Nuclear spin relaxation in itinerant electron antiferromagnetic Cr1−xVx system

Nuclear spin relaxation rate T^?1₁ for ⁵¹V in an incommensurate antiferromagnetic Cr_1?xV_x system has been measured in a temperature range between 1.3 and 4.2 K and in a range of magnetic field from 0 to 13.3 kOe by using a field-cycling nuclear magnetic resonance technique. In the (T₁T)^?1 vs x curve a pronounced maximum was observed near the critical concentration (x_c～0.040). Furthermore for alloys with x = 0.038 and 0.040 a deviation from the Korringa relation, T₁T = constant, was observed. The experimental results of (T₁T)^?1 are interpreted in terms of the spin-fluctuation and d-orbital contributions.     

Negative c-axis magnetoresistance in graphite

We have studied the c-axis interlayer magnetoresistance (ILMR), Rc(B) in graphite. The measurements have been performed on strongly anisotropic highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and single crystalline Kish graphite samples in magnetic field up to B=9 T, and the temperature interval 2 K?T?300 K. We have observed negative magnetoresistance, dRc/dB<0, for B‖c-axis for both samples above a certain field Bm(T)>5.4 T and 0.2 T for HOPG and Kish graphite, respectively. The results can be understood consistently by assuming that ILMR is related to a tunneling between zero-energy Landau levels of quasi-two-dimensional Dirac fermions, in a close analogy with the behavior reported for α-(BEDT-TTF)₂I₃ [N. Tajima, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102 (2009) 176403], another multilayer Dirac electron system.     

AC response of YBa2Cu3O7 thin film superconductor

Low-field ac measurements of magnetic susceptibility of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ high-temperature superconducting thin film were carried out over a wide range of temperatures and ac magnetic field amplitudes. A strong field dependence of the real χ′ and imaginary χ″ components was observed. The field dependence of the imaginary component is used to extract the temperature dependence of the critical current density in the sample using the critical state model. The exponent β of the power law relation J_c ～ (1 ? T/T_c)^β was determined from ac-susceptibility data and different values were found. Experimental results are compared with predictions of some existing theoretical models describing the ac response of superconducting thin film in perpendicular ac field.     

Ultrasonic attenuation near the cholesteric → smectic A transition

Ultrasonic attenuation at 2 MHz has been measured through the cholesteric → smectic A transition in cholestryl nonanoate. Very near the transition, 0.1 < (T ? T_c) < 0.6°C, the excess attenuation varies as (T ? T_c)ⁿ, where n for four separate runs varies between 0.30 and 0.34. These values are very close to the exponent of 0.33 predicted using a scaling laws and observed for the divergence of the twist viscosity in the nematic phase as the smectic A transition is approached.     

Mössbauer and magnetization studies of the U1−xNpxO2 fluorites

²³⁷Np Mössbauer effect and magnetic susceptibility measurements of the U_1?Np_xO₂ fluorite solid solution have been performed in the composition range 0.15 ? x ? 0.75. For x = 0.15 and 0.25, the Np ions order magnetically at a lower temperature T₀ than the bulk material (T_N) (T₀ ～ 19 K, T_N ～ 27 K for x = 0.15). For x = 0.50, T₀ ～ 10 K (T_N ～ 12 K from recent neutron diffraction measurements). For x = 0.75, T₀ ～ T_N ～ 9 K. The Np (induced) ordered moment is ～ 0.5 μ_B. The ²³⁷Np Mössbauer isomer shift shows that the Np ions are in a IV charge state.     

Hysteresis effects at a cooperative high-spin (5T2) ⇌ low-spin (1A1) transition in dithiocyanatobis (4, 7-dimethyl-1, 10-phenanthroline) iron (II)

Hysteresis has been observed at the cooperative high-spin (⁵T₂) ? low-spin (¹A₁) transition in Fe (4, 7-(CH₃)₂-phen)₂(NCS)₂ where phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline. The transition is centered on T_c> = 121.7 K for rising and on T_c< = 118.6 K for lowering of temperature. The observations are in only qualitative agreement with the thermodynamic theory of Slichter and Drickamer.     

Structure-mediated transition in the behavior of elastic and inelastic properties of beach tree bio-carbon

Microstructural characteristics and amplitude dependences of the Young modulus E and of internal friction (logarithmic decrement δ) of bio-carbon matrices prepared from beech tree wood at different carbonization temperatures T _carb ranging from 600 to 1600°C have been studied. The dependences E(T _carb) and δ(T _carb) thus obtained revealed two linear regions of increase of the Young modulus and of decrease of the decrement with increasing carbonization temperature, namely, ΔE ～ AΔT _carb and Δδ ～ BΔT _carb, with A ≈ 13.4 MPa/K and B ≈ ?2.2 × 10^?6 K^?1 for T _carb < 1000°C and A ≈ 2.5 MPa/K and B ≈ ?3.0 × 10^?7 K^?1 for T _carb > 1000°C. The transition observed in the behavior of E(T _carb) and δ(T _carb) at T _carb = 900–1000°C can be assigned to a change of sample microstructure, more specifically, a change in the ratio of the fractions of the amorphous matrix and of the nanocrystalline phase. For T _carb < 1000°C, the elastic properties are governed primarily by the amorphous matrix, whereas for T _carb > 1000°C the nanocrystalline phase plays the dominant part. The structurally induced transition in the behavior of the elastic and microplastic characteristics at a temperature close to 1000°C correlates with the variation of the physical properties, such as electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and thermopower, reported in the literature.     

Vortex pinning in YBa2Cu3O7?x films

Evidence that pinning on linear or planar defects dominates the vortex dynamics in YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x (YBCO) films is provided by complex impedance measurements at temperature 8 K<T<T _c and magnetic field 0<B<6 T. Below the vortex lattice melting transition B_g(T) but above a threshold field B_p≈8(1-T/T _c ) T, the inductance of vortices increases as B², much less rapidly than predicted for collective pinning of vortices by point defects. Above the vortex melting line, critical scaling persists over the region B_g(T<B<B^*(T) where the vortex correlation length ξ exceeds a characteristic length scale ξ^*≡ξ(B=B^*)≈450?. The value of ξ^* is not sensitive to Al-doping in the Cu sites in the lattice and is close to the size of twin domains in the film. The nature of the observed crossovers is discussed in terms of available theoretical models for a glass-liquid transition at B_g.     

Paramagnetic susceptibilities, crystal field Stark energies and hyperfine properties of Eu in europium trifluoromethanesulfonate nonahydrate

Hexagonal single crystals of europium trifluoromethanesulfonate nonahydrate (EuTFMS) have been prepared. The paramagnetic susceptibility perpendicular to the symmetry axis (c-axis, χ_⊥) and the principal magnetic anisotropy (Δχ=χ_||−χ_⊥) were measured in the temperature range of 300-13 and 300-80 K, respectively. The paramagnetic susceptibility parallel to the c-axis (χ_||) was calculated using the values of χ_⊥ and Δχ. χ_|| and χ_⊥ increase slowly with decrease of temperature and below ∼93 K, χ_⊥ is more or less constant. But χ_|| levels off below ∼137 K. The calculated value of the effective magnetic moment (P_eff) of Eu³⁺ in the crystalline environment of EuTFMS decreases with lowering of temperature. The Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of EuTFMS were recorded in the wavenumber range of 10-1800 and 370-6000 cm⁻¹, respectively. A good theoretical simulation of the observed magnetic properties including the CF Stark energies of the ground term (⁷F) extracted from the Raman and FTIR spectra of Eu³⁺ in EuTFMS have been achieved using one electron crystal field (CF) analysis. The electronic specific heat and other relevant CF dependent hyperfine properties, viz, nuclear quadrupole splitting and hyperfine specific heat have been computed.     

Ac magnetic susceptibility measurements in nanoparticulate powders of iron-doped ZnO

Low temperature (T) ac magnetic susceptibility (χ_ac) measurements were performed in powder samples of the Zn_1−xFe_xO (x=0-0.078) prepared by a combustion reaction method. The amplitude of the ac magnetic field was kept constant (1 mT) while its frequency (f) varied in the range 10-10⁴ Hz for 5≤T≤300 K. The diluted samples presented cusps with maxima distributed around T_f=17.5±0.5 K while no such feature was observed for the pure sample (x=0). The cusp was found to become more pronounced with the increasing Fe content. Also it decreased and shifted to higher values of T by increasing f. The shift in T_f was found to follow a Vogel-Fulcher law with E_a/k_B=317.6 K, T₀=4.65 K and τ₀=10⁻¹⁴ s, for the activation energy, critical temperature and characteristic time-constant, respectively. The energy gap of the sample was measured and they were found to vary in the range 3.75-3.80 eV. The overall χ_ac-data resembles those obtained for cluster spin-glass state.     

Low-temperature magnetic properties and susceptibility of amorphous Nd4Fe58.1Cr19.4B18.5 alloys

Low-temperature magnetic properties and the susceptibility of the amorphous Nd₄Fe_58.1Cr_19.4B_18.5 alloy were studied. The temperature dependence of magnetization exhibits T^3/2 behavior up to T/T_c=0.57. Spin-wave stiffness coefficient D=47 meV A² is much smaller than that of amorphous Fe₈₀B₂₀ alloys. The temperature dependence of the susceptibility χ₀ obeys Curie–Weiss law at T>1.5T_c. A larger effective magnetic moment per magnetic atom was obtained. The influence of Cr on low-temperature magnetic properties and the susceptibility was discussed.     

Magnetic properties of amorphous sputtered CoxSi1−x films

Magnetic properties have been measured by transverse magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) in amorphous sputtered Co_xSi_1?x films which are ferromagnetic and amorphous at room temperature with 0.55<x<0.80. These as-sputtered films show an in-plane easy axis with the ratio of coercitive force in the hard axis H_c (HA) to easy axis H_c (EA) and the value of the blocking field H_B almost constant with 0.60<x<0.80. Transverse magnetic susceptibilities with bias magnetic field parallel (χ_t0) and perpendicular $\text{(χ}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>t\pi </mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{)}$ to the easy axis has been measured. These measurements show a deviation of Hoffmann's micromagnetic law for the susceptibilities.     

Magnetic anomalies in single crystalline ErPd2Si2

Considering certain interesting features in the previously reported ¹⁶⁶Er Mössbauer effect, and neutron diffraction data on the polycrystalline form of ErPd₂Si₂ crystallizing in the ThCr₂Si₂-type tetragonal structure, we have carried out magnetic measurements (1.8–300 K) on the single crystalline form of this compound. We observe significant anisotropy in the absolute values of magnetization (indicating that the easy axis is c-axis) as well as in features due to magnetic ordering in the plot of magnetic susceptibility χ versus temperature T at low temperatures. The χ(T) data reveal that there is a pseudo-low-dimensional magnetic order setting in at 4.8 K, with a three-dimensional antiferromagnetic order setting in at a lower temperature (3.8 K). A new finding in the χ(T) data is that, for H∥〈1 1 0〉 but not for H∥〈0 0 1〉, there is a broad shoulder in the range 8–20 K, indicative of the existence of magnetic correlations above 5 K as well, which could be related to the previously reported slow-relaxation-dominated Mössbauer spectra. Interestingly, the temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity is found to be isotropic; no feature due to magnetic ordering could be detected in the electrical resistivity data at low temperatures, which is attributed to magnetic Brillioun-zone boundary gap effects. The results reveal the complex nature of magnetism of this compound.     

Linear expansion, phase separation, and magnetic inhomogeneities in La0.92Ca0.08MnO3

A relation of the thermal expansion with magnetic and magnetotransport properties has been revealed in La_0.92Ca_0.08MnO₃ single crystals in the paramagnetic state. The magnetotransport and lattice properties and the specific features in the neutron scattering characteristics of the La_0.92Ca_0.08MnO₃ single crystals have been explained by the phase separation in the paramagnetic state into magnetic inhomogeneities (clusters) with short-range (～10 Å) and long-range (>10² Å) orders. The performed investigations have demonstrated that the clusters are closely related to the crystal lattice and that the magnetic inhomogeneities in the paramagnetic region are correlated to T ～ 250–300 K ? TC.     

Neutron scattering of iron-based superconductors

Low-energy spin excitations have been studied on polycrystalline LaFeAsO_1?xF_x samples by inelastic neutron scattering. The Q-integrated dynamical spin susceptibility χ″(ω) of the superconducting samples is found to be comparable to that of the magnetically ordered parent sample. On the other hand, χ″(ω) almost vanishes at x = 0.158, where the superconducting transition temperature T_c is suppressed to 7 K. In addition, χ″(ω) in optimally doped LaFeAsO_0.918F_0.082 with T_c = 29 K exhibits a spin resonance mode. The peak energy, E_res, when scaled by k_BT_c is similar to the value of about 4.7 reported in other high-T_c iron-based superconductors. This result suggests that there is intimate relationship between the dynamical spin susceptibility and high-T_c superconductivity in iron-based superconductors, and is consistent with a nesting condition between Fermi surfaces at the Γ and M points.     

High-temperature absorption coefficient of methane at 3.392μ

The spectral absorption coefficient of methane at 3.392μ has been measured in the temperature range 965 ?T, °K≤2710 behind incident and reflected shock waves. It is given by the relation P'=P'₀(T₀/T)ⁿ where P'₀=(1.34±0.58)x10²cm^-1atm^-1 at T₀=300°K and n=2.88±0.21. The empirically determined temperature exponent n may be approximately accounted for by a simplified theoretical analysis.     

Temperature dependence of the upper critical field as an indicator of boson effects in superconductivity in Nd2−x CexCuO4−y

The temperature dependence of the upper critical field B _c 2 was determined from the shift of the resistive transition ΔT(B) in nearly optimally doped Nd_2?x Ce_xCuO_4?y single crystals. Within the experimental accuracy, the weak-field data are described by the power function B _c 2∝(ΔT)^3/2. This result is compared with the data on heat capacity and analyzed in the context of possible manifestations of boson effects in superconductivity. The T dependence of B _c 2 persists down to the lowest temperatures, but the numerical values of B _c 2 below 1 K are different for different samples.     

Superconductivity in the pseudo-binary A-15 compounds Mo3Os1−χRuχ and Mo3Ir1−χRuχ

Superconducting transition temperatures (T_c) and room temperature lattice parameters (α_o) are reported for the A-15 pseudo-binary systems Mo₃Ir_1−χRu_χ and Mo₃Os_1−χRu_χ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.8). If Mo₃Ru could be synthesized in the A-15 structure, its T_c and α_o are predicted to be 10–11°K and 4.95 Å, respectively.     

Phase separation, ferromagnetism and magnetic irreversibility in La1−xSrxMn1−yFeyO3

Magnetic susceptibility, χ(T), is investigated in ceramic La_1−xSr_xMn_1−yFe_yO₃ (LSMFO) samples with x=0.3 and y=0.15−0.25. A ferromagnetic (FM) transition observed in LSMFO is accompanied with an appreciable decrease of the transition temperature with increasing y, which is connected to breaking of the FM double-exchange interaction by doping with Fe. Strong magnetic irreversibility, observed in low (B=10 G) field, gives evidence for frustration of the magnetic state of LSMFO. The FM transition, which is expanded with increasing B, is more pronounced in the samples with y=0.15-0.20 and broadens considerably at y=0.25, where the irreversibility is increased. Well above the transition, χ(T) exhibits a Curie-Weiss asymptotic behavior, yielding very large values of the effective Bohr magneton number per magnetic ion, incompatible with those of Mn or Fe single ions. At y=0.15 and 0.20 a critical behavior of χ⁻¹(T)∼(T/T_C−1)^γ in the region of the FM transition is characterized by influence of two different magnetic systems, a 3D percolative one with γ₌γ_p≈1.8 and T_C=T_C^(p), and a non-percolative 3D Heisenberg spin system, with γ=γ_H≈1.4 and T_C=T_C^(H), where T_C^(p)<T_C^(H). At y=0.25 the percolative contribution to the critical behavior of χ(T) is not observed. The dependence of χ on T and y gives evidence for phase separation, with onset already near the room temperature, leading to generation of nanosize FM particles in the paramagnetic host matrix of LSMFO. The ferromagnetism of LSMFO is attributable to percolation over the system of such particles and generation of large FM clusters, whereas the frustration is governed presumably by a system of smaller weakly-correlated magnetic units, which do not enter the percolative FM clusters.