Narrowing of the TiBe2 CESR line at temperatures below 2 K: the case for thermal spontaneous ferromagnetism

A narrowing of the TiBe₂ CESR line has been found within the temperature range T≈1.55−1.8K at the frequency 595 MHz (field 220 G). This narrowing is shown to be mostly of the exchange type, and we propose that it is a manifestation of the weak thermal spontaneous ferromagnetism in the above mentioned T range with ΔT≈0.25 K with the possibility of two first order transitions. The theoretical and experimental basis for this conclusion and its implications for the understanding of the properties of TiBe_2−xCu_x, Sc₃In and ZrZn₂ itinerant magnets are discussed.     

Quenching of spin fluctuations by high magnetic fields

The quenching of spin fluctuations by magnetic fields has been observed in heat capacity and electrical resistivity measurements at low temperatures for a series of highly exchange enhanced magnetic materials. These include: the weak itinerant electron ferromagnets Sc₃In, Zr_1−xHf_xZn₂ (0 x 0.2) and Ni₃Al; the strong Pauli paramagnets RCo₂ (R = Sc, Y and Lu), TiBe₂ and Pd_1−xNi_x (0 x 0.01); and the heavy fermion systems CeSn₃, CeSi_x (x ≈ 1.85) an d UAl₂. The reported quenching of spin fluctuations in scandium and palladium by magnetic fields is reviewed, and it appears that the initial observations and conclusions are incorrect, and that fields greater than 10 and 40 T, respectively, will be necessary to quench spin fluctuations in these metals. The behaviors of these spin fluctuators have been grouped into six classes.     

Itinerant magnetism in TiMxBe2-x (M = Cu, Fe)

Magnetization and Mössbauer studies of TiCu_xFe_yBe_2-x-y (x = 0, 0.03, 0.4, y = 0, 0.02) show that TiBe₂ is an enhanced paramagnet, 0.02 Fe or 0.03 Cu reduce the susceptibility. On the other hand, TiCu_0.4Be_1.6 is ferromagnetic (T_c = 20 K) and 0.02 Fe reduces the magnetization and Curie point (T_c = 16 K). The magnetic properties of all samples are extremely sensitive to sample preparation and heat treatments.

The Mössbauer studies show that the itinerant magnetism resides on the Ti site, all Ti sites have the same local spin density irrespective of local environment.     

Magnetic phase transition in (Fe,Mn)65Ni35 alloys

Magnetization measurements on the Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ and Fe₅₀Mn₁₅Ni₃₅ alloy samples were carried out in the temperature range 80T300 K and in magnetic fields up to 8 kOe. The Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ was found to order ferromagnetically with a Curie temperature, T_c, above 300 K. From the temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization, M_s, it was concluded that the magnetic behavior of Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ follows Wohlfarth theory of weak itinerant ferromagnet. The Fe₅₀Mn₁₅Ni₃₅ sample exhibits a magnetic phase transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism at T_c=242 K. The critical amplitudes and critical exponents (β, γ and δ) have been determined by using Arrott plots, Kouvel–Fisher method and scaling plots of the reduced magnetization and reduced magnetic field. The values of β, γ and δ are discussed and compared with the results obtained for various theoretical models and also with the experimentally determined values for related systems obtained by others.     

Superconductivity of compressed platinum powder at very low temperatures

Superconductivity of compressed, high-purity platinum powder (average grain size 2–3 μm) was found by measurements of resistivity, AC susceptibility and magnetization. The transition temperature into the superconducting state T_c and the critical magnetic field B_c strongly depend on the packing fraction f of the samples: we found 0.62T_c(0)1.38 mK and 6.6B_c(0)67 μT for 0.8f0.5, respectively. The temperature dependence of the critical magnetic fields can be described by B_c(T)=B_c(0)(1−(T/T_c)²). The discussion of these results includes possible explanations for the origin of superconductivity in this new superconducting material.     

Effect of a magnetic field on MnAs0.88P0.12 below 80 K

MnAs_0.88P_0.12 has been studied by powder neutron diffraction in external magnetic fields up to 15.2 kOe and temperatures down to 4.2 K. MnAs_0.88P_0.12 takes the MnP type atomic arrangement and exists in para-, ferro- and different (essentially) helimagnetic states. The observation of a double 000^± satellite at 4.2 K < T 70 K adds further evidence to the chain of arguments for distinction between the helimagnetic states H'_a (4.2 K < T < T_S,1 ≈ 70 K) and H_a (T_S,2 ≈ 180 K < T < T_N = (243 ± 5) K). External magnetic fields at 4.2 K < T < 70 K evoke a new magnetic state, which is also characterized by a satellite doublet, and is tentatively designated H'_a,fan.     

On the Curie temperature of a spin one XY ferromagnet with uniaxial anisotropy

A spin one XY ferromagnet with uniaxial anisotropy has been investigated, using Green's function technique in random phase approximation (RPA). The Green functions associated with the anisotropy energy are treated without decoupling. A set of coupled equations have been obtained to find the critical temperature T_c and (S^Z)² at T_c as function of the uniaxial anisotropy parameter D. T_c and (S^Z)² at T_c are found to increase with D. The results are compared with the earlier results obtained in the Narath type of RPA.     

Disappearance of the heat capacity peak of Sc3In around the curie temperature in high magnetic fields

The low temperature (1.3–20.0 K) heat capacity of the weak itinerant electron ferromagnet Sc₃In was measured in magnetic fields up to ～ 10 T. The heat capacity peak observed around T_c = 6.0 K in zero field becomes smaller with increasing fields and at 9.98 T its magnetic entropy is ≈ 18% of the zero field value. Above T_c, the spin fluctuation contribution to the heat capacity, which is enhanced by the magnetic field at lower fields (?5 T), is quenched at higher fields (?5 T). This depression of the spin fluctuation contibution to the heat capacity by the high magnetic fields occurs at lower magnetic fields than had been considered possible heretofore. Our results suggest that the itinerant ferromagnetism is Sc₃In is completely quenched at 12 T.     

Reduced s-d model with antiferromagnetically coupled impurity spins

An antiferromagnetic equivalent-neighbour Heisenberg interaction H_i between impurity spins is added to the reduced s-d Hamiltonian H_r previously introduced by simplifying the Kondo s-d exchange Hamiltonian H_K. Asymptotic mean-field theory is developed for H_r + H_i, in the presence and absence of external magnetic field, and applied to (La_1−xCe_x)Al₂ alloys. Specific heat c_i(T) and zero-field susceptibility χ_i(0,T) curves for (La_1−xCe_x)Al₂ are depicted. The coupling constants of H_r + H_i and conduction bandwidth are adjusted so that T_c temperatures for x = 0.2, 0.1 are equal to the experimental values. c_i(T) exhibits a jump at T_c and is decreasing for T < T_c. χ_i(0,T) has a first order pole at T_c which corresponds to the maximum of experimental susceptibility and χ_i(0,0) > 0. These results improve those obtained earlier on the grounds of H_r theory.     

Magnetic order in M2Mo3O8 single crystals (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni)

Magnetic measurements on hexagonal single crystals of M₂Mo₃O₈ (M = Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) are reported. The Mn compound orders ferrimagnetically at T_c = 41.5 K; the Fe and Co compounds antiferrimagnetically at T_N = 59.5 K and 40.8 K, respectively. No magnetic ordering was found in the Ni compound down to 2 K. All the compounds showed strong magnetic anisotropy when ordered, the results indicating that the magnetic spins' preferred orientation is along the hexagonal axis. Mn₂Mo₃O₈ shows a temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization in the ferrimagnetic regime which is rarely observed: as T → 0, M_s → 0.     

Temperature effects in directional elastic peak electron spectroscopy for the Cu(011) face: observation of the surface roughening transition

Polar profiles of directional elastic peak electron spectroscopy (DEPES) and directional Auger electron spectroscopy (DAES) were measured for the Cu(011) face in the vicinity of particular close-packed directions in the sample and for sample temperatures of 400<T<1200 K. For all directions investigated, the ln C versus T curve, where C is the contrast: C = 2(I_max−I_max)/(I_max + I_max) for a particular maximum in the polar profile, is composed of three linear parts. The slope of this particular part is different for the different maxima investigated but the breaks between the linear parts occur always at the temperatures T₁ ≈ 700 K and T₂ ≈ 1000 K. The former break is ascribed to the appearance of anharmonic thermal vibrations while the latter one indicates the surface roughening transition.

DEPES was applied for the first time in the investigation of the surface roughening transition and it was found to be a very convenient and effective method. The surface roughening temperature T_R ≈ 1000 K was found for the Cu(011) face, in an excellent agreement with theoretical predictions.     

Field-induced parameters of re-entrant magnets and concentrated spin glasses

We have used electron spin resonance measurements to derive the temperature and frequency dependences of the field-induced magnetization [M(T, f)] and anisotropy field [H_an (T)] in a number of amorphous alloys belonging to the series (Fe_pNi_1−p)₇₅P₁₆B₆Al₃. In re-entrant (p > p_c, the critical concentration for ferromagnetism) alloys at hi gh frequencies (f = 35 GHz, field ≈ 12 kOe) M reduces as T^3/2 at high T and as T below ≈ 40 K, the deviation from T^3/2 becoming more marked as p → p⁺_c. For p close to p_c, lowering the frequency first causes the T term to increase and ultimately ( ≈ 4 GHz) changes the variation of M with T to that discovered previously for concentrated spin glasses, namely M is constant at low T and drops linearly at high temperatures. For the re-entrants, the results are interpreted on the basis of a model which invokes an energy gap in the spin-wave spectrum, introduces a non-zero density of states of the gap energy and takes into consideration a low-q cut-off in the spin-wave integral in thelow-T (T) regime.In the concentrated spin glasses [M (0) - M (T)]/ M (0) is well represented by the function [exp (Δ / T) - 1]^-1, where Δ has values close to the corresponding Curie-Weiss temperatures θ_p but much larger than the respective spin glass transition temperatures T_SG. The temperature dependence of H_an is largely given by the function (1 - T/T^*), where T^* is equal to the zero-field freezing temperature for the re-entrants and T_SG for the spin glasses, respectively.     

Mössbauer studies of CoxFe1−xCr2S4

The mixed spinel systems Co_xFe_1−xCr₂S₄ has been studied using the Mössbauer effect. Spectra have been collected over the temperature range 83–300 K. The isomer shifts indicate that the charge states of Fe ions are ferrous in character throughout the series. Absence of quadrupole splitting above the magnetic ordering temperature T_c suggests that iron ions occupy only tetrahedral sites. It is notable that as the temperature decreases below T_c, both quadrupole shift and asymmetrical line-broadening appear and increase with decreasing temperature, suggesting the presence of electric field gradient and accompanying relaxation effects.     

Temperature dependence of the critical current in YBa2Cu3O7−δ and Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8 Josephson junctions

We have studied the stationary Josephson effect on YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (T_c=90 K) and Bi₂Sr₂Ca₁Cu₂ O₈ (T_c=80 K and 87 K for two samples of different origin) ceramic based junctions. The temperature dependence of the critical current near T_c has been found as I_c≈(T_c-T) for the Y-Ba-Cu-O samples indicating that they should be classified as S-N-I-N-S type junctions. The I-V curves of the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu samples show the typical behaviour of S-I-S structures. Using Ambegaokar-Baratoff's theory for Bi₂Sr₂Ca₁Cu₂O₈, the temperature dependence of the superconducting state gap Δ(T) was calculated and it was evaluated that 1.452Δ(0)/k_BT_c3.5.     

The impact of nuclear magnetism on superconductivity

The influence of nuclear magnetism on the superconducting critical field B_c has been measured in the nuclear magnets Al, AuIn₂, and Sn, at ultralow temperatures, 17 μKT1 K. The materials have been chosen in respect to their distinctive Korringa constants κ(Al, AuIn₂, Sn)=(1.8, 0.1, 0.05) Ks. Both in the weakly and in the strongly coupled nuclear magnets, Al and Sn, a reduction of B_c is observed being proportional to the nuclear magnetization at T4 mK. However, using the high resolution of the experiment performed on Sn, the decrease of B_c at cooling down to 70 μK is found to be nonmonotonic. The features of the recently measured B_c(T) curve of Sn which are not understood yet as well as the formerly observed results of the interplay of nuclear ferromagnetism and superconductivity in AuIn₂ have motivated ongoing experiments which try to clear up the pair breaking contribution of nuclear magnetism.     

Study of the magnetic properties of single-crystal Ba0.6K0.4BiO3

The magnetic properties of single-crystal Ba_0.6K_0.4BiO₃ were studied. The results show that this isotropic superconductor (cubic structure with T_c ≈ 32 K) exhibits irreversibility and relaxation properties similar to those observed in the layered, high temperature superconductors. For fields above 0.1 T, an irreversibility line B_irr = B_irr (0) (1 − t)ⁿ with n = 3/2 and B_irr (0) = 20 T is observed. The comparison among several superconducting systems with different anisotropies suggests that the irreversibility line is unlikely to be the melting line for the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ.     

Ising spin glass on a D = 3 hierarchical lattice: Effects of tailed coupling distributions

Within a real-space renormalization-group framework, we approach the cubic lattice through a D = 3 diamond-like hierarchical lattice. The model is a standard, nearest-neighbor, Ising spin glass with coupling constants {J_ij} distributed according to the family of continuous probability distributions P_q(J_ij) ∝ 1/[1 + (q − 1)J_ij²/2J²]^{1/(q − 1)} (if 1 + (q − 1) J_ij²/2J² > 0, and zero otherwise; q ). Such distributions, which arise naturally in the treatment, within the recently proposed nonextensive thermostatistics, of anomalous diffusion, reproduce the usual, Gaussian case, for q → 1. Moreover, they present a second moment J_ij² proportional to (5 − 3q)⁻¹ for q < 5/3, diverging for q ≥ 5/3, but keeping a finite width at midheight. In the limit q → 3, P_q(J_ij) collapses with the abscissa, and so the width at midheight diverges. We compute the q-dependence of the spin-glass critical temperature T_c. We show numerically that T_c does not scale with J_ij^21/2 (contrary to the usual belief), but rather with the width at midheight of P_q(J_ij). Our results suggest that T_c vanishes as −1/q when q → −∞; furthermore, we verified that T_c diverges exponentially when q approaches 3 from below.     

Spin fluctuations in weakly itinerant ferromagnets Y(Co1−xAlx)2

The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate, 1/T₁, has been measured in weak itinerant ferromagnets Y(Co_1−xAl_x)₂. The temperature and magnetic field dependence of 1/T₁T has been found to be well described by the self-consistent renormalization (SCR) theory of spin fluctuations. The parameters characterizing spin fluctuations in this system were estimated from NMR and magnetic measurements. The temperature dependence of susceptibility calculated from these parameters well reproduces the experimental results.     

Incommensurate antiferromagnetic structures in NdIn3

Among the AuCu₃-type RIn₃ series where R is a rare earth, the NdIn₃ compound presents a complex magnetic phase diagram. In this compound, which orders antiferromagnetically at T_N = 5.9 K, three magnetic phases are separated by two sharp first-order transitions. The phase diagrams, determined for the main crystallographic directions, by magnetization measurements in fields up to 7 T show a strong dependence of the transition temperatures. In order to determine the actual magnetic structures in NdIn₃, a neutron diffraction experiment has been performed on a single crystal under magnetic field. It shows that the magnetic structures are collinear (single q) with the magnetic moments aligned along the fourfold axis. They clearly evidence the existence of two incommensurate phases with q = (1/2, 1/2, τ): for T_N T 5.5 K, τ₁ ≈ 0.037 2π/a and the structure is sine-wave modulated, for 5.5 K > T > 4.7 K, τ₂ = 0.017 2π/a and the structure squares up. Below 4.7 K the q = (1/2, 1/2, 0) commensurate structure is stabilized.     

Physical properties of nitrogenated RFe11Ti intermetallic compounds (R=Ce, Pr and Nd) with ThMn12-type structure

Iron-rich ternary intermetallics RFe₁₁Ti (R=Ce, Pr and Nd) with a ThMn₁₂-type structure and their nitrides RFe₁₁TiN_x (x≈1.5) were carefully prepared. After characterizing them by metallographic and microscopic analyses, we studied structural and magnetic properties of the mother compounds and their nitrides. The lattice expansion due to nitrogenation is mainly along the c-axis for the Pr and Nd systems, while that is mainly along the a-axis for the Y system. The lattice expansion of the Ce system is isotropic but the volume expansion is the largest, indicating that the Ce-4f electron state dramatically changes upon nitrogen uptake. The Curie temperature, T_C, increases by 200 K reaching T_C≈720 K for the Pr and Nd system. The saturation magnetization, M_S, increases ≈ 10% by nitrogenation and reaches 1.8–1.9 T at 4.2 K and 1.5 T at 300 K for Pr and Nd systems. The anisotropy field, υ₀H_A is estimated to be more than 20 T at 4.2 K and 7 T at 300 K. The improvement of magnetic properties upon nitrogenation is briefly discussed in terms of the calculated band structure. The results obtained at 300 K indicate that the Pr and Nd nitrides are promising as permanent magnetic application.