The magnetic structures of HoTiO3 and ErTiO3

The magnetic structures of rare-earth titanium perovskites, ErTiO₃ and HoTiO₃, have been determined at 4.2 K by neutron diffraction. The Er³⁺ moment of (8.5 ± 0.5) μ_B lies along [001] and is colinear with the titanium moment of (-0.7 ± 0.3) μ_B. The Ho³⁺ moment of (8.1 ± 0.5) μ_B is inclined at an angle of 24° to the bc plane and 32° to the ab pla so as to produce an antiferromagnetic ordering of the x component and a ferromagnetic ordering of the y and the z components. The titanium moment of (-0.55 ± 0.3) μ_B lies in the bc plane but its precise direction has not been determined.     

A powder neutron diffraction study of the ErCu2Ge2 compound - crystal field

The compound ErCu₂Ge₂ was studied by neutron diffraction. The diffraction diagram of this compound at 170 K agrees with its crystallographic structure. Its diagram at 1.9 K reveals the existence of superlattice lines consistent with a cell doubled in the a and c directions. The erbium magnetic moment (8.0±0.4)μ_B lies on the c-axis. Crystal field calculations on the Er³⁺ site give 7.9μ_B, with easy magnetization axis the c-axis of the crystal. Copper must contribute to the V^m_l crystal field parameters with a charge equal to 0.6⁺.     

Magnetic phase transitions and structures of Co3V 2O8

Co₃V ₂O₈ is a spin- 3/2 system on a Kagomé staircase and is known to undergo two magnetic phase transitions between 6 and 11 K. The H-T phase diagram of Co₃V ₂O₈ derived by magnetization measurements on a single crystal is presented. Additionally both ordered magnetic structures were investigated by neutron powder diffraction experiments and solved using Bertaut’s macroscopic theory. For the ferromagnetic phase the magnetic moments of the Co²⁺ ions were found to be 1.5(3)μ_B and 2.7(1)μ_B at 3.5 K along the crystallographic a axis for the (4a) and (8e) sites, respectively. The antiferromagnetic phase exhibits a magnetic cell with a doubled b axis with respect to the nuclear one. The magnetic moments point along the a axis being 1.8(2)μ_B (4a) and 1.8(1)μ_B (8e) at 8 K.     

Understanding the magnetic ground state of rare-earth intermetallic compound Ce4Sb3: Magnetization and neutron diffraction studies

Magnetization and neutron diffraction studies have been performed on Ce₄Sb₃ compound (cubic Th₃P₄-type, space group I4¯3d, no. 220). Magnetization of Ce₄Sb₃ reveals a ferromagnetic transition at ∼5 K, the temperature below which the zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization bifurcate in low applied fields. However, a saturation magnetization (M_S) value of only ∼0.93μ_B/Ce³⁺ is observed at 1.8 K, suggesting possible presence of crystal field effects and a paramagnetic/antiferromagnetic Ce³⁺ moment. Magnetocaloric effect in this compound has been computed using the magnetization vs. field data obtained in the vicinity of the magnetic transition, and a maximum magnetic entropy change, −ΔS_M, of ∼8.9 J/kg/K is obtained at 5 K for a field change of 5 T. Inverse magnetocaloric effect occurs at ∼2 K in 5 T indicating the presence of antiferromagnetic component. This has been further confirmed by the neutron diffraction study that evidences commensurate antiferromagnetic ordering at 2 K in zero magnetic field. A magnetic moment of ∼1.24μ_B/Ce³⁺ is obtained at 2 K and the magnetic moments are directed along Z-axis.     

Magnetic and crystallographic study of Tb0.75Y0.25Co3B2

Tb_0.75Y_0.25Co₃B₂ was studied as a function of temperature by neutron powder diffraction, ac susceptibility and SQUID magnetization measurements. The solid solution, which is of hexagonal symmetry and is paramagnetic at 300 K, undergoes a magnetic Co–Co ordering transition at ∼150 K, and a second magnetic Tb–Tb ordering transition at ∼17 K. The latter induces a spin-reorientation transition, in which the magnetic axis rotates from the c-axis toward the basal plane. The component of the magnetic axis, which is perpendicular to c, leads to a crystal symmetry reduction from hexagonal to monoclinic. The observed magnitude of the magnetic moment of the Tb ion is 1.5 μ_B, unusually small relative to the free ion and parent compound (TbCo₃B₂) values. These magnetic and crystal properties are discussed and compared with what was previously published for the parent compound.     

NMR study of KCuF3 at low temperatures

The NMR of F¹⁹ nuclei in KCuF₃ has been measured in the a-type single crystal at 1.7 K. Two types of magnetic domains exist; one occupies most part of the crystal and has easy axis along <110>, and the other occupies the rest of the crystal and has easy axis along <100>. In both domains the moment directions are distributed around the easy axes over a considerable angular range. The spin-flop begins with nearly zero applied field in the <110>;-domain. When the magnetic field is rotated in the c-plane, an angular dependence has been observed for those F¹⁹ nuclei which lie on the c-axis. This dependence arises from the alternate stacking of the ground state wave functions of Cu²⁺ ions.     

Crystal field effect on the magnetic moment's direction of rare earth ions with low point symmetry in r4co3 (r = Tb, Ho, Dy, Er, Tm) compounds

Neutron diffraction measurements, made on powder samples, show that Ho₄Co₃ and Er₄Co₃ intermetallic compounds are ferrimagnetic at 4.2 K. The magnetic moments of the 2 holmium sites are 8.7 and 2.1 μ_B and those of the erbium sites are equal to 8.7 and 8.1μ_B. The cobal⁺ magnetic moment is 0.2μ_B for both compounds. The easy magnetization direction lies on the hexagonal plane for Ho₄Co₃ while for Er₄Co₃ there are 2 anisotropy directions. Exchange interactions between rare-earth ions of both sites are very weak compared with the total crystal field splitting of the ground state multiplet J. The crystal field parameters are calculated and the magnitude and direction of the rare-earth magnetic moments in each site is determined.     

Magnetic and transport properties of single-crystal Yb3Cu4Ge4

The magnetic and transport properties of single-crystal Yb₃Cu₄Ge₄ with the Gd₃Cu₄Ge₄-type orthorhombic structure are presented. Magnetization along the b-axis at 2 K saturates to 2.8_μB/Yb$2.8{\mu }_{\mathrm{B}}/\mathrm{Yb}$ at 3 kOe, while that along the a- and c-axes at 2 K are gradually increasing to the value of 1.5_μB/Yb$1.5{\mu }_{\mathrm{B}}/\mathrm{Yb}$ and 0.39_μB/Yb$0.39{\mu }_{\mathrm{B}}/\mathrm{Yb}$ at 50 kOe, respectively. The electrical resistivity within the ab-plane shows a metallic behavior in contrast to a broad maximum at around 30 K for that along the c-axis. Each resistivity for the principal axis suddenly decreases below 8 K. The specific heat shows a λ-type$\lambda \mathrm{-}\mathrm{type}$ sharp peak at 7.8 K. The electronic specific heat coefficient is estimated to be 29.4 mJ/mol Yb K² by fitting the magnetic part of the specific heat below 3 K. The magnetic entropy released up to T_C is 68% of that of R ln 2, expected for the doublet ground state. It is revealed that Yb₃Cu₄Ge₄ is categorized to a weak heavy-fermion system showing a ferromagnetic transition at 7.8 K with uniaxial anisotropy along the b-axis.     

On asymmetric propagation on transverse acoustic waves near the structural phase transition in RbH3(SeO3)2

Recently ultrasonic measurements of the RbH₃(SeO₃)₂ crystal have shown that a transverse acoustic wave propagating along the modulation axis of the incommensurate structure (c-axis) and polarized along the polar axis (b-axis) exhibits greater temperature anomalies of its velocity and damping than a wave propagating along the b-axis and polarized along the c-axis. The possible explanation of this experimental result is given on the basis of the Landau theory.     

Magnetic and electrical properties of BaVS3 and BaVxTi1−xS3

BaVS₃ has an hexagonal structure (space group P6₃/mmc), with chains of V⁴⁺ running along the C direction and largely separated from each other. Small single crystals of BaVS₃ prepared by flux method in BaCl₂ show evidence of 1D antiferromagnetic ordering below 70 K as previously observed on powder samples. The sulphur deficient compound gives ferromagnetic ordering below 16 K with an easy axis of magnetization along the C direction. BaV_xTi_(1?x)S₃ powder samples with 0 <x <1 of the same crystal symmetry as BaVS₃ have also been prepared and the effects of changing the population of d electrons along the V-Ti chains, from 0 electron per site, (BaTiS₃) to 1 electron per site, (BaVS₃) have been studied by X-ray, magnetic and resistivity measurements. A band model is suggested to explain these data.     

Anisotropic and large low-field magnetic entropy change in a La4/3Sr5/3Mn2O7 single crystal

We have studied the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in a bilayered La_4/3Sr_5/3Mn₂O₇ single crystal with applied field along both ab-plane and c-direction. Due to the quasi-two-dimensional structure, the crystal exhibits a strong anisotropy in the MCE. The difference of magnetic entropy change between two crystallographic directions depends on external magnetic fields and has a maximum of 2 J/kg K. A large low-field magnetic entropy change, reaching 3.2 J/kg K for a magnetic field change of 15 kOe, is observed when the applied field is along ab-plane. This large low-field magnetic entropy change is attributed to the rapid change of magnetization in response to external magnetic fields in the easy magnetizing plane.     

Magnetic phase diagrams of Ho1−xDyxNi2B2C

We performed the magnetization measurement on Ho_1−xDy_xNi₂B₂C single crystals (x=0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.6) with magnetic field applied perpendicular and parallel to the c-axis. But only for the magnetic field perpendicular to the c-axis, the increase of Dy³⁺ concentration affects the magnetically ordered states of HoNi₂B₂C compound and makes the phase diagram more complicated. The antiferromagnetic ordering state attributed to Dy³⁺ sublattice starts to appear from a case of x=0.2 and finally the magnetic phase diagram becomes analogous to that of DyNi₂B₂C as x is increased which is consistent with the neutron scattering result.     

Thermal and magnetic studies of the nearly one-dimensional antiferromagnetic system CsNiBr3

Magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and ¹³³Cs magnetic resonance measurements in a single crystal of CsNiBr₃ are reported. The data reveal two magnetic transitions separating the paramagnetic phase from the antiferromagnetic ground state. At the higher transition temperature T_N2 = (14.25 ± 0.05)K a net magnetic moment is observed only along the hexagonal c-axis, while only below the lower transition temperature T_N1 = (11.75 ± 0.05)K a perpendicular component of the magnetic moment appears also. Above T_N2 CsNiBr₃ can be described as a one-dimensional antiferromagnet with intrachain exchange interaction $\text{J}\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{B}}\text{= ?(17.0 ± 0.2)}\text{K}$ and single-ion anisotropy constant $\text{D}\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{B}}\text{? ?1.5}\text{K}$. Below T_N1, the data are consistent with the non-colinear triangular structure of the Ni²⁺ moments proposed previously for the isomorphic crystal CsNiCl₃. A reduced value of the zero-temperature susceptibility over the classical value is found and atrributed to the zero point deviations.     

Bulk magnetization study of a DyNi5 single crystal

Magnetization and susceptibility measurements were performed on a single crystal of DyNi₅ along the three main symmetry axes of the ortho-hexagonal cell. Below its ordering temperature (T_c = 11.6 K), b and c are respectively the easy and hard magnetization axes. The strong anisotropy originates from the crystalline electric field acting on the 4f electrons of the Dy³⁺ ions. A small magnetization is induced on nickel atoms by the applied field and the exchange interactions with the dysprosium atoms. The crystal field parameters, the molecular field coefficients and the susceptibility of nickel atoms are determined from the experimental data.     

The magnetization of GdAl2

The magnetization of a single crystal of GdAl₂ has been measured parallel to the easy direction as a function of field (maximum field 1.7 T) within the temperature range 4.2–300 K. The main emphasis was placed on the results obtained for the ferromagnetic phase. From an analysis based on molecular field theory it is deduced that the magnetic moment at 0 K is 7.2 μ_B per Gd ion and that the molecular field cannot be represented by a simpler polynomial than λ₁M + λ₂M³ + λ₃M⁵. The same data is analysed using spin-wave theory from which it is deduced that the spin-wave stiffness is 18 meV Ų and that the conduction band susceptibility is approximately 2.6 x 10^-6 emu g^-1. The conduction electron polarization, parallel to the Gd ion moment, amounting to 0.2 μ_B per Gd ion implies the presence of an internal field acting on the conduction electrons of approximately 200 T at 0 K.     

Micro-Raman and photoluminescence spectra of Sm-doped β-BaB2O4 crystal lines written by YAG laser irradiation in glass

Nonlinear optical β-BaB₂O₄ (β-BBO) crystal straight lines are written in 10Sm₂O₃·40BaO·50B₂O₃ glass by irradiation of a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm. The linearly polarized micro-Raman scattering spectra for β-BBO crystal lines are consistent with those for commercially available y-cut β-BBO bulk single-crystals, supporting that β-BBO crystal straight lines with the c-axis orientation along the YAG laser scanning direction might be single-crystals. The photoluminescence spectra with large intensities and Stark splitting are observed for β-BBO crystal lines, and it is concluded that some amounts of Sm³⁺ ions in the glass are incorporated into β-BBO crystal lines. Two-dimensional β-BBO crystal curved lines with a bending angle of 30° are successfully written in 10Sm₂O₃·42BaO·48B₂O₃ glass.     

Irreversible magnetovolume effect in Nd7Rh3 single crystal

Magnetovolume effect in Nd₇Rh₃ single crystal has been studied by measuring the magnetostriction as a function of external magnetic field at 4.2 K. An irreversible magnetovolume effect having a negative remanent volume magnetostriction was observed when the external magnetic field was applied along the b-axis. The irreversible magnetostrictive effect takes place in the longitudinal magnetostriction along the b-axis. The remanent magnetostriction along the b-axis relaxes after removing external magnetic field for several hours and equilibrium state is stabilized.     

Neutron diffraction studies of the magnetic ordering in the rare earth compounds TbNi2Si2, HoCo2Si2 and TbCo2Si2

Neutron diffraction studies and magnetic measurements on the compounds TbNi₂Si₂ (1), HoCo₂Si₂ (2) and TbCo₂Si₂ (3) revealed a collinear antiferromagnetic order below T_N = 10 ± 1 K (1), T_N = 13 ± 1 K (2) and T_N = 30 ± 2 K (3) with the rare earths moments oriented along the c-axis [m₀ = 8.8 ± 0.2 μ_B (1), m₀ = 8.1 ± 0.2 μ_B (2), m₀ = 8.8 ± 0.2 μ_B (3)] and the corresponding wavevector are $\text{k}\text{= [}\text{1}\text{2}\text{1}\text{2}\text{0] (1)}\text{and}\text{k}\text{= [ 0 0 1] (2) (3)}$. The magnetic structure of the compounds HoCo₂Si₂ and TbCo₂Si₂ consists of ferromagnetic layers perpendicular to the c-axis coupled antiferromagnetically (+?+?) while for TbNi₂Si₂ the ordering within (0 0 1) plane is antiferromagnetic and the planes (0 0 1) are indeed decoupled.     

Crystal and magnetic structure of Ho2NiGe6

The crystal and magnetic structure of Ho₂NiGe₆ was studied by powder neutron diffraction. The paramagnetic neutron diffraction data confirmed the Ce₂CuGe₆-type crystal structure reported earlier for this compound. Below the Néel temperature equal to 11 K the Ho magnetic moments form a uniaxial antiferromagnetic ordering. The Ho magnetic moments equal to 8.16(7)μ_B at 1.5 K are parallel to the b-axis. The data are compared with those published for HoNi_0.46(6)Ge₂.     

Neutron diffraction study of the layered compounds MnPSe3 and FePSe3

In the insulating compounds MnPSe₃ (1) and FePSe₃ (2) the divalent transition metal ions form planar honeycomb lattices. A neutron diffraction study revealed a collinear antiferromagnetic order below T_N = 74 ± 2 K (1) and T_N = 119 ± 1 K (2) with the corresponding wavevectors k = [000] (1) and $\text{k = [}\text{1}\text{2}\text{0}\text{1}\text{2}\text{]}$ (2). In MnPSe₃ the magnetic moments (m₀ = 4.74 μ_B) lie within the basal plane and in FePSe₃ (m₀ = 4.9 μ_B) they are pointing along the c-axis. The collinear structures are determined by the dominating intralayer interactions between first (J₁), second (J₂) and third neighbours (J₃) which in MnPSe₃ are all antiferromagnetic whereas in FePSe₃J₁ is ferromagnetic and J₂ and J₃ are antiferromagnetic.