Electronic Theory Of Solids-2022

Assignment- Week 10
Type of Questions: MCQ/NAT
Number of Questions: 10 Total Marks: 10 X 2 =20

Question 1 :
The value of critical temperature is ...........K if the critical magnetic fields of a superconductor at
temperatures 4K and 8K are 11 mA/m and 5.5 mA/m.
Answer: 10.5 to 10.7
Solution:
  2 
We have Hc = H0 1 − TTc , Where Hc is critical magnetic field at temperature T and H0 is
the critical field at 0K.
Let at T= T1 =4K, Hc (T1 )=11 mA/m, and at T= T2 = 8K, Hc (T2 )= 5.5 mA/m
Therefore,   2 
T1
Hc (T1 ) = H0 1 −
Tc
  2 
T2
Hc (T2 ) = H0 1 −
Tc
Now we take the ratio of Hc (T1 ) and Hc (T2 ) to get Tc = 10.6K

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Question 2 :
Considering the BCS theory of superconductors, which one of the following statements is NOT
CORRECT? ( h is the Plank’s constant and e is the electronic charge)

1. Presence of energy gap at temperature below the critical temperature

2. Different critical temperature for isotopes

h
3. Quantization of magnetic flux in superconduction ring in the unit of e

4. Presence of Meissner effect

Correct answer: 3
Solution:
h
Quantization of magnetic flux in superconduction ring in the unit of 2e

Question 3 :
Which of the following is TRUE for magnons in a ferromagnet?

1. Magnons are fermions and hence follow Fermi-Dirac Statistics.

2. At long wavelengths the frequency is proportional to k 2

3. At long wavelengths the frequency is proportional to k

4. None of the above is true.

Correct answer: 2
Solution:
As discussed in lecture, at long wavelengths the dispersion relation is given by,

ℏω ∝ (JSa2 )k 2

Magnons are bosons and hence follow Bose-Einstein Statistics.

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Question 4 :
The thermal conductivity of a given material reduces when it undergoes a transition from its
normal state to the superconducting state. The reason is:

1. The Cooper pairs cannot transfer energy to the lattice

2. Upon the formation of Cooper pairs, the lattice becomes less efficient in heat transfer

3. The electrons in the normal state lose their ability to transfer heat because of their
coupling to the Cooper pairs

4. There is a gap opening on transition to the superconducting state so that a minimum

energy is required for the excitation of each electron from a state below the gap to a state
above the gap leading to a reduction in thermal conductivity

Correct answer: 4
Solution:
There is a gap opening on transition to the superconducting state so that a minimum energy is
required for the excitation of each electron from a state below the gap to a state above the gap
leading to a reduction in thermal conductivity.

Question 5 :
The critical temperature of a material with isotopic mass 199.5 amu is 4.185 K. The critical
temperature if its mass changes to 203.4 amu is ..........K? (up to three decimal points)
Answer: 4.140 to 4.150
Solution:
Superconductors satisfy the relation Tc ∝ √1 . According to this,
M
r
Tc1 M2
=
Tc2 M1
Say, Tc1 = 4.185 K and M1 = 199.5 amu and M2 = 203.4 amu. From this relation Tc2 = 4.145 K

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Question 6 :
Which of the following statements is(are) CORRECT about the type-I and type-II
superconductors?
(i) Superconductivity is abruptly destroyed when the strength of the applied field rises above a
critical value in type-I while in type-II superconductors, raising the applied field past a critical
value leads to a mixed state (vortex state).
(ii) Type-I superconductors can tolerate impurities without affecting the superconducting
properties while type-II are more sensitive to impurities.
(iii) Type-I superconductors do not exhibit perfect Meissner effect while type-II do.

1. Only (ii) and (iii)

2. Only (i) and (ii)

3. Only (i)

4. All of them are correct

Answer: 2
Solution:
(i) Superconductivity is abruptly destroyed when the strength of the applied field rises above a
critical value in type-I while in type-II superconductors, raising the applied field past a critical
value leads to a mixed state (vortex state).
(ii) Type-I superconductors can tolerate impurities without affecting the superconducting
properties while type-II are more sensitive to impurities.
(iii) Type-I superconductors exhibit perfect Meissner effect while type-II do not.

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Question 7 :

If √1M is on x-axis and Tc is on y-axis, which of the following curve is CORRECT

representation of the data mentioned in table for tin[Sn]?

1. (a) only

2. (b) only

3. (a) and (b) both

4. neither (a) nor (b)

Answer: 2
Solution:
We know Tc ∝ √1M . Now, the values for Tc are decreasing with the isotope mass (M ), so it (Tc )
should be in increasing manner with √1M . So, (b) is the correct representation of the relation
Tc ∝ √1M .

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Question 8 :
In superconducting state [ρ = Resistivity, E, B =⇒ electric and magnetic fields ]

1. ρ = 0, E ̸= 0 B ̸= 0

2. ρ ̸= 0, E = 0 B ̸= 0

3. ρ = 0, E = 0 B = 0

4. ρ = 0, E ̸= 0 B = 0

Correct answer: 3
Solution: In Superconducting state ρ = 0, E = 0 B = 0

Question 9 :
The plot of electronic specific heat versus temperature across the superconducting transition
temperature (TC ) is most appropriately represented by

Answer: (a)
Solution:
− 2k∆ T
Cv ∝ e B . (a) is best suitable plot for the specific heat.

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Question 10 :
A superconducting ring carries a steady current in the presence of a magnetic field B normal to
the plane of the ring. Identify the incorrect statement.

1. The flux passing through the superconductor is quantized in units of hc/e

2. The current and the magnetic field in the superconductor are time independent.

3. The current density j and B are related by the equation ∇ × j + λ2 B = 0, where, λ is a

constant.

4. The supercurrent does not decay over a very long time

Answer: 1
Solution:
The flux quantization in superconducting ring is ϕ = nϕ0 , where, ϕ0 = hc/2e