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2009 METALS, SUPERCONDUCTORS...Magnetic torque experim<strong>en</strong>ts on the magnetic-field-induced organicsuperconductor λ-(BETS) 2 FeCl 4Layered organic superconductors have upper critical fieldsexceeding the theoretical Pauli limit for superconductivitywh<strong>en</strong> the magnetic field is applied parallel to the layers.Theory predicts th<strong>en</strong> the possibility of a Fulde-Ferrel-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superconducting state[Fulde and Ferrel, Phys. Rev. 135, A550 (1964);Larkin and Ovchinnikov, Sov. Phys. JETP 20, 762(1965)]. Besi<strong>des</strong> κ-(BEDT-TTF) 2 Cu(NCS) 2 , the two dim<strong>en</strong>sionalfield-induced superconductor λ-(BETS) 2 FeCl 4 ,where BETS is bis(ethyl<strong>en</strong>edithio)tetrasel<strong>en</strong>afulval<strong>en</strong>e, is acandidate which fulfils all necessary conditions. Wh<strong>en</strong> themagnetic field is applied parallel to the metallic layers, asuperconducting phase appears above 17 T below 1 K.In our first experim<strong>en</strong>t we focused on the critical field at17 T. Figure 98 shows torque data tak<strong>en</strong> at differ<strong>en</strong>t temperaturesduring field sweeps. Surprisingly, a broad kinklikeanomaly appears only above 22 T indicating the transitioninto the field-induced superconducting state. Below200 mK a pronounced hysteresis appears. The experim<strong>en</strong>tsshow no evid<strong>en</strong>ce for additional phase transitions withinthe superconducting state. The phase diagram clearly differsfrom that reported by Uji et al. A misalignm<strong>en</strong>t of thesample can be ruled out. A possible explanation may befound in the rather rapid cooling conditions in our experim<strong>en</strong>twhich is known to cause anion-disorder effects in 1Dorganic superconductors. The result stimulates further experim<strong>en</strong>tsunder more controlled experim<strong>en</strong>tal conditions.This field-induced superconductivity is well understoodin the framework of the Fischer theory, based on theJaccarino-Peter effect. Uji et al. reported possible FFLOstates at the two critical fields based on dip structures inthe resistivity [Uji et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 157001(2006) and refer<strong>en</strong>ces therein]. This motivated us to lookfor a thermodynamic phase transition betwe<strong>en</strong> the homog<strong>en</strong>eoussuperconducting phase and the FFLO states bymeans of magnetic torque experim<strong>en</strong>ts using a capacitancecantilever technique. The probe was equipped with a rotator,which allowed us to align the layers parallel to the fielddirection with a precision of 0.001 ◦ . Single crystals of λ-(BETS) 2 FeCl 4 were grown by the standard electrochemicaloxidation technique.Figure 98: Magnet torque of λ-(BETS) 2 FeCl 4 is plotted as afunction of field at differ<strong>en</strong>t temperatures.I. SheikinR. Lortz (The Hong Kong University of Sci<strong>en</strong>ce and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong), Y. Nakazawa ( University ofOsaka, Osaka, Japan), B. Zhou, A. Kobayashi, H. Kobayashi (Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan)71

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