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Title: Electrical and magnetic properties of superconducting-insulating Pr-doped GdBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}y}

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter
;  [1]
  1. Magnet Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-9161, Tehran (Iran)

An extensive study of magnetic, electrical transport, and structural properties of the normal and superconducting states of Gd{sub 1{minus}x}Pr{sub x}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}y} (GdPr-123) are presented. Ceramic compounds have been synthesized by the solid-state reaction technique, and characterized by x-ray-diffraction, scanning-electron-microscopy, thermogravimetric, and differential-thermal analyses. The superconducting transition temperature is reduced with increasing Pr content x in a nonlinear manner, in contrast to Abrikosov-Gor{close_quote}kov pair-breaking theory. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show that the nominal Pr valence is 3.86+, independently of x. A metal-insulator transition is observed at x{sub cr}{approx}0.45, similar to that in the oxygen-deficient RBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}y} (R-123) system. Based on this resemblance, we suggest that both Pr doping and oxygen deficiency act through the same mechanism. Hence, the environment surrounding the CuO{sub 2} layers is important to high-T{sub c} superconductivity (HTSC). In this sense, HTSC cannot completely be a two-dimentional feature. A chain-plane-correlation effect is plausible. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

OSTI ID:
632593
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Vol. 56, Issue 13; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English