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Now showing 1 - 10 of 16
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    Pulsed laser deposition of thick BaHfO3-doped YBa 2Cu307-δ films on highly alloyed textured Ni-W tapes
    (Bristol : Institute of Physics Publishing, 2014) Sieger, M.; Hänisch, J.; Iida, K.; Gaitzsch, U.; Rodig, C.; Schultz, L.; Holzapfel, B.; Hühne, R.
    YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) films with a thickness of up to 3 μm containing nano-sized BaHfO3 (BHO) have been grown on Y2O3/Y-stabilized ZrO2/CeO 2 buffered Ni-9at% W tapes by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Structural characterization by means of X-ray diffraction confirmed that the YBCO layer grew epitaxial. A superconducting transition temperature T c of about 89 K with a transition width of 1 K was determined, decreasing with increasing BHO content. Critical current density in self-field and at 0.3 T increased with increasing dopant level.
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    Investigation of the strain-sensitive superconducting transition of BaFe1.8Co0.2As2 thin films utilizing piezoelectric substrates
    (Milton Park : Taylor & Francis, 2014) Trommler, S.; Hänisch, J.; Iida, K.; Kurth, F.; Schultz, L.; Holzapfel, B.; Hühne, R.
    The preparation of biaxially textured BaFe1.8Co0.2As2 thin films has been optimized on MgO single crystals and transfered to piezoelectric (001) Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.72Ti0.28O3 substrates. By utilizing the inverse piezoelectric effect the lattice parameter of these substrates can be controlled applying an electric field, leading to a induction of biaxial strain into the superconducting layer. High electric fields were used to achieve a total strain of up to 0.05% at low temperatures. A sharpening of the resistive transition and a shift of about 0.6 K to higher temperatures was found at a compressive strain of 0.035%.
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    Large superplastic strain in non-modulated epitaxial Ni-Mn-Ga films
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2010) Yeduru, S.R.; Backen, A.; Fahler, S.; Schultz, L.; Kohl, M.
    The phase transformation and superplastic characteristics of free-standing epitaxial Ni-Mn-Ga stripes are reported. The stripes are prepared by micromachining a 1 μm thick Ni-Mn-Ga film sputter-deposited on a single crystalline MgO (100) substrate using optical lithography and a Chromium-based sacrificial layer technology. The stripes are oriented at angles of 0 and 45 degrees with respect to the Ni-Mn-Ga unit cell. Electrical resistance versus temperature characteristics reveal a reversible thermally induced phase transformation between 169°C and 191°C. Stress-strain measurements are performed with the stress applied along the [100]Ni-Mn-Ga as well as [110]Ni-Mn-Ga direction. Depending on the orientation, the twinning stress ranges between 25 and 30 MPa, respectively. For the [100] Ni-Mn-Ga and [110]Ni-Mn-Ga directions, superplastic behaviour with a strain plateau of 12 % and 4% are observed, respectively, indicating stress-induced reorientation of non-modulated martensite variants.
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    Combinatorial synthesis of (YxGd1-x)Ba2Cu3Ox superconducting thin films
    (Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2012) Kirchner, A.; Erbe, M.; Freudenberg, T.; Hühne, R.; Feys, J.; Van Driessche, I.; Schultz, L.; Holzapfel, B.
    Environmentally friendly water-based YBa2Cu3Ox (YBCO) and GdBa2Cu3Ox (GdBCO) precursor solutions were synthesized to realize thin films by chemical solution deposition. Pure YBCO and GdBCO precursor solutions were used for ink plotting on SrTiO3 substrates and subsequent thermal treatment at the corresponding crystallization temperature. Phase formation of Gd123 requires a higher crystallization temperature of 840 °C compared to the Y123 phase. The critical temperature of YBCO films is about 92 K with a sharp transition into the superconducting state. Micro liter sized ink volumes of YBCO and GdBCO were successfully mixed for two-dimensional ink plotting of a (YxGd1-x)Ba2Cu3Ox film library. A homogeneous surface and no indication of a-axis growth were found in all mixed films.
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    A superconducting levitation transport model system for dynamical and didactical studies
    (Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2012) Rosenzweig, St.; Reich, E.; Neu, V.; Berger, D.; Peukert, K.; Holzapfel, B.; Schultz, L.; Pospiech, G.
    Superconducting levitation transport systems might become very attractive in the near future due to various reasons. The realisation of contactless systems allows e.g. extended maintenance-free operation with high efficiency since such a system only needs energy for cooling and propulsion. We established a small superconducting levitation transport model system called "SupraTrans Mini" consisting of permanent magnetic rails and a levitated vehicle including four YBCO-bulk samples in a cryostat. The rail system consists of an oval shaped loop (2.90 m x 1.44 m), which was build up from individual linear and curved track modules. Inside the vehicle position variations of the superconductors are possible. By means of velocity, acceleration and temperature measurements different dynamical aspects of our complex levitation system can be investigated. We also show the broad applicability of the experimental setup for didactical studies in physics.
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    Reducing the nucleation barrier in magnetocaloric Heusler alloys by nanoindentation
    (New York : American Institute of Physics, 2016) Niemann, R.; Hahn, S.; Diestel, A.; Backen, A.; Schultz, L.; Nielsch, K.; Wagner, M.F.-X.; Fähler, S.
    Magnetocaloric materials are promising as solid state refrigerants for more efficient and environmentally friendly cooling devices. The highest effects have been observed in materials that exhibit a first-order phase transition. These transformations proceed by nucleation and growth which lead to a hysteresis. Such irreversible processes are undesired since they heat up the material and reduce the efficiency of any cooling application. In this article, we demonstrate an approach to decrease the hysteresis by locally changing the nucleation barrier. We created artificial nucleation sites and analyzed the nucleation and growth processes in their proximity. We use Ni-Mn-Ga, a shape memory alloy that exhibits a martensitic transformation. Epitaxial films serve as a model system, but their high surface-to-volume ratio also allows for a fast heat transfer which is beneficial for a magnetocaloric regenerator geometry. Nanoindentation is used to create a well-defined defect. We quantify the austenite phase fraction in its proximity as a function of temperature which allows us to determine the influence of the defect on the transformation.
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    Magnetization dynamics of magnetic domain wall imprinted magnetic films
    (Bristol : IOP, 2014) Hamann, C.; Mattheis, R.; Mönch, I.; Fassbender, J.; Schultz, L.; McCord, J.
    The influence of micromagnetic objects on the dynamic magnetic excitation in magnetic thin films is studied by imprinting periodic domain wall patterns through selective ion irradiation in exchange biased Ni81Fe 19/IrMn structures. For high domain wall densities an increased precessional frequency is achieved. The zero field resonance of the domain wall state hereby depends directly on the stripe period, showing a pronounced increase with decrease of domain wall spacing. With the abrupt annihilation of magnetic domain walls with an applied bias field a jump-like decrease in precessional frequency takes place. The experimental data and micromagnetic simulations prove that the characteristic collective dynamic mode for the domain wall configurations is attributed to strongly coupled tilted magnetization structure. This is evidenced by an overlapping Néel wall structure for the narrowly spaced imprinted antiparallel unidirectional anisotropy state. The controlled introduction of high density frozen-in micromagnetic objects is a novel way to control the dynamic magnetic properties of continuous magnetic thin films.
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    Modulated martensite: Why it forms and why it deforms easily
    (Milton Park : Taylor & Francis, 2011) Kaufmann, S.; Niemann, R.; Thersleff, T.; Rößler, U.K.; Heczko, O.; Buschbeck, J.; Holzapfel, B.; Schultz, L.; Fähler, S.
    Diffusionless phase transitions are at the core of the multifunctionality of (magnetic) shape memory alloys, ferroelectrics and multiferroics. Giant strain effects under external fields are obtained in low symmetric modulated martensitic phases. We outline the origin of modulated phases, their connection with tetragonal martensite and consequences owing to their functional properties by analysing the martensitic microstructure of epitaxial Ni–Mn–Ga films from the atomic to the macroscale. Geometrical constraints at an austenite–martensite phase boundary act down to the atomic scale. Hence, a martensitic microstructure of nanotwinned tetragonal martensite can form. Coarsening of twin variants can reduce twin boundary energy, a process we could observe from the atomic to the millimetre scale. Coarsening is a fractal process, proceeding in discrete steps by doubling twin periodicity. The collective defect energy results in a substantial hysteresis, which allows the retention of modulated martensite as a metastable phase at room temperature. In this metastable state, elastic energy is released by the formation of a 'twins within twins' microstructure that can be observed from the nanometre to the millimetre scale. This hierarchical twinning results in mesoscopic twin boundaries. Our analysis indicates that mesoscopic boundaries are broad and diffuse, in contrast to the common atomically sharp twin boundaries of tetragonal martensite. We suggest that the observed extraordinarily high mobility of such mesoscopic twin boundaries originates from their diffuse nature that renders pinning by atomistic point defects ineffective.
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    Orbital and spin effects for the upper critical field in As-deficient disordered Fe pnictide superconductors
    (Milton Park : Taylor & Francis, 2009) Fuchs, G.; Drechsler, S.-L.; Kozlova, N.; Bartkowiak, M.; Hamann-Borrero, J.E.; Behr, G.; Nenkov, K.; Klauss, H.-H.; Maeter, H.; Amato, A.; Luetkens, H.; Kwadrin, A.; Khasanov, R.; Freudenberger, J.; Köhler, A.; Knupfer, M.; Arushanov, E.; Rosner, H.; Büchner, B.; Schultz, L.
    We report upper critical field Bc2(T) data for LaO0.9F0.1FeAs1- δ in a wide temperature and field range up to 60 T. The large slope of Bc2≈- 5.4 to -6.6 T K-1 near an improved Tc≈28.5 K of the in-plane Bc2(T) contrasts with a flattening starting near 23 K above 30 T we regard as the onset of Pauli-limited behaviour (PLB) with Bc2(0)≈63–68 T. We interpret a similar hitherto unexplained flattening of the Bc2(T) curves reported for at least three other disordered closely related systems, Co-doped BaFe2As2, (Ba,K) Fe2As2 and NdO0.7F0.3FeAs (all single crystals), for applied fields H∥(a,b), also as a manifestation of PLB. Their Maki parameters have been estimated by analysing their Bc2(T) data within the Werthamer–Helfand–Hohenberg approach. The pronounced PLB of (Ba, K)Fe2As2 single crystals obtained from an Sn flux is attributed also to a significant As deficiency detected by wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy as reported by Ni et al (2008 Phys. Rev. B 78 014507). Consequences of our results are discussed in terms of disorder effects within conventional superconductivity (CSC) and unconventional superconductivity (USC). USC scenarios with nodes on individual Fermi surface sheets (FSS), e.g. p- and d-wave SC, can be discarded for our samples. The increase of dBc2/dT|Tc by sizeable disorder provides evidence for an important intraband (intra-FSS) contribution to the orbital upper critical field. We suggest that it can be ascribed either to an impurity-driven transition from s± USC to CSC of an extended s++-wave state or to a stabilized s±-state provided As-vacancies cause predominantly strong intraband scattering in the unitary limit. We compare our results with Bc2 data from the literature, which often show no PLB for fields below 60–70 T probed so far. A novel disorder-related scenario of a complex interplay of SC with two different competing magnetic instabilities is suggested.
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    Tuning functional properties by plastic deformation
    (Milton Park : Taylor & Francis, 2009) Kwon, A.R.; Neu, V.; Matias, V.; Hänisch, J.; Hühne, R.; Freudenberger, J.; Holzapfel, B.; Schultz, L.; Fähler, S.
    It is well known that a variation of lattice constants can strongly influence the functional properties of materials. Lattice constants can be influenced by external forces; however, most experiments are limited to hydrostatic pressure or biaxial stress. Here, we present an experimental approach that imposes a large uniaxial strain on epitaxially grown films in order to tune their functional properties. A substrate made of a ductile metal alloy covered with a biaxially oriented MgO layer is used as a template for growth of epitaxial films. By applying an external plastic strain, we break the symmetry within the substrate plane compared to the as-deposited state. The consequences of 2% plastic strain are examined for an epitaxial hard magnetic Nd2Fe14B film and are found to result in an elliptical distortion of the in-plane anisotropy below the spin-reorientation temperature. Our approach is a versatile method to study the influence of large plastic strain on various materials, as the MgO(001) layer used is a common substrate for epitaxial growth.