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.     

X-ray diffraction studies of the structure of nanocrystals in Fe<Subscript>73.5</Subscript>Si<Subscript>13.5</Subscript>B<Subscript>9</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>3</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>1</Subscript> soft magnetic alloys before and after thermomechanical treatment

The structure of the Fe_73.5Si_13.5B₉Nb₃Cu₁ soft magnetic alloy has been investigated using X-ray diffraction in transmission geometry. The initial alloy prepared by rapid quenching from the melt has a short-range order (∼2 nm) in the atomic arrangement, which is characteristic of the Fe-Si structure with a body-centered cubic lattice. The alloy subjected to annealing contains Fe-Si nanocrystals with sizes as large as 10–12 nm. The annealing under a tensile load leads to an extension of the nanocrystal lattice so that, after cooling, a significant residual deformation is retained. This can be judged from the relative shifts of the (hkl) peaks in the X-ray diffraction patterns measured for two orientations of the scattering vector, namely, parallel and perpendicular to the direction of the load applied. The deformation is anisotropic: within the accuracy of the experiment, no distortions in the [111] direction are observed and the distortions in the [100] direction are maximum. It is known that crystals with a composition close to Fe₃Si exhibit a negative magnetostriction; i.e., their magnetization induced under a load (Villari effect) applied along the [100] direction is perpendicular to this direction along one of the easy magnetization ([010] or [001]) axes. In the alloy, the orientation of the nanocrystal axes is isotropic and the majority of the nanocrystals have a composition close to Fe₃Si. The direction of magnetization of these nanocrystals is determined by the residual deformation of their lattice and lies near the plane perpendicular to the direction of the tensile load applied during heat treatment. This is responsible for the appearance of transverse magnetic anisotropy of the easy-plane type in the Fe_73.5Si_13.5B9Nb₃Cu₁ alloy.     

Structural relaxation of Zr<Subscript>41</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>14</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>12.5</Subscript>Ni<Subscript>10</Subscript>Be<Subscript>22.5</Subscript> bulk metallic glass under high pressure

Zr₄₁Ti₁₄Cu_12.5Ni₁₀Be_22.5 bulk metallic glass (BMG) is annealed at 573 K under 3 GPa and its structural relaxation is investigated by X-ray diffraction, ultrasonic study, compression as well as sliding wear measurements. It is found that after the ZrTiCuNiBe BMG sample was annealed under high pressure, the mechanical properties were improved. Moreover, theBMG with relaxed structure exhibits markedly different acoustic properties. These results are attributed to the fact that relaxation under high-pressure results in a microstructural transformation in the BMG.     

Resistive switching in β-SrV<Subscript>6</Subscript>O<Subscript>15</Subscript>

We investigate the pressure and temperature behavior of current-dependent resistivity of β-SrV₆O₁₅. We observe a switching between states of different resistivities in the insulating state of β-SrV₆O₁₅. In the low pressure phase, the resistive switching appears at temperatures below the semiconductor-insulator transition. In the high pressure phase, under ~1.6 GPa, the switching appears in the temperature range of the phase transition. The existence of switching may imply an important role of strontium off-stoichiometry for the electrical transport in β-SrV₆O₁₅. No electric-field-induced enhancement of the conductivity is observed. However, the conduction is significantly nonlinear under ~1.6 GPa, indicating that the charge order pattern in the high pressure phase is considerably different from that of the low pressure phase.     

Effect of a magnetic field on the thermal expansion of Ni<Subscript>2.08</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>0.96</Subscript>Ga<Subscript>0.96</Subscript> alloys

The effect of a magnetic field on the temperature dependence of thermal expansion of Ni_2.08Mn_0.96Ga_0.96 alloy in the range of structural-phase transformation is investigated. It is found that, when the sample is cooled in a magnetic field with an intensity of 110 kA/m, it shortens by 0.21% more strongly than upon cooling in the absence of the magnetic field. The additional shortening of the sample under the action of the magnetic field depends on the intensity of the magnetic field applied to the sample.     

Mechanoelectric effect in O<Superscript>2−</Superscript> conducting cell: Relations to phase transformations and other lattice changes in YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>6 + <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>-like oxides

The origin of mechanoelectric voltage arising in an ^2?-conducting solid-state cell O₂,Pt|ZrO₂|Pt, O₂, YBCO due to the pressure applied on the YBCO sample is discussed. It is demonstrated that the mechanoelectric voltage is the sum of the electronic and ionic mechanoelectric contact potentials. The mechanoelectric contact potentials are determined by the work done by the load during an elementary ordering act or another elementary process taking place when the sample absorbs one oxygen atom. Effects related to oxygen atoms being ordered under the load, such as pressure-induced oxygen absorption, enhanced deformation, and change in the order parameter, are discovered.     

Phase separation effects in charge-ordered Pr<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin film

Compressed Pr_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ films (250 nm) deposited on LaAlO₃ have been studied by Electron Spin Resonance technique under high frequency and high magnetic field. We show evidences for the presence of a ferromagnetic phase (FM) embedded in the charge-order phase (CO), in form of thin layers which size depends on the strength and orientation of the magnetic field (parallel or perpendicular to the substrate plane). This FM phase presents an easy plane magnetic anisotropy with an anisotropy constant 100 times bigger than typical bulk values. When the magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the substrate plane, the FM phase is strongly coupled to the CO phase whereas for the parallel orientation it keeps an independent ferromagnetic resonance even when the CO phase becomes antiferromagnetic.     

Magnetostructural phase separation and giant isotope effect in R<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Results of neutron diffraction studies of R_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ manganites (R = Sm, Nd_0.772Tb_0.228, and Nd_0.544Tb_0.456) performed to reveal the microscopic origins of the giant oxygen isotope effect recently discovered in Sm_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ are presented. It is shown that two crystalline phases differing in the type of Jahn-Teller distortions of oxygen octahedra and in the type of magnetic ordering coexist at low temperatures in all the studied compositions. A scenario for the observed phase transitions is suggested based on the diffraction data. It is found that the percolation transition from the metallic to insulating state in compositions with Sm upon substitution of ¹⁸O for ¹⁶O is associated with a sharp (from 65 to 13%) decrease in the volume of the ferromagnetic metallic phase.     

Thermoelectric properties of La<Subscript>0.75</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.25</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> manganite at ultrahigh pressures up to 20 GPa

Pressure dependences of the thermopower and electrical resistivity of the La_0.75Ca_0.25MnO₃ manganite are measured in the pressure range 0–20 GPa at room temperature. The absolute value of the thermopower increases in the pressure range 0–3 GPa and decreases at higher pressures. At the same time, the electrical resistivity decreases over the entire pressure range. It is found that the competing effect of the closing of the bandgap, which is determined by the activation energy for the thermopower, and the pressure broadening of the d bands is the cause of the observed behavior of the thermoelectric properties of La_0.75Ca_0.25MnO₃, which is untypical for the majority of dielectrics and semiconductors with single-band unipolar conductivity in the absence of phase transitions and is accompanied by a change in the sign of the pressure coefficient of the thermopower. The interrelation between the magnetic and thermoelectric properties of manganites under pressure is analyzed in the framework of the double exchange model. The causes of the considerable decrease in the pressure coefficients of the insulator-metal transition and Curie temperatures under pressure experimentally observed in manganites are discussed.     

The effect of packing density on luminescence of amorphous SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoparticles

Photoluminescence of amorphous SiO₂ nanoparticles compressed in the form of tablets is studied under exposure to UV radiation. The observed luminescence spectrum is a broad band extending from the excitation wavelength to 700 nm and with a maximum at ~470 nm. The spectrum can be decomposed into two Gaussian components with maxima at ~460 and ~530 nm. As the pressure applied for sample preparation increases, the integrated intensities of these bands change in opposite directions—the intensity of the short-wavelength band increases, while that of the long-wavelength band decreases. It is concluded that these bands are due to different luminescence centers of silicon dioxide located on the surface and in the bulk of SiO₂ nanoparticles.     

Neutron diffraction investigation of a metamagnetic transition in the Tb<Subscript>0.1</Subscript> Tm<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>Co<Subscript>2</Subscript> compound

The Tb_0.1Tm_0.9Co₂ compound is investigated using neutron diffraction. It is shown that this compound undergoes an irreversible band metamagnetic transition induced by an external magnetic field. The magnetization of the Co sublattice increases from 0.2 to 0.6 μ_B. The critical field strength is approximately equal to 1 T at temperatures of 1.8 and 4.0 K. As the temperature increases, the effect of the magnetic field on the magnetic state of the sample weakens and, at 25 K, no noticeable changes are observed in an external field of 0.75 T. The metamagnetic transition at 1.8 K is accompanied by the disappearance of rhombohedral distortions and brings about a lattice expansion by approximately 1%.     

Effect of the phase transition on the infrared spectra of improper ferroelastic Hg<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cl<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The effect of the improper ferroelastic transition on the IR spectra of the Hg₂Cl₂ crystal is considered. It is shown that, due to lattice anharmonicity, the distortions caused by the phase transition give rise to mixing of the normal modes of the higher symmetry phase of the crystal, which results in the appearance of extra poles in the frequency dependence of the lattice permittivity. Experimentally, such extra poles manifest themselves in the appearance of extra lines in the IR absorption spectra. Symmetry analysis shows that this effect in Hg₂Cl₂ is strongly anisotropic in the plane normal to the tetragonal axis of the crystal.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In situ</Emphasis> study of the mechanism of formation of pressure-densified Sio<Subscript>2</Subscript> glasses

The volume of glassy a-SiO₂ upon compression to 9 GPa was measured in situ at high temperatures up to 730 K and at both pressure buildup and release. It was established that the residual densification of a-SiO₂ glass after high-pressure treatment was due to the irreversible transformation accompanied by a small change in volume directly under pressure. The bulk modulus of the new amorphous modification was appreciably higher (80% more than its original value), giving rise to residual densification as high as 18% under normal conditions. It was shown that the transformation pressure shifted to a lower pressure of about 4 GPa with a rise in temperature. A conclusion was drawn about the existence of at least two pressure-induced phase transitions accompanied by structure rearrangement in a-SiO₂. A nonequilibrium phase diagram is suggested for glassy SiO₂. It accounts for all the presently available experimental data and is confirmed by the existing modeling data.     

The structural properties of RbMnX<Subscript>3</Subscript> (X = F,Cl, Br) halides

The results of nonempirical calculation of energies of three polytypes (cubic, two-layer hexagonal, and six-layer hexagonal) are given for RbMnX₃ (X = F, Cl, Br) crystals. The calculation is performed using an ionic crystal model with regard for the deformability and the dipole and quadrupole polarizabilities of ions. The behavior of these crystals under the action of hydrostatic pressure is studied. It is demonstrated that, at normal pressure, the RbMnCl₃ and RbMnBr₃ crystals have a six-layer hexagonal structure. At pressures above 11 kbar, RbMnCl₃ passes to a phase with a cubic structure; RbMnBr₃ at pressures above 90 kbar passes to a phase with a two-layer hexagonal structure. The RbMnF₃ crystal under normal conditions has a cubic structure and experiences no phase transformations under the effect of pressure. The obtained results are in satisfactory agreement with the known experimental data.     

Effect of lattice deformation and phase transitions on the electronic spectra of TlGaS<Subscript>2</Subscript>, TlGaSe<Subscript>2</Subscript>, and TlInS<Subscript>2</Subscript> layered semiconductors

The effect of the lattice deformation on the electronic spectra of TlGaS₂, TlGaSe₂, and TlInS₂ layered semiconductor crystals is analyzed. It is shown that changes in the band gap of these semiconductors due to thermal expansion and a change in the composition under hydrostatic or uniaxial pressure can be described within a unified model of the deformation potential. The main feature of this model is the inclusion of deformation potentials with different signs, which is characteristic of other semiconductors with a layered structure. An analysis of the lattice deformation of the studied semiconductors in terms of the proposed model of the deformation potential has revealed that, in the immediate vicinity of the phase transitions, the crystal lattice under pressure undergo an unusual deformation.     

The influence of crystalline grain size on the thermal stability of the Er<Subscript>0.45</Subscript>Ho<Subscript>0.55</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript> compound

The phase composition and the temperature dependence of the magnetization of the Er_0.45Ho_0.55Fe₂ compound in coarse-grained, microcrystalline, and submicrocrystalline states are investigated experimentally. It is found that, upon heating under vacuum, the Er_0.45Ho_0.55Fe₂ microcrystalline powder with a crystalline grain size of ∼1 μm undergoes decomposition into pure iron and rare-earth (erbium and holmium) oxides and nitrides at a temperature of 500 K. The changes observed in the phase composition of the microcrystalline powder due to annealing are confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis. Heating of the Er_0.45Ho_0.55Fe₂ submicrocrystalline sample leads to a partial change in the phase composition. The phase composition of a large crystal (∼1 mm in size) remains unchanged upon heating to 1080 K. It is shown that the thermal stability of the Er_0.45Ho_0.55Fe₂ compound depends on the crystalline grain size. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 44, No. 6, 2002, pp. 1060–1063. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2002 by Mulyukov, Sharipov, Korznikova.     

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.     

Analysis of quadratic electrooptic response of BaTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> crystal in ferroelectric phase

Using the example of BaTiO₃ in a ferroelectric phase it is shown that a large difference in magnitudes of individual linear electrooptic coefficients may be a reason of additional indirect quadratic contributions that are independent of real quadratic coefficients. For some directions of the applied field and light, the indirect contributions may be even larger than the real quadratic ones. Independently of nonlinear distortions that can affect applicability of technical devices, a large difference between linear electrooptic coefficients may lead to serious problems in measurements of the real quadratic electrooptic effect. The analysis is based on the extended Jones matrix calculus applied to a Gaussian beam.     

Effect of a magnetic field on the thermal and kinetic properties of the Sm<Subscript>0.55</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.45</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3.02</Subscript> manganite

The temperature and magnetic-field dependences of the heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thermopower, and electrical resistivity of the Sm_0.55Sr_0.45MnO_3.02 ceramic material are studied in the temperature range 77–300 K and in magnetic fields up to 26 kOe. It is revealed that the quantities under investigation exhibit anomalous behavior due to a magnetic phase transition at the Curie temperature T_C. An increase in the magnetic field strength H leads to an increase in the Curie temperature T_C and a jump in the heat capacity ΔC_p at T_C. The temperature dependences of the measured quantities are characterized by hystereses that are considerably suppressed in a magnetic field of 26 kOe and depend neither on the thermocycling range nor on the rate of change in the temperature. The thermal conductivity K at temperatures above T_C shows unusual behavior for crystalline solids (dK/dT>0) and, upon the transition to a ferromagnetic state, drastically increases as a result of a decrease in the phonon scattering by Jahn-Teller distortions. It is demonstrated that the hystereses of the studied properties of the Sm_0.55Sr_0.45MnO_3.02 manganite are caused by a jumpwise change in the critical temperature due to variations in the lattice parameters upon the magnetic phase transition.     

Features of the pressure-induced phase transitions in Eu<Subscript>2</Subscript>(MoO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript> single crystals

The structural changes induced by a 9-GPa pressure in Eu₂(MoO₄)₃ single crystals at room temperature have been studied using x-ray diffraction. It is established that a structural phase transition from the initial tetragonal phase to the new high-pressure tetragonal phase occurs rather than solid-phase amorphization that was observed previously in polycrystalline samples. The samples in the observed transition remain single-crystalline despite a significant difference (ΔV ～ 18%) between the specific volumes of the initial and final phases. It is shown that the transition from the initial state to the high-pressure phase occurs via the formation of broad transition zones featuring a continuous and smooth change of the crystal lattice parameters.