Heat and charge transport in YNi2B2C and HoNi2B2C single crystals

For a systematic investigation of the heat- and charge-transport properties of YNi2B2C and HoNi2B2C, single-crystal measurements of the electrical resistivity, the thermal conductivity, and the thermoelectric power were performed on the same samples. For HoNi2B2C, a local maximum of the Lorenz number at 20 K is evidently connected with the occurrence of magnetic fluctuations well above the ordering temperature. For the in-plane thermal conductivity, a kink near the superconducting transition was observed, consistent with an anisotropic gap or a multiband description. For both investigated borocarbides, the electrical resistance is isotropic. In contrast, the thermal conductivity shows a pronounced anisotropy. The thermoelectric power exhibits a minor anisotropy and can be well described by electron-diffusion and phonon-drag contributions over a wide temperature range. Based on an analysis of full-potential local-orbital calculations, a strong influence of the boron z position on the thermoelectric power has been revealed.

[1]  S. Drechsler,et al.  Chapter 239 - Rare-Earth Nickel Borocarbides , 2008 .

[2]  L. Schultz,et al.  Multiband superconductivity in HoNi2B2C , 2007 .

[3]  K. Nenkov,et al.  Point-contact spectroscopy of the antiferromagnetic superconductor HoNi2B2C in the normal and superconducting state , 2007, 0705.3405.

[4]  J. Wosnitza,et al.  Thermal expansion of single-crystalline HoNi2B2C , 2007 .

[5]  C. Zhang,et al.  Laser-excited ultrahigh-resolution photoemission study of anisotropic s-wave superconductor YNi2B2C , 2006 .

[6]  B. Cho,et al.  Effect of pressure on the superconducting properties and magnetism in HoNi2B2C , 2006 .

[7]  H. D. Yang,et al.  Comparative analysis of specific heat of YNi$_{2}$B$_{2}$C using nodal and two-gap models , 2005, cond-mat/0512291.

[8]  P. Canfield,et al.  Magnetism and superconductivity in rare earth-nickel-borocarbides , 2006 .

[9]  W. Löser,et al.  Growth features of RENi2B2C (RE=Y, Ho, Tb) single crystals , 2005 .

[10]  J. Wosnitza,et al.  Magnetic quantum oscillations in the normal state of YNi2B2C , 2005 .

[11]  G. Fuchs,et al.  Distribution of the superconducting gap in a YNi2B2C film studied by point contact spectroscopy , 2005, cond-mat/0502608.

[12]  J. Mueller,et al.  Resistivity studies under hydrostatic pressure on a low-resistance variant of the quasi-two-dimensional organic superconductor κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br: Search for intrinsic scattering contributions , 2004, cond-mat/0407478.

[13]  B. Cho,et al.  Quantum-phase transition in HoNi2B2C tuned by a magnetic field , 2004 .

[14]  P. Canfield,et al.  Electronic Properties of Magnetic Superconductor HoNi2B2C Under High Pressure , 2003 .

[15]  I. Mazin,et al.  ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE, ELECTRON-PHONON COUPLING, AND MULTIBAND EFFECTS IN MgB2 , 2002, cond-mat/0212263.

[16]  D. Naugle,et al.  Thermal transport of the single-crystal rare-earth nickel borocarbides RNi2B2C , 2002 .

[17]  P. Canfield,et al.  Drastic annealing effects in transport properties of single crystals of the YbNi 2 B 2 C heavy fermion system , 2002, cond-mat/0206411.

[18]  P. Canfield,et al.  Effects of annealing temperature and time on the electrical resistivity of single crystal RNi2B2C (R=Gd–Lu, Y) , 2002 .

[19]  Y. Nakajima,et al.  Gap function with point nodes in borocarbide superconductor YNi2B2C. , 2002, Physical review letters.

[20]  K. Müller,et al.  Interaction of superconductivity and magnetism in borocarbide superconductors , 2001 .

[21]  M. Richter,et al.  Heat and charge transport properties of MgB2 , 2001, cond-mat/0105429.

[22]  R. Dinnebier,et al.  Microscopic changes in HoNi{sub 2}B{sub 2}C due to thermal treatment and its effect on superconductivity , 2001 .

[23]  S. Cao,et al.  Thermal conductivity of RNi/sub 2/B/sub 2/C (R=Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Lu) systems , 2001 .

[24]  R. W. Hill,et al.  Heat conduction in the borocarbide superconductor LuNi2B2C , 2000 .

[25]  S. Bernès,et al.  RNi2B2C (R = Ho, Dy, Tb and Pr) single crystals grown by the cold copper crucible method , 2000 .

[26]  V. A. Stepanov,et al.  Electron-phonon coupling origin of the resistivity in YNi2B2C single crystals , 2000, cond-mat/0007033.

[27]  P. Paufler,et al.  Electrical resistivity of YNi2B2C with boron deficiencies , 2000 .

[28]  D. Naugle,et al.  Thermal conductivity of rare-earth nickel borocarbides , 2000 .

[29]  V. A. Stepanov,et al.  Resistivity and electron-phonon coupling in YNi2B2C single crystals , 1999, cond-mat/9912435.

[30]  P. Wyder,et al.  Point-contact study of the magnetic superconductor HoNi2B2C , 1999 .

[31]  P. Paufler,et al.  Structural studies with TbNi2B2C single crystals and TbxY(1−x)Ni2B2C polycrystals , 1999 .

[32]  Helmut Eschrig,et al.  FULL-POTENTIAL NONORTHOGONAL LOCAL-ORBITAL MINIMUM-BASIS BAND-STRUCTURE SCHEME , 1999 .

[33]  B. Johansson,et al.  Electronic structure, chemical bonding, phase stability, and ground-state properties of YNi 2 − x ( C o / C u ) x B 2 C , 1998 .

[34]  L. C. Gupta,et al.  High-pressure studies on YNi 2 B 2 C at room temperature , 1998 .

[35]  K. Winzer,et al.  UPPER CRITICAL FIELD PECULIARITIES OF SUPERCONDUCTING YNI2B2C AND LUNI2B2C , 1997, cond-mat/9712174.

[36]  P. Canfield,et al.  Anisotropic resistivity and normal-state magnetoresistance of RNi{sub 2}B{sub 2}C (R=Y, Lu, Er, Ho) , 1997 .

[37]  D. Naugle,et al.  Electrical resistivity and thermopower of single-crystal RNi 2 B 2 C ÑR5Dy, Ho, Er, TmÖ magnetic superconductors , 1997 .

[38]  D. Naugle,et al.  Transport and superconducting properties of RNi2B2C (R=Y, Lu) single crystals , 1997 .

[39]  L. C. Gupta,et al.  Magnetic order and crystal structure in the superconducting RNi 2 B 2 C materials , 1997 .

[40]  P. Canfield,et al.  Normal-state properties of RNi2B2C (R=Y,Ho,La) and anisotropic resistivity of single-crystal RNi2B2C (R=Lu, Er, Ho) , 1996 .

[41]  Kobayashi,et al.  Thermal conductivity of RNi2B2C (R=Y,Ho) single crystals. , 1996, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[42]  W. F. Peck,et al.  X-ray diffraction patterns of LuNi2B2C and YNi2B2C , 1996, Powder Diffraction.

[43]  H. Schmidt,et al.  Composition dependent magnetoresistivity studies on HoNi2B2C , 1996 .

[44]  Fisher,et al.  Normal-state transport and magnetic properties of RNi2B2C (R=Y, Ho, La). , 1995, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[45]  M. Iavarone,et al.  Transport and tunneling measurements in superconducting YNi2B2C , 1995 .

[46]  Kim,et al.  Ab initio pseudopotential calculations for the electronic structure of low-Tc LuNi2B2C and the related compound LuNiBC. , 1995, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[47]  Krajewski,et al.  Pressure effects and specific heat in superconducting HoNi2B2C. , 1995, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[48]  Nagarajan,et al.  Structural, superconducting, and magnetic properties of YNi2B2C and ErNi2B2C. , 1995, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[49]  W. F. Peck,et al.  Crystal chemistry of the series LnT2B2C (Ln rare earth, T transition element) , 1994 .

[50]  R. Cava,et al.  Superconductivity in the LnNi2B2C intermetallics via boron A1g phonons , 1994 .

[51]  Zhao,et al.  Electronic structure of Ni-based superconducting quaternary compounds: YNi2B2X (X=B, C, N, and O). , 1994, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[52]  R. Coehoorn.  Electronic structure of superconducting LuNi2B2C, YPd2B2C and related intermetallic compounds , 1994 .

[53]  P. Rogl,et al.  Superconductivity in Y-Ni-B base compounds , 1994 .

[54]  Pickett,et al.  LuNi2B2C: A novel Ni-based strong-coupling superconductor. , 1994, Physical review letters.

[55]  Mattheiss Lf.  Electronic properties of superconducting LuNi2B2C and related boride carbide phases. , 1994 .

[56]  Wang,et al.  Accurate and simple analytic representation of the electron-gas correlation energy. , 1992, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[57]  H. Vinzelberg,et al.  Investigation of the heat conductivity of niobium in the temperature range 0.05–23 K , 1977 .

[58]  D. Greig,et al.  Thermoelectric Power of Metals , 1976 .

[59]  R. Barnard,et al.  Thermoelectricity in Metals and Alloys , 1974 .

[60]  V. Ambegaokar,et al.  Theory of the Thermal Conductivity of Superconducting Alloys with Paramagnetic Impurities , 1964 .