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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-102).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-133).

This thesis presents work on theoretical tools used to study transient and quantum-fluctuating impurity potentials that arise in resonant x-ray scattering and ultracold atomic gases. These tools fall under two main classes, functional determinants for exact evaluation of many-fermion matrix elements, and the variational polaron transformation. The following work carefully introduces both approaches and compares theoretical predictions to known experimental and computational results. In several cases this thesis presents arguments that experiments on high-temperature superconducting cup rates must be reinterpreted in terms of a quasiparticle picture. Where no experimental data exist, predictions are made and suggestions given for new uses for simple experimental techniques. For example, indirect resonant inelastic x-ray scattering turns out to be a versatile pseudo gap probe, and radio frequency absorption of a fermi gas with an impurity can detect a repulsively-bound state. / Physics

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Among the newly discovered iron-based superconductor, FeSe with the simplest structure and a transition temperature (T_c) around 8 K arouses much research interest. Although its Tc is much lower than that of the cuprates, iron chalcogenide has low anisotropy, slow decrease of the critical current density (J_c) with increasing magnetic field and high upper critical field H_c2 as well as easy composition control, which makes it a promising candidate to substitute NbSn/NbTi for high field applications. Compared with its bulk counterpart, iron-based superconductor thin film has a great potential in developing the ordered quasi-2D structure and is suitable for coating technology which has already been applied in YBa_2Cu_3O_7-x coated conductors. In this thesis, we first optimized pure FeSe thin films by different growth conditions using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and post-annealing procedures. The microstructure properties of the films including the epitaxial quality, interface structure and secondary phase have been studied and correlated with the superconducting properties. Second, we reported our initial attempt on introducing the flux pinning centers into FeSe_0.5Te_0.5 thin films either under a controlled oxygen atmosphere or with a thin CeO_2 interlayer. The microstructure of the FeSe_0.5Te_0.5 films including the epitaxial quality, the interface structure and the secondary phase have been studied and correlated with the in-field performance of the superconducting thin films to explore the pinning properties of these nanoscale defects. Very recently, ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) substrates have been used to grow high quality FeSe_0.5Te_0.5 tape with excellent in-field performance. The film on IBAD substrate involves multiple steps of seed layer and buffer layer deposition to establish the epitaxial growth template. Therefore a simplified and cost effective iron-based coated conductor is more desirable. Towards the practical application, we demonstrated the growth of superconducting FeSe_0.5Te_0.5 film on amorphous glass substrates for the first time. The film is highly textured with excellent superconducting properties, e.g., T_c of 10 K and J_c under self-field as high as 1.2×10^4 A/cm^2 at 4 K. Further optimization of the film growth with various nanoscale interlayers has been carried out. In addition the Te rich iron chalcogenide thin film with composition close to the composition with antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition has been demonstrated. Compared to the FeSe_0.5Te_0.5 which claimed to be the optimum composition from the literature report, the FeSe_0.1Te_0.9 is even more promising for the high field application with its coexistence of super high upper critical field and high critical current density.

Various aspects of the tunneling states problem in metallic glasses are examined. As a first step, a computer model based on the analogy between local environments in crystalline and amorphous states is developed and used to generate and relax structures for two specific materials, namely Ni(,80)P(,20) and Cu(,33)Zr(,67). The model is found to give a physically realistic picture of the systems examined, in particular by properly accounting for short-range order effects. The structures are then analyzed in terms of single-atom tunneling taking place between two metastable minimum-energy positions. The probability of occurence of such "two-level systems" (TLS's) is shown to be strongly correlated with the degree of relaxation and thus with the density of the system. Further, they are seen to be associated with voids in the structure which disappear upon relaxation, suggesting an analogy with the physical process of annealing metallic glasses below their glass transition temperatures. It is therefore concluded that a reduction of the various low-temperature anomalies in these materials should result from the annealing process. As a verification, the change in superconducting transition temperature T(,c) due to the presence of TLS's is evaluated. In leading to a non-negligible enhancement effect, our model is indeed found to provide a reasonable estimate of the observed drop in T(,c), thus corroborating our hypothesis of a reduction of the TLS density of states upon thermal relaxation.

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The superconducting order parameter and the mass renormalization function can be solved either at discrete frequencies along the imaginary axis, or as a function of continuous real frequencies. The latter is done with a method called analytic continuation. The analytic continuation can conveniently be done by approximating a power series to the functions, the Padè approximation. Studied in this project is the difference between the Padè approximation, and a formally exact analytic continuation of the functions. As it turns out, the Padè approximant is applicable to calculate the superconducting order parameter at temperatures sufficiently below the critical temperature. However close to the critical temperature the approximation fails, while the solution presented in this report remains reliable.

<p>We report on graphene-based Superconductor-Normal metal-Superconductor Joseph- son junctions with contacts made from lead. The high transition temperature of this superconductor allows us to observe the supercurrent branch at temperatures up to &#1113094; 2 K. We are able to detect a small, but non-zero, resistance despite the Josephson junctions being in the superconducting state. We attribute this resistance to the phase diffusion regime, which has not been yet identified in graphene. By measuring the resistance as a function of temperature and gate voltage, we can further charac- terize the nature of electromagnetic environment and dissipation in our samples. In addition we modulate the critical current through grapehene by an external magnetic field; the resulting Fraunhofer interference pattern shows several periods of oscilla- tions. However, deviations from the perfect Fraunhofer pattern are observed, and their cause is explained by a simulation that takes into account the sample design.</p> / Dissertation