The high-pressure-induced spin-reorientation transition in a ferromagnetic semiconductor Cd<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>GeAs<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The dependences of the longitudinal magnetoresistance (Δρ _zz /ρ₀)(P), transverse magnetoresistance (Δρ _xx /ρ₀)(P), and magnetic susceptibility (χ/χ₀(P)) on hydrostatic pressure P ≤ 7 GPa in the ferromagnetic semiconductor Cd_0.7Mn_0.3GeAs₂ at room temperature were investigated.     

Metamagnetism near <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>C</Subscript> in Mn-substituted chalcopyrite Cd<Subscript>0.90</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>0.10</Subscript>GeAs<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The magnetic and electric properties of a Cd_0.90Mn_0.10GeAs₂ solid solution with the chalcopyrite structure have been investigated in wide temperature and field ranges. It has been found that a metamagnetic transition from a low-magnetization state to a high-magnetization one is initiated in Cd_0.90Mn_0.10GeAs₂ near the magnetic ordering temperature. This transition is accompanied by the hysteresis of magnetic properties. An external magnetic field at temperatures above T _C also induces the metamagnetic transition. When the temperature increases above T _C, the magnetization jump decreases, whereas fields inducing the metamagnetic transition increase. The band character of magnetism and metamagnetism in the effective magnetic field is assumed on the basis of the behavior of magnetization in the metamagnetic transition and analysis of the band structure of the solid solution of cadmium-germanium diarsenide with manganese.     

Structural,magnetic, and magnetothermal properties of the Tb<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>Dy<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Co<Subscript>2</Subscript> compound

A complex investigation of the structural, magnetic, and magnetothermal properties of the Tb_0.3Dy_0.7Co₂ compound synthesized with the use of high-purity rare-earth metals has been performed. The phase composition has been controlled using the X-ray structural analysis, and the topology of the alloy surface has been investigated using atomic-force microscopy. It has been established that the Tb_0.3Dy_0.7Co₂ compound is single-phase, while the samples selected for measurements possess a clearly pronounced texture. The magnetization has been measured using a vibrating-sample magnetometer in the fields up to 100 kOe in a temperature range from 4.2 to 200 K. The Curie temperature of the compound is 170 K. The data on the temperature dependence of heat capacity of Tb_0.3Dy_0.7Co₂ have been obtained. The magnetocaloric effect ΔT has been measured by a direct method in the fields up to 18 kOe applied both along and perpendicularly to the texture axis. The anisotropic behavior of the magnitude ΔT for this compound, which possesses the cubic structure, has been found. The maximum value of the magnetocaloric effect ΔT = 2.3 K (ΔH = 18 kOe) has been observed upon applying the magnetic field along the texture axis.     

Magnetism of LiMn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> manganite in structurally ordered and disordered states

The specific features of the crystal structure and the magnetic state of stoichiometric lithium manganite in the structurally ordered Li[Mn₂]O₄ and disordered Li_{1 − δ}Mn_δ[Mn_{2 − δ}Li_δ]O₄ (δ = 1/6) states have been investigated using neutron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and magnetic methods. The structurally disordered state of the manganite was achieved under irradiation by fast neutrons (E _eff ≥ 1 MeV) with a fluence of 2 × 10²⁰ cm⁻² at a temperature of 340 K. It has been demonstrated that, in the initial sample, the charge ordering of manganese ions of different valences arises at room temperature, which is accompanied by orthorhombic distortions of the cubic spinel structure, and the long-range antiferromagnetic order with the wave vector k = 2π/c(0, 0, 0.44) is observed at low temperatures. It has been established that the structural disordering leads to radical changes in the structural and magnetic states of the LiMn₂O₄ manganite. The charge ordering is destroyed, and the structure retains the cubic symmetry even at a temperature of 5 K. The antiferromagnetic type of ordering transforms into ferrimagnetic ordering with local spin deviations in the octahedral sublattice due to the appearance of intersublattice exchange interactions.     

Structural and magnetic phase transitions in Pr<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> at high pressures

The crystal structure and Raman spectra of Pr_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ manganite at high pressures of up to 30 GPa and the magnetic structure at pressures of up to 1 GPa have been studied. A structural phase transition from the orthorhombic phase of the Pnma symmetry to the high-pressure orthorhombic phase of the Imma symmetry has been observed at P ∼ 15 GPa and room temperature. Anomalies of the pressure dependences of the bending and stretching vibrational modes have been observed in the region of the phase transition. A magnetic phase transition from the initial ferromagnetic ground state (T _C = 120 K) to the A-type antiferromagnetic state (T _N = 140 K) takes place at a relatively low pressure of P = 1 GPa in the low-temperature region. The structural mechanisms of the change of the character of the magnetic ordering have been discussed.     

Pressure-induced modifications of crystal and magnetic structure of oxygen deficient La<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3-d</Subscript> manganites

The crystal and magnetic structures of the oxygen deficient manganites La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO_3-d (d = 0.15, 0.20) have been studied by means of powder neutron diffraction over the 0–5.2 GPa pressure and 10–290 K temperature ranges. La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO_2.85 exhibits a coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal (I4/mcm) crystal structures and below T_g ~ 50 K a spin glass state is formed. La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO_2.80 exhibits a tetragonal (I4/mcm) crystal structure. Below T_g ~ 50 K a phase separated magnetic state is formed, involving coexistence of C-type AFM domains with spin glass domains. In both compounds the crystal structure and magnetic states remain stable upon compression. The factors leading to the formation of different magnetic states in La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO_3-d (d = 0.15, 0.20) and their specific high pressure behavior, contrasting with that of the stoichiometric A_0.5Ba_0.5MnO₃ (A = Nd, Sm) compounds showing pressure-induced suppression of the spin glass state and the appearance of the FM state, are analysed.     

Study of crystal and magnetic structures of manganite Pr<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> at high pressure

The crystal and magnetic structures of manganite Pr_0.7Ba_0.3MnO₃ have been studied at high pressures of up to 5.1 GPa and temperatures from 10 to 300 K by means of the neutron diffraction. At normal pressure and a temperature T _C = 200 K, a ferromagnetic state forms in Pr_0.7Ba_0.3MnO₃. At high pressures P ≥ 1.9 GPa and T < T _N ≈ 153 K, a new antiferromagnetic state of A-type have been observed. Under high pressure, the Curie temperature T _C increases with the characteristic quantity dT _C/dP ≈ 2.4 K/GPa. A possible reason for the appearance of an A-type antiferromagnetic phase in Pr_0.7Ba_0.3MnO₃ at high pressures may be anisotropic uniaxial compression of oxygen octahedra along the b axis of the orthorhombic structure.     

Magnetic properties of the Hg<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Mn<Subscript>x</Subscript>S crystals

The magnetic susceptibility χ of Hg _1−x Mn _x S is investigated at temperatures T = 77–300 K for H = 4 kOe by the Faraday method before and after thermal treatment of the sample in compound vapors. The special features of χ are found to be caused by the presence in the crystals of Mn-S-Mn-S clusters of different sizes in which indirect antiferromagnetic exchange interaction of the Mn atoms occurs through the chalcogen atoms. Thermal treatment of samples in compound vapors causes changes of sizes of clusters existing in the crystal and even dissipation of the second-phase inclusions. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 59–63, March, 2008.     

Magnetoresistance and magnetic ordering in praseodymium and neodymium hexaborides

The magnetoresistance Δρ/ρ of single-crystal samples of praseodymium and neodymium hexaborides (PrB₆ and NdB₆) has been measured at temperatures ranging from 2 to 20 K in a magnetic field of up to 80 kOe. The results obtained have revealed a crossover of the regime from a small negative magnetoresistance in the paramagnetic state to a large positive magnetoresistive effect in magnetically ordered phases of the PrB₆ and NdB₆ compounds. An analysis of the dependences Δρ(H)/ρ has made it possible to separate three contributions to the magnetoresistance for the compounds under investigation. In addition to the main negative contribution, which is quadratic in the magnetic field (−Δρ/ρ ∝ H ²), a linear positive contribution (Δρ/ρ ∝ H) and a nonlinear ferromagnetic contribution have been found. Upon transition to a magnetically ordered state, the linear positive component in the magnetoresistance of the PrB₆ and NdB₆ compounds becomes dominant, whereas the quadratic contribution to the negative magnetoresistance is completely suppressed in the commensurate magnetic phase of these compounds. The presence of several components in the magnetoresistance has been explained by assuming that, in the antiferromagnetic phases of PrB₆ and NdB₆, ferromagnetic nanoregions (ferrons) are formed in the 5d band in the vicinity of the rareearth ions. The origin of the quadratic contribution to the negative magnetoresistance is interpreted in terms of the Yosida model, which takes into account scattering of conduction electrons by localized magnetic moments of rare-earth ions. Within the approach used, the local magnetic susceptibility χ_loc has been estimated. It has been demonstrated that, in the temperature range T _N < T < 20 K, the behavior of the local magnetic susceptibility χ_loc for the compounds under investigation can be described with good accuracy by the Curie-Weiss dependence χ_loc ∝ (T − Θ _p )⁻¹.     

Radiation damages under irradiation of the BCS superconductor MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript> by high-energy electrons

This paper reports on the results of investigations of the influence of irradiation of the two-band BCS superconductor MgB₂ by electrons with an average energy $ \bar {\rm E} $ \bar {\rm E} ∼ 10 MeV at high doses (0 ≤ ϕt ≤ ∼2.5 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻²) on the temperature and width of the transition to the superconducting state, the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in the normal state, the crystal lattice parameters, and the diffraction line intensity. An increase in the electron irradiation dose ϕt leads to the following effects: a decrease in the critical temperature T _c ; an increase in the width of the superconducting transition ΔT _c ; and a decrease in the “residual electrical resistivity” ρ_{273 K}/ρ_{40 K}, in the parameters a and c of the hexagonal crystal lattice, and in the ratio between the diffraction line intensities I ₁₁₀/I ₁₀₀. From analyzing the results obtained, it has been established that the main type of radiation damages under irradiation of the BCS superconductor MgB₂ by high-energy electrons is the formation of vacancies in the B sublattice, which leads to a narrowing of the large band gap Δ_σ on the Fermi surface.     

Magnetic properties of nonstoichiometric Ni<Subscript>2</Subscript>MnIn Heusler alloys

Results from studies of the crystal structure, resistivity, susceptibility, and magnetization of nonstoichiometric Ni₅₀Mn_{50 − x} In _x Heusler alloys are presented. Anomalous effects discovered in temperature dependences can be interpreted as the influence of the frustrated magnetic state exhibited by manganese moments in the martensitic phase. A field-induced phase transition to the austenitic phase was observed for several concentrations around room temperature.     

Giant positive magnetoresistance in heterostructure (La<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>) coated with YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript> composites

(La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃) _x /(YBa₂Cu₃O₇) _y composites were prepared by mixing La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ powders and the sol–gel-derived YBa₂Cu₃O₇ matrix, followed by high-temperature calcinations. Their structural, magnetic properties and magnetoresistance effect have been investigated systematically. A giant positive magnetoresistance (PMR) at low magnetic field is observed at low temperatures. In the case of (La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃)₁/(YBa₂Cu₃O₇)₉ composite, the PMR achieves 260% under a magnetic field of 5800 Oe. However, the PMR value sharply decreases with increasing temperature and no magnetoresistance effects are found above metal-insulator transition temperature. The enhancement of spin-dependent scattering at the grain boundaries should be responsible for the observed PMR. In addition, the temperature dependence of resistance under magnetic field could be explained by the competition between diamagnetism and paramagnetism in YBCO phase. At low temperature, the diamagnetism is predominant over paramagnetism and the interface scattering between LSMO grains is enhanced correspondingly. As a result, the low-temperature resistance increases and large PMR appears.     

Frustrated exchange interactions formation at low temperatures and high hydrostatic pressures in La<Subscript>0.70</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.30</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>O2.85</Subscript>

The magnetic and thermal properties of the anion-deficient La_0.70Sr_0.30MnO_2.85 manganite are investigated in wide temperature (4–350 K) range, including under hydrostatic pressure (0–1.1 GPa). Throughout the pressure range investigated, the sample is spin glass with diffused phase transition into paramagnetic state. It is established, that spin glass state is a consequence of exchange interaction frustration of the ferromagnetic clusters embeded into antiferromagnetic clusters. The magnetic moment freezing temperature T _f of ferromagnetic clusters increases under pressure, freezing temperature dependence on pressure is characterized by derivative value ∼4.5 K/GPa, while the magnetic ordering T _MO temperature dependence is characterized by derivative value ∼13 K/GPa. The volume fraction of sample having ferromagnetic state is V _fer ∼ 13% and it increases under a pressure of 1.1 GPa by ΔV _fer ≈ 6%. Intensification of ferromagnetic properties of the anion-deficient La_0.70Sr_0.30MnO_2.85 manganite under hydrostatic pressure is a consequence of oxygen vacancies redistribution and unit cell parameters decrease. The most likely mechanism of frustrated exchange interactions formation is discussed.     

Soft X-ray resonant scattering study of single-crystal LaSr<Subscript>2</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>

Soft X-ray resonant scattering studies at the Mn L_{II, III}- and the La M_{IV, V}- edges of single-crystal LaSr₂Mn₂O₇ are reported. At low temperatures, below T_N ≈ 160 K, energy scans with a fixed momentum transfer at the A-type antiferromagnetic (0 0 1) reflection around the Mn L_{II, III}-edges with incident linear σ and π polarizations show strong resonant enhancements. The splitting of the energy spectra around the Mn L_{II, III}-edges may indicate the presence of a mixed valence state, e.g., Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺. The relative intensities of the resonance and the clear shoulder-feature as well as the strong incident σ and π polarization dependences strongly indicate its complex electronic origin. Unexpected enhancement of the charge Bragg (0 0 2) reflection at the La M_{IV, V}-edges with σ polarization has been observed up to 300 K, with an anomaly appearing around the orbital-ordering transition temperature, T_OO ≈ 220 K, suggesting a strong coupling (competition) between them.     

Effect of Ta<Superscript>5+</Superscript> substitution for Mn on the ground state of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

We report the charge state modification effects at the Mn site on the ground state properties of colossal magnetoresistive manganites. Ta⁵⁺ substitution results in an appreciable increase in the lattice parameters and unit cell volume due to increased Mn³⁺ concentration. The ferromagnetic-metallic ground state modifies to a cluster glass insulator for . The reduction in the transition temperatures with increasing x is ∼39 K/at.%. Besides the modification of majority carrier concentration due to increased Mn³⁺ concentration and enhanced local structural effects, the local electrostatic potential of the substituent seems to contribute to the unusually strong reduction of the transition temperatures of the compounds. Thermo magnetic irreversibility just below Curie temperature (T_c), non-saturation of magnetization, two distinct magnetic transitions in ac susceptibility in an appropriate static field: close to T_c and other at low temperature (the spin freezing temperature (T_g)) and non-stationary dynamics with a characteristic maximum in the magnetic viscosity close to T_g confirm a cluster glass state for . These results find additional support from a linear low temperature magnetic specific heat of x = 0.10 with a characteristic broad maximum close to T_g.     

Magnetic and thermal properties of CuFeS<Subscript>2</Subscript> at low temperatures

The magnetic moment M, the magnetic susceptibility χ, and the thermal conductivity of chalcopyrite CuFeS₂, which is a zero-gap semiconductor with antiferromagnetic ordering, have been measured in the temperature range 10–310 K. It has been revealed that the quantities χ(T) and M(T) increase anomalously strongly at temperatures below ∼100 K. The temperature dependence M(T) is affected by the magnetic prehistory of the sample. An analysis has demonstrated that the magnetic anomalies are associated with the presence of a system of noninteracting magnetic clusters in the CuFeS₂ sample under investigation. The formation of the clusters is most likely caused by the disturbance of the ordered arrangement of Fe and Cu atoms in the metal sublattice of the chalcopyrite, which is also responsible for the phase inhomogeneity of the crystal lattice. The inhomogeneity brings about strong phonon scattering, and, as a result, the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity coefficient exhibits a behavior characteristic of partially disordered crystals.     

Normal-state electrical resistivity and superconducting magnetic penetration depth in Eu<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>K<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>As<Subscript>2</Subscript> polycrystals

We report measurements of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, ρ(T), and magnetic pen-etration depth, λ(T), for polycrystalline samples of Eu_0.5K_0.5Fe₂As₂ with T _c = 31 K. ρ(T) follows a linear temperature dependence above T _c and bends over to a weaker temperature dependence around 150 K. The magnetic penetration depth, determined by radio frequency technique displays an unusual minimum around 4 K which is associated with short-range ordering of localized Eu³⁺ moments. The article is published in the original.     

Magnetotransport properties of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> with different grain sizes

The magnetotransport and magnetoresistive (MR) properties of manganese-based La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ perovskite with different grain sizes are reported. The electrical resistivity was measured as a function of temperature in magnetic fields of 0.5 and 1 T. The insulator–metal transition temperature, T _IM, shifted to a higher temperature with the application of the magnetic field. In zero field, T _IM is almost constant (∼271 K) for all samples except for the sample with the largest grain size, where T _IM=265 K. The temperature dependence of resistivity was fitted with several equations in the metallic (ferromagnetic) region and the insulating (paramagnetic) region. The density of states at the Fermi level, N(E _F), and the activation energy of electron hopping were estimated by fitting the resistivity versus temperature curves. The ρ–T ² curves are nearly linear in the metallic regime, but the ρ–T ^2.5 curves exhibit a deviation from linearity. The variable range hopping model and small polaron hopping model fit the data well in the high-temperature region, indicating the existence of the Jahn–Teller distortion that localizes the charge carriers. MR was found to increase with an increase in the magnetic field, an effect which is attributed to the intergrain spin tunneling effect.     

Magnetic properties of the Nd<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Gd<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystal

The magnetic properties of the Nd_0.5Gd_0.5Fe₃(BO₃)₄ single crystal have been studied in principal crystallographic directions in magnetic fields to 90 kG in the temperature range 2–300 K; in addition, the heat capacity has been measured in the range 2–300 K. It has been found that, below the Néel temperature T _N = 32 K down to 2 K, the single crystal exhibits an easy-plane antiferromagnetic structure. A hysteresis has been detected during magnetization of the crystal in the easy plane in fields of 1.0–3.5 kG, and a singularity has been found in the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility in the easy plane at a temperature of 11 K in fields B < 1 kG. It has been shown that the singularity is due to appearance of the hysteresis. The origin of the magnetic properties of the crystal near the hysteresis has been discussed.     

Improvement of refrigerant capacity of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> single crystal with a few percent Fe doping

Large low-field-induced magnetic entropy changes, ΔS _M, are observed in La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ and La_0.67Ca_0.33Mn_0.96Fe_0.04O₃ single crystals. The peaks of ΔS _M broadened asymmetrically to high temperatures under higher magnetic fields for two materials should be attributed to the first-order magnetic phase transition at T _c. A small amount of iron doping results in an increase in the refrigerant capacity of the material though the magnetic entropy change decreases. The discovery of excellent magnetocaloric features of these single crystals in the low magnetic field can provide some ideas for exploring novel magnetic refrigerants operating under permanent magnet rather than superconducting one as magnetic field source. Supported by the State Key Project of Fundamental Research (Grant No. 2005CB724402), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50672126) Contributed by CHENG ZhaoHua