Magnetic-field induced transition to the 1/2 magnetization plateau state in the geometrically frustrated magnet CdCr2O4

The magnetization of the geometrically frustrated spinel CdCr2O4 was measured in pulsed fields of up to 47 T. We found a metamagnetic transition to a very wide magnetization plateau state with one half of the full moment of S=3/2 Cr3+ at 28 T, independent of the field direction. This is the first observation of magnetization plateau state realized in Heisenberg pyrochlore magnet. The plateau state can be ascribed to a collinear spin configuration with three-up and one-down spins out of four spins of each Cr tetrahedron. A large magnetostriction is observed at the transition in spite of the negligible spin-orbit couplings. We argue that spin frustration plays a vital role in this large spin-lattice coupling.     

Unconventional dynamics in triangular Heisenberg antiferromagnet NaCrO2

We report magnetization, specific heat, muon spin rotation, and Na NMR measurements on the S=3/2 rhombohedrally stacked Heisenberg antiferromagnet NaCrO2. This compound appears to be a good candidate for the study of isotropic triangular Heisenberg antiferromagnets with very weak interlayer coupling. While specific heat and magnetization measurements indicate the onset of a transition in the range Tc approximately 40-50 K, both muon spin rotation and NMR reveal a fluctuating crossover regime extending well below Tc, with a peak of relaxation rate T1(-1) around T approximately 25 K. This novel finding is discussed within the context of excitations in the triangular Heisenberg antiferromagnets.     

Magnetization plateau in the S=1/2 XXZ spin chain with period 3 magnetic field

We investigate the S=1/2 XXZ spin chain with period 3 magnetic field term. The magnetization plateau-nonplateau transition at m=±1/6 is expected to be of the Berezinski–Kosterlitz–Thouless type from the bosonization argument. By examining the level crossing of low-lying excitations numerically, we precisely determine the plateau phase diagram.     

反对称Spin-1/2阻挫钻石链的基态和磁化行为研究

对含有次近邻节点自旋交换耦合的自旋-1/2伊辛-海森伯钻石链体系进行了研究,利用矩阵对角化和传递矩阵方法对基态磁相和宏观热力学量进行了严格求解,重点探讨了所有交换耦合均为反铁磁耦合时,体系节点伊辛自旋间次近邻相互作用的影响.研究结果表明次近邻节点伊辛自旋存在反铁磁耦合时会增强系统的阻挫效应,引入破坏平移对称性的经典亚铁磁相,使基态呈现出上上上下上上的自旋构型以及磁化曲线新颖的2/3磁化平台,丰富了体系的基态相图和宏观磁性行为.     

Giant spin canting in the S=1/2 antiferromagnetic chain [CuPM(NO3)2(H2O)2]n observed by 13C-NMR

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study on copper pyrimidine dinitrate [CuPM(NO3)2(H2O)2]n, a one-dimensional S=1/2 antiferromagnet with alternating local symmetry. From the local susceptibility measured by NMR at the three inequivalent carbon sites in the pyrimidine molecule we deduce a giant spin canting, i.e., an additional staggered magnetization perpendicular to the applied external field at low temperatures. The magnitude of the transverse magnetization, the spin canting of (52+/-4) degrees at 10 K and 9.3 T, and its temperature dependence are in excellent agreement with exact diagonalization calculations.     

Cascade of Magnetic Field Induced Spin Transitions in LaCoO_{3}

We present magnetization and magnetostriction studies of LaCoO_{3} in magnetic fields approaching 100?T. In contrast with expectations from single-ion models, the data reveal two distinct first-order transitions and well-defined magnetization plateaus. The magnetization at the higher plateau is only about half the saturation value expected for spin-1 Co^{3+} ions. These findings strongly suggest collective behavior induced by interactions between different electronic configurations of Co^{3+} ions. We propose a model that predicts crystalline spin textures and a cascade of four magnetic phase transitions at high fields, of which the first two account for the experimental data.     

Field-induced order-disorder transition in antiferromagnetic BaCo(2)V(2)O(8) driven by a softening of spinon excitation

High field magnetization and ESR measurements on the quasi-one-dimensional (1D) antiferromagnet BaCo(2)V(2)O(8) have been performed in magnetic fields up to 50 T along the chain. The experimental results are explained well in terms of a 1D S=1/2 antiferromagnetic XXZ model in longitudinal fields. We show that the quantum phase transition from the Néel ordered phase to the spin liquid one in the model is responsible for a peculiar order to disorder transition in BaCo(2)V(2)O(8).     

Spin dynamics of the S = 5/2 2D triangular antiferromagnet Ba3NbFe3Si2O14

We report pulse-field magnetization, ac susceptibility, and 100 GHz electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements on the S = 5/2 two-dimensional triangular compound Ba3NbFe3Si2O14 with the Néel temperature T(N) = 26 K. The magnetization curve shows an almost linear increase up to 60 T with no indication of a one-third magnetization plateau. An unusually large frequency dependence of the ac susceptibility in the temperature range of T = 20-100 K reveals a spin-glass behavior or superparamagnetism, signaling the presence of frustration-related slow magnetic fluctuations. The temperature dependence of the ESR linewidth exhibits two distinct critical regimes; (i) ΔH(pp)(T) is proportional to (T-T(N))(-p) with the exponent p = 0.2(1)-0.2(3) for temperatures above 27 K, and (ii) ΔH(pp)(T) is proportional to (T-T*)(-p) with T* = 12 K and p = 0.8(1)-0.8(4) for temperatures between 12 and 27 K. This is interpreted as indicating a dimensional crossover of magnetic interactions and the persistence of short-range correlations with a helically ordered state.     

Random-walk technique for simulating NMR measurements and 2D NMR maps of porous media with relaxing and permeable boundaries

We revisit random-walk methods to simulate the NMR response of fluids in porous media. Simulations reproduce the effects of diffusion within external inhomogeneous background magnetic fields, imperfect and finite-duration B(1) pulses, T(1)/T(2) contrasts, and relaxing or permeable boundaries. The simulation approach consolidates existing NMR numerical methods used in biology and engineering into a single formulation that expands on the magnetic-dipole equivalent of spin packets. When fluids exhibit low T(1)/T(2) contrasts and when CPMG pulse sequences are used to acquire NMR measurements, we verify that classical NMR numerical models that neglect T(1) effects accurately reproduce surface magnetization decays of saturated granular porous media regardless of the diffusion/relaxation regime. Currently, analytical expressions exist only for the case of arbitrary pore shapes within the fast-diffusion limit. However, when fluids include several components or when magnetic fields are strongly inhomogeneous, we show that simulations results obtained using the complete set of Bloch's equations differ substantially from those of classical NMR models. In addition, our random-walk formulation accurately reproduces magnetization echoes stemming from coherent-pathway calculations. We show that the random-walk approach is especially suited to generate parametric multi-dimensional T(1)/T(2)/D NMR maps to improve the characterization of pore structures and saturating fluids.     

Nature of the spin dynamics and 1/3 magnetization plateau in azurite

We present a specific heat and inelastic neutron scattering study in magnetic fields up into the 1/3 magnetization plateau phase of the diamond chain compound azurite Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2. We establish that the magnetization plateau is a dimer-monomer state, i.e., consisting of a chain of S=1/2 monomers, which are separated by S=0 dimers on the diamond chain backbone. The effective spin couplings Jmono/kB=10.1(2) K and Jdimer/kB=1.8(1) K are derived from the monomer and dimer dispersions. They are associated to microscopic couplings J1/kB=1(2) K, J2/kB=55(5) K and a ferromagnetic J3/kB=-20(5) K, possibly as result of dz2} orbitals in the Cu-O bonds providing superexchange (SE) pathways with JSE=6.5 K.     

Experimental realization of a spin-1/2 triangular-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet

We report the results of magnetization and specific heat measurements on Ba{3}CoSb{2}O{9}, in which the magnetic Co{2+} ion has a fictitious spin 1/2, and provide evidence that a spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a regular triangular lattice is actually realized in Ba{3}CoSb{2}O{9}. We found that the entire magnetization curve including the one-third quantum magnetization plateau is in excellent quantitative agreement with the results of theoretical calculations. We also found that Ba{3}CoSb{2}O{9} undergoes a three-step transition within a narrow temperature range.     

LiVGe2O6, an anomalous quasi-1D, S = 1 system, as revealed by NMR

We report the results of 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of LiVGe2O6, a quasi-one-dimensional spin S = 1 model system, at low temperatures. Our data, including NMR spectra and the temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate T-11, indicate that a first-order phase transition occurs at T(c) approximately 23 K. The NMR response of LiVGe2O6 below T(c) suggests that the ordered phase is antiferromagnetic and has unusual features. Possible reasons for this unexpected behavior are discussed.     

Magnetic phase diagram of the dimerized spin S = 1/2 ladder

The ground-state magnetic phase diagram of a spin S=1/2 two-leg ladder with alternating rung exchange J_⊥(n)=J_⊥[1 + (-1)ⁿ δ] is studied using the analytical and numerical approaches. In the limit where the rung exchange is dominant, we have mapped the model onto the effective quantum sine-Gordon model with topological term and identified two quantum phase transitions at magnetization equal to the half of saturation value from a gapped to the gapless regime. These quantum transitions belong to the universality class of the commensurate-incommensurate phase transition. We have also shown that the magnetization curve of the system exhibits a plateau at magnetization equal to the half of the saturation value. We also present a detailed numerical analysis of the low energy excitation spectrum and the ground state magnetic phase diagram of the ladder with rung-exchange alternation using Lanczos method of numerical diagonalizations for ladders with number of sites up to N = 28. We have calculated numerically the magnetic field dependence of the low-energy excitation spectrum, magnetization and the on-rung spin-spin correlation function. We have also calculated the width of the magnetization plateau and show that it scales as δ^ν, where critical exponent varies from ν = 0.87±0.01 in the case of a ladder with isotropic antiferromagnetic legs to ν = 1.82±0.01 in the case of ladder with ferromagnetic legs. Obtained numerical results are in an complete agreement with estimations made within the continuum-limit approach.     

Spin nematic order in multiple-spin exchange models on the triangular lattice

We figure out that the ground state of a multiple-spin exchange model applicable to thin films of solid {3}He possesses an octahedral spin nematic order. In the presence of a magnetic field, it is deformed into an antiferroquadrupolar order in the perpendicular spin plane, in which lattice Z{3} rotational symmetry is also broken. Furthermore, this system shows a narrow magnetization plateau at half, m/m{sat}=1/2, which resembles recent magnetization measurements [H. Nema et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 075301 (2009)].     

Magnetization and magnetic phase diagrams of a spin-1/2 ferrimagnetic diamond chain at low temperature

We used the Jordan–Wigner transform and the invariant eigenoperator method to study the magnetic phase diagram and the magnetization curve of the spin-1/2 alternating ferrimagnetic diamond chain in an external magnetic field at finite temperature. The magnetization versus external magnetic field curve exhibits a 1/3 magnetization plateau at absolute zero and finite temperatures, and the width of the 1/3 magnetization plateau was modulated by tuning the temperature and the exchange interactions. Three critical magnetic field intensities H_(CB), H_(CE) and H_(CS) were obtained, in which the H_(CB) and H_(CE) correspond to the appearance and disappearance of the 1/3 magnetization plateau, respectively, and the higher H_(CS) correspond to the appearance of fully polarized magnetization plateau of the system. The energies of elementary excitation ωσ,k(σ = 1, 2, 3) present the extrema of zero at the three critical magnetic fields at 0 K, i.e., [hω_(3,k)(HCB)]_(min)= 0, [hω_(2,k)(H_(CE))]_(max)= 0 and [hω _(2,k)(H_(CS))]_(min)= 0, and the magnetic phase diagram of magnetic field versus different exchange interactions at 0 K was established by the above relationships. According to the relationships between the system's magnetization curve at finite temperatures and the critical magnetic field intensities, the magnetic field-temperature phase diagram was drawn. It was observed that if the magnetic phase diagram shows a three-phase critical point, which is intersected by the ferrimagnetic phase, the ferrimagnetic plateau phase, and the Luttinger liquid phase, the disappearance of the1/3 magnetization plateau would inevitably occur. However, the 1/3 magnetization plateau would not disappear without the three-phase critical point. The appearance of the 1/3 magnetization plateau in the low temperature region is the macroscopic manifestations of quantum effect.     

Self-Consistent Spin-Wave Analysis of the 1/3 Magnetization Plateau in the Kagome Antiferromagnet

We propose a modified spin-wave theory to study the 1/3 magnetization plateau of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model on the kagome lattice.By the self-consistent inclusion of quantum corrections,the 1/3 plateau is stabilized over a broad range of magnetic fields for all spin quantum numbers S.The values of the critical magnetic fields and the widths of the magnetization plateaus are fully consistent with the recent numerical results from exact diagonalization and infinite projected entangled paired states.     

63Cu, 35Cl, and 1H NMR in the S=1/2 Kagome lattice ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2

ZnCu(3)(OH)(6)Cl(2) (S=1/2) is a promising new candidate for an ideal Kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet, because there is no magnetic phase transition down to approximately 50 mK. We investigated its local magnetic and lattice environments with NMR techniques. We demonstrate that the intrinsic local spin susceptibility decreases toward T=0, but that slow freezing of the lattice near approximately 50 K, presumably associated with OH bonds, contributes to a large increase of local spin susceptibility and its distribution. Spin dynamics near T=0 obey a power-law behavior in high magnetic fields.     

Two-dimensional superconducting fluctuations in stripe-ordered La1.875Ba0.125CuO4

Recent spectroscopic observations of a d-wave-like gap in stripe-ordered La(2-x)Ba(x)CuO(4) with x=1/8 have led us to critically analyze the anisotropic transport and magnetization properties of this material. The data suggest that concomitant with the spin ordering is an electronic decoupling of the CuO(2) planes. We observe a transition (or crossover) to a state of two-dimensional (2D) fluctuating superconductivity, which eventually reaches a 2D superconducting state below a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. Thus, it appears that the stripe order in La(2-x)Ba(x)CuO(4) frustrates three-dimensional superconducting phase order, but is fully compatible with 2D superconductivity and an enhanced T(c).     

Metamagnetic transition in Na 0.85 CoO2 single crystals

We report the magnetization, specific heat, and transport measurements of a high quality Na(0.85)CoO2 single crystal in applied magnetic fields up to 14 T. At high temperatures, the system is in a paramagnetic phase. It undergoes a magnetic phase transition below approximately 20 K. For the field H||c, the measurement data of magnetization, specific heat, and magnetoresistance reveal a metamagnetic transition from an antiferromagnetic state to a quasiferromagnetic state at about 8 T at low temperatures. However, no transition is observed in the magnetization measurements up to 14 T for H perpendicular c. The low temperature magnetic phase diagram of Na(0.85)CoO2 is determined.     

Imaging the long-range dipolar field in structured liquid state samples

We describe imaging experiments in which the pattern of the dipolar field generated by spatially modulated nuclear magnetization is directly visualized in simply structured phantoms. Two types of experiment have been carried out at 11.7 T using (1)H NMR signals. In the first, the field from a single spin species is imaged via its own NMR signal. In the second, the NMR signal from one spin species is used to image the field generated by a second species. The field patterns measured in these experiments correspond well with those calculated using simple theoretical expressions for the dipolar field. The results also directly demonstrate the spatial sensitivity of the signal generated using dipolar field effects, indicating that the range of the field depends upon the inverse of the spatial frequency with which the magnetization is modulated.