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Superconductor01:24

Superconductor

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A substance that reaches superconductivity, a state in which magnetic fields cannot penetrate, and there is no electrical resistance, is referred to as a superconductor. In 1911, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes of Leiden University, a Dutch physicist, observed a relation between the temperature and the resistance of the element mercury. The mercury sample was then cooled in liquid helium to study the linear dependence of resistance on temperature. It was observed that, as the temperature decreased, the...
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Valence Bond Theory

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Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...
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Overview of Valence Bond Theory
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A superconductor is a substance that offers zero resistance to the electric current when it drops below a critical temperature. Zero resistance is not the only interesting phenomenon as materials reach their transition temperatures. A second effect is the exclusion of magnetic fields. This is known as the Meissner effect. A light, permanent magnet placed over a superconducting sample will levitate in a stable position above the superconductor. High-speed trains that levitate on strong...
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Properties of Transition Metals

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Transition metals are defined as those elements that have partially filled d orbitals. As shown in Figure 1, the d-block elements in groups 3–12 are transition elements. The f-block elements, also called inner transition metals (the lanthanides and actinides), also meet this criterion because the d orbital is partially occupied before the f orbitals.
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Theory of Metallic Conduction01:17

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The conduction of free electrons inside a conductor is best described by quantum mechanics. However, a classical model makes predictions close to the results of quantum mechanics. It is called the theory of metallic conduction.
In this theory, Newton's second law of motion is used to determine the acceleration of an electron in the presence of an applied electric field. Then, its velocity is expressed via this acceleration.
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Comparison of Two Different Synthesis Methods of Single Crystals of Superconducting Uranium Ditelluride
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Avoided valence transition in a plutonium superconductor.

B J Ramshaw1, Arkady Shekhter2, Ross D McDonald2

  • 1Pulsed Field Facility, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545; and bradramshaw@gmail.com.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|March 5, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

PuCoGa5, a heavy fermion superconductor, exhibits anomalous elastic softening linked to plutonium valence fluctuations. Superconductivity suppresses these fluctuations, suggesting a crucial role in its high critical temperature.

Keywords:
heavy fermionsquantum criticalityresonant ultrasound spectroscopyunconventional superconductivityvalence fluctuations

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Area of Science:

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Quantum Materials

Background:

  • The electronic behavior of correlated metals, particularly the duality of d and f electrons (localized vs. itinerant), is key to understanding phenomena like high-Tc cuprate superconductivity and heavy-fermion intermetallics.
  • Plutonium's 5f electrons exemplify this localized/itinerant duality, making them central to complex electronic states.
  • PuCoGa5 is the highest critical temperature (Tc) superconductor within the heavy-fermion class, presenting a unique system for studying these electronic behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between electronic states and superconductivity in PuCoGa5 by measuring its elastic properties.
  • To elucidate the role of plutonium valence fluctuations in the superconducting mechanism of this heavy-fermion compound.
  • To understand the absence of magnetism in PuCoGa5 and its implications for superconductivity.

Main Methods:

  • Measurement of the full set of symmetry-resolved elastic moduli of PuCoGa5.
  • Analysis of temperature-dependent elastic properties to identify anomalies.
  • Correlation of observed elastic softening with theoretical models of valence instability and fluctuations.

Main Results:

  • An anomalous softening of the bulk modulus was observed over a wide temperature range above the superconducting critical temperature (Tc).
  • The elastic symmetry channel of the softening indicates a valence instability, identified as fluctuations of the plutonium 5f mixed-valence state.
  • These valence fluctuations were found to disappear below Tc, coinciding with the opening of the superconducting gap.

Conclusions:

  • The elastic softening in PuCoGa5 is attributed to fluctuations of the plutonium 5f mixed-valence state.
  • The superconducting state in PuCoGa5 appears to suppress these valence fluctuations, suggesting that electrons near the Fermi surface are essential to the mixed-valence physics.
  • Valence fluctuations, rather than magnetic fluctuations typically associated with heavy-fermion superconductivity, are proposed to play a critical role in achieving the high Tc in PuCoGa5.