Weak antilocalization in thin films of the Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>2.7</Subscript>Se<Subscript>0.3</Subscript> solid solution

A technology has been developed for the preparation of thin films of the Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 solid solution through the thermal evaporation in a vacuum using the “hot-wall” method. The high quality of the thin films thus prepared has been confirmed by the X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering data. The electron transport has been investigated over wide ranges of temperatures (1.4–300 K) and magnetic fields (up to 8 T). It has been assumed that the observed weak antilocalization is associated with the dominant contribution from the surface states of a topological insulator. The dephasing length has been estimated.     

Coercive field enhancement in microstructured (La<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>Pr<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>)<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films

The perovskite material (La_0.4Pr_0.6)_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ (LPCMO) has complex electronic and magnetic behavior based on phase competition between ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) and insulating phases with similar free energies. Experimental evidence has indicated that in-plane stress anisotropy influences these phases and can affect electronic and magnetic properties. Here we investigate the roles that both stress and shape anisotropies may play in controlling the coercive field of the material. LPCMO thin films of various thicknesses (20, 25, and 30 nm) were deposited on (110) NdGaO₃ (NGO) substrates using pulsed laser deposition and the coercive fields were measured. Photolithography was then used to fabricate microstructured arrays of LPCMO on the NGO substrates for each of the films. The coercive fields of these arrays of LPCMO were compared to the behavior of the corresponding unpatterned LPCMO thin films across a range of temperatures. Microstructure arrays for the thicker (25 and 30 nm) films showed a substantial increase in the coercive field after forming the arrays, whereas a thinner film (20 nm) showed almost no change in the coercive field. Stress anisotropy continues to play a dominant role in the behavior of LPCMO thin films and dimensionality of the magnetic domains also influences the results. The films show 2D behavior when film thickness approaches the size of the critical radius for single-to-multidomain transitions. Making thicker films allows for 3D behavior and a role for shape anisotropy to influence the coercive fields.     

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.     

Antiferromagnetic resonance and phase diagrams of gadolinium ferroborate GdFe<Subscript>3</Subscript>(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript>

Antiferromagnetic resonance in single crystals of rhombohedral gadolinium ferroborate GdFe₃(BO₃)₄ was studied. The frequency-field dependences of antiferromagnetic resonance over the frequency range 26–70 GHz and the temperature dependences of resonance parameters for magnetic fields oriented along the crystal axis and in the basal plane were determined. It was found that the iron subsystem, which can be treated as a two-sublattice antiferromagnet with anisotropy of the easy-plane type, experienced ordering at T=38 K. At temperatures below 20 K, the gadolinium subsystem with the opposite anisotropy sign strongly influenced the anisotropic properties of the crystal. This resulted in a spontaneous spin-reorientation transition from the easy-plane to the easy-axis state at 10 K. Below 10 K, magnetic field-induced transitions between the states were observed. Experimental phase diagrams on the temperature-magnetic field plane were constructed for fields oriented along the crystal axis and in the basal plane. A simple model was used to calculate the critical transition fields. The results were in close agreement with the experimental values measured at T=4.2 K for both field orientations.     

Magnetic order in the structurally disordered helicoidal magnet Cr<Subscript>1/3</Subscript>NbS<Subscript>2</Subscript>: NMR at <Superscript>53</Superscript>Cr nuclei

The Cr_1/3NbS₂ magnet is studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at ⁵³Cr nuclei in a zero applied magnetic field. The following two frequency ranges are distinguished in the ⁵³Cr NMR spectrum at T = 4.2 K: ν ₁ = 64–68 MHz and ν ₂ = 49–51 MHz. They can be related to two valence states of chromium ions, namely, Cr⁴⁺ and Cr³⁺. The components of the electric field gradient, the hyperfine fields, and the magnetic moment at chromium atoms are determined. The NMR data demonstrate that the magnetic moments of chromium lie in plane ab and form a magnetic structure consisting of regions with a helicoidal magnetic order and regions where this order is broken.     

Magnetotransport characteristics of strained La<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> epitaxial manganite films

The electrical and magnetic characteristics of La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ (LSMO) epitaxial manganite films are investigated by different methods under conditions when the crystal structure is strongly strained as a result of mismatch between the lattice parameters of the LSMO crystal and the substrate. Substrates with lattice parameters larger and smaller than the nominal lattice parameter of the LSMO crystal are used in experiments. It is shown that the behavior of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistance for the films in the low-temperature range does not depend on the strain of the film and agrees well with the results obtained from the calculations with allowance made for the interaction of electrons with magnetic excitations in the framework of the double-exchange model for systems with strongly correlated electronic states. Investigations of the magneto- optical Kerr effect have revealed that an insignificant (0.3%) orthorhombic distortion of the cubic lattice in the plane of the NdGaO₃(110) substrate leads to uniaxial anisotropy of the magnetization of the film, with the easy-magnetization axis lying in the substrate plane. However, LSMO films on substrates (((LaAlO₃)_0.3+(Sr₂AlTaO₆)_0.7)(001)) ensuring minimum strain of the films exhibit a biaxial anisotropy typical of cubic crystals. The study of the ferromagnetic resonance lines at a frequency of 9.76 GHz confirms the results of magnetooptical investigations and indicates that the ferromagnetic phase in the LSMO films is weakly inhomogeneous.     

Magnetostructural transformations in Ni<Subscript>51</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>36</Subscript>Sn<Subscript>13</Subscript> Heusler alloy thin films

In this paper we report structural, magnetic and transport properties of strongly textured Ni₅₁Mn₃₆Sn₁₃ thin films. The off-stoichiometric Heusler alloy films with 200 nm thickness were sputter-deposited on a MgO(100) substrate at 500 K and after annealed at 1000 K in UHV conditions. The textured growth was confirmed by x-ray diffraction in Bragg-Brentano geometry. The temperature dependence of the magnetic properties was measured by VSM and FMR methods. The electron transport measurements were carried out in function of temperature in 0 Oe and 50 kOe fields. All measurements corroborate the existence of the martensitic transformation in the film. Furthermore, transport measurements reveal an influence of the magnetic field on the transition temperature.     

Experimental evidence of a two-phase magnetic state in thin epitaxial films of Re<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> (Re = La,Pr, Nd,Gd)

Thin epitaxial films of Re_0.6Ba_0.4MnO₃ (Re = La, Pr, Nd, Gd) on (001)-oriented single crystal SrTiO₃ and ZrO₂(Y₂O₃) substrates have been prepared and studied. All films possess a cubic perovskite structure, except for the film with Re = La, which exhibited a rhombohedral distortion of the perovskite lattice. The results show evidence for the presence of two magnetic phases, ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM), in the films studied: (i) the magnetization isotherm M(H) appears as a superposition of a linear component (characteristic of antiferromagnets) and a small spontaneous magnetization component; (ii) the magnetic moment per formula unit is significantly reduced as compared to the value expected for the complete FM or ferrimagnetic ordering; (iii) there is a difference between magnetizations of the samples cooled with and without an applied magnetic field, which is preserved in the entire range of magnetic fields studied (50 kOe); (iv) the temperature dependence of the magnetization M(T) in strong magnetic fields is close to linear (for the composition with Re = Gd, M(T) is described by a Langevin function for superparamagnets with a cluster moment of 2μ_B); and (v) the magnetization hysteresis loops of the field-cooled samples are shifted along the field axis. The exchange integral (characterizing the Mn-O-Mn coupling via the FM-AFM phase boundary) estimated from the latter shift is | J|=10^?6 eV. This value is two orders of magnitude lower than the negative exchange integral between the FM layers in ReMnO₃, which makes the presence of a transition layer at the FM-AFM phase boundary unlikely. The temperature dependences of electrical resistance and magnetoresistance exhibit maxima at the Curie temperature (T_C), where the magnetoresistance reaches a colossal value. This behavior indicates that the two-phase magnetic state is caused by a strong s-d exchange.     

Magnetotransport of lanthanum doped RuSr<Subscript>2</Subscript>GdCu<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>8</Subscript> – the role of gadolinium

Strongly underdoped RuSr_1.9La_0.1GdCu₂O₈ has been comprehensively studied by dc magnetization, microwave measurements, magnetoresistivity and Hall resistivity in fields up to 9 T and temperatures down to 1.75 K. Electron doping by La reduces the hole concentration in the CuO₂ planes and completely suppresses superconductivity. Microwave absorption, dc resistivity and ordinary Hall effect data indicate that the carrier concentration is reduced and a semiconductor-like temperature dependence is observed. Two magnetic ordering transitions are observed. The ruthenium sublattice orders antiferromagnetically at 155 K in low applied magnetic fields, and the gadolinium sublattice orders antiferromagnetically at 2.8 K. The magnetoresistivity in this compound exhibits a complicated temperature dependence due to the occurence of the two magnetic orders and spin fluctuations. It is shown that the ruthenium magnetism influences the conductivity in the RuO₂ layers while the gadolinium magnetism influences the conductivity in the CuO₂ layers. The magnetoresistivity is isotropic above 4 K, but it becomes anisotropic close to the gadolinium antiferromagnetic order temperature.     

Optical absorption spectra and magnetic phase transitions in TbFe<Subscript>3</Subscript>(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript>

Optical absorption spectra of the trigonal crystal of TbFe₃(BO₃)₄ in the vicinity of the ⁷F₆ → ⁵D₄ transition in a Tb³⁺ ion were studied as a function of temperature (2–70 K) and magnetic field strength (0–60 kOe) at 2 K. The splitting of the excited states of Tb³⁺ due to both the magnetic ordering of iron and an external magnetic field was determined. Abrupt splitting of the absorption lines of Tb³⁺ at temperature T_N of the magnetic ordering of the subsystem of iron was revealed, suggesting that the nature of such splitting is not entirely magnetic.     

Experimental study of antiferromagnetic resonance in noncollinear antiferromagnetic Mn<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ge<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript>

The structural and magnetic properties of the mesoporous systems based on silicon dioxide with a regular hexagonal arrangement of pores several microns in length and several nanometers in diameter, which are filled with iron compound nanofilaments in various chemical states, are studied in detail. The studies are performed using the following mutually complementary methods: transmission electron microscopy, SQUID magnetometry, electron spin resonance, Mössbauer spectroscopy, polarized neutron small-angle diffraction, and synchrotron radiation diffraction. It is shown that the iron nanoparticles in pores are mainly in the γ phase of Fe₂O₃ with a small addition of the α phase and atomic iron clusters. The effective magnetic field acting on a nanofilament from other nanofilaments is 11 mT and has a dipole nature, the ferromagnetic–paramagnetic transition temperature is in the range 76–94 K depending on the annealing temperature of the samples, and the temperature that corresponds to the change in the magnetic state of the iron oxide nanofilaments is T ≈ 50–60 K at H = 0 and T ≈ 80 K at H = 300 mT. It is also shown that the magnetization reversal of an array of nanofilaments is caused by the magnetostatic interaction between nanofilaments at the fields that are lower than the saturation field.     

Superspin-glass like behavior of nanoparticle La<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> obtained by mechanochemical milling

Single-phase perovskite compound La_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ was synthesised by a high-energy ball milling in a single step processing. Structure and morphology characterizations revealed nanoparticle nature of this mixed valent manganite with the average particle diameter of 9 nm. Comprehensive set of magnetic measurements showed that the system can be described as an ensemble of interacting magnetic nanoparticles where each particle possesses high magnetic moment, i.e., superspin. Furthermore, magnetic behavior showed contributions from both superspin-glass (SSG) and superparamagnetic (SP) states, and the prevailing properties depended on the experimental conditions. It was established that SSG state dominated in low magnetic fields up to 500 Oe while in higher applied fields suppression of collective behavior occurred and individual characteristics of nanoparticles prevailed. It was also concluded that the applied method of synthesis produced system with high magnetic anisotropy as well as with the large nanoparticle shell whose thickness amounts 30% of a particle diameter.     

Magnetoelectric effect in ytterbium aluminum borate YbAl<Subscript>3</Subscript>(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript>

The anisotropic magnetoelectric properties of an ytterbium aluminum borate YbAl (BO single crystal having noncentrosymmetric crystal structure (space group R32) are studied, including the orientational, field, and temperature dependences of the polarization in magnetic fields up to 5 T in the temperature range of 2–300 K. It has been shown experimentally for the first time that the symmetry of the observed magnetoelectric effects exactly corresponds to the trigonal structure of the crystal and is characterized by two quadratic magnetoelectric constants. The polarization in the basal plane P _{a, b} is a quadratic function of the field at low fields and reaches 250–300 μC/m² in a field of 5 T at a temperature of 2 K, almost an order of magnitude exceeding the previously reported values. A theoretical model based on the spin Hamiltonian of the ground Kramers doublet of Yb³⁺ ions in the crystal field is proposed including magnetoelectric interactions allowed by the symmetry. This model makes it possible to quantitatively describe all observed magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of YbAl₃(BO₃)₄.     

Crystallographic,magnetic, and electrical properties of thin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Re</Emphasis><Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> epitaxial films (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Re</Emphasis> = La,Pr, Nd,Gd)

Thin Re_0.6Ba_0.4MnO₃ epitaxial films (Re = La, Pr, Nd, Gd) grown on (001)SrTiO₃ and (001)ZrO₂(Y₂O₃) single crystal substrates have been prepared and studied. All the films were found to have a cubic perovskite structure, with the exception of the film with Re = La, which revealed rhombohedral distortion of the perovskite cell. The temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance pass through a maximum near the Curie point T_C, where the magnetoresistance reaches a colossal value. The magnetization isotherms M(H) are superpositions of a magnetization that is linear in field (like that of an antiferromagnet) and a weak spontaneous magnetization. The magnetic moment per formula unit is substantially smaller than that expected under complete ferro-or ferrimagnetic ordering. The magnetizations of samples cooled in a magnetic field (FC samples) and with no field applied (ZFC samples) differ by an amount that persists up to the highest measurement fields (50 kOe). The M(T) dependence obtained in strong magnetic fields is close to linear. Hysteresis loops of the FC samples are shifted along the field axis. The above magnetic and electric properties of thin films are explained in terms of two coexisting magnetic phases, which are due to strong s-d exchange coupling.     

Effect of a magnetic field on the permittivity of 80%La<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>/20%GeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> composite

The dielectric properties of a magnetoresistive conducting two-phase 80%La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/20%GeO₂ (wt %) composite have been studied near the percolation threshold in magnetic fields from 0 to 15 kOe at frequencies of the measurement field from 5 kHz to 1 MHz. The samples have inductive impedances; i.e., their permittivities can be considered negative due to a high conductivity in this frequency range. The permittivity increases in magnitude in magnetic field, and the values of the magnetodielectric coefficient reach 23% at room temperature. The reasons for the effect of magnetic field on the dielectric permittivity of samples are discussed.     

Valence and magnetic states of impurity iron ions in the La<Subscript>0.75</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.25</Subscript>Co<Subscript>0.98</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>0.02</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> perovskite

The local magnetic and valence states of impurity iron ions in the rhombohedral La_0.75Sr_0.25Co_0.98 ⁵⁷Fe_0.02O₃ perovskite were studied using Mössbauer spectroscopy in the temperature range 87–293 K. The Mössbauer spectra are described by a single doublet at 215–293 K. The spectra contained a paramagnetic and a ferromagnetic component at 180–212 K and only a broad ferromagnetic sextet at T < 180 K. The results of the studies showed that, over the temperature range 87–295 K, the iron ions are in a single (tetrahedral) state with a valence of +3. In the temperature range 180–212 K, two magnetic states of Fe³⁺ ions were observed, one of which is in magnetically ordered microregions and the other, in paramagnetic microregions; these states are due to atomic heterogeneity. In the magnetically ordered microregions in the temperature range 87–212 K, the magnetic state of the iron ions is described well by a single state with an average spin S = 1.4 ± 0.2 and a magnetic moment μ(Fe) = 2.6 ± 0.4μ _B .     

Magnetoresistive effect in RCu<Subscript>3</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> perovskite-like oxides

The electrical properties of and the magnetoresistive effect in RCu₃Mn₄O₁₂ (R=rare-earth ion or Th) are studied. In all compounds of this series, the magnetoresistive effect amounts to 20% at liquid nitrogen temperature in the presence of a field of 0.9 T. An increase in the magnetoresistance with decreasing temperature and a high sensitivity to weak magnetic fields at low temperatures point to the intergranular nature of the effect. The magnetoresistance shows a peak in the vicinity of the Curie temperature T_C. Based on the dependences of the magnetoresistance on an external magnetic field, it is assumed that the magnetoresistance peak near T_C is related to the charge carrier scattering by magnetic inhomogeneities as in substituted orthomanganites. We believe that the magnetoresistance value near the magnetic ordering temperature depends on the synthesis conditions and the effect of the intergranular spacer on the transport properties of these compounds.     

Causes of the Metamagnetism in a Disordered EuMn<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Co<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> Perovskite

The magnetic properties of the EuMn_0.5Co_0.5O₃ perovskite synthesized under various conditions are studied in fields up to 140 kOe. The sample synthesized at T = 1500°C is shown to exhibit a metamagnetic phase transition, which is irreversible below T = 40 K, and the sample synthesized at T = 1200°C demonstrates the field dependence of magnetization that is typical of a ferromagnet. Both samples have T_C = 123 K and approximately the same magnetization in high magnetic fields. The metamagnetism is assumed to be related to a transition from a noncollinear ferromagnetic phase to a collinear phase, and the presence of clusters with ordered Co²⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions leads to ferromagnetism. The noncollinear phase is formed due to the competition between positive Co²⁺–Mn⁴⁺ and negative Mn⁴⁺–Mn⁴⁺ and Co²⁺–Co²⁺ interactions, which make almost the same contributions, and to the existence of a high magnetic anisotropy.     

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in single-crystal Co<Subscript>50</Subscript>Pt<Subscript>50</Subscript>/MgO(100) films

The crystal structure and hysteretic magnetic properties of equiatomic single-crystal CoPt films applied on MgO substrates by magnetron sputtering, as well as modification of these properties by thermal annealing, are studied. Heat-treated films of thickness in the range 2<d≤16 nm exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. A correlation between the crystalline anisotropy constant of the CoPt films and the order parameter of the LI₀ superstructure in these alloys is found. The effect of a single-crystalline MgO substrate on the structure and magnetic properties of equiatomic CoPt films is revealed.     

<Superscript>87</Superscript>Rb NMR study of the magnetic structure of the quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnet RbFe(MoO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript> on a triangular lattice

⁸⁷Rb nuclear magnetic resonance was experimentally studied in a quasi-two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet RbFe(MoO₄)₂. Dipole fields at the ⁸⁷Rb nuclei were found over a wide range of temperatures and static magnetic fields. Magnetic structures in the ordered phase were determined at various magnetic fields.