  We report an easy single step synthesis route of title compound
NdFeAsO0.80F0.20 superconductor having bulk superconductivity below 50 K. The
title compound is synthesized via solid-state reaction route by encapsulation
in an evacuated (10-3 Torr) quartz tube. Rietveld analysis of powder X-ray
diffraction data shows that compound crystallized in tetragonal structure with
space group P4/nmm. R(T)H measurements showed superconductivity with Tc (R=0)
at 48 K and a very high upper critical field (Hc2) of up to 345 Tesla. Magnetic
measurements exhibited bulk superconductivity in terms of diamagnetic onset
below 50 K. The lower critical field (Hc1) is around 1000 Oe at 5 K. In normal
state i.e., above 60 K, the compound exhibited purely paramagnetic behavior and
thus ruling out the presence of any ordered FeOx impurity in the matrix. In
specific heat measurements a jump is observed in the vicinity of
superconducting transition (Tc) along with an upturn at below T=4 K due to the
AFM ordering of Nd+3 ions in the system. The Thermo-electric power (TEP) is
negative down to Tc, thus indicating dominant carriers to be of n-type in
NdFeAsO0.80F0.20 superconductor. The granularity of the bulk superconducting
NdFeAsO0.8F0.2 sample is investigated and the intra and inter grain
contributions have been individuated by looking at various amplitude and
frequencies of the applied AC drive magnetic field.
