnetic disorder introduced by 2.5 MeV electron irradiation. We propose a nodal sign-changing superconducting gap in the A 1g irreducible representation, which preserves the cubic symmetry of the crystal and is in excellent agreement with the derived superfluid density. To the best of our knowledge, this establishes miassite as the only mineral known so far that reveals unconventional superconductivity in its clean synthetic form, though it is unlikely that it is present in natural crystals because of unavoidable impurities that quickly destroy nodal superconductivity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Postperihelion interference filter photometry of the 'annual' Comet P/Encke

Interference filter photometry was taken of Comet Encke on June 14, 1974 (1.07 AU heliocentric distance, postperihelion) at the CTIO (Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory) 150-cm reflector. Production rates were calculated as 4.1 x 10 to the 23nd power mol/sec for CN, 5.3 x 10 to 23nd power mol/sec for C3, and 4.3 x 10 to the 24th power mol/sec for C2. These are about three times smaller than at comparable heliocentric distance preperihelion, assuming a value of 100 for the ratio H2O/(C2 + C3 + CN). An upper limit was placed on the production of nonvolatiles at about one-third that of volatiles in mass by assuming a bulk density of 1 g/cu cm, a particle geometric albedo of 0.1, and a phase function of 0.2.

Newburn, R. L., Jr.↗

Re-entrant unconventional superconductivity induced by rare-earth substitution in Nd 1-x Eu x NiO 2 thin films

High temperature superconductivity is typically associated with strong coupling and a large superconducting gap, yet these characteristics have not been demonstrated in the nickelates. Here, we provide experimental evidence that Eu substitution in the spacer layer of Nd 1-x Eu x NiO 2 (NENO) thin films enhances the superconducting gap, driving the system toward a strong-coupling regime. This is accompanied by a magnetic-exchange-driven magnetic-field-enhanced superconductivity. We investigate the upper critical magnetic field, H c2 , and the superconducting gap of superconducting NENO thin films with x = 0.2 to 0.35. Magnetoresistance measurements reveal magnetic-field-enhanced superconductivity in NENO films. We interpret this phenomenon as a result of an interaction between magnetic Eu ions and superconducting states in the Ni d x2-y2 orbital. The upper critical magnetic field strongly violates the weak-coupling Pauli limit. Infrared spectroscopy confirms a large gap-to-Tc ratio $2\Delta /{k}_{B}{T}_{{\rm{c}}}\simeq 5-6$, indicating a stronger coupling pairing mechanism in NENO relative to the Sr-doped NdNiO 2 . The substitution of Eu in the rare-earth layer causes pronounced modifications of the superconducting gap and magnetic interactions in Nd-based nickelates, opening new pathways to engineer high- T c superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Non‐Fermi‐Liquid Behavior of Superconducting SnH 4

Abstract The chemical interaction of Sn with H 2 by X‐ray diffraction methods at pressures of 180–210 GPa is studied. A previously unknown tetrahydride SnH 4 with a cubic structure ( fcc ) exhibiting superconducting properties below T C = 72 K is obtained; the formation of a high molecular C 2/ m ‐SnH 14 superhydride and several lower hydrides, fcc SnH 2 , and C 2‐Sn 12 H 18 , is also detected. The temperature dependence of critical current density J C (T) in SnH 4 yields the superconducting gap 2Δ(0) = 21.6 meV at 180 GPa. SnH 4 has unusual behavior in strong magnetic fields: B,T ‐linear dependences of magnetoresistance and the upper critical magnetic field B C2 (T) ∝ ( T C – T ). The latter contradicts the Wertheimer–Helfand–Hohenberg model developed for conventional superconductors. Along with this, the temperature dependence of electrical resistance of fcc SnH 4 in non‐superconducting state exhibits a deviation from what is expected for phonon‐mediated scattering described by the Bloch‐Grüneisen model and is beyond the framework of the Fermi liquid theory. Such anomalies occur for many superhydrides, making them much closer to cuprates than previously believed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Superconducting Density of States of PtPb 4

PtPb 4 is a type II superconductor with a bulk critical temperature T c ≈ 3 K and an upper critical field of H c2 = 0.36 T. PtPb 4 is related to non-superconducting PtSn 4 , which presents nodal arc states at the surface. Here, we measure the superconducting density of states of PtPb 4 using millikelvin Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM). We observe a fully opened superconducting gap of Δ = 0.48 meV similar to expectations from Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer (BCS) theory (Δ 0 = 1.76k B T c = 0.49 meV). Measurements under magnetic fields applied perpendicular to the surface show a spatially inhomogeneous gap structure, presenting superconducting signatures at fields as high as 1.5 T, significantly above H c2 = 0.36 T. On some locations, we find that the superconducting density of states does not vanish above T c . We can find signatures of a superconducting gap up to 5 K. We discuss possible reasons for the observation of superconducting properties above T c and H c2 , emphasizing the role played by structural defects.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Disorder-dependent slopes of the upper critical field in nodal and nodeless superconductors

In this work we study the slopes of the upper critical field S = ∂H c2 /∂T at the superconducting transition temperature T c in anisotropic superconductors with transport (nonmagnetic) scattering employing the Ginzburg-Landau theory, developed for this case by Pokrovsky and Pokrovsky [Phys. Rev. B 54, 13275 (1996)]. We find unexpected behavior of the slopes for a d -wave superconductor and, in a more general case, of materials with line nodes in the order parameter. Specifically, the presence of line nodes causes S to decrease with increasing nonmagnetic scattering parameter P = ℏ/2πT c0 τ (T c0 is for the clean limit, τ is the scattering time), unlike the nodeless case where the slope increases. In a pure d -wave case, the slope changes from decreasing to increasing when the scattering parameter approaches P ≈ 0.91 P crit , where P crit ≈ 0.28, at which T c → 0, which implies the existence of a “gapless” state in d -wave superconductors with transport scattering in the interval, 0.91 P crit < P < P crit . Furthermore, we consider the mixed (s + d)-wave order parameter with four nodes on a cylindrical Fermi surface when the d part is dominant, or no nodes at all when the s-wave phase dominates. We find that the presence of nodes causes the slope S(P) to decrease initially with increasing P, whereas in the nodeless state, S(P) monotonically increases. Therefore, relatively straightforward measurements of the disorder dependence of the slope of H c2 at T c can help distinguish between nodal and nodeless order parameters, which is particularly useful for quickly assessing newly discovered superconductors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Niobium-germanium superconducting tapes for high-field magnet applications

A process of fabricating superconducting Nb3Ge tapes by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been developed and tapes up to 10 meters long fabricated. The typical properties achieved were: critical temperature T sub c = 20 K, upper critical field H sub c2 = 29 tesla at 4.2 K, and J sub c = 3 to 4 x 10 to the 8th power A m(-2) at 4.2 K, 18 tesla. The relative depression of T sub c and H sub c2 compared with the best thin film samples sputtered on sapphire was due to the presence of Nb5Ge3 second-phase particles used as flux pinning centers and to strains induced by thermal mixmatch with Hastelloy B tape substrates. A peculiar field dependence of flux pinning force that was observed in both CVD and sputtered Nb3Ge indicated a premature pin-breaking mechanism or a phase inhomogeneity. Directions of further optimization work were defined.

Braginski, A. I.↗

Chemical spray pyrolysis of Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O high-T(sub c) superconductors for high-field bitter magnets

The deposition of Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O thick films by spray pyrolyzing a Ba-Ca-Cu-O precursor film and diffusing thallium into the film to form the superconducting phase is examined. This approach was taken to reduce exposure to thallium and its health and safety hazards. The Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O system was selected because it has very attractive features which make it appealing to device and manufacturing engineering. Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O will accommodate a number of superconducting phases. This attribute makes it very forgiving to stoichiometric fluctuations in the bulk and film. It has excellent thermal and chemical stability, and appears to be relatively insensitive to chemical impurities. Oxygen is tightly bound into the systems, consequently there is no orthorhombic (conductor) to tetragonal (insulator) transition which would affect a component's lifetime. More significantly, the thallium based superconductors appear to have harder magnetic properties than the other high-Tc oxide ceramics. Estimates using magnetoresistance measurements indicate that at 77 K Tl2Ba2CaCu2O10 will have an upper critical field, H(sub c2) fo 26 Tesla for applied fields parallel to the c-axis and approximately 1000 Tesla for fields oriented in the a-b plane. Results to date have shown that superconducting films can be reproducibly deposited on 100 oriented MgO substrates. One film had a zero resistance temperature of 111.5 K. Furthermore, x ray diffraction analysis of the films showed preferential c-axis orientation parallel to the plane of the substrate. These results have now made it possible to consider the manufacture of a superconducting tape wire which can be configured into a topology useful for high-field magnet designs. The research which leads to the preparation of these films and plans for further development are reviewed.

Derochemont, L. Pierre↗

High Temperature Superconductivity in Praseodymium Doped (0%, 2%, 4%) in Melt-Textured Y(1-x)Pr(x)Ba2Cu3O(7-delta) Systems

A study of the magnetic and structural properties of the alloy Y(1-x)Pr(x)Ba2Cu3O(7-delta) of 0%, 2%, and 4% doping of praseodymium is presented. The resulting oxides of the alloy series are a high-temperature superconductor Y-Ba-Cu-O, which has an orthorhombic superconducting crystal-lattice. Magnetic relaxation studies have been performed on the Y-Pr-Ba-CuO bulk samples for field orientation parallel to the c-axis, using a vibrating sample magnetometer. Relaxation was measured at several temperatures to obtain the irreversible magnetization curves used for the Bean model. Magnetization current densities were derived from the relaxation data. Field and temperature dependence of the logarithmic flux-creep relaxation was measured in critical state. The data indicates that the effective activation energy U(eff) increases with increasing T between 77 K and 86 K. Also, the data shows that U(eff)(T) and superconducting transition temperature, Tc, decreased as the lattice parameters increased with increasing Pr ion concentration, x, for the corresponding Y(1-x)Pr(x)Ba(x)Cu3O(7-delta) oxides. One contribution to Tc decrease in this sampling is suspected to be due to the larger ionic radius of the Pr(3+) ion. The upper critical field (H(sub c2)) was measured in the presence of magnetic field parallel to the c axis. A linear temperature dependence with H(sub c2) was obtained.

James, Claudell↗

CMOS-Compatible Ultrathin Superconducting NbN Thin Films Deposited by Reactive Ion Sputtering on 300 mm Si Wafer

We report a milestone in achieving large-scale, ultrathin (~5 nm) superconducting NbN thin films on 300 mm Si wafers using a high-volume manufacturing (HVM) industrial physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. The NbN thin films possess remarkable structural uniformity and consistently high superconducting quality across the entire 300 mm Si wafer, by incorporating an AlN buffer layer. High-resolution X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses unveiled enhanced crystallinity of (111)-oriented δ-phase NbN with the AlN buffer layer. Notably, NbN films deposited on AlN-buffered Si substrates exhibited a significantly elevated superconducting critical temperature (~2 K higher for the 10 nm NbN) and a higher upper critical magnetic field or H c2 (34.06 T boost in H c2 for the 50 nm NbN) in comparison with those without AlN. These findings present a promising pathway for the integration of quantum-grade superconducting NbN films with the existing 300 mm CMOS Si platform for quantum information applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Middle and upper atmosphere results; Proceedings of the Topical Meeting of the Interdisciplinary Scientific Commission C (Meetings C2 and C3) of the COSPAR 28th Plenary Meeting, The Hague, Netherlands, June 25-July 6, 1990

Papers are first presented on atmospheric trace species, with particular attention given to stratospheric trace species and possible improvements to reference atmospheres. The equatorial thermosphere and aeronomy are considered with reference to models and San Marco satellite/ground-based observations. Papers on the coupling of dynamic, radiative, and chemical processes in the middle atmosphere are also presented.

Keating, G. M.↗