Fourth-order spin Hamiltonian terms for Fe2+ in rutile structure antiferromagnet FeF2

The paper deals with the spectroscopic and magnetic properties of Fe²⁺ ions in FeF₂. The microscopic spin Hamiltonian theory for Fe²⁺ in crystalline environments with second-kind orthorhombic symmetry is considered. Explicit formulas for the parameters B₀⁽²⁾(D),B₂⁽²⁾(E), g_x, g_y, g_z and, for the first time in the literature, the fourth-order parameters B₀⁽⁴⁾, B₂⁽⁴⁾ and B₄⁽⁴⁾, are derived. Using semi-empirical data for the ⁵D-term energy levels of Fe²⁺ ion in FeF₂, the pressure dependence of the parameters B_q^(k) in the region from 0 to 133 kbar is discussed. The relative role of the fourth-order parameters with respect to the second-order ones is found to increase strongly with pressure (e.g. in the region studied, D increases only by a factor of 3, whereas B₀⁽⁴⁾ increases by a factor of nearly 20). The magnetocrystalline anisotropy of FeF₂; is considered in the strong anisotropy model taking into account the fourth-order spin Hamiltonian terms. The uniaxial anisotropy constants K₁ and K₂ are derived theoretically and their pressure dependence is discussed quantitatively. The theory and numerical results of this paper are useful with regard to Fe²⁺ in other isomorphic fluorides, namely: MgF₂, ZnF₂, VF₂ and MnF₂. It is found that the fourth-order spin Hamiltonian parameters are accessible to experimental detection from spectroscopic studies on Fe²⁺ in non-magnetic fluorides and magnetic studies on Fe²⁺ : MnF₂ and FeF₂, preferably under high pressure.     

Room-temperature photoluminescence in MnF2 under high pressure

A novel two-color photoluminescence (PL) is found in MnF₂ at room temperature (RT) under high pressure. In contrast to the low-temperature PL, the observation of room-temperature PL is unusual in transition-metal concentrated materials like MnF₂ since the de-excitation process at RT is fully governed by energy transfer to non-radiative centers. We show that room-temperature MnF₂ emissions originate in the pressure-induced cotunnite phase. Both the nine-fold Mn²⁺ coordination and the Mn–F–Mn exchange pathway inhibit exciton migration among Mn²⁺, favoring two-band PL at RT. The electronic structure and the excited-state dynamics are investigated by time-resolved emission and excitation spectroscopies under pressure. The two PL bands at 2.34 and 1.87 eV above 15 GPa are assigned to Mn²⁺ emissions arising from two distinct Mn²⁺ centers formed in the MnF₂ high-pressure phase. The microscopic origin of the two-color PL is analyzed in terms of exciton dynamics in the MnF₂ cotunnite structure.     

Spectroscopic properties of Fe ions at tetragonal sites—Crystal field effects and microscopic modeling of spin Hamiltonian parameters for Fe (S=2) ions in K2FeF4 and K2ZnF4

Magnetic and spectroscopic properties of the planar antiferromagnet K₂FeF₄ are determined by the Fe²⁺ ions at tetragonal sites. The two-dimensional easy-plane anisotropy exhibited by K₂FeF₄ is due to the zero field splitting (ZFS) terms arising from the orbital singlet ground state of Fe²⁺ ions with the spin S=2. To provide insight into the single-ion magnetic anisotropy of K₂FeF₄, the crystal field theory and the microscopic spin Hamiltonian (MSH) approach based on the tensor method is adopted. Survey of available experimental data on the crystal field energy levels and free-ion parameters for Fe²⁺ ions in K₂FeF₄ and related compounds is carried out to provide input for microscopic modeling of the ZFS parameters and the Zeeman electronic ones. The ZFS parameters are expressed in the extended Stevens notation and include contributions up to the fourth-order using as perturbation the spin-orbit and electronic spin-spin couplings within the tetragonal crystal field states of the ground ⁵D multiplet. Modeling of the ZFS parameters and the Zeeman electronic ones is carried out. Variation of these parameters is studied taking into account reasonable ranges of the microscopic ones, i.e. the spin-orbit and spin-spin coupling constants, and the energy level splittings, suitable for Fe²⁺ ions in K₂FeF₄ and Fe²⁺:K₂ZnF₄. Conversions between the ZFS parameters in the extended Stevens notation and the conventional ones are considered to enable comparison with the data of others. Comparative analysis of the MSH formulas derived earlier and our more complete ones indicates the importance of terms omitted earlier as well as the fourth-order ZFS parameters and the spin-spin coupling related contributions. The results may be useful also for Fe²⁺ ions at axial symmetry sites in related systems, i.e. Fe:K₂MnF₄, Rb₂Co_1−xFe_xF₄, Fe²⁺:Rb₂CrCl₄, and Fe²⁺:Rb₂ZnCl₄.     

Localized magnon gap modes in the 2-d Ising antiferromagnets K2CoF4 and Rb2CoF4

The defect (Mn²⁺,Ni²⁺,Fe²⁺) induced magnon gap modes in the layered antiferromagnets K₂CoF₄ and Rb₂CoF₄ were investigated with the methods of FIR absorption-and IR emission spectroscopy. The anisotropic exchange-parameters describing the strongly localized Mn²⁺ spin excitations far below the host lattice magnon band and the Ni²⁺ excitations in the vacinity of this band are presented. In the diluted system K₂Co_1-cMn_cF₄ localized Mn²⁺ cluster modes up to about C≈0.1 were observed. The excitation energy of these modes can only be explained by assuming an anisotropic Mn²⁺-Mn²⁺ exchange which is in contrast to the pure isomorphous system K₂MnF₄. In the spin mismatch system K₂CoF₄: Fe the magnetic moments of the isolated Fe²⁺ impurities are pulled from the plane perpendicular to the c-axis and aligned parallel to the easy axis of the magnetic crystal.     

MgF2:Mn2+光谱、超精细常数和局部结构的关联

基于电子顺磁共振(EPR)超精细常数A_s确定键长的新方法和半自洽场d轨道理论，对MgF₂:Mn²⁺光谱和EPR超精细常数作出了统一解释.得到室温下MgF₂:Mn²⁺晶体中杂质中心Mn—F的键长为0.2124±0.0010nm. 关键词： 晶体场 电子顺磁共振 光学和磁学性质     

Light scattering by magnetic excitons in (FeMn)F2

The transitions between the low lying crystal field split states A_1g and B_1g of the Fe²⁺ ions in pure FeF₂ and in the mixed antiferromagnet Fe_1-xMn_xF₂ have been investigated with Raman light scattering. From the Raman polarization rules the lines have been identified as arising from the magnetic excitons associated with the transitions. The energy and the line-width of the strongest line are studied as a function of the concentration x. From the energy measurement we estimate that the single ion anisotropy parameter D of the Fe²⁺ ions varies from 6.46 cm^-1 in pure FeF₂ to 8.03 cm^-1 in MnF₂: Fe.     

Far U.V. absorption spectra of manganese halides between 20 and 67 eV.

The absorption spectra of evaporated thin films of MnF₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂ have been measured in the energy range 20–67 eV. The onset of the absorption of 3p Mn²⁺ is about 50 eV. At lower energies, the structures may be attributed to transitions from 2s F^-, 4s Br^- and 3d Mn²⁺ levels.     

Indirect measurements of the Jahn-Teller quenched spin-orbit splitting in the 5T2g-state of KMgF3:Fe2+

The energy separation of the first excited spin-orbit States Γ_3g, Γ_4g from the Γ_5g ground state, in the orbital ⁵T_2g triplet state of Fe²⁺ in KMgF₃, has been estimated from temperature dependence measurements on the 7860 cm^-1 zero-phonon-line (ZPL) transition from Γ_5g to the orbital ⁵E_g doublet state. Using a simplified crystal field energy level model, we find the Γ_5g Γ_3g, Γ_4g separation to be ～30 cm^-1, indicating that the vibronic Jahn-Teller coupling is considerably stronger in KMgF₃:Fe²⁺ than in MgO:Fe²⁺. Far infrared absorption data on KMgF₃:Fe²⁺ in magnetic fields up to 6T, are found to be consistent with this interpretation.     

Mössbauer study of various fluoride glasses containing iron fluoride

(PbF₂, ZnF₂, AlF₃, or ZrF₄) - (BaF₂ and CaF₂) - FeF₃ glasses with 20 or 30 mol%FeF₃ contents were studied by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The Mössbauer spectrum at room temperature for the PbF₂-based glass is composed of one doublet due to Fe³⁺, whereas those for the ZnF₂?, AlF₃?, and ZrF₄-based glasses, two doublets due to Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺. Both the iron ions have octahedral F coordination in the high spin states. The Fe²⁺/(Fe²⁺ + Fe³⁺) value in glass increases with the basicity of base glass.     

Mössbauer study of 57Fe in doped CaO crystals

⁵⁷Co-doped CaO single crystals have been studied by the Mössbauer technique. Three charge states Fe¹⁺, Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ are observed. Below 6.5 K a Fe²⁺ quadrupole doublet appears. Using Ham strain model we discuss and compare our results with Fe²⁺ -doped KMgF₃ and MgO which indicate that the dynamical Jahn-Teller effect is very important in CaO: Fe²⁺.     

Spectral and scintillation characteristics of compound x-ray detectors based on calcium iodide crystals

The results of an investigation of the spectral and scintillation properties of pure and Tl⁺, Eu²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, and Ni²⁺ activated calcium iodide crystals as well as the results of measurements of the scintillation characteristics of compound x-ray detectors based on calcium iodide crystals are reported. It is shown that paired CaI₂ and CaI₂:Tl crystals can be used to fabricate compound detectors with different fluorescence times. On account of their high light output and good energy resolution CaI₂ and CaI₂:Eu crystals are suitable for compound detectors with different technical light output. CaI₂ or CaI₂:Eu scintillators together with scintillators based on calcium iodide with iron-group luminescence quenching impurity (Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, and Ni²⁺) can be used to obtain compound detectors with different physical light output. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 71–73 (September 1998)     

Ionic conductivity and point defects in pure and doped MnF2 and MgF2 single crystals

Conductivity, σ, of MnF₂ and MgF₂ single crystals, pure and doped (with Li⁺, Na⁺, Y³⁺, Gd³⁺), has been measured, from room temperature to 500°C. Further, some crystals were contaminated with O^2? as an additional impurity. These tetragonal (rutile structure) crystals both behave like typical ionic conductors. Of particular interest is the existence of a large anisotropy, σ being largest when measured parallel to the c-axis. Study of the conductivity isotherms and anisotropy as functions of impurity concentration allows identification of the conduction mechanism in terms of the migration of two mobile defects: the fiuorine-ion vacancy, V_F, and interstitial, F_i. A value of 1.44 eV was obtained for the enthalpy of formation of the intrinsic anion Frenkel defect, 0.80 eV for the migration enthalpy of a V_F and 0.88 eV for an F₁ in MnF₂ parallel to the c-axis. Similar values were obtained for MgF₂. This work shows that more information about point defects can be obtained from conductivity measurements in non-cubic cyrstals than in cubic ionic crystals, because of the additional information from conductivity anisotropy.     

Analysis of XPS spectra of Fe and Fe ions in oxide materials

Samples of the iron oxides Fe_0.94O, Fe₃O₄, Fe₂O₃, and Fe₂SiO₄ were prepared by high temperature equilibration in controlled gas atmospheres. The samples were fractured in vacuum and high resolution XPS spectra of the fractured surfaces were measured. The peak positions and peak shape parameters of Fe 3p for Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ were derived from the Fe 3p XPS spectra of the standard samples of 2FeO·SiO₂ and Fe₂O₃, respectively. Using these parameters, the Fe 3p peaks of Fe₃O₄ and Fe_1−yO are analysed. The results indicate that high resolution XPS techniques can be used to determine the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratios in metal oxides. The technique has the potential for application to other transition metal oxide systems.     

Electronic structure and term energy calculations for cubic and axial iron defects in SrTiO3

The spin-unrestricted Xα method is used to obtain the molecular orbital diagrams relevant to cubic Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ and axial Fe⁺ ?V₀ to Fe³⁺ ?V₀ defects in SrTiO₃, where V₀ is an oxygen vacancy. The relative energies of the lower spin multiplets are determined through the transition-state model of Slater. The electronic structures and the term patterns allow to discuss the stability and the ground term of each center trapped in cubic SrTiO₃. The mechanisms of ligand-metal and intervalence charge transfers are examined and compared to the abundant experimental data provided by EPR and optical measurements. The different behaviours of ferroelectrics like BaTiO₃: Fe and LiNbO₃: Fe in regard to the mechanisms implied in the photorefractive effects are reviewed according to the theoretical electronic structures with a special emphasis to the Fe²⁺ ? Fe³⁺ charge transfer.     

The crystal field and exchange coupling in iron group metal carbonates

The wave functions of Co²⁺ and Fe²⁺ ions near the ground state in the CaCO_3? type lattice have been calculated from EPR data in the Abragam-Pryce approximation. The orbital angular momentum contributions to the anisotropic and antisymmetric parts of exchange coupling are determined assuming that this interaction between the magnetic ions occurring in nonequivalent positions is isotropic with respect to spin orientations. It is shown that, in the given approximation, the exchange coupling components in the basal plane for such Fe²⁺?Fe²⁺ and Co²⁺? Fe²⁺ ion pairs are missing. This fact explains the uniaxial antiferromagnetic ordering in FeCO₃ and the presence of a low-lying oscillation branch for Fe²⁺ impurity ions in antiferromagnetic CoCO₃. The EPR spectra of exchange-coupled Co²⁺?Co²⁺, Fe²⁺?Fe²⁺, and Co²⁺?Fe²⁺ pairs occupying nonequivalent positions have been calculated and their parameters have been numerically estimated.     

Preparation of Zn2+–Ni2+–Fe3+–CO32−LDHs and study of photocatalytic activities for decomposition of Methyl Orange solution

New type photocatalytic materials of Zn²⁺–Ni²⁺–Fe³⁺–CO₃^2?LDHs were prepared by complexing agent-assisted homogeneous precipitation technique and Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, Ni(NO₃)·6H₂O, Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O used as raw materials in the case of molar ratio of Zn²⁺/Ni²⁺/Fe³⁺ = 1:6:2. Zn²⁺–Ni²⁺–Fe³⁺–CO₃^2?LDHs having a specific surface area of 96.5 m²/g. The structure and catalytic properties of the material were systematically studied. The experimental results show that the Zn²⁺–Ni²⁺–Fe³⁺–CO₃^2?LDHs has a higher adsorption performance and lower band gap which make it an excellent catalyst for reducing the degradation of the methyl orange. Study on the process of photocatalytic reaction shows that Methyl Orange was adsorbed to the layer of Zn²⁺–Ni²⁺–Fe³⁺–CO₃^2?LDHs, and then it was photodecomposed to inorganic molecules and ions by Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Fe³⁺ on the surface of Zn²⁺–Ni²⁺–Fe³⁺–CO₃^2?LDHs.     

Hydrodynamic cavitation degradation of Rhodamine B assisted by Fe3+-doped TiO2: Mechanisms,geometric and operation parameters

In this paper, a novel method, hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) combined with Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂, for the degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous solution is reported. The venturi tubes with different geometric parameters (size, shape and half divergent angle) are designed to obtain a strong HC effect. The structure, morphology and chemical composition of prepared Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ as catalyst are characterized via using XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV-vis DRS and PL methods. The effects of added TiO₂ (heat-treated at different temperatures for different times) and Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ (with different mole ratios of Fe and Ti) on the HC catalytic degradation of RhB are discussed. The influences of operation parameters including inlet pressure, initial RhB concentration and operating temperature on the HC catalytic degradation of RhB are studied by Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Under 3.0 bar inlet pressure for 10 mg/L initial concentration of RhB solution at 40 °C operating temperature in the presence of Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ with 0.05:1.00 M ratio of Fe and Ti, the best HC degradation ratio can be obtained (91.11%). Furthermore, a possible mechanism of HC degradation of organic pollutants in the presence of Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ is proposed. Perhaps, this study may provide a feasible method for a large-scale treatment of dye wastewater.     

A comparative study of the optical properties of Fe3+ in ordered LiGa5O8 and LiAl5O8

Measurements are reported on the fluorescence and excitation spectra of Fe³⁺-doped LiGa₅O₈ in the ordered phase. Spectral determinations were made with powder samples containing 0.01 to 1% atomic weight of Fe³⁺, within the temperature range 300 K to 25 K. A comparison is presented between the optical properties of trivalent iron in lithium gallate and in lithium aluminate, LiAl₅O₈, both in their ordered phases. The best fit with crystal field parameters B, C, and Dq, yields the following values for these parameters: Dq = 906 cm^-1, B = 594 cm^-1, and C = 3 737 cm^-1. As is the case with LiAl₅O₈:Fe³⁺, the Stokes shift in LiGa₅O₈:Fe³⁺ is very large, 3 624 cm^-1, although somewhat smaller than the 4 300 cm^-1 seen in LiAl₅O₈:Fe³⁺.     

Valence averaging and phase transitions in europium (Eu2VO4) and iron (RSr2Fe3O9) compounds

Mössbauer studies of ¹⁵¹Eu in Eu₂VO₄ reveal a very sharp valence averaging phase transition at 450 K. Two equally intense absorption lines, differing in isomer shift by 12.7 mm/s, corresponding to Eu²⁺ and Eu³⁺, collapse to a single absorption line at the average isomer shift. The transition is confirmed by X-ray and resistivity measurements. In RSr₂Fe₃O₉ (R=Pr, Sm) ⁵⁷Fe studies reveal averaging valence phase transitions coinciding with magnetic order phase transitions at 190 K and 140 K, respectively. Two magnetic sextets, corresponding to 2Fe³⁺ + Fe⁵⁺, collapse to two singlets corresponding to 2Fe⁴⁺ + Fe³⁺.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy methodology at the cutting-edge of high-pressure research

This paper provides a concise, introductory review intended mainly for Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS) scientists not familiar with the most modern aspects of High Pressure (HP) methodology. Following a short introduction to the 1^st generation HP-MS based on Drickamer’s pressure cells, we describe the principles of the 2^nd generation of HP-MS based on the Diamond Anvil Cell (DAC) including in-situ pressure measurements, the use of the high-specific activity ⁵⁷Co(Rh) point sources, and examples of miniature DAC’s. Finally, we present recent studies carried out with ⁵⁷Fe HP-MS combined with other HP techniques such as resistivity, and synchrotron-based x-ray diffraction, describing unique cases of the breakdown of magnetism and the Mott transition in hematite (Fe₂O₃), pressure-induced spin crossover in Wüstite (FeO), pressure induced Fe²⁺ → Fe³⁺ in Fe(OH)₂, and (P,T) induced inverse? normal spinel transition in magnetite (Fe₃O₄).