Double-exchange model: phase separation versus canted spins

We study the competition between different possible ground states of the double-exchange model with strong ferromagnetic exchange interaction between itinerant electrons and local spins. Both for classical and quantum treatment of the local spins the homogeneous canted state is shown to be unstable against a phase separation. The conditions for the phase separation into the mixture of the antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic/canted states are given. We also discuss another possible realization of the phase-separated state: ferromagnetic polarons embedded into an antiferromagnetic surrounding. The general picture of a percolated state, which emerges from these considerations, is discussed and compared with results of recent experiments on doped manganaties. Received 17 March 1999     

On the competition between magnetic order and local Kondo effect in Kondo lattice

We investigate the competition between magnetic order and local Kondo effect in a Kondo lattice model (i.e. the Coqblin-Schrieffer Hamiltonian extended to a lattice) in a mean-field approximation, taking account of the spin-orbit degeneracy of each localized f level. This leads to the definition of a dependent Kondo temperature. We study the Kondo phase and compare its energy with the energies of magnetic phases, when the number of the conduction band electron per site is near one. We present a phase diagram which shows the occurrence of three phases: Kondo, antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases. Our model in the mean-field approximation also shows a somewhat flat Kondo temperature, for large values of , as a function of the exchange coupling J between conduction and localized f electrons. Finally we show some scaling effects between and J and we define a corresponding Kondo temperature. Received 21 September 1998 and Received in final form 8 February 1999     

Ferromagnetic ground state in the Kondo lattice model

We present a series of rigorous examples of the Kondo lattice model that exhibit full ferromagnetism in the ground state. The models are defined in one-, two- and three-dimensional lattices, and are characterized by a range of hopping terms, specific electron filling, and large ferromagnetic coupling. Our examples show that a sufficient strong but finite exchange coupling between conduction electrons and localized spins could overcome the competition from mobility of a finite density of electrons and drive the system from a paramagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic phase. We also establish a relation of ferromagnetism between the Hubbard model and Kondo lattice model. Meanwhile some rigorous results on ferromagnetism in the corresponding Hubbard model are presented. Received: 10 September 1997 / Revised: 15 October 1997 / Accepted: 17 October 1997     

Low-temperature properties of ferromagnetic Fibonacci superlattices

Theoretical analysis of the layered quasi-periodic Fibonacci structures (superlattices-sequence) is presented for the systems consisting of n_A and n_B ferromagnetically ordered planes within the layers with S_a and S_b spins, respectively, while the interfaces are coupled with bilinear and/or biquadratic exchange interaction, within the framework of localized spin model in the low-temperature limit. Transfer matrix method and direct diagonalization after the bosonization in Bloch's approximation resulted both in the same analytical expression for the magnon-excitation energy. The equivalence (at low-temperatures) of the transfer matrix (spin) and boson approach was discussed, as well as the role of the interlayer biquadratic coupling between different blocks constituting the Fibonacci sequences. Also, our approach allows the determination of the internal energy and calculation of the magnon contribution to the specific heat. It was clearly demonstrated that the magnon specific heat vanishes for T → 0. Our results are compared with the results of other authors.     

Isotope effects on the electronic critical points of germanium: Ellipsometric investigation of the and transitions

Within the past years the optical excitations of electrons have been measured for semiconductor samples of different isotope compositions. The isotope shift observed have been compared with calculations of the effects of electron-phonon interaction on the electronic band structure. While qualitative agreement has been obtained, some discrepancies remain especially concerning the E₁ and transitions. We have remeasured the effect of isotope mass on the E₁ and transitions of germanium with several isotopic compositions. The results, obtained by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry, confirm that the real part of the gap self-energies induced by electron-phonon interaction is larger than found from band structure calculations, while the imaginary part agrees with those calculations, which are based on a pseudopotential band structure and a bond charge model for the lattice dynamics. Our results agree with predictions based on the measured temperature dependence of the gaps. We compare our data for E₁ and with results for the lowest direct (E₀) and indirect (E_g) gaps. The measured values of and increase noticeably with increasing isotope mass. Similar effects have been observed in the temperature dependence of in and . A microscopic explanation for this effect is not available. Received: 6 March 1998 / Revised: 27 April 1998 / Accepted: 15 May 1998     

Interplay between chains of S = 5/2 localised spins and two-dimensional sheets of organic donors in the synthetically built magnetic multilayer λ ‒ (BETS)2FeCl4

In order to understand the magnetic field-induced restoration of a highly conductive state in , static (SQUID) and dynamic (ESR and AFR) magnetization measurements were performed on polycrystalline samples and single crystals, respectively. In addition, cantilever and resistivity measurements under steady fields were performed. While the metal-insulator transition curve of the () phase diagram exhibits a first order character, a “spin-flop” transition line divides the insulating state when the magnetic field is applied along the easy axis of magnetization. The effects of a RKKY-type indirect exchange and of applied magnetic field are described within the framework of a generalized Kondo lattice, namely two chains of localised spins coupled through the itinerant spins of the 2D sheets of BETS. The calculations, which can incorporate intramolecular electron correlations within a mean field theory, are in qualitative agreement with the field induced transition from the antiferromagnetic insulating ground state to a canted one, i.e. a not fully oriented paramagnetic, but metallic state. Received: 6 August 1997 / Received: 5 November 1997 / Accepted: 10 November 1997     

Quantum fluctuations and ground state of weakly interacting helix spin chains in a magnetic field

Ferromagnetic spin chains of a hexagonal lattice coupled by a weak antiferromagnetic interaction J₁ develop a helix arrangement if the intrachain antiferromagnetic NNN exchange J₂ is sufficiently large. We show that the classical minimum energy spin configuration is an umbrella when an external magnetic field is applied. The scenario is dramatically changed by quantum fluctuations. Indeed we find that the zero point motion forces the spins in a plane containing the magnetic field so that classical expectation is deceptive for our model. Our result is obtained by controlled expansion in the low field-long wavelength modulation limit. Received: 9 September 1997 / Revised: 15 October 1997 / Accepted: 17 November 1997     

Some comments on Kondo lattices and the Mott transition

The so called exhaustion problem occurs when few electrons have to screen many spins in a metal with magnetic impurities. A singlet Fermi liquid ground state is possible only if all impurities are “isotropized” in such a way as to suppress their entropy. That takes a time and the corresponding energy limits the Fermi liquid range. The present note explores that issue of time and energy scales, and it concludes that is much smaller than the single impurity Kondo temperature. Similarly the relevant energy scale is proportional to the number of electrons. Recent results on the Mott metal insulator transition in infinite dimension are reconsidered in the light of these results: controversies in that respect are shown to reduce to a simple physical question, with no firm answer as to now. Received: 5 May 1998 / Received in final form and Accepted: 29 July 1998     

Spin glass and ferromagnetism in Kondo lattice compounds

The Kondo lattice model has been analyzed in the presence of a random inter-site interaction among localized spins with non zero mean J₀ and standard deviation J. Following the same framework previously introduced by us, the problem is formulated in the path integral formalism where the spin operators are expressed as bilinear combinations of Grassmann fields. The static approximation and the replica symmetry ansatz have allowed us to solve the problem at a mean field level. The resulting phase diagram displays several phase transitions among a ferromagnetically ordered region,a spin glass one, a mixed phase and a Kondo state depending on J₀, J and its relation with the Kondo interaction coupling J_K. These results could be used to address part of the experimental data for the CeNi _{1 - x} Cu _x compound, when x ⩽ 0.8. Received 24 June 2002 Published online 31 December 2002     

Gapless-excitation induced resistivity in ferromagnetic layers

Magnetic domains in a two-dimensional ferromagnetic metal and the existence of gapless magnons confined along the domain walls are studied starting from the XXZ model for localized spins. The relevance for transport properties of the inelastic interaction between conduction electrons and the localized magnons is analysed, and conductivity calculations presented.     

Signatures of phase separation across the disorder broadened first order ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition in doped-CeFe2 alloys

Experimental evidences of phase coexistence and metastability are presented over a substantial field-temperature regime across the ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition in CeFe₂ based alloys. The idea of phase separation due to the influence of quenched disorder on a first order transition is used to interpret the results. Certain thermomagnetic history effects raise additional questions concerning the kinetics of such phase transitions.     

Spin correlations in the two-dimensional spin-5/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet

We report a neutron scattering study of the instantaneous spin correlations in the two-dimensional spin S =5/2 square-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet Rb₂MnF₄. The measured correlation lengths are quantitatively described, with no adjustable parameters, by high-temperature series expansion results and by a theory based on the quantum self-consistent harmonic approximation. Conversely, we find that the data, which cover the range from about 1 to 50 lattice constants, are outside of the regime corresponding to renormalized classical behavior of the quantum non-linear model. In addition, we observe a crossover from Heisenberg to Ising critical behavior near the Néel temperature; this crossover is well described by a mean-field model with no adjustable parameters. Received: 3 March 1998 / Received in final form: 4 May 1998 / Accepted: 19 May 1998     

Electronic structure and magnetism in 4d-transition metal clusters

We analyze the stability of magnetic states obtained within the tight-binding model for cubooctahedral (O_h) and icosahedral (I_h) clusters of early 4d (Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Tc) transition metals. Several metastable magnetic clusters are identified which suggests the existence of multiple magnetic solutions in realistic systems. A bulk-like parabolic behavior is observed for the binding energy of O_h and I_h clusters as a function of the atomic number along the 4 d-series. The charge transfer on the central atom changes sign, while the average magnetic moments present an oscillatory behavior as a function of the number of d electrons in the cluster. Our results are in agreement with other theoretical calculations. Received: 20 November 1997 / Received in final form: 9 March 1998 / Accepted: 30 March 1998     

Moment-volume instabilities in alloys with compositions around the C14 laves phase

We measured the thermal expansion and the specific heat of Ti_xFe_100-x alloys with x = 30.5, 32.5 and 35, all with hexagonal C14 laves phase structure (MgZn₂) like TiFe₂, and determine the temperature dependence of the magnetic contributions to the thermal expansion and the specific heat c_mag. For fixed composition and c mag ( T ) show the same type of behavior, demonstrating that both anomalies are of the same microscopic nature. They originate from moment-volume fluctuations (antiferromagnetic Invar-effect) as a comparison with total energy calculations as a function of atomic volume and moment for TiFe₂ reveals. Received: 26 January 1998 / Accepted: 17 April 1998     

On the magnetocaloric effect in Gd(Zn1−xCdx)

In this work, we calculate the magnetocaloric effect in the compounds Gd(Zn_1−xCd_x). We use a model Hamiltonian of interacting spins in which the indirect exchange interaction parameter between localized spins was calculated as a function of Cd concentration. The calculated isothermal entropy changes and the adiabatic temperature changes upon magnetic field variations are in good agreement with the available experimental data.     

Magnetocaloric effect in the ferromagnetic Kondo lattice model

The Kondo lattice model describes a lattice of localized spins S_i interacting with the conduction electrons via a local exchange coupling J. Assuming a ferromagnetic Hund's rule coupling J>0, the model can be used to describe some itinerant magnetocaloric materials such as Gd(Si_xGe_1-x)₄, La(Fe_1-xSi_x)₁₃, and LaCa_1-xMn_xO₃, which are important for magnetic refrigeration near room temperature. The localized magnetic moments are described in the model Hamiltonian by spin operators, and the conduction electrons by fermionic operators. To study the magnetocaloric effect, a uniform external magnetic field is added through a Zeeman term. By averaging the fermionic degrees of freedom, one obtains an indirect exchange coupling between spins at sites i and j, which corresponds to the RKKY interaction. The self-consistent mean value is evaluated in the effective Heisenberg Hamiltonian within the random phase approximation (RPA). The conduction electron magnetization for a given value of is obtained from the corresponding Green's functions through the equation of motion method. The pressure and doping dependence of the Curie temperature are taken into account in the evaluation of . The magnetocaloric effect is characterized by the isothermal entropy change ΔS and the adiabatic temperature change ΔT_ad upon magnetic field variations in the neighborhood of the ferromagnetic phase transition. The results are obtained for and compared to measurements with Gd compounds.     

Interaction versus dimerization in one-dimensional Fermi systems

In order to study the effect of interaction and lattice distortion on quantum coherence in one-dimensional Fermi systems, we calculate the ground state energy and the phase sensitivity of a ring of interacting spinless fermions on a dimerized lattice. Our numerical DMRG studies, in which we keep up to 1000 states for systems of about 100 sites, are supplemented by analytical considerations using bosonization techniques. We find a delocalized phase for an attractive interaction, which differs from that obtained for random lattice distortions. The extension of this delocalized phase depends strongly on the dimerization induced modification of the interaction. Taking into account the harmonic lattice energy, we find a dimerized ground state for a repulsive interaction only. The dimerization is suppressed at half filling, when the correlation gap becomes large. Received: 11 February 1998 / Revised: 1st April 1998 / Accepted: 30 April 1998     

Magnetic properties of doped GdI2

Motivated by the recent experimental studies on layered ferromagnetic metallic system GdI₂  and its doped variant GdI₂H_x we develop a model to understand their ground state magnetic phase diagram. Based on first principle electronic structure calculations we write down a phenomenological model and solve it under certain approximations to obtain the ground state energy. In the process we work out the phase diagram of the correlated double exchange model on a triangular lattice for the specific band structure at hand.     

Low temperature thermodynamical properties of the organic chain conductor (TMTSF)AsF

We report on specific heat measurements of the quasi-one-dimensional organic salt (TMTSF)₂AsF₆ in its spin density wave state between 75 mK and 7 K. Similarly to (TMTSF)₂PF₆, we find discontinuities in the lattice contribution at 1.9 K an d 3.5 K ascribed to sub-spin density wave phases. Time-dependent effects due to dynamics of low-energy excitations in metastable states occur only below 0.2 K which yields an activation energy for the equilibrium energy relaxation process of 0.34 K, 4-5 times smaller than found for (TMTSF)₂PF₆. Finally the reduction of the low-energy excitations contribution to the specific heat in comparison to PF₆ reveals an intermediate cubic-like regime between 0.25 and 0.5 K that we tentatively describe as the phason contribution of the incommensurate spin density wave modulation. Received: 17 March 1998 / Revised: 27 July 1998 / Accepted: 22 September 1998