Magnetic phase transitions and phase diagrams of DyMn2Ge2

The experimental studies of magnetic phase transitions in the layered tetragonal intermetallic compound DyMn₂Ge₂ are continued. The existence of spontaneous phase transitions is confirmed by the results of measurements of the temperature dependences of lattice parameters and the initial magnetic susceptibility. The measurements in strong (up to 50 T) and ultrastrong (up to 150 T) fields revealed two new field-induced magnetic transitions. The inclusion of the exchange interaction between next-to-nearest layers of manganese and the crystal field effects for the rare-earth subsystem along with the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction of nearest Mn layers has made it possible to describe the magnetic properties of DyMn₂Ge₂ in a wide range of magnetic fields. The parameters of these interactions are determined from a comparison of the experimental and theoretical magnetization curves and H-T phase diagrams.     

Magnetostriction studies of magnetic phase transitions in the copper metaborate CuB2O4

The field dependences of the longitudinal and transversal magnetostriction of the copper metaborate CuB₂O₄ were measured at various temperatures below the Néel point in magnetic fields directed along the tetragonal axis or in the basal plane. Magnetostriction was found to exhibit jumps at magnetic-field-induced phase transitions to a commensurate weak ferromagnetic state, as well as to grow smoothly in fields above and below the critical level. The magnetostriction observed in a magnetic field directed along the tetragonal axis is shown to be primarily caused by volume dilatation of the crystal. The experimental data obtained were used to construct the magnetic phase diagram of copper metaborate magnetized along the tetragonal axis.     

Magnetic phase diagram of GdNi2Ge2: a magnetisation and specific-heat study

The antiferromagnetic body-centred tetragonal compound GdNi₂Ge₂ orders at 28 K. Successive magnetic phase transitions are observed by specific-heat and magnetisation measurements as a function of temperature in different applied magnetic fields. Plots of M² vs. B/M (Arrott-plots) show various anomalies. On the basis of the experimental results, a magnetic phase diagram is constructed. The multiple magnetic phase transitions are discussed in terms of competing ordering modes in the Gd sublattice.     

Magnetism of Fe in SrFe2As2: Local investigation by time differential perturbed angular distribution (TDPAD) spectroscopy

Employing the γ-ray perturbed angular distribution technique, we have measured the magnetic hyperfine field of ⁵⁴Fe in tetragonal and orthorhombic structural phases of SrFe₂As₂. In the tetragonal phase, the magnetic response of ⁵⁴Fe shows Curie-Weiss type local susceptibility, indicating the presence of localized moment on Fe. The temperature dependence of the hyperfine field of ⁵⁴Fe reflects quasi-two dimensional first order magnetic transition at 200 K. Our data indicate that Fe moments in the magnetically ordered phase of SrFe₂As₂ may be canted out of the ab-plane.     

Field dependent specific heat and longitudinal magnetization of the quantum magnet layer Cs2CuCl4: Anisotropy effects

We have addressed the specific heat and magnetization of an anisotropic spin-1/2 triangular Heisenberg antiferromagnet Cs₂CuCl₄ in the presence of magnetic field at finite temperature. We have investigated the behavior of thermodynamic properties by means of excitation spectrum in terms of a hard core bosonic representation. The effect of in-plane anisotropy on thermodynamic properties has also been studied via the bosonic model by Green’s function approach. This anisotropy is considered for exchange constants that couple spin components perpendicular to magnetic field direction. We have found the temperature dependence of the specific heat and longitudinal magnetization in the gapped field induced spin-polarized phase for various magnetic fields and anisotropy parameters. Furthermore we have studied the magnetic field dependence of specific heat and magnetization for various anisotropy parameters. Our results show temperature dependence of specific heat includes a peak so that its temperature position goes to higher temperature with increase of magnetic field. We have found the magnetic field dependence of specific heat shows a monotonic decreasing behavior for various magnetic fields due to increase of energy gap in the excitation spectrum.     

Phase Transitions of Fel2 in high magnetic field parallel to the spin direction,static field up to 150 kOe,pulsed field up to 250 kOe

Study of parallel and perpendicular susceptibilities shows that ferrous iodide presents at low temperature an antiferromagnetic order, with spins oriented along the anisotropy axis (c axis).Phase transitions of Fel₂ in a magnetic field parallel to c axis are studied by help of magnetization measurements. At low temperature (2.2 K) saturation is reached only for a magnetic field of 140 kOe. Results obtained in high static fields (Bitter and supraconductive coils allowing respectively 140 and 150 kOe) and in pulsed field are presented.At low temperature, two successive first order phase transitions are observed at 46 and 120 kOe. In the intermediate phase, the magnetization presents two minor discontinuities. An original phase diagram is given.The complexity of the Fel₂ behavior, in parallel magnetic field shows that the magnetic structure is not the same as the two sublattices one characteristic of FeCl₂ and FeBr₂. An estimate of the principal exchange coupling parameters and a study by neutron diffraction measurements (to be published) confirm an original magnetic structure.     

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.     

Microwave absorption spectra and the problem of the crystal field in tetragonal compounds HoBa2Cu3O x (x = 6.0, 6.3)

The resonance microwave absorption at wavelengths 871, 406, 305, and 118 μm in tetragonal layered perovskites HoBa₂Cu₃O _x (x = 6.0, 6.3) in pulsed magnetic fields up to 40 T has been detected. This absorption is caused by the electronic transitions between low lying levels of the Ho³⁺ ion in the crystal field. The positions and intensities of the basic resonance absorption lines for the crystal with x = 6.0 in the magnetic field oriented along the tetragonal axes are adequately described in terms of the tetragonal crystal field with known interaction parameters. To explain the weaker absorption lines, it is necessary to take into account the effect of the inhomogeneous orthorhombic and monoclinic components of the crystal field, which are due to disorder in the oxygen subsystem. This effect is more pronounced in the absorption spectra of the crystal with x = 6.3 for which the oxygen disorder is more pronounced.     

Field induced phase transitions on NdRhIn5 and Nd2RhIn8 antiferromagnetic compounds

In this work, we have investigated the low temperature magnetic phase diagram of the tetragonal NdRhIn₅ and Nd₂RhIn₈ single crystals by means of temperature and field dependent heat capacity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. These compounds order antiferromagnetically with a Néel temperature (T_N) of 11 and 10.7 K for NdRhIn₅ and Nd₂RhIn₈, respectively. The constructed magnetic phase of both compounds are anisotropic and show, as expected, a decrease of T_N as a function of the magnetic field for c crystallographic direction. However when the magnetic field is applied along of the c-axis, which is the magnetic easy axis, first-order-like field induced transitions are observed within the antiferromagnetic state. We compare the phase diagrams obtained for NdRhIn₅ and Nd₂RhIn₈ with those for their cubic relative NdIn₃.     

Magnetic phases in UNi<Subscript>2</Subscript>Si<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The tetragonal compound UNi₂Si₂ exhibits in zero magnetic field three different antiferromagnetic phases belowT _N =124 K. They are formed by ferromagnetic basal planes, which are antiferromagnetically coupled along thec-axis with the propagation vectorq=(0, 0, q _z ). Two additional order-order magnetic phase transitions are observed below T _N , namely atT ₁=108 K and T ₂=40 K in zero magnetic field. All three phases exhibit strong uniaxial anisotropy confining the U moments to a direction parallel to the c-axis. UNi₂Si₂ single crystals were studied in detail by measuring bulk thermodynamic properties, such as thermal expansion, resistivity, susceptibility, and specific heat. A microscopic study using neutron diffraction was performed in magnetic fields up to 14.5 T parallel to the c-axis, and a complex magnetic phase diagram has been determined. Here, we present the analysis of specific-heat data measured in magnetic fields up to 14 T compared with the results of the neutron-diffraction study and with other thermodynamic properties of UNi₂Si₂.     

Characteristic fields of a Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy crystal

The field dependences of the transverse resistance of a Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_y (BSCCO) layered superconducting single crystal with T _c0≥92 K are studied in a perpendicular (H⊥(ab)) pulsed magnetic field up to 50 T in a wide temperature range, 4.2–300 K. The temperature dependences of the characteristic fields identified with the “irreversibility curve” and the field corresponding to the nucleation of the superconducting phase are determined. The results obtained for the latter field are compared with the theoretical dependences.     

Antiferromagnetic resonance in CuB2O4 single crystal

The frequency-field, temperature, and angular dependences of the antiferromagnetic resonance parameters for the tetragonal CuB₂O₄ single crystal are studied in the frequency range 2.6–80 GHz and at temperatures of 4.2–30 K. The results obtained confirm the fact that, in the high-temperature state in the range 10–21 K, this compound is an easy-plane weak ferromagnet. The temperature dependence of the Dzyaloshinski field is determined. An abrupt change observed in the frequency-field dependence of the magnetic resonance at T=4.2 K and H ⊥ C ₄ indicates the transition to the weak ferromagnetic state induced by the external field H _⊥. The phase diagram for CuB₂O₄ is constructed on the H _⊥-T coordinates. It is demonstrated that, in the low-temperature state, the magnetic moments of copper ions remain in the basal plane, but the weak ferromagnetism is absent.     

Local structure of disordered PbSc<Subscript>1/2</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>1/2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> in the region of the diffuse tetragonal phase-rhombohedral phase transition

The local structure of the ferroelectric-relaxor PbSc_1/2Nb_1/2O₃ in the temperature range from 550 to 220 K has been investigated using ⁴⁵Sc nuclear magnetic resonance. It has been found that, in the paraelectric phase at temperatures below 550 K, the crystal consists of regions of an ordered elpasolite structure and inclusions of the disordered tetragonal perovskite phase with displacements along directions of the [001] type. The relative weight of the tetragonal structure in the region of the paraelectric phase is approximately equal to 0.28. Below the temperature of the phase transition from the disordered modification to the polar phase, the relative weight of the tetragonal phase decreases with decreasing temperature. The tetragonal structure is replaced by the trigonal polar structure. In a wide temperature range (∼50 K), there exists a heterophase structure that is characteristic of relaxors. Note that the correlation length of displacements in the tetragonal phase should be very small to explain the absence of indications of the existence of this phase in the diffraction data.     

Magnetoinduced structural,Jahn–Teller,dielectric, and transport effects in La<Subscript>0.875</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.125</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The temperature and magnetic field dependences of elastic moduli and resistance are studied in a La_0.875Sr_0.125MnO₃ single crystal. In addition to the metal–insulator transition, the structural transition from the cooperative J–T strongly distorted orthorhombic phase to the charge ordering phase is studied at T _J–T = 150 K in magnetic fields of up to 2 T. Results show it is possible to control the acoustic parameters in the vicinity of T _J–T via magnetic fields.     

Field-induced magnetic transition in a mixed rare-earth aluminum garnet Er<Subscript>2</Subscript>HoAl<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript>

The temperature dependence of the ac magnetic susceptibility of a single-crystal mixed rare-earth garnet Er₂HoAl₅O₁₂ has been investigated within the range from 1.8 to 300 K in a zero constant field and in applied bias fields of up to 9 T. In the absence of a constant magnetic field the magnetic susceptibility followed the Curie–Weiss law. The application of a constant magnetic field caused a magnetic phase transition, the temperature of which increased with increasing magnetic field. The temperature of the maximum of the ac magnetic susceptibility, which is a characteristic of the phase transition, did not show a noticeable dependence on the frequency of the alternating magnetic field.     

Magnetic phase transitions and iron valence in the double perovskite Sr 2 FeOsO 6

The insulating and antiferromagnetic double perovskite Sr₂FeOsO₆ has been studied by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy between 5 and 295 K. The iron atoms are essentially in the Fe^3?+? high spin $( {t_{2\mathrm{g}}{^3} e_\mathrm{g}{^2} } )$ and thus the osmium atoms in the Os $^{5+} ( {t_{2\mathrm{g}}{^3} } )$ state. Two magnetic phase transitions, which according to neutron diffraction studies occur below T _N?= 140 K and T ₂?= 67 K, give rise to magnetic hyperfine patterns, which differ considerably in the hyperfine fields and thus, in the corresponding ordered magnetic moments. The evolution of hyperfine field distributions, average values of the hyperfine fields, and magnetic moments with temperature suggests that the magnetic state formed below T _N is strongly frustrated. The frustration is released by a magneto-structural transition which below T ₂ leads to a different spin sequence along the c-direction of the tetragonal crystal structure.     

Magnetic and superconducting phase diagrams in ErNi2B2C

We present measurements of the superconducting upper critical field H_c2(T) and the magnetic phase diagram of the superconductor ErNi₂B₂C made with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The magnetic field was applied in the basal plane of the tetragonal crystal structure. We have found large gapless regions in the superconducting phase diagram of ErNi₂B₂C, extending between different magnetic transitions. A close correlation between magnetic transitions and H_c2(T) is found, showing that superconductivity is strongly linked to magnetism.     

Effect of annealing in an external magnetic field on the microstructure and magnetic properties of the Fe/FePt/Pt multilayer system

The effect of annealing in an external magnetic field applied perpendicular to the plane of the film on the kinetics of Ll ₀ phase transformation of the microstructure and the magnetic properties of the Fe(2 nm)/FePt(20 nm)/Pt(2 nm) multilayer system has been investigated. The relations between the hysteresis loop shape, magnetic correlation length, and structural disorders, which are characteristic of magnetic information carriers, have been analyzed. It has been found that the annealing of the Fe(2 nm)/FePt(20 nm)/Pt(2 nm) multilayer system at a temperature of 470°C in an external magnetic field of 3500 Oe, which is applied perpendicular to the film plane, leads to the formation of a face-centered tetragonal structure of the Ll ₀ phase in the FePt film, which is characterized by the high coercivity H _c , the (001) preferred texture, the magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the film plane, small sizes of FePt grains in the film, and weak exchange coupling between the particles. The energy of the external magnetic field encourages the process of transformation of the FePt film into the Ll ₀ phase. Thus, a method has been developed for fabricating multilayer films based on the FePt Ll ₀ phase with the parameters necessary for information carrier materials with perpendicular-type magnetic recording.