Interaction of optical phonons with magnons in orthorhombic crystals and the effect of magnetic field on structural phase transitions

The interaction of polar optical phonons with magnons in RMn₂O₅ manganates (R is a rare earth ion) has been studied in the approximation of collinear antiferromagnetic ordering of manganese sublattices. The effect of magnetic field on the structural phase transitions in these oxides has been analyzed.     

Incommensurate magnetic structures in rhombohedral Heisenberg antiferromagnet

The phase diagram of the ground state has been calculated for a rhombohedral antiferromagnet of the R3m symmetry with frustrated exchange in the base plane and competition of exchanges between the nearest and next-nearest planes. The diagram contains phases of collinear antiferromagnetic ordering of various types separated by five incommensurate magnetic states of the helicoidal type, differing in the ordering type and in the direction of the modulation vector. The commensurate and incommensurate phases converge at multi-critical points lying on a line corresponding to an antiferromagnet with an undistorted simple cubic lattice.     

On the possible coexistence of spiral and collinear structures in antiferromagnetic KFe(MoO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The static and resonance properties of a quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnet phase on a distorted triangular lattice of KFe(MoO₄)₂ have been experimentally studied. Magnetization curves exhibit features corresponding to the spin-flop transition in a collinear biaxial antiferromagnet and simultaneously show a magnetization plateau characteristic of a triangular spin structure. The magnetic resonance spectra also display absorption lines corresponding to the spin structures of both types. The experimental data are described in terms of a model comprising alternating weakly bound magnetic layers, in which the main two exchange integrals have different values. Below the Néel temperature (T _N =2.5 K), some of these layers possess a collinear antiferromagnetic structure, while the other layers have a triangular or spiral structure.     

Magnetic neutron scattering magnetic behaviour of a low-carrier density Kondo-lattice system ceas

Abstract

We have determined the magnetic structure of a low-carrier Kondo-lattice system CeAs, and have observed a softening of the crystalline electric field excitations. Despite the prediction of a recent magnetic polaron model in which CeAs and CeP are expected to show a stacking order of T₇ and T₈ layers, CeAs does not show such a stacking structure under pressure. The ordering in the intermediate phase is a regular ferromagnetic order and that of the low-temperature phase is a canted type-I AF.     

The magnetic structure of M-type hexaferrites

A symmetry analysis is presented of the possible types of magnetic ordering in hexagonal ferrimagnets having an (M type) magnetoplumbite structure. In the analysis the transition channel to a magnetically ordered state according to the k=0 star is considered. It is shown that the only general commuting representation for all regular point systems in such compounds is the unitary representation τ₁ corresponding to ferromagnetic ordering of the magnetic moments in sublattices. Antiferromagnetic exchange between ions of different sublattices leads to a collinear ferrimagnetic structure.     

Magnetic structure of cubic spinels MnxCr3−xO4 (x=1.0−1.6)

Neutron diffraction study on samples Mn_xCr_3?xO₄ with x=1.0, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 has been performed at temperatures below ～40 K where magnetic ordering is present. At 5 K the structure of the MnCr₂O₄ compound was found to be a general LKDM magnetic spiral with the propagation vector deviating by 13.3″ from the [110] axis. This results differs from previous findings. At about 16 K the structure becomes collinear. In samples higher content of manganese the magnetic structure is collinear over the whole temperature region (5–40) K, i.e. in the sense of long range ordering. However, a short range ordering of the transverse components of the spins is present both in these samples and in MnCr₂O₄ above 16 K.     

Magnetic properties and structures of PrPt and NdPt

The magnetic properties of the CrB-type orthorhombic phase of PrPt and NdPt are presented. Below their ordering temperature which is 15 and 23 K respectively, these compounds exhibit a ferromagnetic behaviour. The magnetic structures determined by neutron diffraction are collinear. While in PrPt, the magnetic moments are parallel to c, in NdPt, the moments lie in the (a, c) plane and make an angle of 22° with a. These properties and especially the peculiar moment direction in NdPt are discussed in terms of crystalline electric field effects on the rare earth ion.     

The influence of interatomic distances on magnetic ordering in RMnSi compounds (R=La, Y, Sm, and Gd)

Magnetic ordering in the RMnSi (R=La, Y, Sm, and Gd) compounds is investigated. It is found that the type of magnetic ordering depends on the d _Mn-Mn distance between manganese atoms inside the magnetic layers located in the planes perpendicular to the c axis. This inference is based on the results of studies performed with SmMnSi and GdMnSi compounds in which the distances between manganese atoms are close to the critical value d _Mn-Mn that corresponds to the crossover between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic ordering in RMnSi compounds. The introduction of lanthanum and yttrium atoms into the rare-earth sublattice leads to an increase and a decrease in the unit cell size, respectively, and brings about magnetic phase transitions in the compounds under investigation.     

Magnetic properties of UT2Si2 and UT2Ge2 (T = Co,Ni, Cu) intermetallic systems

Neutron diffraction and magnetization measurements indicate that, at low temperatures, long-range magnetic order is present in UCO₂Si₂, UNi₂Si₂, UCu₂Si₂, UNi₂Ge₂, and UCo₂Ge₂. UCo₂Si₂ and UNi₂Ge₂ are simple collinear antiferromagnets of +-+- type, UCu₂Si₂ a simple collinear ferromagnet. In UNi₂Si₂, a magnetic phase transition from a LSW type structure to collinear antiferromagnetism of +-+- type was found, while in UCu₂Ge₂, the antiferromagnetic structure of ++-- transforms into collinear ferromagnetism. Crystal structure and magnetic parameters are given. No magnetic moment on transition metal ions was found within the accuracy of a powder neutron diffraction experiment. The stability of particular magnetic ordering schemes is discussed in terms of an isotropic RKKY mechanism.     

Singlet-triplet model of cuprate magnetism

A model for describing the spin subsystem of cuprates within a model of polar singlet-triplet Jahn-Teller centers is proposed. In this model spin ordering is described by two vector order parameters S (the total spin of a CuO₄ cluster) and V (the operator of the change in spin multiplicity per cluster). It is shown within a modified mean-field approximation that the formation of a noncollinear magnetic structure characterized by an antiferromagnetic wave vector, which, however, has a nontrivial temperature dependence of the order parameters, is possible along with the formation of ordinary collinear structures of the (anti)ferromagnetic type. The temperature dependences of the order parameters and the principal equilibrium thermodynamic characteristics, viz., the static susceptibility and the specific heat, are obtained. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1785–1792 (October 1998)     

Triangular antiferromagnetic order in the honeycomb layer lattice of

ErCl₃ crystallizes in the AlCl₃-type layer structure. The crystal structure was refined in the paramagnetic state by powder neutron diffraction. The monoclinic lattice parameters at 1.5 K are a = 6.8040(3)?, b = 11.7456(5)?, c = 6.3187(3)? and . The space group is C2/m. Short-range, predominantly in-plane, magnetic ordering occurs above 350 mK up to several Kelvin. Below mK a three-dimensional antiferromagnetic order with a propagation vector of sets in. The magnetic structure of ErCl₃ was determined by powder and single-crystal neutron diffraction at temperatures down to 45 mK. The Er³⁺ ions are located on two-dimensional honeycomb layers in the a–b plane. There are two antiferromagnetically coupled triangular sublattices which form right- and left-handed helices along the c-axis. The magnetic moments are oriented in the a–b plane and amount to 3.3(1) at saturation. From the temperature dependence of the integrated neutron magnetic peak intensity a critical exponent (2) was derived for the magnetic phase transition. Received 1 December 1999 and Received in final form 21 July 2000     

Magnetic phase transition in TbMn2Ge2

The crystal and magnetic stucture of TbMn₂Ge₂ are determined by neutron diffraction using a powder sample. The crystal structure of this compound is of the ThCr₂Si₂ type with small mixing of Mn and Ge atoms between 4(d) and 4(e) positions. At RT the antiferromagnetic collinear structure consist of a+?+? sequence of ferromagnetic layers of Mn atoms with the magnetic moment parallel to the c-axis. At 85 K, the ferromagnetic ordering within the Tb sublattice is observed. The magnetic moment (～7.7 μ_B) is parallel to the c-axis. At 4.2 K additional reflections are observed, which correspond to antiferromagnetic components in a monoclinic unit cell.     

Effect of Magnetic Pulse Processing on the Structure and Magnetic Properties of Ferrites

The effect a pulsed magnetic field has on the crystal structure and macroscopic magnetic parameters of hexagonal ferrites BaFe₁₂O₁₉ and SrFe₁₂O₁₉ are studied. It is shown that changes in the physical properties of ferrites are due to the ordering of cation vacancies on the boundaries of hexagonal and spinel blocks that minimize local distortion of the oxygen polyhedrons. Violation of the collinear ordering of the magnetic moments of iron ions in the nonequivalent positions of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ ferrite is observed, due to the selective localization of such vacancies (and thus violations of the magnetic relationships in Fe–O–Fe).     

Spectral investigations of surface ordering in ultrathin molecular films

Surface molecular ordering in ultrathin molecular films is investigated. The optical transmission spectra of molecular films ranging in thickness from 2 to 13 smectic layers (6.7–43 nm) in the region of the electronic absorption bands in the smectic A phase of cyanobiphenyl CB9 are measured. The thickness and temperature dependences of the permittivity are determined. It is found that the orientational ordering of the molecules depends on the film thickness. The penetration depth of the surface molecular orientational order does not exceed two smectic layers (<7 nm). Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 1833–1842 (May 1999)     

Triangular antiferromagnets with a layered structure in a uniform field

We study the magnetic states and phase transitions in layered triangular antiferromagnets and show that in compounds of the VBr₂ (or VCl₂) type the quantum effects alter the structure of the ground state and initiate a series of transitions as the magnetic field strength is increased. We establish that planar structures with different spin configurations are realized when the magnetic field strength is far from the saturation value, while a nonplanar structure of the umbrella type is realized in fields close to the saturation value. Finally, we build the phase diagram of the ground state and indicate a finite range of field strengths where a collinear phase is possible, too. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 627–643 (February 1997)     

Behavior of the atomic and magnetic structure of La0.35Pr0.35Ca0.30MnO3 at a metal-insulator phase transition

The evolution of the structural and magnetic properties of the CMR (colossal-magnetoresistance) compound La_0.35Pr_0.35Ca_0.30MnO₃ as the temperature changes from 10 to 293 K is investigated by means of neutron diffraction. It is shown that the changes in the transport and magnetic properties are directly related with the rearrangement of the atomic structure. A phase transition to the metallic state occurs together with simultaneous ferromagnetic ordering of the manganese moments and is accompanied by a jump in volume. The static distortions of the oxygen octahedra which are observed to occur prior to the magnetic phase transition and which are practically absent at room temperature and in the FM phase attest to the orbital ordering of oxygen atoms on the bonds, with freezing-in of the Jahn-Teller modes. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 9, 672–677 (10 May 1998)     

Neutron scattering on the strongly correlated electron CeNi Cu system: from non-magnetic behaviour to long-range magnetic order

The ground state of the strongly correlated electron CeNi_1-xCu_x compounds has been investigated by means of neutron scattering experiments. Thus, magnetic diffraction was performed for compounds showing long-range magnetic order (x > 0.2). An evolution from a collinear ferromagnetic structure for x =0.6 to a simple antiferromagnetic one for CeCu takes place through some more complex magnetic structures for intermediate compositions. The magnetic moments are continuously reduced when the Ni content increases reflecting the progressive enhancement of the Kondo screening. The large reduction found for x =0.6 compound is discussed and the existence of a spin glass like component of the magnetic moment cannot be discarded. From the quasielastic spectra, we have obtained the Kondo temperatures which are close to the magnetic ordering ones. The quasielastic line-width evolves from a linear temperature dependence to a T ^1/2 behaviour when approaching the non-magnetic limit. Then, this system provides an interesting example for the evolution of unstable 4 f shell relaxation regimes when modifying the hybridisation strength. Received 22 May 2000     

Multiferroicity induced by dislocated spin-density waves

We uncover a new pathway towards multiferroicity, showing how magnetism can drive ferroelectricity without relying on inversion symmetry breaking of the magnetic ordering. Our free-energy analysis demonstrates that any commensurate spin-density-wave ordering with a phase dislocation, even if it is collinear, gives rise to an electric polarization. Because of the dislocation, the electronic and magnetic inversion centers do not coincide, which turns out to be a sufficient condition for multiferroic coupling. The novel mechanism explains the formation of multiferroic phases at the magnetic commensurability transitions, such as the ones observed in YMn(2)O(5) and related compounds. We predict that in these multiferroics an oscillating electrical polarization is concomitant with the uniform polarization. On the basis of our theory, we put forward new types of magnetic materials that are potentially ferroelectric.     

Change in periodicity of the incommensurate magnetic order towards commensurate order in bismuth ferrite lead titanate

xBiFeO₃-(1−x)PbTiO₃ has been synthesised in bulk polycrystalline ceramic form and then self-disintegrated to form powder (P4mm) (x=0.7) or crushed (R3c) (x=0.75, 0.9) to relieve stress. High-resolution neutron powder diffraction has been employed to observe incommensurate antiferromagnetic ordering within the materials, and its dependence on phase at 7.5 K. It is shown that in the rhombohedral phase the period of the magnetic structure depends on PbTiO₃ addition, and increases from 790 Å (x=0.9) to 840 Å (x=0.75). The tetragonal phase restores the collinear antiferromagnetic order.     

Phase transitions in uniaxial ferromagnetic film covered by superconducting layers

The phase diagram and the single-domain uniform state for a uniaxial ferromagnetic film with the superconducting layers covering one or both sides of a ferromagnet are investigated. The superconductor is supposed to be a second-order one and the interaction between the magnetic sub-system and with the conductivity electrons in a superconductor is purely electromagnetic and the vortices in a superconductor are pinned. The critical thickness of the magnetic film for which the uniform state becomes absolutely stable is calculated when the external magnetic field is supposed to be in-plane of the film. It is shown that the critical thickness of the film from the magnetic material with the quality factor Q>1 monotonically decreases as the magnetic field increases in the range from zero value to the value of the transition field where the collinear phase transforms into the angular (canted) phase. Further the critical thickness increases with the increase of the field. The quasi-single-domain magnetic film states were considered when the film thickness was close to the critical one. It is shown that for a thin isolated magnetic film the domain period exponentially increases with the decrease of the film thickness. Such dependence, however for the film with double-side superconducting cover and close to the transition into the single domain state becomes logarithmic and for the film covered by superconductor only on the one side varies as the power series. The single-domain state existence and the asymptotic behaviour of the domain structure is explained by the features of the asymptotic behaviour of the domain walls within the system. As for isolated magnetic film and for a film with the superconductor cover layers the transition from the collinear phase to the inhomogeneous state is the second-order phase transition and the transition from the uniform angular phase to the inhomogeneous phase is the first-order transition.