Marlon Ivan Valerio-Cuadros

Granularity is one of the main features restricting the maximum current which a superconductor can carry without losses, persisting as an important research topic when applications are concerned. To directly observe its effects on a typical thin superconducting specimen, we have modeled the simplest possible granular system by fabricating a single artificial weak-link in the center of a high-quality Nb film using the focused ion beam technique. Then, its microstructural, magnetic, and electric properties in both normal and superconducting states were studied. AC susceptibility, DC magnetization, and magneto-transport measurements reveal well-known granularity signatures and how they negatively affect superconductivity. Moreover, we also investigate the normal state electron scattering mechanisms in the Boltzmann theory framework. The results clearly demonstrate the effect of the milling technique, giving rise to an additional quadratic-in-temperature contribution to the usual cubic-in-temperature sd band scattering for the Nb film. Finally, by analyzing samples with varying density of incorporated defects, the emergence of the additional contribution is correlated to a decrease in their critical temperature, in agreement with recent theoretical results.

Cu_1−xFe_xO nanoparticles were prepared using a freeze-drying process followed by heat treatment. The particles were then characterized using Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetization techniques. The results revealed complex magnetic behavior, which can be attributed to the presence of two different magnetic regions: the particle core, which has antiferromagnetic fluctuations, and the particle shell, where uncompensated spins are responsible for their superparamagnetic characteristics. At low temperatures, the moments freeze, revealing a ferromagnetic order for the shells and a dipolar magnetic interaction among the nanoparticles. In addition, an exchange-bias field revealed magnetic interactions between the core and the shell of the nanoparticles. The ferromagnetism observed in this system suggests that antiferromagnetic oxide matrices can be used for diluted magnetic semiconductor applications, if suitably doped.

Monophasic Zn_1-xFe_xO nanoparticles with wurtzite structure were synthesized in the 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05 concentration range using a freeze-drying process followed by heat treatment. The samples were characterized regarding their optical, structural, and magnetic properties. The analyses revealed that iron doping of the ZnO matrix induces morphological changes in the crystallites. Iron is substitutional for zinc, trivalent and distributed in the wurtzite lattice in two groups: isolated iron atoms and iron atoms with one or more neighboring iron atoms. It was also shown that the energy band gap decreases with a higher doping level. The samples are paramagnetic at room temperature, but they undergo a spin-glass transition when the temperature drops below 75 K. The magnetic frustration is attributed to the competition of magnetic interactions among the iron moments. There are a superexchange interaction and an indirect exchange interaction that is provided by the spin (and charge) itinerant carriers in a spin-polarized band situated in the vicinity of the Fermi level of the Fe-doped ZnO semiconductor. The former interaction actuates for an antiferromagnetic coupling among iron ions, whereas the latter constitutes a driving force for a ferromagnetic coupling that weakens, decreasing the temperature. Our results strongly contribute to the literature because they elucidate the controversies reported in the literature for the magnetic state of the Fe-doped ZnO system.

Minor loops of solubilized and aged samples of Maraging-400 steel samples were measured and mathematically analyzed. The descending and ascending parts of the hysteresis curves obtained for this soft ferromagnetic material were fitted with polynomials of varying degree. The fits were successful and the obtained polynomial coefficients revealed that a symmetry operation (S2) transforms the ascending part in the descending part (or vice versa). Based on the particular mathematical relation between the polynomials, an analytical expression for the minor loop area was obtained as a function of the specific maximum applied field. The curves of the minor loop area versus the maximum applied field for every aged sample were shown to be typical of a cumulative distribution function. The experimental curves were fitted using the complementary function of the Hill equation. The fitted Hill parameters revealed a systematic dependence on the sample aging conditions.