Enhanced magnetoresistance and surface state of CrO2 particles improved by chemical process

The paper presents an approach to enhance a magnetoresistance (MR) effect in CrO₂ powder compact by an oxidization reaction process. An aqueous potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) was used to react with the CrO₂ particles coated naturally with Cr₂O₃ layer. The experiment indicates that the strong oxidant can effectively adjust thickness of the natural Cr₂O₃ layer, and thereby change the surface state of the CrO₂ particles. Structural and magnetic properties for the improved CrO₂ particles have been characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and SQUID magnetometer. The results exhibit that the magnetotransport behavior of CrO₂ particles depends sensitively on the chemical reaction time. An optimal reaction process yields an obvious increase up to −33% in magnetoresistance at a temperature of 5 K for the chemical treated CrO₂ powder, compared to MR=-27% for the original CrO₂ powder. The mechanism of magnetotransport is assumed to originate from the spin-dependent tunneling in the granular system, which is consistent with our experimental results. The simple chemical approach has a potential to achieve an enhanced magnetoresistance in a metallic particle system by adjusting the surface state of the magnetic nanoparticle.     

Room-temperature magnetoresistance effects of Ag-added Fe3O4 films with single-domain grains

Polycrystalline Ag_x(Fe₃O₄)_1−x films (x=0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) have been prepared by the sol-gel method in combination of the spin-coating technique with a precursor solution containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on fused quartz substrates. XRD analysis and SEM images indicate that the Fe₃O₄ grains are nearly spherical single-domain particles. The coercivities of the films are about 290 Oe for x=0.1 and 360 Oe for x=0.3, respectively, which are nearly the same as the magnetocrystalline anisotropic effective field H_K of Fe₃O₄. At 300 K, the x=0.1 film has a maximal magnetoresistance of −8.7% at a magnetic field of 50 kOe and −3.5% at 8.8 kOe, while the pure Fe₃O₄ film is only −2.2% at 8.8 kOe. This enhancement of the MR can be attributed to the contribution from the spin-dependent scattering at the Ag-Fe₃O₄ interfaces as well as the spin-polarized tunneling at boundaries of Fe₃O₄ grains of the spin-polarized electrons. In addition, different MR behaviors for Ag-added Fe₃O₄ bulk polycrystalline samples and polycrystalline films are discussed.     

First principles study of the electron structures of CaCu3Mn4O12 and CaCu3Ti4O12

The electronic structures of CaCu₃Mn₄O₁₂ and CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ are investigated from HF SCF LCAO calculation. In CaCu₃Mn₄O_12, the band and the density of states show a spin asymmetric ferrimagnetic character with a small energy gap. The Mn spin is anti-aligned with the Cu spin, and the total spin moment is 9 μ_B. Our calculation correctly reproduces the observed antiferromagnetic insulating character of CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂. The gap in the band structure, which is 2.15 eV, reasonably agrees with the experimental value 1.5 eV. The electron density populations at different planes show clearly that the electron density has symmetric character. A tilted Mn(Ti) orbital implies a typical tilted three-dimensional network of MnO₆ (TiO₆) octahedra due to doping of the Jahn–Teller ion Cu. There is no covalency between Ca, Cu and Mn(Ti) atoms. In contrast, there are stronger bonds and somewhat likely covalency between Cu and O atoms, and also between Mn(Ti) and O atoms.     

Incomplete Andreev reflection in a clean SFS junction

We study the stationary Josephson effect in a ballistic superconductor/ferromagnet/superconductor junction for arbitrarily large spin polarizations. Due to the exchange interaction in the ferromagnet, the Andreev reflection is incomplete. We describe how this effect modifies the Josephson current in the crossover from a superconductor/normal metal/superconductor junction to a superconductor/half metal/superconductor junction.     

Electrical screening of ternary NiO-Mn2O3-Co3O4 composition spreads

The compositional optimization of infrared-transparent conducting oxides was performed using high throughput screening of combinatorial libraries. Complete ternary composition spreads of NiO-Mn₂O₃-Co₃O₄ alloys were deposited onto conducting Nb-doped SrTiO₃ substrates using the pulsed laser deposition technique. Resistance-temperature relations of each composition in the spread were determined using a custom-designed scanning probe. The binary NiCo₂O₄ oxide showed the lowest electrical resistivity of about 0.1 Ω cm but unacceptably large resistance-temperature dependence (3.5%/°C). Electrically conducting ternary alloys along the line Mn_0.45Ni_0.63Co_1.92O₄-Mn_0.60Ni_0.72Co_1.68O₄-Mn_0.69Ni_0.81Co_1.50O₄ exhibited much lower temperature sensitivity (of about 1.5%/°C) as well as electrical resistance comparable to that of NiCo₂O₄. From this screening we propose new compounds for the thin-film ITCO sensors.     

Electrical properties of neodymium doped CaBi4Ti4O15 ceramics

Neodymium doped bismuth layer structure ferroelectrics (BLSFs) ceramics CaBi_4−xNd_xTi₄O₁₅ (x=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75) were prepared by solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction pattern showed that single phase was formed when x=0-0.75. The refined lattice parameters showed that a (b) axes decrease at x=0.25 and increase with more Nd³⁺ dopant. The effects of Nd³⁺ doping on the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of CaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics are studied. Nd³⁺ dopant decreased the Curie temperature linearly, and the dielectric loss, tan δ, as well. The remnant polarization of Nd³⁺ doped CaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics was increased by 80% at x=0.25, while more Nd³⁺ dopant decreased the remnant polarization. CaBi_3.75Nd_0.25Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics had the largest piezoelectric constant d₃₃. The structure and properties of CaBi_4−xNd_xTi₄O₁₅ ceramics showed that Nd³⁺ may occupy different crystal locations when Nd³⁺ content x is less than 0.25 and more than 0.50.     

Preparation and characterization of silica-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles used as precursor of ferrofluids

Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized by the co-precipitation of Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ with ammonium hydroxide. The sodium citrate-modified Fe₃O₄ MNPs were prepared under Ar protection and were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). To improve the oxidation resistance of Fe₃O₄ MNPs, a silica layer was coated onto the modified and unmodified MNPs by the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) at 50 °C and pH 9. Afterwards, the silica-coated Fe₃O₄ core/shell MNPs were modified by oleic acid (OA) and were tested by IR and VSM. IR results revealed that the OA was successfully grafted onto the silica shell. The Fe₃O₄/SiO₂ core/shell MNPs modified by OA were used to prepare water-based ferrofluids (FFs) using PEG as the second layer of surfactants. The properties of FFs were characterized using a UV-vis spectrophotometer, a Gouy magnetic balance, a laser particle size analyzer and a Brookfield LVDV-III+ rheometer.     

Handling the particle size and distribution of Fe3O4 nanoparticles through ball milling

A series of samples consisting of spinel Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with controlled particle sizes and increasing concentration has been obtained through ‘mild’ ball milling (BM) experiments by using an organic carrier liquid. We have succeeded in producing quite narrow particle size distributions with mean values d7–10 nm by an appropriate choice of the milling time for each concentration. The method proved to be practical to tailor the final particle size without formation of undesirable phases. All samples showed superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature, with transition to a blocked state at T_B10–20 K. The mean value and distribution width of the size distributions for the three samples studied were obtained from M(H) cycles recorded at T>T_B showing good agreement with X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy results. The effect of increasing interparticle interactions was to shift T_B upwards, as inferred from magnetization measurements. Mössbauer spectra at low temperatures showed no evidence of enhanced spin disorder.     

X-ray and thermoluminescence of LiKB4O7 single crystals

The thermoluminescent (TL) and X-ray luminescent (XL) spectra of undoped LiKB₄O₇ (LKBO) single crystals had been investigated in the temperature range 80-300 K. It was found that in LKBO crystals, there are two intensive TL peaks at 112 and 132 K. The only one band emission spectra of sharply defined Gaussian shape, confirming the same mechanism of XL and TL by the radiation annihilation of the strongly localized self-trapped excitons (STE), had been observed in the TL and XL spectra. The possible models of these localization centers STE have been discussed.     

Low-field transport properties of (1−x)La0.7Ca0.2 Sr0.1MnO3+x(ZnO) composites

Composite samples (1−x)La_0.7Ca_0.2Sr_0.1MnO₃(LCSMO)+x(ZnO) with different ZnO doping levels x have been investigated systematically. The structure and morphology of the composites have been studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The XRD and SEM results indicate that no reaction occurs between LCSMO and ZnO grains, and that ZnO segregates mostly at the grain boundaries of LCSMO. The magnetic properties reveal that the ferromagnetic order of LCSMO is weakened by addition of ZnO. The results also show that ZnO has a direct effect on the resistance of LCSMO/ZnO composites, especially on the low-temperature resistance. With increase of the ZnO doping level, T_P shifts to a lower temperature and the resistance increases. It is interesting to note that an enhanced magnetoresisitance (MR) effect for the composites is found over a wide temperature range from low temperature to room temperature in an applied magnetic field of 3 kOe. The maximum MR appears at x=0.1. The low field magnetoresistance (LFMR) results from spin-polarized tunneling. However, around room temperature, the enhanced MR of the composites is caused by magnetic disorder.     

Preparation of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles by high-energy ball milling

α-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were prepared by high-energy ball milling using α-FeOOH as raw materials. The prepared samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analysis–thermogravimetric analysis (DTA–TGA). The results showed that after 90 h milling α-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were obtained, and the particle size is about 20 nm. The mechanism of reaction during milling is supposed that the initial α-FeOOH powder turned smaller and smaller by the high-speed collision during ball milling, later these particles turned to be superparamagnetic, at last these superparamagnetic α-FeOOH particles were dehydrated and transformed into α-Fe₂O₃.     

磁场下合成Fe3O4粉体的隧道磁阻

通过在半金属Fe₃O₄合成过程中外加磁场的方法,改变样品粒子的表面结晶状态和晶格缺陷,研究了由此引起的Fe₃O₄输运性质的变化.合成的Fe₃O₄粉体的主要导电机理均为自旋极化隧穿和高阶跃迁电导,电阻随温度升高成指数降低,电阻与电压显示了非线形相关性,磁阻与磁场的关系为蝴蝶形,是典型的隧道磁阻特征.与没有外加磁场时合成的样品比较,外加磁场合成的样品显示了更低的电阻和更高的磁阻. 关键词： 磁阻 隧穿 表面 晶格缺陷     

磁场下合成Fe3O4粉体的隧道磁阻

通过在半金属Fe₃O₄合成过程中外加磁场的方法，改变样品粒子的表面结晶状态和晶格缺陷，研究了由此引起的Fe₃O₄输运性质的变化.合成的Fe₃O₄粉体的主要导电机理均为自旋极化隧穿和高阶跃迁电导，电阻随温度升高成指数降低，电阻与电压显示了非线形相关性，磁阻与磁场的关系为蝴蝶形，是典型的隧道磁阻特征.与没有外加磁场时合成的样品比较，外加磁场合成的样品显示了更低的电阻和更高的磁阻.     

Magnetic field dependence of conductance and conduction noise of an artificial grain boundary junction in a La0.67Ba0.33MnO3 epitaxial thin film

A single artificial grain boundary in La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ (LBMO) thin film has been prepared by depositing the film on a bicrystal substrate using laser ablation technique. We investigated the magnetic field dependence of magnetoresistance and conductance-voltage characteristics of the grain boundary at 77 K. A decrease of nonlinearity of current-voltage characteristics was observed upon application of magnetic field. The results are explained by assuming the presence of two different types of parallel conducting channels (metallic and highly resistive) across the grain boundary. The analysis of the results reveals that the application of magnetic field suppresses magnetic disorders at the grain boundary region and increases metallic conduction channels across the grain boundary. The temperature dependence of the conduction noise of the bicrystal grain boundary was measured at 0 and 1.5 kG magnetic field and compared with a microbridge on the LBMO film having no grain boundary. The presence of the grain boundary was found to enhance noise by one order of magnitude. The noise of a bicrystal grain boundary showed a decrease in the presence of 1.5 kG magnetic field for T<210 K. This decrease of noise confirms that the application of a magnetic field induces more metallic channels across the grain boundary.     

Synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles without inert gas protection used as precursors of magnetic fluids

Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were hydrothermally synthesized under continuous microwave irradiation from FeCl₃·6H₂O and FeSO₄·7H₂O aqueous solutions, using NH₄OH as precipitating reagent and N₂H₄·H₂O as oxidation-resistant reagent. The results of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), FT–IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements showed that the synthesized magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles had an average diameter of 10 nm. The magnetic properties of the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), indicating that the nanoparticles possessed high saturation magnetization at room temperature. The Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were used to prepare magnetic fluids (MFs) based on water, and the properties of the MFs were characterized by a Gouy magnetic balance, a capillary rheometer and a rotating rheometer, respectively.     

Surface characterization of the Zn-Ni-Al2O3 nanocomposite coating fabricated under ultrasound condition

Zn-Ni-Al₂O₃ nanocomposite coating, which was fabricated by eletrodeposition technique with the aid of ultrasound, was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results reveal that 7.2 wt.% nano-alumina particles uniformly dispersed in the matrix of the composite coating. The XPS analyses demonstrate that the outermost layer of Zn-Ni-Al₂O₃ coating was composed of nano-alumina and Zn(OH)₂, while the transition layer between the outermost layer and the Zn-Ni matrix consisted of nano-alumina, metallic Zn, ZnO and metallic Ni. In order to investigate the influences of ultrasonic agitation and the incorporation of nano-alumina on the composition and surface structure of Zn-Ni matrix, the comparison studies of Zn-Ni-Al₂O₃ nanocomposite coating with Zn-Ni coatings fabricated with and without ultrasound were conducted. The results indicate that ultrasonic agitation resulted in a decrease of Ni content in the Zn-Ni matrix and an increase of the thickness of surface oxide layer; while the incorporation of nano-α-Al₂O₃ increased the Ni content in the Zn-Ni matrix.     

Electrical conductivity and low field magnetoresistance in polycrystalline La1−xKxMnO3 pellets prepared by pyrophoric method

Electrical conductivity and magnetoresistance of a series of monovalent (K) doped La_1−xK_xMnO₃ polycrystalline pellets prepared by pyrophoric method have been reported. K doping increases the conductivity as well as the Curie temperature (T_C) of the system. Curie temperature increases from 260 to 309 K with increasing K content. Above the metal-insulator transition temperature (T>T_MI), the electrical resistivity is dominated by adiabatic polaronic model, while in the ferromagnetic region (50<T<T_MI), the resistivity is governed by several electron scattering processes. Based on a scenario that the doped manganites consist of phase separated ferromagnetic metallic and paramagnetic insulating regions, all the features of the temperature variation of the resistivity between ∼50 and 300 K are described very well by a single expression. All the K doped samples clearly display the existence of strongly field dependent resistivity minimum close to ∼30 K. Charge carrier tunneling between antiferromagnetically coupled grains explains fairly well the resistivity minimum in monovalent (K) doped lanthanum manganites. Field dependence of magnetoresistance at various temperatures below T_C is accounted fairly well by a phenomenological model based on spin polarized tunneling at the grain boundaries. The contributions from the intrinsic part arising from DE mechanism, as well as, the part originating from intergrannular spin polarized tunneling are also estimated.     

Cr-doping induced ferromagnetic behavior in antiferromagnetic EuTiO3 nanoparticles

We have synthesized a series of high quality EuTi_1−xCr_xO₃ (x = 0.0, 0.02, and 0.04) nanoparticles by simple sol-gel technique. The averaged grain size of these obtained nanoparticles displays no obvious change with Cr-doping and is about 100 nm. The structural and magnetic properties of EuTi_1−xCr_xO₃ (x = 0.0, 0.02, and 0.04) samples were detailedly investigated. It is found that the G-antiferromagnetic (G-AFM) ordering of pure EuTiO₃ can be significantly modified with slight Cr-doping, and finally the ferromagnetic behavior is enhanced for EuTi_1−xCr_xO₃ system with Cr-doping.     

Magnetoresistance of Fe3O4/Au/Fe3O4 and Fe3O4/Au/Fe spin-valve structures

A detailed study of the in-plane magnetotransport properties of spin valves with one and two Fe₃O₄ electrodes is presented. Fe₃O₄/Au/Fe₃O₄ spin valves exhibit a clear anisotropic magnetoresistance in small magnetic fields but no giant magnetoresistance (GMR). The absence of GMR in these structures is due to simultaneous magnetization reversal in the two Fe₃O₄ layers. By contrast, a negative GMR effect is measured on Fe₃O₄/Au/Fe spin valves. The negative GMR is attributed to an electron spin scattering asymmetry at the Fe₃O₄/Au interface or an induced spin scattering asymmetry in the Au interfacial layers.