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Title: Anisotropy reversal of the upper critical field at low temperatures and spin-locked superconductivity in K 2 Cr 3 As 3

Abstract

We report measurements of the anisotropic upper critical field Hc2(T) for K2Cr3As3 single crystals up to 60 T and T>0.6K. Our results show that the upper critical field parallel to the Cr chains, Hc2(T), exhibits a paramagnetically limited behavior, whereas the shape of the Hc2(T) curve (perpendicular to the Cr chains) has no evidence of paramagnetic effects. As a result, the curves Hc2(T) and Hc2(T) cross at T≈4K, so that the anisotropy parameter γH(T)=Hc2/Hc2(T) increases from γH(Tc)≈0.35 near Tc to γH(0)≈1.7 at 0.6 K. The paramagnetically limited behavior of Hc2(T) is inconsistent with triplet superconductivity but suggests a form of singlet superconductivity with the electron spins locked onto the direction of Cr chains.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [2];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
  3. Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1227371
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1198509; OSTI ID: 1258007
Report Number(s):
IS-J-8708; LA-UR-15-24703
Journal ID: ISSN 1098-0121; PRBMDO
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-07CH11358; DMR1157490; AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 91; Journal Issue: 22; Journal ID: ISSN 1098-0121
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; High Magnetic Field Science

Citation Formats

Balakirev, F. F., Kong, T., Jaime, M., McDonald, R. D., Mielke, C. H., Gurevich, A., Canfield, P. C., and Bud'ko, S. L. Anisotropy reversal of the upper critical field at low temperatures and spin-locked superconductivity in K2Cr3As3. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.91.220505.
Balakirev, F. F., Kong, T., Jaime, M., McDonald, R. D., Mielke, C. H., Gurevich, A., Canfield, P. C., & Bud'ko, S. L. Anisotropy reversal of the upper critical field at low temperatures and spin-locked superconductivity in K2Cr3As3. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.91.220505
Balakirev, F. F., Kong, T., Jaime, M., McDonald, R. D., Mielke, C. H., Gurevich, A., Canfield, P. C., and Bud'ko, S. L. Tue . "Anisotropy reversal of the upper critical field at low temperatures and spin-locked superconductivity in K2Cr3As3". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.91.220505. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1227371.
@article{osti_1227371,
title = {Anisotropy reversal of the upper critical field at low temperatures and spin-locked superconductivity in K2Cr3As3},
author = {Balakirev, F. F. and Kong, T. and Jaime, M. and McDonald, R. D. and Mielke, C. H. and Gurevich, A. and Canfield, P. C. and Bud'ko, S. L.},
abstractNote = {We report measurements of the anisotropic upper critical field Hc2(T) for K2Cr3As3 single crystals up to 60 T and T>0.6K. Our results show that the upper critical field parallel to the Cr chains, H∥c2(T), exhibits a paramagnetically limited behavior, whereas the shape of the H⊥c2(T) curve (perpendicular to the Cr chains) has no evidence of paramagnetic effects. As a result, the curves H⊥c2(T) and H∥c2(T) cross at T≈4K, so that the anisotropy parameter γH(T)=H⊥c2/H∥c2(T) increases from γH(Tc)≈0.35 near Tc to γH(0)≈1.7 at 0.6 K. The paramagnetically limited behavior of H∥c2(T) is inconsistent with triplet superconductivity but suggests a form of singlet superconductivity with the electron spins locked onto the direction of Cr chains.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.91.220505},
journal = {Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics},
number = 22,
volume = 91,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Exploring Topological Superconductivity in Topological Materials
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Electronic Structures of Newly Discovered Quasi-One-Dimensional Superconductors A2Mo3As3 (A=K,Rb,Cs)
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