Specific features of the crystal structure and magnetic properties of the DyFeTi2O7 compound

Results of studying the specific features of formation of the crystal structure and distribution of iron cations over the sites in the DyFeTi₂O₇ compound have been presented and the comparison with the GdGaTi₂O₇ isostructural compound has been performed. The atomic disorder in the distribution of the Fe³⁺ ions over structural sites in the DyFeTi₂O₇ compound is confirmed by the Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The results of magnetic measurements in the low-temperature region have revealed an inflection point in the temperature dependence of the magnetic moment and its dependence on the magnetic prehistory of the sample. The obtained experimental data suggest that there is a spin glass state with freezing point T _f = 6 K in the DyFeTi₂O₇ compound.     

63Cu and17O NMR studies on the magnetic and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7−y

Results of⁶³Cu and¹⁷O NMR experiments in YBa₂Cu₃O₇ and YBa₂Cu₃O_6.63 are reviewed. The normal state data revealed two important aspects of the magnetic properties of these materials, namely, the temperature dependent antiferromagnetic Cu spin correlations and the spin gap behavior, the latter being observed in the reduced oxygen material. These features appear to be the general properties of many high-T _c cuprates. Anomalous temperature dependence of the anisotropy of the Cu relaxation rate was found in the superconducting state of YBa₂Cu₃O₇, which can be explained by a d-wave pairing model.     

Magnetic state of the GdFeTi2O7 compound

The X-ray diffraction, M?ssbauer, calorimetric, and magnetic characteristics of zirconolite GdFeTi₂O₇ have been measured to determine the ground magnetic state. A kink dependent on the magnetic prehistory of the sample has been revealed in the temperature dependence of the magnetic moment at T = 3 K. M?ssbauer spectroscopy has confirmed the nonequivalence of the iron ion positions in GdFeTi₂O₇. The experimental data obtained allow the conclusion on the formation of a spin glass state with the freezing temperature T _f = 3 K in the GdFeTi₂O₇ compound.     

Muon spin relaxation investigation of frustrated antiferromagnetic pyrochlores A2B2O7

In a system where magnetic ions occupy the vertices of edge or corner sharing triangular units, the natural antiferromagnetic coupling between ions is geometrically frustrated. A wide variety of interesting magnetic behaviour has been observed in pyrochlores, where magnetic ions form a network of corner sharing tetrahedra. The low temperature spin dynamics of a number of pyrochlores A₂B₂O₇ have been investigated using the technique of μ SR. For example, Y₂Mo₂O₇ shows a transition to a disordered magnetic state similar to a spin glass at T_F=22 K. However, unlike conventional metallic spin glasses, a non‐zero muon spin depolarization rate is observed to persist well below 0.1\ T_F. These results suggest that there is a finite density of states for magnetic excitations in this system near zero energy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Specific features of magnetic ordering in the SmFeGe2O7 compound

The results of the experimental investigation of the magnetic properties of the SmFeGe₂O₇ compound have been presented. It has been found that the temperature dependence of the susceptibility exhibits two features that coincide with the anomalies in the temperature dependence of the specific heat and indicate magnetic phase transitions in SmFeGe₂O₇. The external magnetic field induces a magnetic transition, the critical field of which depends on the temperature.     

Specific heat of Dy2Ti2O7 in magnetic fields: comparison between single-crystalline and polycrystalline data

We report the specific heat of single crystals of the spin ice compound Dy₂Ti₂O₇ under magnetic fields down to 1.8 K. Our polycrystalline results down to 0.4 K are fully consistent with the previous report by Ramirez et al. For the magnetic field along the [100] direction, C_spin/T is interpreted as one Schottky peak characterized by the Zeemann splitting of the Ising levels of all four equivalent spins for each tetrahedron. However, for the magnetic field along the [111] direction, C_spin/T is interpreted as two-component Schottky peak reflecting the fact that there are two kinds of spin components. Along the [110] direction, it is also interpreted as two-component Schottky peak because of experimental misalignment. We found that the features of the polycrystalline data in magnetic fields cannot be reconstructed by simply taking appropriate averages of the present anisotropic single-crystalline data.     

Density functional analysis of the magnetic structures of Sr2MGe2O7 (M=Mn,Co)

To examine the difference between the magnetic structures of Sr₂MGe₂O₇ (M=Mn, Co), we evaluated their spin exchange interactions by performing energy-mapping analysis based on density functional theory calculations. The calculated intra- and inter-layer spin exchanges correctly predict the G-type and C-type antiferromagnetic structures of Sr₂MnGe₂O₇ and Sr₂CoGe₂O₇, respectively, and the Curie–Weiss temperatures estimated from these spin exchanges are also in good agreement with the experiment. The ∥c and ⊥c orientations of the spins in the ordered magnetic structures of Sr₂MnGe₂O₇ and Sr₂CoGe₂O₇, respectively, were also examined by considering spin–orbit coupling.     

Experimental observations of ferroelectricity in double pyrochlore Dy2Ru2O7

Double pyrochlore Dy2Ru207 is synthesized and its magnetism and ferroelectricity below the Ru4＋ spin ordering temperature （NI00 K） are investigated. The ferroelectric transition appears at -18 K, much higher than the Dy3＋ spin ordering point at -1.8 K and lower than the Ru4＋ spin ordering point at -100 K. The measured electric polarization at ,-2 K is as big as 145℃/m2 in the polycrystalline samples. It is argued that the ferroelectricity is possibly ascribed to the electric dipole ordering arising from the collective monopole excitations in the Dy3＋ tetrahedrons in prior to the Dy3＋ spin ordering into spin-ice like state below -1.8 K.     

Magnetic structure of low-dimensional LiCu2O2 multiferroic according to 63,65Cu and 7Li NMR studies

The complex NMR study of the magnetic structure of LiCu₂O₂ multiferroic has been performed. It has been shown that the spin spirals in LiCu₂O₂ are beyond the ab, bc, and ac crystallographic planes. The external magnetic field applied along the c axis of the crystal does not change the spatial orientation of spirals in Cu²⁺ chains. A magnetic field of H ₀ = 94 kOe applied along the a and b axes rotates the planes of spin spirals in chains, tending to orient the normal n of spirals along the external magnetic field. The rotation angle of the planes of the magnetic moments are maximal at H ₀ ?? b.     

Magnetic anisotropy of textured CrO2 thin films investigated by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

Highly a-axis-textured CrO₂ films have been deposited on Al₂O₃ (0001) substrates by chemical vapor deposition. CrO₂ has been found to have highly a-axis (010)-oriented columnar growth on a Cr₂O₃ (0001) initial layer. The six-fold surface symmetry of the Cr₂O₃ initial layer leads to three equivalent in-plane orientations of the a-axis-oriented CrO₂ unit cell. We report Cr L_2,3 X-ray magnetic circular dichroism data along the surface normal and at 60° off-normal sample orientation. For a 60° sample alignment, a strong increase of the projected orbital moment could be observed for unoccupied majority t_2g states using moment analysis. Therefore, the c axis is identified as the intrinsic magnetic easy axis of CrO₂. In addition, a small spin moment and a very strong magnetic dipole term T_z have been found. Received: 8 January 2002 / Accepted: 8 January 2002     

Two-leg spin ladder model for Ag2VOP2O7 from mapping analysis based on first principles density functional calculations

The magnetic properties of Ag₂V OP₂O₇ were examined by evaluating its spin exchange interactions in terms of spin dimer analysis based on tight binding calculations and mapping analysis based on first principles density functional theory calculations. Both calculations show that a strong spin exchange interaction occurs through the super-superexchange path J₁ with the V…V distance of 5.293 Å. This strong antiferromagnetic interaction forms isolated spin dimer units, which are coupled antiferromagnetically by the spin exchange path J₃ to form a two-leg spin ladder that has no spin frustration. The inter–dimer interaction J₂ is found to be ferromagnetic, and does not lead to spin frustration.     

Electronic bandstructures on 5d-transition metal pyrochlore: Cd2Re2O7 and Cd2Os2O7

The electronic bandstructure calculations for Cd₂Re₂O₇ and Cd₂Os₂O₇ are performed by using an FLAPW method based on the local density approximation, where the spin–orbit interactions are taken into account. It is found that the spin–orbit interaction changes significantly Re/Os-5d (t_2g) band dispersion situated near the Fermi level. Cd₂Re₂O₇ is a semi-metal, the Fermi level is located just in the valley, the specific heat coefficient is calculated as 2.7 mJ/K² mol Re and the carrier number is 0.039/cell in each hole and electron. The Re/Os-5d bands hybridize well with the O-p bands so that the Re/Os-5d component significantly appears even in the bottom of the wide O-p bands. Therefore, it is important to consider Re-5d O-p hybridization to investigate the physical properties of these compounds.     

Effective hyperfine temperature in frustrated Gd 2Sn 2O 7: two level model and 155Gd Mössbauer measurements

Using ¹⁵⁵Gd M?ssbauer spectroscopy down to 27 mK, we show that, in the geometrically frustrated pyrochlore Gd₂Sn₂O₇, the Gd³⁺ hyperfine levels are populated out of equilibrium. From this, we deduce that the hyperfine field, and the correlated Gd³⁺ moments which produce this field, continue to fluctuate as T ↦ 0. With a model of a spin 1/2 system experiencing a magnetic field which reverses randomly in time, we obtain an analytical expression for the steady state probability distribution of the level populations. This distribution is a simple function of the ratio of the nuclear spin relaxation time to the average electronic spin-flip time. In Gd₂Sn₂O₇, we find the two time scales are of the same order of magnitude. We discuss the mechanism giving rise to the nuclear spin relaxation and the influence of the electronic spin fluctuations on the hyperfine specific heat. The corresponding low temperature measurements in Gd₂Ti₂O₇ are presented and discussed. Received 17 October 2001 Published online 6 June 2002     

Positive muon sites and possibility of anyons in the YBa2Cu3O x system

Possible positive muon sites in YBa₂Cu₃O _x were determined from the observedμ ⁺ hyperfine fields in antiferromagnetically ordered YBa₂Cu₃O _x and GdBa₂Cu₃O₇. After determining theμ ⁺ sites, the possibility of anyons or chiral spin ordering in the superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O₇ is discussed. Positive muon implanted in YBa₂Cu₃O₇ feel static magnetic fields of average 1.4G, which are explicable in terms of nuclear magnetic dipolar fields. Non observation of static local magnetic fields of electronic origin (the upper limit is the order of 0.1 G) means that anyons or chiral spin ordering might not exist in superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O₇.     

On the magnetic ordering of the high Tc superconductor GdBa2Cu3O7

The magnetically ordered state of GdBa₂Cu₃O₇ at low temperatures has been investigated using the extended Luttinger-Tisza method. It is found that the observed ordering of this compound can be explained by a purely dipole-dipole interaction. An estimate has been made of the internal magnetic field produced due to magnetic ordering of Gd metal ions at a copper site and it is found that the values are within the range of superconducting quenching field and may permit the coexistence of magnetic ordering and superconductivity.     

Superconducting and magnetic properties of Ba2LnCu3O7−x compounds (Ln=lanthanides)

The superconducting and magnetic properties of a series of compounds Ba₂LnCu₃O_7–x (Ln=Pr, Nd, Sm ... Gd, Dy ... Yb) are reported and compared with corresponding measurements on the isostructural model substance Ba₂YCu₂O_7–x . The unknownx in the oxygen concentration is obviously responsible for a nonmonotonic variation of bothT _c and the lattice constants with the rare-earth size. No remarkable increase ofT _c was achieved on replacing Y by a magnetic Ln. A partial substitution of Ba by Sr reducedT _c, but increasedT _N of Ba₂GdCu₃O_7–x from 2.3 K to 2.65 K in BaSrGdCu₃O_7–x . Intrinsic pinning effects in external magnetic fields appear to be surprisingly weak at higher temperatures where technical applications of this sort of superconductors might be of interest.     

Aspects of magnetic ordering in the system (FexCr1−x )2O3

Anomalon in temperature dependence of the magnetic moment (FexCr_1−x )₂O₃ single crystal has been observed which can be explained by antiparallel orientation of the mean weakly-ferromagnetic moments of the d subsystems (weak ferromagnetism). The disappearance of the linear magneto-electric effect for x=0.1 below 45 K is explained by a spontaneous phase transition from a conical spiral to a cycloidal spin structure, which is found to agree with a thermodynamic treatment. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 112–114 (January 1997)     

Observation of long-range magnetic ordering in the proposed spin-singlet state of Hg2Ru2O7

The magnetic ground-state of the pyrochlore material Hg₂Ru₂O₇, which undergoes a metal to Mott insulator transition (MIT) at T=107 K, was investigated using muon spin relaxation and neutron powder diffraction (both non-polarized and polarized) measurements. Unlike the expected behavior associated with a spin-singlet ground-state, these surprisingly revealed the onset of long-range magnetic ordering below the MIT.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance in noncollinear antiferromagnet Mn3Al2Ge3O12

The ⁵⁵Mn nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of noncollinear 12-sublattice antiferromagnet Mn₃Al₂Ge₃O₁₂ has been studied in the frequency range of 200–640 MHz in the external magnetic field H ‖ [001] at T = 1.2 K. Three absorption lines have been observed in fields less than the field of the reorientation transition H _c at the polarization h ‖ H of the rf field. Two lines have been observed at H > H _c and h ⊥ H. The spectral parameters indicate that the magnetic structure of manganese garnet differs slightly from the exchange triangular 120-degree structure. The anisotropy of the spin reduction and (or) weak antiferromagnetism that are allowed by the crystal symmetry lead to the difference of ≈3% in the magnetization of sublattices in the field H < H _c. When the spin plane rotates from the orientation perpendicular to the C ₃ axis to the orientation perpendicular to the C ₄ axis, all magnetic moments of the electronic subsystem decrease by ≈2% from the average value in the zero field.