Magnetic-field-induced low-energy spin excitations in YBa(2)Cu(4)O(8) measured by high field Gd(3+) electron spin resonance.

We have measured the spin susceptibility, chi(s), of the CuO(2) planes in the underdoped high T(c) superconductor, YBa(2)Cu(4)O(8) by Gd(3+) electron spin resonance (ESR) in single crystals and aligned powders in fields up to 15.4 T. At low temperatures and high fields, chi(s) is enhanced slightly in the B parallel c orientation with respect to the B perpendicular c orientation. The enhancement at 15.4 T (approximately equal to 0.15H(c2)) at 16 K (0.2 T(c)) is small: approximately 10% of chi(s)(T(c)), suggesting that the second critical field of superconductivity, H(c2) approximately equal to 100 T, would not suppress the pseudogap. This work demonstrates the potential of high field ESR in single crystals for studying high T(c) superconductors.

Station 16.3: a high-resolution single-crystal diffraction facility at the SRS, Daresbury.

SRS station 16.3 is now a fully scheduled user facility for high-resolution and high-energy single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It is based on a large three-axis diffractometer, designed and constructed at Daresbury for a wide range of physics and materials science applications. Served by wiggler 16 (a 6 T superconducting wavelength-shifter), the station has access to a broad spectrum of photon energies, extending to over 50 keV, and is designed for simple polarization-state tuning by motorized height adjustment of all optical components. This paper outlines the key design features and some of the science projects carried out during the first year of operation.