Temperature and field dependence of the magnetic properties of Nd \mathsf{_{2-x}}Ce\mathsf{_{x}}CuO\mathsf{_4}

We have investigated the magnetic ordering of Nd_2-x Ce _x CuO₄ for x = 0, 0.09, 0.13, 0.15 and 0.18 by neutron diffraction at low temperatures down to 33 mK and under magnetic field up to 5 tesla applied along 1,-1,0] crystallographic direction. At zero applied magnetic field Cu magnetic sublattice orders at , 210, 130 and 105 K for x = 0, 0.09, 0.13, 0.15, respectively. No long range magnetic order of the Cu could be detected for x = 0.18. The magnetic order of Nd was found in all samples, with a gradual increase of the polarized magnetic moment with decreasing temperature, saturating around 1 K. Hyperfine induced nuclear polarization of the Nd nuclear spin has been observed below about 400 mK for samples with x = 0, 0.13, 0.15 and 0.18. Field variation of the intensities of the principal and superstructure reflections of Nd_2-x Ce _x CuO₄ at millikelvin temperatures shows a field-induced second-order double-k to single-k phase transition at H _c = 0.75 and 0.56 tesla for samples with x = 0 and 0.15, respectively at T = 50 mK. We have also investigated the polarization of the Nd electronic sublattice due to the field of the Cu sublattice by the element specific X-ray resonant magnetic scattering investigation with synchrotron radiation.Received: 9 April 2004, Published online: 14 December 2004PACS: 75.25. + z Spin arrangements in magnetically ordered materials (including neutron and spin-polarized electron studies, synchrotron-source X-ray scattering, etc.)T. Chatterji: Has changed his surname from Chattopadhyay to Chatterji.