Analogue of a spin flop phase transition for an array of magnetic moments with dipole interaction

In a two-dimensional array of magnetic moments with planar magnetization and relatively weak anisotropy in the basal plane, a stepwise phase transition is induced by an external magnetic field parallel to the easy axis of the system. This transition is similar to the spin flop phase transition in weakly anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnets with the significant difference that it is accompanied by the rearrangement of the sublattice structure of the magnet; i.e., it can be interpreted as a topological transition. The transition should manifest itself for arrays of submicron magnetic particles (magnetic dots) on nonmagnetic substrates, which have recently become the object of intensive research.     

On the theory of phase transitions in magnetic fluids

Particles of magnetic fluids (ferrofluids), as is known from experiments, can condense to bulk dense phases at low temperatures (that are close to room temperature) in response to an external magnetic field. It is also known that a uniform external magnetic field increases the threshold temperature of the observed condensation, thus stimulating the condensation process. Within the framework of early theories, this phenomenon is interpreted as a classical gas-liquid phase transition in a system of individual particles involved in a dipole-dipole interaction. However, subsequent investigations have revealed that, before the onset of a bulk phase transition, particles can combine to form a chain cluster or, possibly, a topologically more complex heterogeneous cluster. In an infinitely strong magnetic field, the formation of chains apparently suppresses the onset of a gas-liquid phase transition and the condensation of magnetic particles most likely proceeds according to the scenario of a gas-solid phase transition with a wide gap between spinodal branches. This paper reports on the results of investigations into the specific features of the condensation of particles in the absence of an external magnetic field. An analysis demonstrates that, despite the formation of chains, the condensation of particles in this case can proceed according to the scenario of a gas-liquid phase transition with a critical point in the continuous binodal. Consequently, a uniform magnetic field not only can stimulate the condensation phase transition in a system of magnetic particles but also can be responsible for a qualitative change in the scenario of the phase transition. This inference raises the problem regarding a threshold magnetic field in which there occurs a change in the scenario of the phase transition.     

Magnetic transition phase diagram of cobalt clusters electrodeposited on HOPG: Experimental and micromagnetic modelling study

The magnetic transition from mono- to multidomain magnetic states of cobalt clusters electrodeposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrodes was studied experimentally using Magnetic Force Microscopy. From these images, it was found that the critical size of the magnetic transition is dominated by the height rather than the diameter of the aggregate. This experimental behavior was found to be consistent with a theoretical single-domain ferromagnetic model that states that a critical height limits the monodomain state. By analyzing the clusters magnetic states as a function of their dimensions, magnetic exchange constant and anisotropy value were obtained and used to calculate other magnetic properties such as the exchange length, magnetic wall thickness, etc. Finally, a micromagnetic simulation study correctly predicted the experimental magnetic transition phase diagram.     

Lowering of the Magnetic Fréedericksz transition threshold in nematic liquid crystals doped with ferromagnetic nanoparticles

We show that magnetic colloids could increase the coupling of a liquid crystal to a week magnetic field. Magnetic Fréedericksz transition in a planarly oriented nematic liquid crystal doped with spherical ferromagnetic nanoparticles is considered theoretically. It is shown that even spherical nanoparticles could decrease a threshold of this transition because they strongly increase the magnetic field in the medium. This phenomenon indicates the possibility to use the considered system in magneto-optical displays.     

Continuous spin-reorientation phase transition in the surface region of an inhomogeneous magnetic film

A continuous spin-reorientation transition from a uniform magnetic state with the in-plane orientation of the moments of all atomic layers to a nonuniform canted state in the surface region is considered. This transition was discovered in experiments on the divergence of magnetic susceptibility in a perpendicular magnetic field at a temperature of about 240 K, which is lower than the Curie point of gadolinium, equal to 292.5 K. These experiments were carried out on an ultrathin iron magnetic film deposited on the (0001) surface of a thin gadolinium film. It is shown that, in the vicinity of the spin-reorientation transition, the thermodynamic potential has a form characteristic of the Landau theory of second-order phase transitions. The orientation angle of the moment of the surface atomic layer with respect to the plane of the film, which is chosen as an order parameter, exhibits anomalous behavior and increases with temperature. Expressions are derived for the magnetic susceptibility of each atomic layer. It is shown that, in the vicinity of the transition, the irregular part of the magnetic susceptibility of each atomic layer exhibits behavior characteristic of the susceptibility in the Landau theory: it is less by a factor of two in the low-symmetry phase and diverges at the transition point. The regular part of the magnetic susceptibility of each atomic layer makes an additional contribution to the asymmetry of the total susceptibility in the vicinity of the transition point; this result follows from the fact that the inhomogeneous magnetic system considered is semi-infinite.     

Magnetic field dependence of the hexagonal to isotropic transition temperature of a single-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed lyotropic liquid crystal

We have carried out electrical conductivity studies on a single-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed lyotropic liquid crystal consisting of 50 wt.% TX-100 in water as a function of magnetic field and temperature. This system exhibits hexagonal and isotropic phases on heating. For all the applied magnetic fields, the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity of the carbon nanotubes dispersed lyotropic liquid crystal system exhibits a discontinuous change at the hexagonal to isotropic transition temperature. We find that the magnetic field dependence of the hexagonal to isotropic transition temperature is similar to that of the viscosity of the system. Using photo images of the sample, we find that the carbon nanotubes in the lyotropic liquid crystal form magnetic field dependent aggregates. We find spherical, rod and hook-like nanotube aggregates for low and high applied magnetic fields respectively. These nanotube aggregates alter the viscosity of our system which in turn alters the transition temperatures.     

Magnetic properties of amorphous alloys

The magnetic properties of existing amorphous iron based materials, i.e., Fe--metalloid, Fe--early transition metals and Fe--rare earth alloys, are briefly discussed for some representative alloys. The spin orientation of amorphous Fe--metalloid alloys has been determined by the angular dependence of hyperfine interactions. It is shown that in iron--early transition metals ferromagnetic order is not long-ranged, but determined by magnetic clusters. The magnetic hyperfine field distributions of Fe-rich iron--early transition metals consist of a high and a low field tail. The magnetic structure has been investigated for two representative Fe--RE (RE = Er, Ce) amorphous alloys. For the first time, the magnetic coupling phenomenon in amorphous/crystalline multilayers has been discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nickel on lead,magnetically dead or alive?

Two atomic layers of Ni condensed onto Pb films behave, according to anomalous Hall effect measurements, as magnetic dead layers. However, it has been observed that sub-monolayers of Ni lower the superconducting transition temperature of the Pb film. This has lead to the conclusion that the Ni atoms are still very weakly magnetic and that their magnetic scattering causes the reduction of the transition temperature. In the present paper the electron dephasing due to the Ni has been measured by weak localization. The dephasing is smaller by a factor 100 than the T_c-reduction would suggest. This proves that the T_c-reduction in the PbNi films is not due magnetic Ni moments.     

Two-phase regime in the magnetic field–temperature phase diagram of a type-II superconductor

The magnetic field and temperature dependencies of the magnetic moments of superconducting crystals of V₃Si have been studied. In a constant magnetic field and at temperatures somewhat below the superconducting transition temperature, the moments are hysteretic in temperature. However, the magnetic moment–magnetic field isotherms are reversible and exhibit features that formally resemble the pressure–volume isotherms of the liquid–gas transition. This suggests the existence of a first-order phase transition, a two-phase regime, and a critical point in the superconducting phase diagram. The two phases are disordered vortex configurations with the same magnetization, but with different vortex densities. The entropy change, determined from the data using the Clausius–Clapeyron equation, is consistent with estimates based on the difference in the vortex densities of the two phases.     

Metamagnetism near <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>C</Subscript> in Mn-substituted chalcopyrite Cd<Subscript>0.90</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>0.10</Subscript>GeAs<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The magnetic and electric properties of a Cd_0.90Mn_0.10GeAs₂ solid solution with the chalcopyrite structure have been investigated in wide temperature and field ranges. It has been found that a metamagnetic transition from a low-magnetization state to a high-magnetization one is initiated in Cd_0.90Mn_0.10GeAs₂ near the magnetic ordering temperature. This transition is accompanied by the hysteresis of magnetic properties. An external magnetic field at temperatures above T _C also induces the metamagnetic transition. When the temperature increases above T _C, the magnetization jump decreases, whereas fields inducing the metamagnetic transition increase. The band character of magnetism and metamagnetism in the effective magnetic field is assumed on the basis of the behavior of magnetization in the metamagnetic transition and analysis of the band structure of the solid solution of cadmium-germanium diarsenide with manganese.     

A study of the character of the phase transition to the superconducting phase by the renormalization group method

This study deals with phase transitions in magnetic systems when spin fluctuations and electronphonon interaction exchange enhancement occur. It is shown that in this context fluctuations play a substantial role and determine the character of the first-order phase transition that is close to a second-order transition.     

Heat capacity and magnetoresistance of a lightly doped two-dimensional antiferromagnet in the noncollinear phase

The energy spectrum of mobile charge carriers in a two-dimensional Antiferromagnet placed in external magnetic field is analyzed. It is shown that allowing for the magnetic sublattice skew the effective mass of mobile charge carriers in a lightly doped Antiferromagnet. This affects substantially the transport and thermodynamic properties of the system. A insulator-semimetal transition is induced with external magnetic field.     

Dimer to monomer phase transition in alkali-metal fullerides: magnetic susceptibility changes

Ab initio calculations have been employed to investigate the peculiar change in magnetic property (from diamagnetic to paramagnetic) of the dianionic C60-dimer phase in a rapidly cooled AC60 samples ( A: alkali metal). We first note that the triplet state of (C60)-22 which was never considered previously is nearly degenerate with the singlet state, and the transition barrier between the two states is reasonably small. This explains the susceptibility increase with an increase in temperature and the magnetic phase transition in the process of the dimer to monomer phase transition.     

基于伊辛模型的Fe_(0.5)Mn_(0.1)Al_(0.4)合金磁化强度和磁熵变蒙特卡洛模拟

基于伊辛模型的单自旋反转蒙特卡洛算法,考虑了粒子间的最近邻以及次近邻相互作用,研究了无序Fe0.5Mn0.1Al0.4合金的磁化强度和磁熵变.首先,强调了粒子间的次近邻相关作用对体系的磁性和热力学性质的影响,明确了次近邻相互作用系数,证实了低温合金阻挫的存在;其次,研究了在相变温度处(不同磁场下)磁化强度随外加磁场(温度)的变化情况以及磁性粒子对磁化强度的贡献,发现反铁磁性粒子Mn在低温区对Fe0.5Mn0.1Al0.4合金的相变起了主要作用,而高温区体系的相变是由铁磁性粒子Fe贡献的;最后,分析了体系在相变温度处磁熵变数值随外加磁场的变化情况以及磁熵变在不同的外磁场下随温度的变化情况,当外加磁场H=0.14(a.u.)时,Mn粒子在冻结温度处的平均磁化强度为零,体系处于最无序的状态,对应的磁熵变ΔS(0.1,0.14)达到了正向最大值,极值的位置对应于体系的相变温度.     

单轴应变条件下Fe从α到ε结构相变机制的第一性原理计算

采用基于密度泛函理论的平面波赝势方法,研究了沿［001］方向单轴应变条件下Fe从体心立方结构(bcc,α相)到六角密排结构(hcp,ε相)相变的临界压力、相变路径、相变势垒以及相变过程中原子磁性的变化.结果发现:单轴应变条件下Fe从α到ε结构的相变路径与以前理论计算模拟给出的静水压力条件下的相变路径明显不同;原子磁矩沿着相变路径突然降低,同时伴随着能量和体积的突然变化,是典型的一阶磁性相转变,表明原子磁性的丧失导致了bcc结构不稳定而向hcp结构转变.对单轴应变下吉布斯自由能的计算表明,相变势垒随着单轴应 关键词： 相变 单轴应变 第一性原理 铁     

基于伊辛模型的Fe0.5Mn0.1Al0.4 合金磁化强度和磁熵变蒙特卡洛模拟

基于伊辛模型的单自旋反转蒙特卡洛算法,考虑了粒子间的最近邻以及次近邻相互作用,研究了无序 合金的磁化强度和磁熵变。首先,强调了粒子间的次近邻相关作用对体系的磁性和热力学性质的影响,明确了次近邻相互作用系数,证实了低温合金阻挫的存在;其次,研究了在相变温度处(不同磁场下)磁化强度随外加磁场（温度）的变化情况以及磁性粒子对磁化强度的贡献,发现反铁磁性粒子Mn在低温区对 合金的相变起了主要作用,而高温区体系的相变是由铁磁性粒子Fe贡献的;最后,分析了体系在相变温度处磁熵变数值随外加磁场的变化情况以及磁熵变在不同的外磁场下随温度的变化情况,当外加磁场h=0.14时,Mn粒子在冻结温度处的平均磁化强度为零,体系处于最无序的状态,对应的磁熵变 达到了正向最大值,极值的位置对应于体系的相变温度。     

NMR on superfluid<Superscript>3</Superscript>He in aerogel

The transition to superfluidity of³He in high porosity (98.2%) acrogel has been observed by nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The onset of the transition at all pressures above 13 bar is marked by a sharp increase in NMR frequency similar to that observed in bulk³He-A. This suggests that the aerogel/superfluid phase is highly homogeneous although both the transition temperature, T_c, and the amplitude of the order parameter are substantially suppressed. The acrogel strands are ≈ 50Å in diameter, much smaller than the superfluid coherence length. Consequently, we have attempted to interpret our observations as an impurity scattering problem. Based on our measurements of the magnetic field dependence of T_c it appears that both magnetic and potential scattering play important roles where the magnetic scattering can be associated with solid³He on the aerogel surface. This is determined by isotopic exchange with⁴He, a process which appears to stabilize a new superfluid state similar to the bulk B-phase.     

Induced magnetic phase transitions in rare-earth intermetallic compounds RMn2Ge2 in ultrastrong magnetic fields

The differential magnetic susceptibility of intermetallic compounds RMn₂Ge₂ (R=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Y) with a layered tetragonal structure is measured in pulsed magnetic fields up to 130 T. It is found that all these compounds undergo a first-order magnetic phase transition in strong magnetic fields. The nature of this transition is discussed, and it is found that a change in the magnetic state of the manganese sublattice is responsible for the transition.     

Formation of phase domain structures in thin films under conditions of a first-order magnetic phase transition

This paper reports on the results of a theoretical investigation into the magnetic and resonance properties of thin films in the range of the transition from a paramagnetic state to a ferromagnetic state in the case where the magnetic transition is a first-order phase transformation. It is demonstrated that, in an external magnetic field directed perpendicular to the film plane, the formation of a specific domain structure consisting of domains of the coexisting paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases can appear to be energetically favorable. The parameters of the equilibrium system of stripe phase domains and their dependences on the temperature, the magnetic field, and the characteristics of the material are calculated. The specific features of the magnetic resonance spectra under the conditions of formed stripe phase domains are considered. A relationship is derived for the dependence of the resonance field of the system of ferromagnetic domains on the magnetization and temperature. It is shown that the alternating external field can fulfill an orientation function in the formation of stripe phase domains.