Longitudinal ultrasonic attenuation in the spin spiral state of single crystal holmium

Ultrasonic attenuation experiments have been performed using 15–255 MHz longitudinal sound waves along the c-axis of single crystal holmium. Without an external magnetic field, the attenuation increases in the spin-spiral state. This anomalous increase originates, at least in part, from the spin-phonon relaxation mechanism we have proposed, which states that the attenuation coefficient Δα₁ ∞ ω²/(1+ω²τ²) where τ is the longitudinal spin phonon relaxation time. The frequency dependence of the attenuation varies from ω^1·0 to ω^1·5 which suggests a frequency-dependent character for the spin-phonon relaxation time τ. A broad longitudinal attenuation maximum, which presumably is due to the competing processes between $\overline{S}$, J and τ, is observed in the spin-spiral state, where $\overline{S}$ is the thermal average of the spin angular momentum per trivalent ion and J the Fourier transform of the exchange integral. An anomalous suppression of the longitudinal attenuation spike at T_N for frequencies higher than 165 MHz is unexplainable at present. The longitudinal attenuation spike at T_N for frequencies higher than 165 MHz is unexplainable at present. The longitudinal spin-phonon relaxation time for Ho has been determined using experimental data. It has a T^?3 temperature dependence. In the presence of an external magnetic filed in the basal plane the attenuation is decreased and a new peak and a plateau appear at the intermediate phase transitions.     

Ultrasonic identification of a new spin-ordering phase transition in holmium

A new tilted spiral phase has been identified in holmium by associating it with an anomalous peak in the shear wave attenuation at 24°K. When a magnetic field is applied in the basal plane the peak moves up in temperature; when it is applied parallel to the c-axis the peak moves down. We propose a model which predicts the observed experimental results.     

Effect of magnetic field on the TC and magnetic properties for the aligned MnBi compound

In the compound MnBi, a first-order transition from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic state can be triggered by an applied magnetic field and the Curie temperature increases nearly linearly with an increase in magnetic field by ∼2 K/T. Under a field of 10 T, T_C increases by 20 and 22 K during heating and cooling, respectively. Under certain conditions a reversible magnetic field or temperature induced transition between the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states can occur. A magnetic and crystallographic H-T phase diagram for MnBi is given. Magnetic properties of MnBi compound aligned in a Bi matrix have been investigated. In the low temperature phase MnBi, a spin-reorientation takes place during which the magnetic moments rotate from being parallel to the c-axis towards the basal plane at ∼90 K. A measuring Dc magnetic field applied parallel to the c-axis of MnBi suppresses partly the spin-reorientation transition. Interestingly, the fabricated magnetic field increases the temperature of spin-reorientation transition T_s and the change in magnetization for MnBi. For the sample solidified under 0.5 T, the change in magnetization is ∼70% and T_s is ∼91 K.     

Ultrasonic attenuation study of erbium in a magnetic field

The ultrasonic attenuation coefficient of longitudinal waves propagating along the c-axis of a single crystal of erbium was measured over a temperature range which covers the transition temperature from the paramagnetic to the sinusiodal phase T₆ = 83.8 K and the transition temperature from the sinusoidal to elliptical phase T_⊥ = 53.9 K. These measurements were performed as a function of temperature in the presence of constant magnetic fields and at constant temperatures as a function of applied magnetic fields. A magnetic field parallel to the c-axis shifted T₆ to lower temperatures and reduced the peak attenuation. A broad new maximum emerged on the high temperature side of the field-shifted T₆. Application of H perpendicular to the c-axis produced little change in either T₆ or T_⊥. A model introduced by Tachiki and Mackawa is used to discuss the results.     

Anomalous shear ultrasonic attenuation peak at 95.5°K in holmium2

An anomalous attenuation peak at 95.5°K has been observed for shear ultrasonic waves transmitted along the c-axis of two holmium single crystals. The velocity change across this temperature is on the order of 10^?4. In the presence of an external magnetic field, the peak moves toward high temperatures for both H∥a and H∥c. A rotation of the field in the basal plane produces a two-fold symmetry pattern in the attenuation. A double peak structure centered at the c-plane has also been observed when the field is rotated away from the a-axis. A considerable fraction of the attenuation peak appears to go as sin² θ where θ is the angle between the shear wave polarization and the external field.     

Magnetic properties of nanoparticles of cobalt chromite

Magnetic properties of cobalt chromite nanoparticles of size 8-12 nm synthesized through conventional coprecipitation route are reported. Magnetization versus temperature measurement plot reveals a transition from paramagnetic to superparamagnetic (SPM) phase in contrast with the transition from paramagnetic to long-range ferrimagnetic phase at Curie temperature, T_c, reported in bulk. The blocking temperature, T_b, of SPM phase is found to be 50-60 K. On cooling in the presence of 10 kOe field these nanoparticles show an enhancement in coercivity and shifting of loop at 10 K, which is absent at 50 K. While the later observation supports the blocking temperature of the SPM phase, the former one is attributed to a disordered spin configuration at the surfaces and the distribution of nanoparticle sizes.     

Electronic structure and spin fluctuations in the helical ferromagnet MnSi

The influence of spin fluctuations on the magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic helimagnet MnSi has been studied in the Hubbard model taking into account the antisymmetric relativistic Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction for band electrons. The obtained equations of the magnetic state indicate the correlation between the fine structure of the density of electronic states and the magnetization and coefficient of mode–mode coupling. It has been shown that the position of the Fermi energy in the immediate proximity on the point of the local minimum of the density of electronic states leads to large zero spin fluctuations at low magnetization of the helimagnet. When approaching from down the Néel point (approximately, at 0.9T_N), the zero fluctuation disappear, and the temperature rise of thermal spin fluctuation is accompanied by the change in the sign of the coefficient of mode–mode coupling. A magnetic field perpendicular to the helicoids plane brings about the formation and subsequent “collapse” of the helimagnetic cone. However, the condition of the change in the sign of the coefficient of mode–mode coupling divides the MnSi phase diagram into two parts, one of which corresponds to the ferromagnetic state induced by the field, and the other corresponding to the paramagnetic state. In this case, the h–T diagram has a specific region, inside which the paramagnetic and the ferromagnetic state are instable. The boundaries of the region agree with the experimental data on the boundaries of the anomalous phase (a phase). It has been found that the results of calculations of the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility agree with the experimental data.     

Magnetic and EPR studies of the EuFe<Subscript>3</Subscript>(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystal

Magnetic and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) properties of EuFe₃(BO₃)₄ single crystals have been studied over the temperature range of 300–4.2 K and in a magnetic field up to 5 T. The temperature, field and orientation dependences of susceptibility, magnetization and EPR spectra are presented. An antiferromagnetic ordering of the Fe subsystem occurs at about 37 K. The easy direction of magnetization perpendicular to the c axis is determined by magnetic measurements. Below 10 K, we observe an increase of susceptibility connected with the polarization of the Eu sublattice by an effective exchange field of the ordered Fe magnetic subsystem. In a magnetic field perpendicular to the c axis, we have observed an increase of magnetization at T < 10 K in the applied magnetic field, which can be attributed to the appearance of the magnetic moment induced by the magnetic field applied in the basal plane. According to EPR measurements, the distance between the maximum and minimum of derivative of absorption line of the Lorentz type is equal to 319 Gs. The anisotropy of g-factor and linewidth is due to the influence of crystalline field of trigonal symmetry. The peculiarities of temperature dependence of both intensity and linewidth are caused by the influence of excited states of europium ion (Eu³⁺). It is supposed that the difference between the g-factors from EPR and the magnetic measurements is caused by exchange interaction between rare earth and Fe subsystems via anomalous Zeeman effect.     

The magnetic phases of NdCu2

The magnetic phase diagram of a NdCu₂ single crystal is investigated by means of specific-heat measurements and neutron diffraction as a function of temperature and external magnetic field applied along the crystallographic b-direction. In the low temperature region we observe three commensurate phases AF1, F1, and F2. Their magnetic structures all consist of ferromagnetic (bc)-planes with different stacking sequences along the a-direction comprising 5, 3 and 8 chemical unit cells, respectively. Above 2.8 T the system is in a ferromagnetically aligned state (F3). Furthermore, there is an incommensurate phase AF3 between the low temperature commensurate phases and the paramagnetic state and, in a very narrow temperature region of only 0.2 K, an intermediate phase AF2 between AF1 and AF3. The Nd-moments are oriented along the b-direction in all phases.     

Changes of easy axis during the magnetization of dysprosium

Changes in the easy axis of magnetization of dysprosium, within the basal plane, between 77 and 160 K and in applied fields up to 1.25 T, reported by Bly et al. [1] have been reinvestigated and some inconsistencies have been resolved. Changes were only confirmed above 132 K, where the b axis is easy just above the critical field. On increasing the applied field the basal plane anisotropy dies away reappearing with the a axis easy. The changeover occurs at field and temperature values very close to those where a magnetoresistance anomaly has been observed by Akhavan et al. [2]. It is shown that this change may be explained in principle, without any change in the crystal field, by the narrowing of a fan-like spin structure occurring as an intermediate phase between the helical anti-ferromagnetic and the ferromagnetic phases. Between 77 and 110 K anomalies in torque curves in low fields are attributed to domain processes.     

Effect of magnetic field on Nd0.7Pb0.3MnO3 single crystal

Magnetization and specific heat of Nd_0.7Pb_0.3MnO₃ single crystal are studied at applied magnetic field. Magnetization measurement at 0.3 T shows ferromagnetic phase below 150 K (T_C) and below 20 K displays an antiferromagnetic component. The latter appears to be destroyed at 4.8 T. This anomalous increase below 50 K is probably due to reorientation of Nd moments at high magnetic field. Heat capacity has been measured at 0-10 T at low temperature. The data have been fitted to contributions from free electrons (γ), ferromagnetic spin excitations (β_3/2), lattice and a Schottky-like anomaly related to the rare-earth magnetism of the Nd ions. Fitting yields that β_3/2 term is very small at 6 and 10 T because of introducing paramagnetic component in ferromagnetic phase at applied magnetic field. Peak due to Schottky anomaly is observed to be broadened with application of magnetic field and the magnitude of Schottky gap(Δ_Sch) also increases accordingly.     

Low temperature linear dynamical susceptibility of dipolar spin glasses

The dissipative part of the linear magnetic dynamic susceptibility of dipolar spin glasses is considered. Due to the transition of the system (at enough high concentration of the magnetic dipoles) from a paramagnetic phase to a magnetic dipolar one, an anomalous temperature dependence of the dissipative part of the magnetic susceptibility is found. Some considerations related to the experimental results for LiHo_xY _1?xF₄ are made.     

Magnetic field effects in the cooperative Jahn-Teller system TbVO4

Effects of a magnetic field on the behaviors of TbVO₄ which shows a cooperative Jahn-Teller phase transition have been investigated. The possibility that the system will return to the undistorted phase at low temperatures in a magnetic field is considered. We show that because of the weak coupling of the system to the magnetic field applied along the c-axis, the magnetic field required to see the transition of the crystal back to the undistorted phase is impractically high. Diluting the crystal with nonmagnetic ions is then a plausible approach in the study of this novel behavior of the system. We have also calculated the effects of a magnetic field applied in the basal plane and shown that the crystal would remain distorted for all temperatures except the cases when the field is applied along the crystallographic axes. Finally, we consider the effects of a magnetic field on the temperature behavior of the specific heat and show that the Schottky anomaly which occurs at a very low temperature (～1°K) will be shifted to a higher temperature by applying a magnetic field.     

Specific-heat study of the triangular-lattice antiferromagnet RbCuCl

We report on the magnetic phase diagram of the distorted triangular-lattice antiferromagnet RbCuCl₃ for a magnetic field applied parallel to the basal plane (). High-resolution measurements of the specific heat and of the magnetocaloric effect have been performed in magnetic fields up to 14 T. The high-field specific-heat data reveal the existence of an intermediate phase between the paramagnetic and the frustrated antiferromagnetic phase. Received 18 October 1999     

Unusual magnetization suppression induced by higher magnetic field in (La0.83Bi0.17)0.67Ca0.33MnO3

Magnetization behavior of (La_0.83Bi_0.17)_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ has been investigated in the temperature range from 100 to 180 K. A metamagnetic transition was observed in the temperature region, where the magnetization was measured after a zero-field-cooling from room temperature to a selected temperature. Experimental results show that, after a higher magnetization route, the field-increasing branches of the magnetization curves shows an unusual training effect: below a magnetic field H₀, the applied magnetic field enhances the value of magnetization; however, above H₀ the magnetic field suppresses the value, and the behavior cannot be totally attributed to the enhancement effect of the applied magnetic field on ferromagnetic phase fraction. It is proposed that, in the two-phase coexistence region, the higher magnetic field promotes the phase separation and leads to both the fraction of ferromagnetic domain and the stabilization of antiferromagnetic domain increase.     

Sound propagation near the tricritical point of FeCl2

The magnetically induced phase transitions, near the tricritical point of FeCl₂ were studied by acoustic velocity measurements. Longitudinal waves propagating along the (100) trigonal axis exhibit a critical shift in the velocity along the second order λ-line and anomalous change at the first order phase transitions. The phase diagram in the plane of temperature and applied magnetic field is constructed near the tricritical point.     

Magnetic properties of Cr-Fe-Mn alloys

The magnetic behaviour of a Cr_80−xFe₂₀Mn_x alloy system with x=2, 7, 10, 13 and 22 has been investigated in the temperature range 2-400 K through measurements of magnetization, electrical resistivity, magnetoresistivity, specific heat and thermal expansion. The temperature vs. Mn concentration magnetic phase diagram of the system is rich in magnetic behaviour with ferromagnetic (FM), antiferromagnetic (AFM) and paramagnetic phase regions and a spin-glass (SG) region at the lowest temperatures. Phase transition temperatures amongst these different magnetic phases could be identified from well-defined anomalies of magnetic origin that are displayed by graphs of the above-mentioned physical properties as a function of temperature. The time relaxation of the thermoremanent, isothermal remanent and field-cooled magnetizations below and above the SG freezing temperature show unusual aspects. These relaxations do not follow the usual superposition principle that is expected for typical SG materials. Negative giant magetoresistance (GMR) is observed in the alloys at 4 K. The GMR initially increases sharply on increasing the Mn content in the alloy system, followed by a tendency towards a saturation negative value for concentrations of more than about 10 at% Mn. Low-temperature plots of C_p/T vs. T², where C_p is the specific heat, present anomalous behaviour for alloys with x=2, 10 and 22. For x=2 the plot shows an upturn at the lowest temperatures that changes over to a prominent downturn for x=10 and 22. This behaviour is attributed to Fe concentration fluctuations in the alloys, confirming the theoretical model of Matthews.     

Modulated magnetic structure of a nonuniformly stressed FeBO3 single crystal

The magnetization of a nonuniformly stressed FeBO₃ crystal along any of the two specific directions in the basal plane (the easy plane) at a temperature of T < 140 K in a magnetic field exceeding the threshold value H ₀ is found to lead to a transition of the crystal from the uniform magnetic state to the spatially modulated one. The modulated magnetic phase arising under these conditions exists in a certain temperature-dependent field range H ₀ ≤ H ≤ H _c and is representable in the form of a static spin wave that is linearly polarized in the easy plane of the crystal and has a wave vector k oriented at an angle of ～30° to the magnetization axis. The field, temperature, and orientation dependences of k are investigated. A physical mechanism is proposed to explain the modulation of the magnetic order parameter of the crystal under study. The results obtained are discussed in terms of the magnetic ripple theory.     

The Mössbauer effect and magnetic phase transitions

The Mössbauer effect provides a direct method for identifying the spin axis in magnetic crystals and observing magnetic phase transitions. The order of the transition may be inferred from the Mössbauer spectrum. Phase changes can occur as a function of temperature (e.g. when the anisotropy fieldB _A changes sign) or as a function of applied magnetic field. In an antiferromagnet a field ?(2B _E B _A)^1/2 along the spin axis whereB _E is the exchange field causes the spin-flop transition which is normally first order (sharp) whereas the transition to the paramagnetic phase which occurs at higher fields?2B _E is second order (continuous). In quasi-one-dimensional crystals Mössbauer spectra show that the spin-flop transition is first order locally but occurs over a range of fields throughout the crystal, so that the first order character is masked in a conventional magnetization measurement. In fields applied at a finite angle>B _A/2B _E to the spin axis the transition becomes second order, i.e. a continuous rotation of the spins occurs. In canted antiferromagnets (or weak ferromagnets) the spin-flop transition is also continuous; in addition a “screw” re-orientation may be induced by fields applied perpendicular to the spin axis and arises from antisymmetric exchange. For crystals with lowT _N the hyperfine field changes when a magnetic field is applied and has a minimum at a phase transition; this may be used to map out the magnetic phase diagram.     

Anomalously strong relaxation of the polarization of muons in the magnetically ordered and paramagnetic states of the TbMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> multiferroic

An anomalously strong relaxation of the muon polarization in a magnetically ordered state in the TbMnO₃ multiferroic has been revealed by the method below the μSR Néel temperature (42 K). Such a relaxation is due to the muon channel of relaxation of the polarization and the interaction of the magnetic moment of the muon with inhomogeneities of the internal magnetic field of an ordered state in the form of a cycloid. Above the Néel temperature, beginning with temperatures depending on the applied magnetic field, a two-phase state has been revealed where one phase has an anomalously strong relaxation of the muon polarization for a paramagnetic state. These features of the paramagnetic state are due to short-range magnetic order domains that appear in strongly frustrated TbMnO₃. A true paramagnetic state has been observed only at T ≥ 150 K.