Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya anisotropy in the spin-1/2 kagome compound ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2

We report the determination of the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction, the dominant magnetic anisotropy term in the kagome spin-1/2 compound ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2. Based on the analysis of the high-temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra, we find its main component |Dz|=15(1) K to be perpendicular to the kagome planes. Through the temperature dependent ESR linewidth, we observe a building up of nearest-neighbor spin-spin correlations below approximately 150 K.     

Modified kagome physics in the natural spin-1/2 kagome lattice systems: kapellasite Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2 and haydeeite Cu3Mg(OH)6Cl2

The recently discovered natural minerals Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2 and Cu3Mg(OH)6Cl2 are spin 1/2 systems with an ideal kagome geometry. Based on electronic structure calculations, we develop a realistic model which includes couplings across the kagome hexagons beyond the original kagome model that are intrinsic in real kagome materials. Exact diagonalization studies for the derived model reveal a strong impact of these couplings on the magnetic ground state. Our predictions could be compared to and supplied with neutron scattering, thermodynamic data, and NMR data.     

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.     

Thermo‐Raman spectroscopy of selected layered double hydroxides of formula Cu6Al2(OH)16CO3 and Zn6Al2(OH)16CO3

Raman spectroscopy using a hot stage was used to characterise layered double hydroxides (LDHs) of the formula (Cu,Zn)₆Al₂(OH)₁₆(CO₃)^·4H₂O. The spectra were used to assess the molecular assembly of the cations in the LDH structure. The sharp band at 1058 cm⁻¹for the Zn₆Al₂(OH)₁₆(CO₃)^·4H₂O is assigned to the ν₁CO₃²⁻ symmetric stretching mode. This band shifts to higher wavenumbers and is observed at 1103 cm⁻¹at 600 °C. It is proposed that metal carbonate species formed during the decomposition of the hydrotalcite structure is responsible for the increase in the band position. The Cu–Al hydrotalcite did not show the same trend. The symmetric stretching mode of carbonate is observed at around 1110 cm⁻¹, and at temperatures above 200 °C a shoulder appears at around 1210 cm⁻¹, suggested to be due to CuCO₃. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

NMR evidence for the persistence of a spin superlattice beyond the 1/8 magnetization plateau in SrCu2(BO3)_{2}

We present 11B NMR studies of the 2D frustrated dimer spin system SrCu2(BO3)_{2} in the field range 27-31 T covering the upper phase boundary of the 1/8 magnetization plateau, identified at 28.4 T. Our data provide a clear evidence that above 28.4 T the spin superlattice of the 1/8 plateau is modified but does not melt even though the magnetization increases. Although this is precisely what is expected for a supersolid phase, the microscopic nature of this new phase is much more complex. We discuss the field-temperature phase diagram on the basis of our NMR data.     

Raman spectroscopy of dawsonite NaAl(CO3)(OH)2

Raman spectroscopy both at 298 and 77 K complemented with infrared spectroscopy was used to study the structure of dawsonite. Previous crystallographic studies concluded that the structure of dawsonite was a simple one; however, both Raman and infrared spectroscopy show that this conclusion is incorrect. Multiple bands are observed in both the Raman and infrared spectra in the antisymmetric stretching and bending regions, showing that the symmetry of the carbonate anion is reduced and in all probability the carbonate anions are not equivalent in the dawsonite structure. Multiple OH deformation vibrations centred around 950 cm⁻¹ in both Raman and infrared spectra show that the OH units in the dawsonite structure are non‐equivalent. Calculations using the position of the Raman and infrared OH stretching vibrations enabled estimates of the hydrogen‐bond distances of 0.2735 and 0.27219 pm at 298 K, and 0.27315 and 0.2713 pm at 77 K to be made. This indicates strong hydrogen bonding of the OH units in the dawsonite structure. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Angular dependence of the in-plane magnetization of (100) Cu/Ni/Cu structures

(100) Cu/Ni/Cu sandwich structures have been deposited on (100) Si using the (100) Cu epitaxially grown as the seed layer. The in-plane epitaxial relation between the metal films and Si allows the study of angular dependence of the magnetization for the field parallel to the film plane. Keeping the Cu layers at 1000 Å each and varying the Ni layers between 50 and 1000 Å, the magnetization along the [110] edge is larger than that along the [100] one. This is observed for both structures with a Ni thickness of 1000 and 500 Å, respectively. For the thinner Ni layers, the angular dependence is interfered by the reversal in magnetic anisotropy reported earlier. For such structures, a squared hysteresis loop is observed for the field perpendicular to the film plane, whereas one with little loop is observed for the in-plane magnetization. The angular dependence observed for the 1000 and 500 Å Ni films is the same as that of single crystal Ni. The (100) Cu/Ni/Cu films thus grown can be used for other magnetic measurements in the exploration of two-dimensional magnetism with controlled orientations.     

Ni2(OCH3)2/SiO2催化剂上CO2和CH3OH的吸附和反应性能

采用表面改性和离子交换相结合的方法制备了Ni2 (OCH3 ) 2 /SiO2 负载型双核金属甲氧基配合物催化剂 ,利用红外光谱 (IR)、程序升温脱附 (TPD)、程序升温表面反应 (TPSR)和微反技术考察了催化剂的表面结构以及CO2 和CH3 OH的化学吸附和反应性能 .结果表明 :Ni2 (OCH3 ) 2 /SiO2 中Ni2 + 与载体SiO2 表面O2 -以双齿配位形式键合 ,甲氧基以桥基形式联结双金属离子形成双核物种Ni2 (OCH3 ) 2 ;CO2 在催化剂表面存在甲氧碳酸酯基物种和桥式两种吸附态 ,CH3 OH则只有一种分子吸附态 ;在 10 0～ 2 0 0℃条件下 ,CO2 和CH3 OH在催化剂上的反应产物主要是DMC和H2 O ;根据反应结果 ,讨论了催化反应机理 .     

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.     

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.     

Spin dynamics of the spin-1/2 kagome lattice antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2

We have performed thermodynamic and neutron scattering measurements on the S=1/2 kagomé lattice antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2. The susceptibility indicates a Curie-Weiss temperature of theta CW approximately = -300 K; however, no magnetic order is observed down to 50 mK. Inelastic neutron scattering reveals a spectrum of low energy spin excitations with no observable gap down to 0.1 meV. The specific heat at low-T follows a power law temperature dependence. These results suggest that an unusual spin liquid state with essentially gapless excitations is realized in this kagomé lattice system.     

The 2π-derived level in the adsorption system CO/Cu(110)

The bremsstrahlung isochromat (or inverse photoemission) spectrum of CO chemisorbed on a Cu(110) surface has been investigated. An empty level derived from the CO 2 π orbital was found at an energy of 0.9 eV below the vacuum level E_vac and to have a halfwidth varying from 1.9 to 2.6 eV as a function of increasing coverage. The energetic position of the empty level is discussed in connection with photoemission data for occupied bands and excitation energies from electron energy loss measurements.     

Spectroscopy and Intensity Measurements of the 3nu(1)+3nu(3) Tetrad of (12)CO(2) and (13)CO(2)

Three of the four components of the 3nu(1)+3nu(3) tetrad of (12)C(16)O(2) and (13)C(16)O(2), labeled 30031, 30032, and 30033 in HITRAN notation, have been observed by intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy in the 10 450- to 11 000-cm(-1) region. The rotational analysis has yielded the rovibrational parameters of the vibrational states. The experimental values are found to be in very good agreement with the rovibrational energies recently predicted from variational calculations and reduced effective Hamiltonians. The absolute band intensity of these extremely weak transitions have been measured. The study of the relative intensities within the 3nu(1)+3nu(3) tetrad suggests that part of the oscillator strength is carried by the (22(0)3) state. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

2π1 resonance shapes and relaxation shifts in inverse photoemission from CO/Cu(110)

A comment is made on the shape and the relaxation shift of the 2π¹ derived resonance observed in inverse photoemission from the CO/Cu(110) system. The magnitude of the relaxation shift, asymmetry and width of the peaks detected experimentally by Rogozik et al. are interpreted and evaluated using the formerly developed formalism of the transient surface electronic response. The results obtained indicate a relatively small contribution of the 2π¹ derived level to the chemisorptive bonding of the CO on the Cu(110) surface.     

NCl(a1Δ)/I（2P3/2）传能体系的实验研究

 利用微波放电Cl₂/He等离子体作为Cl源，对反应NCl(a¹Δ) + I(²P_3/2)→NCl(X³Σ) + I(²P_1/2)进行了实验研究，得到了较大的I(²P_1/2)自发辐射荧光信号，检测到NCl(a¹Δ，b¹Σ)自发辐射荧光光谱在存在少量I(²P_1/2)下发生的显著变化，其中NCl(a¹Δ)自发辐射荧光信号降低，同时由于I(²P_1/2)的作用，NCl(b¹Σ)自发辐射荧光信号大幅度增加。在考察各反应气体流量对I(²P_1/2)自发辐射荧光信号的影响时发现，在本次实验条件下，各种气体的最佳流量：He为1～4mmol/s, I₂为0.01～0.03mmol/s, Cl₂为1.0mmol/s左右,而HN₃流量略大于Cl₂流量时信号升高幅度开始变缓，约为Cl₂流量的两倍时信号不再有显著的变化。     

Joined ellipsometry and voltametry investigation on the second discharge plateau in Ni(OH)2

The electrochemical properties of nickel hydroxide, produced via an electrodialysis process are studied by means of cyclic voltametry and in-situ ellipsometry methods. The Ni(OH)₂ electrodes are thin layers of nickel hydroxide powder deposited on a polished platinum substrate. Electrochemical and optical properties are investigated in a voltage domain including the so-called “second discharge process”. The reduction of nickel hydroxide proceeds at two successive potentials with a recovering of the initial optical data only after the second discharge step. The first discharge step leads to a nickel hydroxide not fully discharged while the second discharge step is coupled both to a sudden change in the nickel hydroxide properties and an agglomeration of particles phenomenon. Project financed by the E.U., program Brite Euram BRPR-CT97-0515 (NEARBY) Paper presented at the 7th Euroconference on Ionics, Calcatoggio, Corsica, France, Oct. 1–7, 2000.     

Direct observation of local Mn-Mn distances in the paramagnetic compound CsMn(x)Mg(1-x)Br3

We introduce a novel method for local structure determination with a spatial resolution of the order of 0.01 ?. It can be applied to materials containing clusters of exchange-coupled magnetic atoms. We use neutron spectroscopy to probe the energies of the cluster excitations which are determined by the interatomic coupling strength J. Since for most materials J is related to the interatomic distance R through a linear relation dJ/dR=α (for dR/R?1), we can directly derive the local distance R from the observed excitation energies. This is exemplified for the mixed one-dimensional paramagnetic compound CsMn(x)Mg(1-x)Br3 (x=0.05,0.10) containing manganese dimers oriented along the hexagonal c axis. Surprisingly, the resulting Mn-Mn distances R do not vary continuously with increasing internal pressure but lock in at some discrete values.