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We study the Seebeck effect in the $\tau$-type organic conductors, $\tau$-(EDO-$S$,$S$-DMEDT-TTF)$_{2}$(AuBr$_{2}$)$_{1+y}$ and $\tau$-(P-$S$,$S$-DMEDT-TTF)$_{2}$(AuBr$_{2}$)$_{1+y}$, where EDO-$S$,$S$-DMEDT-TTF and P-$S$,$S$-DMEDT-TTF are abbreviated as OOSS and NNSS, respectively, both experimentally and theoretically. Theoretically in particular, we perform first-principles band calculation for the two materials and construct a two-orbital model, on the basis of which we calculate the Seebeck coefficient. We show that the calculated temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient $S$ is semi-quantitatively consistent with the experimental observation. In both materials, the absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient is maximum at a certain temperature, and this temperature is lower for NNSS than for OOSS. From a band structure viewpoint, we find that this can be traced back to the narrowness of the band gap between the upper and the lower pudding-mold type bands. On the other hand, the Seebeck coefficient of NNSS in the low temperature regime steeply increases with increasing temperature, which is due to the narrowness of the upper band. These differences in thermoelectric properties demonstrate the effectiveness of controlling the band structure through molecular modification., Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures. To be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn

Resistivity and Hall effect measurements of EuFe$_2$As$_2$ up to 3.2\,GPa indicate no divergence of quasiparticle effective mass at the pressure $P_\mathrm{c}$ where the magnetic and structural transition disappears. This is corroborated by analysis of the temperature ($T$) dependence of the upper critical field. $T$-linear resistivity is observed at pressures slightly above $P_\mathrm{c}$. The scattering rates for both electrons and holes are shown to be approximately $T$-linear. When a field is applied, a $T^2$ dependence is recovered, indicating that the origin of the $T$-linear dependence is spin fluctuations., Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. B

Extremely large magnetoresistance is realized in the nonmagnetic layered metal PdCoO2. In spite of a highly conducting metallic behavior with a simple quasi-two-dimensional hexagonal Fermi surface, the interlayer resistance reaches up to 35000% for the field along the [1-10] direction. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the resistance becomes nonmetallic for this field direction, while it remains metallic for fields along the [110] direction. Such severe and anisotropic destruction of the interlayer coherence by a magnetic field on a simple Fermi surface is ascribable to orbital motion of carriers on the Fermi surface driven by the Lorentz force, but seems to have been largely overlooked until now., Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 056601 (2013)

We have constructed a pressure$-$temperature ($P-T$) phase diagram of $P$-induced superconductivity in EuFe$_2$As$_2$ single crystals, via resistivity ($\rho$) measurements up to 3.2 GPa. As hydrostatic pressure is applied, an antiferromagnetic (AF) transition attributed to the FeAs layers at $T_\mathrm{0}$ shifts to lower temperatures, and the corresponding resistive anomaly becomes undetectable for $P$ $\ge$ 2.5 GPa. This suggests that the critical pressure $P_\mathrm{c}$ where $T_\mathrm{0}$ becomes zero is about 2.5 GPa. We have found that the AF order of the Eu$^{2+}$ moments survives up to 3.2 GPa without significant changes in the AF ordering temperature $T_\mathrm{N}$. The superconducting (SC) ground state with a sharp transition to zero resistivity at $T_\mathrm{c}$ $\sim$ 30 K, indicative of bulk superconductivity, emerges in a pressure range from $P_\mathrm{c}$ $\sim$ 2.5 GPa to $\sim$ 3.0 GPa. At pressures close to but outside the SC phase, the $\rho(T)$ curve shows a partial SC transition (i.e., zero resistivity is not attained) followed by a reentrant-like hump at approximately $T_\mathrm{N}$ with decreasing temperature. When nonhydrostatic pressure with a uniaxial-like strain component is applied using a solid pressure medium, the partial superconductivity is continuously observed in a wide pressure range from 1.1 GPa to 3.2 GPa., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review B, selected as "Editors' Suggestion"

We have carried out high-field resistivity measurements up to 27\,T in EuFe$_2$As$_2$ at $P$\,=\,2.5\,GPa, a virtually optimal pressure for the $P$-induced superconductivity, where $T_\mathrm{c}$\,=\,30\,K. The $B_\mathrm{c2}-T_\mathrm{c}$ phase diagram has been constructed in a wide temperature range with a minimum temperature of 1.6 K ($\approx 0.05 \times T_\mathrm{c}$), for both $B \parallel ab$ ($B_\mathrm{c2}^\mathrm{ab}$) and $B \parallel c$ ($B_\mathrm{c2}^\mathrm{c}$). The upper critical fields $B_\mathrm{c2}^\mathrm{ab}$(0) and $B_\mathrm{c2}^\mathrm{c}$(0), determined by the onset of resistive transitions, are 25 T and 22 T, respectively, which are significantly smaller than those of other Fe-based superconductors with similar values of $T_\mathrm{c}$. The small $B_\mathrm{c2}(0)$ values and the $B_\mathrm{c2}(T)$ curves with positive curvature around 20 K can be explained by a multiple pair-breaking model that includes the exchange field due to the magnetic Eu$^{2+}$ moments. The anisotropy parameter, $\Gamma=B_\mathrm{c2}^{ab}/B_\mathrm{c2}^{c}$, in EuFe$_2$As$_2$ at low temperatures is comparable to that of other "122" Fe-based systems., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, revised version to be published in Phys. Rev. B (Rapid Communications)

We report resistivity $\rho$ and Hall effect measurements on EuFe$_2$As$_2$ at ambient pressure and 28 kbar and magnetization measurements at ambient pressure. We analyze the temperature and magnetic-field dependence of $\rho$ and the Hall effect using a molecular-field theory for magnetoresistance and an empirical formula for the anomalous Hall effect and find that electron scattering due to the Eu$^{2+}$ local moments plays only a minor role in determining electronic transport properties of EuFe$_2$As$_2$., Comment: Published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn

We study the origin of the large thermopower in quasi-two-dimensional a $\tau$-type organic conductor, $\tau-(EDO-S,S-DMEDT-TTF)_2(AuBr_2)_{1+y}$ ($y \le 0.875$), from the view point of a "pudding mold"-type band structure. We calculate the electronic band structure using an \textit{ab initio} band calculation package, and obtain a tight binding model fit to the \textit{ab initio} band structure. Using the model and the Boltzmann's equation approach, we calculate the temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient. We conclude that the peculiar band structure is the origin of the large Seebeck coefficient and the appearance of the maximum value at a certain temperature., Comment: proceedings of ISCOM 2009 (to be published in Physica B)

We present the magnetic and superconducting phase diagram of EuFe$_2$As$_2$ for $B \parallel c$ and $B \parallel ab$. The antiferromagnetic phase of the Eu$^{2+}$ moments is completely enclosed in the superconducting phase. The upper critical field vs. temperature curves exhibit strong concave curvatures, which can be explained by the Jaccarino-Peter compensation effect due to the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between the Eu$^{2+}$ moments and conduction electrons., Comment: submitted to the proceedings of the M2S-IX Tokyo

We report the ac magnetic susceptibility $\chi_{ac}$ and resistivity $\rho$ measurements of EuFe$_2$As$_2$ under high pressure $P$. By observing nearly 100% superconducting shielding and zero resistivity at $P$ = 28 kbar, we establish that $P$-induced superconductivity occurs at $T_c \sim$~30 K in EuFe$_2$As$_2$. $\rho$ shows an anomalous nearly linear temperature dependence from room temperature down to $T_c$ at the same $P$. $\chi_{ac}$ indicates that an antiferromagnetic order of Eu$^{2+}$ moments with $T_N \sim$~20 K persists in the superconducting phase. The temperature dependence of the upper critical field is also determined., Comment: To appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn., Vol. 78 No. 8