Effect of γ irradiation on the heat capacity of Rb2ZnBr4 in the vicinity of phase transitions

Heat capacity of Rb₂ZnBr₄ as a function of γ irradiation dose has been measured within the 85–300 K range by the adiabatic calorimeter technique. It is shown that, as the irradiation dose increases, the heat capacity peak in the vicinity of the incommensurate-commensurate first-order phase transition (PT) decreases, and the transition temperature T _c increases. The heat capacity peak in the region of the second-order PT at T ₃=112 K does not depend on γ irradiation, both in magnitude and in position, just as the heat capacity throughout the remainder of the temperature range studied. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1106–1108 (June 1998)     

Flux line lattice symmetries in the borocarbide superconductor LuNi2B2C

We compare the results of small angle neutron scattering on the flux line lattice (FLL) obtained in the borocarbide superconductor LuNi₂B₂C with the applied field along the c- and a-axes. For H‖c the temperature dependence of the FLL structural phase transition from square to hexagonal symmetry was investigated. Above 10 K the transition onset field. H ₂(T), rises sharply, bending away from H _c2(T) in contradiction to theoretical predictions of the two merging. For H‖a a first order FLL reorientation transition is observed at H _tr=3–3.5 kOe. Below H _tr the FLL nearest neighbor direction is parallel to the b-axis, and above H _tr to the c-axis. This transition cannot be explained using nonlocal corrections to the London model.     

Specific heat of the elpasolite Pb2MgWO6

The specific heat of Pb₂MgWO₆ has been measured in the temperature interval 83–370 K. An anomaly in the specific heat associated with the phase transition at T ₀=312.8K has been discovered. The thermodynamic parameters of the structural phase transition Fm3m-Pmcn have been determined. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1686–1688 (September 1999)     

Ferroelectric phase transition in LaBSiO5 crystals from results of thermal and dielectric measurements

The specific heat of the ceramic and the permittivity of a single-crystal sample of LaBSiO₅, a new ferroelectric in the stilwellite family, were measured in a temperature range which includes the phase transition point (T _C=140 °C). The excess entropy of the phase transition ΔS=1.05 J/mol · K and the Curie-Weiss constant C _C-W=3.2×10³ K were determined. The results indicate that the phase transition in this crystal is of a “mixed” nature and exhibits features of a displacement-type transition and an order-disorder transition. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1310–1312 (July 1998)     

Superconductivity in the Ti-D system under pressure

The pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in TiD_0.74 has been measured up to 30 GPa in a diamond high-pressure chamber. It is found that the deuteride TiD_0.74 becomes a superconductor at pressures corresponding to the transition to the high-pressure ζ phase, with a transition temperature that increases from 4.17 to 4.43 K in the interval P=14–30 GPa. The value extrapolated to atmospheric pressure T _c (0)=4.0 K is significantly lower than the superconducting transition temperature (T _c =5.0 K) measured earlier in the metastable state obtained by quenching TiD_0.74 under pressure. It is assumed that the significant difference of the extrapolated value from the superconducting transition temperature in the metastable state after quenching under pressure is caused by a phase transition on the path from the stability region of the ζ phase under pressure to the region of the metastable state at atmospheric pressure. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 2153–2155 (December 1998)     

Temperature anomalies in the nonlinear magnetoacoustic properties of manganese-zinc spinel single crystals

The absorption of a magnetoelastic wave and the nonlinear resonance interaction of counterpropagating magnetoelastic waves in a manganese-zinc spinel single crystal have been investigated near the conjectured spin-reorientational transition. The convolution signal vanishes near T _tr=291 K; this is explained by the relaxational dynamics of the magnetic mode near the transition. The increase in the strength of the field corresponding to the maximum of the convolution with decreasing temperature is explained by a change in the demagnetizing field. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 652–655 (April 1997)     

Effect of regimes of cooling in a magnetic field on the magnetization of a La0.9Sr0.1MnO3 single crystal

Magnetization measurements were performed on a lanthanum manganite La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃ single crystal in the temperature interval 4.2–300 K and magnetic field interval 50 Oe-55 kOe in two sample cooling regimes: 1) cooling down to 4.2 K in a high (55 kOe) magnetic field, and 2) cooling in a “zero” field. It is shown that the temperature dependences of the magnetization M(T) are substantially different in these regimes. Pronounced anomalies of M(T) were observed at temperatures T*=103 K and T _c =145 K. The first anomaly is attributed to a structural transition, while the second one corresponds to a ferromagnet-paramagnet phase transition. The magnetization of a La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃ single crystal in the cooling regimes studied shows typical “spin-glass” behavior. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 1, 39–43 (10 July 1998)     

Effect of γ irradiation on the low-temperature electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of TlGaSe2 crystals

Electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of single-crystal TlGaSe₂ have been studied as a function of γ irradiation dose in the 100–280 K range including the existence of an incommensurate phase. Anomalies in the form of maxima have been observed in the σ=f(T), tan δ=f(T), and ɛ=f(T) curves at the points of transition from the paraphase to incommensurate (IC) phase, T _i, and from the IC to commensurate phase, T _c. The increase in the quantities σ, tan δ, and ɛ observed initially with increasing irradiation dose is followed by their strong decrease and disappearance of the anomalies. It has been established that γ irradiation does not affect the phase transition temperatures T _i and T _c. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1328–1331 (July 1998)     

Calorimetric investigations of phase transitions in the cryolites (NH4)3Ga1−x ScxF6(x=1.0,0.1,0)

The specific heat of the cryolites (NH₄)₃Ga_1−x Sc_xF₆ with x=1.0, 0.1, and 0 was measured. The thermodynamic parameters of the phase transitions were determined. A previously unknown phase transition was found in the scandium compound at T=243 K. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 523–528 (March 1998)     

Thermal conductivity of (VO)2P2O7 single crystals

Thermal conductivity ϰ of single-crystal (VO)₂P₂O₇ has been studied within the 4–300 K range. A break was found in the ϰ(T) relation about 200 K, in the region of the transition from diffuse antiferromagnetic ordering (200–4 K) to a classical paramagnet (T=200–300 K). In the low-temperature domain (4–200 K), one may expect an additional contribution to ϰ(T) from the magnon component of thermal conductivity. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 2093–2094 (November 1998)     

Thermal conductivity of YbInCu4

The electrical and thermal conductivities of an YbInCu₄ polycrystalline sample have been measured within the 4.2–300-K range. The behavior of the heat conductivity has been found to change sharply above and below T _v =70–75 K, the temperature corresponding to an isostructural phase transition from a state with an integral valence (T>T _v ) to a mixed-valence state (T<T _v ) of Yb ions. A preliminary qualitative analysis of the results is presented. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1548–1551 (September 1999)     

Specific heat of KTiOPO4 within the 80–300 K range

The specific heat of the KTiOPO₄ crystal has been measured with a vacuum adiabatic calorimeter within the 80–300 K range. A peak-shaped anomaly in the specific heat indicating a phase transition has been revealed in the C _p (T) curve at T≅279 K. Numerical integration of smoothened experimental C _p (T) curves yielded the thermodynamic functions of KTiOPO₄, namely, the entropy, enthalpy, and reduced Gibbs energy. The entropy and enthalpy of the observed transition have been determined. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 497–498 (March 1999)     

Features of the melting dynamics of a vortex lattice in a high-T c superconductor in the presence of pinning centers

The phase transition “triangular lattice-vortex liquid” in layered high-T _c superconductors in the presence of pinning centers is studied. A two-dimensional system of vortices simulating the superconducting layers in a high-T _c Shubnikov phase is calculated by the Monte Carlo method. It was found that in the presence of defects the melting of the vortex lattice proceeds in two stages: First, the ideal triangular lattice transforms at low temperature (≃3 K)into islands which are pinned to the pinning centers and rotate around them and then, at a higher temperature (≃8 K for T _c 584 K), the boundaries of the “islands” become smeared and the system transforms into a vortex liquid. As the pinning force increases, the temperatures of both phase transitions shift: The temperature of the point “triangular lattice-rotating lattice” decreases slightly (to ≃2 K)and the temperature of the phase transition “rotating lattice-vortex liquid” increases substantially (≃70 K). Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 4, 269–274 (25 August 1997)     

Magnetic ordering in the perovskites Eu1−x CaxMnO3 (0⩻x⩻0.5)

The magnetic properties of Eu_1−x Ca_xMnO₃ have been investigated. As the calcium content increased up to x=0.2, the magnetization and the blocking temperature of the magnetic moments of clusters increased and the magnetic anisotropy decreased. As the calcium content increased further, the magnetization decreased, while the “freezing” temperature of the magnetic moments increased. Anomalies of the magnetic properties were observed in compositions with x=0.4 and 0.5 at T=40 K; these anomalies are attributed to a transition to the antiferromagnetic state in the charge-ordered phase. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 117–120 (January 1997)     

Model of isostructural dynamical phase transition in anharmonic crystal with possible relevance to SrTiO3

A new type of phase transition is discussed which corresponds to a pairing of phonons of different lattice modes due to their anharmonic attraction in a crystal. It is shown that the main features of the isostructural phase transition observed in SrTiO₃ at T≃37 K can be explained qualitatively by the phonon pairing phenomenon. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 6, 399–404 (25 March 1998)     

Thermal conductivity of the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO3

The thermal conductivity of the pure and zinc-doped spin-Peierls compound CuGeO₃ is investigated for the first time. Characteristic features reflecting the changes in the phonon spectrum of the crystals are observed in the k(T) curves at a transition into the dimerized state in CuGeO₃ at T _sp =14.2 K and in Cu_0.98Zn_0.02GeO₃ at T _sp =10.6 K. Near the spin-Peierls transition temperature T _sp the thermal conductivity of Cu_0.98Zn_0.02GeO₃ (k=3 W/m·K) is much less than the thermal conductivity of CuGeO₃ (k=21.5 W/m·K). Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 12, 823–826 (25 December 1997)     

Giant negative magnetoresistance in a nonmagnetic semiconductor

Studies of a classical III–V semiconductor (InSb) doped with 3d magnetic ions (Mn²⁺, having a localized spin S=55/2) reveal some unexpected transport properties. It is found that the transition from the metallic to the low-temperature insulator phase occurs at an impurity concentration N _Mn∼N _cr=2× 10¹⁷ cm⁻³ and a temperature T<T _cr∼1 K. Under these conditions a giant negative magnetoresistance arises. The experimental results can be explained in terms of the onset of a hard Mott-Hubbard gap Δ in the impurity band formed by the shallow manganese acceptor in InSb at N _Mn∼N _cr. A model describing the gap formation is proposed. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 5, 358–362 (10 March 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Thermal conductivity of crystalline fullerite C60 in the simple cubic phase

The behavior of the thermal conductivity k(T) of bulk faceted fullerite C₆₀ crystals is investigated at temperatures T=8–220 K. The samples are prepared by the gas-transport method from pure C₆₀, containing less than 0.01% impurities. It is found that as the temperature decreases, the thermal conductivity of the crystal increases, reaches a maximum at T=15–20 K, and drops by a factor of ∼2, proportional to the change in the specific heat, on cooling to 8 K. The effective phonon mean free path λ _p, estimated from the thermal conductivity and known from the published values of the specific heat of fullerite, is comparable to the lattice constant of the crystal λ _p∼d=1.4 nm at temperatures T>200 K and reaches values λ_p∼50d at T<15 K, i.e., the maximum phonon ranges are limited by scattering on defects in the volume of the sample in the simple cubic phase. In the range T=25−75 K the observed temperature dependence k(T) can be described by the expression k(T)∼exp(Θ/bT), characteristic for the behavior of the thermal conductivity of perfect nonconducting crystals at temperatures below the Debye temperature Θ (Θ=80 K in fullerite), where umklapp phonon-phonon scattering processes predominate in the volume of the sample. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 8, 651–656 (25 April 1997)     

Commensurability oscillations and a new phase transition in YBa2Cu3Oy single crystals

Magnetization oscillations due to the commensurability of the vortex and crystal lattice periods in YBa₂Cu₃O_y (y=6.97±0.02) single crystals are investigated using a high angular resolution magnetometer. A sharp peak in the temperature dependence of the oscillation amplitude as well as other features in the behavior of the oscillation amplitude and of the irreversible magnetization are observed at T _f ∼60 K. It is inferred that T _f is the temperature of a transition of the solid vortex state to a smectic phase. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 11, 832–837 (10 June 1999)