Proton spin-lattice relaxation study of the phase transition in TlH2AsO4

Measurements of the temperature and frequency dependence of the proton laboratory and dipolar frame spin-lattice relaxation rates in powdered TlH₂AsO₄ demonstrate that the ⁷⁵As quadrupole resonance frequency changes from v_Q ≈ 38 MHz at T ?T_c to v_Q 〈 10 MHz at T 〉 T_c. The structural phase transition at T_c = 251 K is thus connected with a disordering of the protons in the O–H … O bonds surrounding the AsO₄ groups.     

Dielectric dispersion in the incommensurate phases of [N(CH3)4]2CoCl4 and [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4

The complex dielectric permittivity ?(ω) of [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ and [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ along the a-axis was measured between 0.35 MHz and 100 MHz. It has been found that for both substances the relaxation frequencies are about 5 MHz at T_c. The dielectric relaxation of both substances could be described by a polydispersive process β = 0.74 in the vicinity of T_c. However, for the temperature region of (T?T_c) > 0.6 for [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ the dielectric absorption seems to be rather monodispersive.     

Two-dimensional critical behaviour in antiferrodistortive Al ur6(CIO4)3 and Ga ur6(ClO4)3

Critical behaviour with dimensionality d = 2 has been observed for the 300 K antiferrodistortive phase transition in Al ur₆(ClO₄)₃ and Ga ur₆(ClO₄)₃ by means of the temperature dependence of the ESR parameter D. The systems exhibited d = 2 behaviour in the static critical behaviour for T<T_c?40 K for T>T_c + 40 K. From the ESR data including line width measurements the local order parameter relaxation rate ω₁ has been obtained for various temperatures above T_c, with a lowest value of ω₁ = 150 MHz at T_c + 15 K     

H nuclear magnetic resonance study of the ferroelastic and superionic phase transitions of (NH4)4LiH3(SO4)4 single crystals

We investigated the temperature dependences of the line shape, spin-lattice relaxation time, T₁, and spin-spin relaxation time, T₂, of the ¹H nuclei in (NH₄)₄LiH₃(SO₄)₄ single crystals. On the basis of the data obtained, we were able to distinguish the “ammonium” and “hydrogen-bond” protons in the crystals. For both the ammonium and hydrogen-bond protons in (NH₄)₄LiH₃(SO₄)₄, the curves of T₁ and T₂ versus temperature changed significantly near the ferroelastic and superionic phase transitions at T_C (=232 K) and T_S (=405 K), respectively. In particular, near T_S, the ¹H signal due to the hydrogen-bond protons abruptly narrowed and the T₂ value for these protons abruptly increased, indicating that these protons play an important role in this superionic phase transition. The marked increase in the T₂ of the hydrogen-bond protons above T_S indicates that the breaking of O-H?O bonds and the formation of new H-bonds with HSO₄^- contribute significantly to the high-temperature conductivity of (NH₄)₄LiH₃(SO₄)₄ crystals.     

Nonexponential proton relaxation for tunneling of NH+4 in the rotating frame

Proton spin-lattice relaxation times T₁ and T_1θ have been measured in NH₄IO₄ between 150 K and 50 K. The relaxation in the rotating frame was strongly nonexponential between 70 K and 53 K, which supports the tunneling assisted relaxation model of NH⁺₄ in the rotating frame. The tunneling frequency was determined to be $\text{Λ}{}_0\text{2Π}\text{=1.5 MHz}$.     

NMR spectral densities and two dimensional diffusion in TiS2(NH3)1.0 and TaS2(NH3)x

NMR measurements of proton spin-lattice relaxation times T₁ and T_1? in the layered intercalation compounds TiS₂(NH₃)_1.0 and TaS₂(NH₃)_x (x = 0.8, 0.9, 1.0) are reported as functions of frequency and temperature (100 K – 300 K). These observations probe the spectral density of magnetic fluctuations due to motions of the intercalated molecules at frequencies accessible to the T₁ (4–90 MHz) and T_1? (1–100 kHz) measurements. Since the average molecular hopping time (τ) can be changed by varying temperature, different regions of the spectral density can be examined. For T > 200 K, both T^?1₁ and T^?1_1? vary logarithmically with frequency, reflecting the two dimensional character of the molecular diffusion. The temperature dependence of T₁ suggests that a more accurate picture of the short time dynamics is required. No dependence of relaxation rate on vacancy concentration is found.     

The soft mode properties in Raman spectra of improper ferroelastics Hg2Cl2 and Hg2Br2

The temperature dependence of the frequency and intensity of the soft mode line appearing in the Raman spectra of Hg₂Cl₂, Hg₂Br₂ below the critical point T_c was studied. A proportionality between the scattering cross section of the soft mode and the square of its frequency v_sm was established. A strong stress-induced increase of the intensity and frequency of the soft mode line was observed near T_c, the relative shift of v_sm being ～30% at ～0.5 kg/mm² stress and T_c?T=5°K.     

Superconducting phase transitions in ErcY1−cRh4B4

The superconducting transition temperature T_c1 and the reentering temperature T_c2 to the normal ferromagnetically ordered state in the system Er_cY_1?cRh₄B₄ were determined as a function of the concentration of Er. Comparing our results with the recent theory of Maekawa et al., the exchange interactions J′ among local spins and I between local spins and superconducting electrons were estimated as J′ ? 0.30 K and I²N(0) ? 0.046 K, where N(0) is the density of states. A sudden decrease of H_c2 at T_c2 was observed in a high concentration region suggesting the first order transition.     

B NMR relaxation in superconductors: YRuB2 and LuRuB2

To investigate the electronic states in YRuB₂ and LuRuB₂, we have carried out ¹¹B NMR measurements. In the normal state, the spin-lattice relaxation rates 1/T₁'s in these compounds are proportional to the temperature T. 1/T₁'s show a small coherence peak just below the superconducting transition temperature T_c and decrease exponentially well below T_c. YRuB₂ and LuRuB₂ are found to be BCS superconductors with the energy gap 2Δ(0)=3.52 k_BT_c.     

Dielectric relaxation in single crystal NH4H2PO4 in the high-temperature regime

The dispersion curves of the dielectric response in single crystal NH₄H₂PO₄ were obtained in the radio frequency range and below the high-temperature transition at T_p−160 °C. The results reveal dielectric relaxation at low frequency, which is about 10⁵ Hz at 70 °C, and it shifts to higher frequencies (∼3×10⁶ Hz) as the temperature increases. The relaxation frequency was determined from the peak obtained in the imaginary part of the permittivity as well as from the derivative of the real part of the permittivity. The activation energy E_a=0.55 eV, obtained from the relaxation frequency is very close to that derived from the dc conductivity. We suggest that this dielectric relaxation could be due to the proton jump and phosphate reorientation that cause distortion and change the local lattice polarizability inducing dipoles like      

Unusual behavior of nuclear relaxation in CeCu2Si2 “possible evidence for triplet superconductivity”

Nuclear relaxation of ⁶³Cu in the superconducting state of the Kondo-lattice system CeCu₂Si₂ has been studied with the use of the ⁶³Cu nuclear quadrupole resonance technique under zero field and down to 65mK. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T₁) decreases drastically just below T_c=0.67 K down to 0.5T_c without the apparent enchanced behavior and then is found to be almost temperature independent below 0.3T_c. These results suggest that the superconductivity in CeCu₂Si₂ is not in the usual BCS regime. The analysis based upon the existing triplet pairing model with an anisotropic energy gap describes well the behavior from T_c down to 0.5T_c, while the temperature independence below 0.3T_c remains unexplained.     

A nuclear magnetic resonance study of the structural properties and molecular motions of Li2KH(SO4)2 and LiKSO4 single crystals

The structural properties and relaxation mechanisms of Li₂KH(SO₄)₂ crystals were determined using the temperature dependences of NMR spectra and the spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁) of their ¹H, ⁷Li, and ³⁹K nuclei. The results obtained were compared with the previously reported physical properties of LiKSO₄ crystals. The substitution of the potassium ions with protons in the LiKSO₄ crystals were variations in the phase transition temperatures, and the non-appearance of ferroelastic properties. The ⁷Li T₁ for the Li₂KH(SO₄)₂ crystals was much shorter than the ⁷Li T₁ for the LiKSO₄ crystals, and these findings indicate that the presence of the protons in Li₂KH(SO₄)₂ causes the Li ions to move with greater freedom.     

17O NQR study of the ferroelectric phase transition in PbHPO4

The temperature dependence of the ¹⁷O NQR spectra of the O-H---O bonded oxygens in PbHPO₄ have been studied using a proton-¹⁷O double resonance technique. The results show that the protons move between two off-centre sites above T_c and freeze into one of the possible equilibrium sites below T_c.     

La NMR and As NQR study of the As-based filled skutterudite LaOs4As12

We report experimental results of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at the La site and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) at the As site in the normal state of the superconducting compound LaOs₄As₁₂. Measurements have been performed on powder sample obtained from high quality single crystals. The temperature dependences of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rates, 1/T₁, of ⁷⁵As and ¹³⁹La nuclei were measured. No scaling between them was found indicating a local character of relaxation processes. The relaxation of ⁷⁵As nuclei can consistently be understood in terms of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations, as deduced from the T-dependence of (1/T₁T)=C/(T−θ)^1/2.     

17O quadrupole resonance study of the ferroelectric phase transition in KH2PO4

The temperature dependence of the ¹⁷O NQR spectra in KH₂PO₄ has been measured using a proton-¹⁷O double resonance technique in the laboratory frame. The spectra are consistent with a model where the protons rapidly move above T_c between the two equilibrium sites in the O-H--O bonds, whereas the motion freezes in below T_c.     

A Mössbauer study of antiferroelectric transition in Fe: NH4H2PO4

Mössbauer studies in ⁵⁷Fe³⁺: NH₄H₂PO₄ (ADP) were conducted over a range of temperatures covering the antiferroelectric transition at 148 K, using both powder and single crystal absorbers. No anomaly was observed in the temperature dependence of chemical isomershift and normalised resonance intensity at the transition point T_c. However, a sudden increase in the line width around T_c was observed, consistent with the expected increase in electric field gradient created by the onset of antiferroelectric ordering. These experiments clearly show that the impurity Fe atoms do not play any role in the soft mode responsible for the spontaneous polarization in ADP.     

Li- and V-NMR study of LiVS2

⁷Li- and ⁵¹V-NMR have been measured to make clear the electronic state in a two-dimensional triangular lattice LiVS₂. Knight shift of both ⁷Li- and ⁵¹V-NMR is almost independent of temperature below the phase transition temperature T_c of about 310 K from the paramagnetic state to non-magnetic state. The ⁵¹V- spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T₁ reveals an exponential temperature dependence below T_c, indicating a gap structure of electronic state. These results are consistent with a non-magnetic state with a trimer singlet of V³⁺ spins below T_c.     

Site selection NMR study on electronic state in and near vortex core of YBa2Cu4O8

We report a site-selective ¹⁷O spin-lattice relaxation rate T₁⁻¹ in the vortex state of YBa₂Cu₄O₈. We found that T₁⁻¹ at the planar sites exhibits an unusual nonmonotonic NMR frequency dependence. Based on T₁⁻¹ in the vortex core region, we establish strong evidence that the local density of states within the vortex core is strongly reduced.     

Dielectric properties of CsH2PO4 and CsD2PO4

Orthorhombic CsH₂PO₄ undergoes a ferroelectric transition at T_c = ?119.5°C, whereas the ferroelectric transition temperature in isomorphous CsD₂PO₄ is T_c = ?5.55°C. The transitions are of first order in both cases. The rather large isotope effect demonstrates the importance of the OHO bonds in the transition mechanism.     

Raman study of charge-density-wave phase transition in quasi-one-dimensional conductor (TaSe4)2I

Polarized Raman spectra were obtained in the quasi-one-dimensional conductor (TaSe₄)₂I above and below the charge-density-wave (CDW) transition temperature (T_c=263 K). The Raman intensities of many peaks become intenser and two of the phonon peaks shift to higher frequency with decreasing temperature. Moreover a new broad peak at about 90 cm^?1 and a new peak around 166 cm^?1 appear in the low-temperature phase. The polarization characteristic shows that the former is assigned to totally symmetric mode. The damping constant of the phonon at 90 cm^?1 increases markedly with increasing temperature. The frequency shifts to higher frequency as the temperature increases and the coupling coefficient is approximately proportional to (T_c?T)^{$\text{1}\text{2}$}. This peak becomes Raman active owing to the CDW phase transition. The temperature dependence of the damping constant and the frequency shift may have a relation to the dynamical properties of the CDW phase transition.