Effect of Si/Ge ratio on resistivity and thermopower in Gd5SixGe4−x magnetocaloric compounds

The effect of Si/Ge ratio on resistivity and thermopower behavior has been investigated in the magnetocaloric ferromagnetic Gd₅Si_xGe_4−x compounds with x=1.7-2.3. Microstructural studies reveal the presence of Gd₅(Si,Ge)₄-matrix phase (5:4-type) along with traces of secondary phases (5:5 or 5:3-type). The x=1.7 and 2.0 samples display the presence of a first order structural transition from orthorhombic to monoclinic phase followed by a magnetic transition of the monoclinic phase. The alloys with x=2.2 and 2.3 display only magnetic transitions of the orthorhombic phase. A low temperature feature apparent in the AC susceptibility and resistivity data below 100 K reflects an antiferromagnetic transition of secondary phase(s) present in these compounds. The resistivity behavior study correlates with microstructural studies. A large change in thermopower of −8 μV/K was obtained at the magneto-structural transition for the x=2 compound.     

Evolution of 4f heavy fermion state from 5f heavy fermion state in U1−xCexPd2Al3 system

We report the effect of Ce substitution for U in the heavy-electron antiferromagnetic superconductor UPd₂Al₃. CePd₂Al₃ is an established non-superconducting heavy-electron system which undergoes antiferromagnetic ordering below 2.8 K. Thus studies on U_1−xCe_xPd₂Al₃ system provide a unique opportunity to observe the evolution from a 4f heavy-electron state to a 5f heavy-electron state. We have measured the resistivity and magnetic susceptibility from 1.5 to 300 K and the heat capacity from 2 to 20 K for several U_1−xCe_xPd₂Al₃ samples. Our studies show that the antiferromagnetic (AF) ordering temperature (T_N) of U_1−xCe_xPd₂Al₃ does not decrease monotonically from T_N = 14 K for UPd₂Al₃ to T_N = 2.8 K for CePd₂Al₃ but rather shows a local maximum of 5 K near x = 0.4.     

Magnetic properties of the Nd0.9MnOx cation-deficient manganites

This paper reports on the results of x-ray diffraction and magnetic studies of manganites in the Nd_0.9MnO_x system with an oxygen content varying in the range 2.84 < x < 2.93. A sample with an oxygen content x = 2.84 undergoes a first-order phase transition at a temperature close to T = 1050 K, whereas an anomaly observed in the elastic properties for a sample with x = 2.93 indicates a phase transition near T ≈ 500 K. It is assumed that these transitions are governed by cooperative ordering of Mn e _g orbitals of the same type as in stoichiometric NdMnO₃. The manganite at an oxygen content x = 2.85 is an antiferromagnet with a Néel temperature T _N = 85 K, whereas the magnetic properties of the manganites at x = 2.90 and 2.93 suggest that an antiferromagnetic component coexists with a ferromagnetic component. The magnetic interaction between the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic components manifests itself in the fact that the magnetic moment becomes opposite in direction to the external magnetic field. The properties of the samples are consistent with the hypothesis that part of the neodymium ions (up to 5%) can be substituted for manganese ions.     

NiS2-xSex在x=1.00附近的反铁磁量子相变

针对NiS_2-xSe_x系统在x=1.0０附近发生的反铁磁量子相变,制备了一系列NiS_2-xSe_x(x=0.96, 0.98, 1.00, 1.05, 1.10和1.20)多晶样品,对其结构、磁性质和电阻率进行了系统的观测.结果发现：样品磁化率-温度关系呈现典型的强关联电子系统特征;与铜氧化物超导体相类似,它们的电阻率-温度关系在很宽的温 关键词： 量子相变 反铁磁自旋涨落 2-xSe_x体系')" href="#">NiS_2-xSe_x体系     

Properties of La1 ? x Sr x Mn0.925Zn0.075O3 (x = 0.075, 0.095, 0.115) ceramics

The EPR spectra and conductivity of La_{1 ? x} Sr _x Mn_0.925Zn_0.075O₃ (x = 0.075, 0.095, 0.115) ceramics with a crystal structure examined by X-ray diffraction have been studied. At x = 0.095, a pronounced magnetic-field dependence of the electrical resistivity has been revealed in the temperature range from 190 to 228 K. For samples with x = 0.075 and 0.115, no similar behavior has been observed. The EPR linewidth linearly increases with increasing temperature in the range from 180 to 380 K for all the samples; the slope decreases as the strontium concentration increases.     

Electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility studies of the system Mn5Si3-Fe5Si3

Electrical resistivity measurements have been performed on the system Mn_5?x,Fe_xSi₃ for the compounds x = 0,1,2,3,4 and 5 from 4.2 K to above room temperature. From the shape of the ρ(T) curves it can be inferred that the transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic ordering occurs in the concentration range 3 ? x ? 4; for Fe₅Si₃ and MnFe₄Si₃ the ρ(T) curves are characterized by a break in their slope, whereas for x = 1,2 and 3 a large minimum appears. Mn₅Si₃ exhibits two successive minima at 74 and 105 K. Magnetic susceptibility measurements for x = 1, 2 and 3 give confirmation of the Néel temperature for x = 1 and 2, whereas for x = 3 the behaviour is more complex.     

Effect of Zn substitution for Co on the transport properties of Y BaCo4O7

Electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficients of Y BaCo_4−xZn_xO₇ (x=0.0,0.5,1.0,2.0) were investigated in the temperature range 350-1000 K. It was found that the electrical resistivity and activation energy increase with increasing Zn concentration, while Seebeck coefficients do not increase but decrease when electrical resistivity increases. We explained the increase of electrical resistivity and the drop of Seebeck coefficients for Zn-substituted samples by the decrease of carrier mobility, rather than of carrier concentration. The effect of oxygen absorption and desorption on the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficients was also investigated. An abrupt change of transport properties happens at about 650 K for x=0.0 and 0.5 samples measured in oxygen. For x=1.0 and 2.0 samples, however, such change disappears and the transport behavior in oxygen is almost same as that in nitrogen due to the significant suppression of oxygen diffusion caused by the higher Zn concentration in these samples.     

Magnetic and transport properties of SmCoAsO1−xFx

A series of SmCoAsO_1−xF_x (with x=0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2) samples have been prepared by solid state reactions. X-ray powder diffraction proved that all samples can be indexed as a tetragonal ZrCuSiAs-type structure. A clear shrinkage of the lattice constants a and c with increasing F content indicated that F has been doped into the lattice. The magnetic and transport properties of the samples have been investigated. Parent SmCoAsO compound exhibited complicated magnetism including antiferromagnetism, ferromagnetism, and ferrimagnetism. For the fluorine doped samples, the antiferromagnetic Néel temperatures were almost independent of the F content and metamagnetic transitions were observed below antiferromagnetic Néel temperatures. With increasing F content, high temperature (below 142 K) ferrimagnetic state gradually changed to ferromagnetic state. In the resistivity result, metallic conduction in the region of 2-300 K and Fermi liquid behavior at low temperatures were shown in all samples. Transport properties at applied magnetic fields showed anomalies at low temperatures.     

The effect of Fe doping on structural, magnetic and electrical transport properties of CaMn1−xFexO3 (x=0-0.35)

A comprehensive study of the effect of Fe doping on CaMnO₃ is carried out by means of experiments on the structural, transport conduction, and magnetic properties of CaMn_1−xFe_xO₃ (0≤x≤0.35). With a sol-gel process for sample preparation, Fe is substituted for Mn up to x=0.35. This substitution substantially brings out the lattice expansion and gradually suppresses the antiferromagnetism. For x=0.08 and 0.10 in particular, the magnetization curves with a field-cooled mode under the field of 1 kOe behave as those of a ferrimagnetic-like system and present low-temperature negative magnetization. For x≥0.15, the negative magnetization phenomenon disappears, and a ferromagnetic component coexists with an antiferromagnetic one, but the antiferromagnetic interaction still dominates in these compounds. Electrical transport measurements show insulating behavior for all compositions. Fe doping, even at a level as low as x=0.02, can cause a marked resistivity increase in the temperature range studied. Further increasing the Fe content causes the resistivity to gradually decrease due to the increasing carrier presence.     

Physical properties of double perovskite compounds ALaVMoO6 (A=Ca, Sr, Ba)—a possible half-metallic antiferromagnetic system

Double perovskite compounds ALaVMoO₆ (A=Ca, Sr, Ba) have been synthesized and their electrical and magnetic properties have been investigated. Magnetization measurements have indicated the possible antiferromagnetic transitions at 120 and 130 K for A=Ca and Sr samples, respectively. Electrical resistivity ρ for this system shows metallic temperature dependence from 300 to 20 K, though the sample with A=Ca shows weak semiconducting behavior in the low temperature region (<70 K). Considering the magnetic and electrical properties and assuming the V³⁺S=1 and Mo⁴⁺S=1 valence and spin states, the samples with A=Ca and Sr can be promising candidates for half-metallic antiferromagnets.     

Study of structural, transport and magneto-resistive properties of La0.7Ca0.3−xCexMnO3 (0≤x≤0.2)

We have synthesized a series of La_0.7(Ca_0.3−xCe_x)MnO₃ (0≤x≤0.2) by standard solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement was carried out for structural studies and Rietveld refinement was done for structural analysis. The transport properties were studied using four probe technique. The temperature dependence of the resistivity was measured in the temperature range of 20 K to room temperature. It is found that all samples show a systematic variation in metal to insulator transition at transition temperature (T_P) and resistivity (ρ) with the relative concentration of hole and electron doping in the system. The samples showed varying amounts of colossal magnetoresistance depending upon temperature and applied magnetic field. The magnetoresistance values as high as 72% were observed in x=0 sample.     

Electronic resistivity and deffect structure of β-LiAl as a function of temperature and composition

The electrical resistivity of β-Li_xAl_1?x has been measured from 10 K to 290 K in single crystal samples for four different concentrations, x=0.480, 0.486, 0.500 and 0.525. An anomaly at 100 K is observed for the three lowest Li concentrations. This anomaly is associated with an ordering of constitutional Li vacancies. Above 100 K the temperature dependent part of the resistivity is independent of the Li concentration. However, the residual resistivity increases very rapidly with increasing Li concentration, becoming ～ 75 μΩ-cm for x=0.525. These results suggest that the two defect model of β-LiAl may be incomplete.     

Magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity of CexY1−xAl2

The magnetic susceptibility and the electrical resistivity have been measured for Ce_xY_1−xAl₂ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.15, 0.25) between 4.2°K and 300°K. _x3kT vanishes at low temperature. We find a minimum in resistivity at 60°K (x = 5) and 68°K (x = 0.25).     

Effects of Cd2+ substitution on elastic properties and step-like anomalies in Tl0.9Bi0.1Sr1.8Yb0.2Ca1−xCdxCu1.99Fe0.01o7−δ superconductors

Cd-doped Tl_0.9Bi_0.1Sr_1.8Yb_0.2Ca_1−xCd_xCu_1.99Fe_0.01O_7−δ (x=0–0.4) bulk superconductor samples were prepared by solid-state reaction method, to examine the effect of Cd on ultrasonic velocity and elastic behavior of the samples. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, DC electrical resistivity and temperature dependent ultrasonic velocity measurements. DC electrical resistivity measurement showed all the samples exhibit metallic normal-state behavior with the highest T_{c zero} observed at around 76.4 K (x=0.3). Ultrasonic velocity measurements at 80 K showed a non-linear increase in both absolute longitudinal and shear velocities as well as elastic moduli with Cd substitution with the largest increase observed for the x=0.3 sample. Temperature dependant longitudinal modulus showed elastic anomaly characterized by a step-like slope change at around 230 K for x=0 & x=0.3 and at around 250 K for x=0.4 with the x=0.3 sample showing the sharpest slope change. A comparison between experimental data and calculated lattice anharmonicity curve based on the model proposed by Lakkad, showed large deviation of the experimental longitudinal modulus curves for (x=0.3) from the calculated anharmonicity curves indicating that the elastic behavior was strongly influenced by the existence of the step-like longitudinal anomaly. On the other hand, our analysis using the Landau free energy model found that the anomalous step-like elastic behavior fitted well with the equation derived from the model for regions below and above the elastic anomaly temperature, T_A. The fitting indicated that the anomaly is related to a phase transition that is suggested to involve ordering of oxygen which introduces strain in the system.     

Effects of uniaxial pressure and annealing on the resistivity of Ba(Fe1−xCox)2As2

Single crystals of underdoped Ba(Fe_1−xCo_x)₂As₂ were detwinned by applying uniaxial pressure. The anisotropic in-plane resistivity was measured using the Montgomery method without releasing pressure. The resistivity along the a-axis shows metallic behavior down to 5 K, while the resistivity along the b-axis shows an insulator-like behavior in some temperature range. Annealing the sample radically reduces the residual resistivity for x=0, and at the same time the anisotropy becomes much smaller at low temperatures.     

Complex competition between ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism in the CMR manganites Pr1−x Ca x MnO3

The systematic investigation of the magnetic susceptibility of the CMR manganites Pr_1?x Ca _x MnO₃ versus temperature has been performed for 0.25 ≤ x ≤ 0.50. Due to the similar size of calcium and praseodymium, these results show the important role of the mixed valence of manganese upon the complex magnetic behaviour of these compounds. They demonstrate that the appearance of antiferromagnetism coincides with charge ordering, T _N = T _CO varying with x, from 250K for x = 0.50 to 225K for x = 0.35. A strong competition between ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism is observed for 0.35 ≤ x < temperature (T > 170 K) and going through canted antiferromagnetic or weak ferromagnetic states for intermediate temperatures (70 K < T < 170 K). For 0.25 ≤ x ≤ 0.30, a strong ferromagnetic state is observed for 95 K ≤ T ≤ 150 K, with a transition to a spin glass like state below 95–110 K.     

High-temperature electronic transport properties of La1−xCaxMnO3+δ (0.0?x?1.0)

La_1−xCa_xMnO_3+δ (0.0?x?1.0) samples were prepared and their resistivity and Seebeck coefficients were measured in the high-temperature range. Ca doping changes the ratio of Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ and influences the electronic transport behavior markedly. With the increase of Ca concentration, the samples change from a p-type semiconductor to an n-type one and Seebeck coefficient becomes increasingly negative. Low doping (x=0.2) and high doping (x=0.8) induces the drop of the resistivity compared with undoped LaMnO_3+δ and CaMnO_3+δ samples due to the rise of carrier concentration. However, the resistivity of moderate-doped samples (x=0.4, 0.6) is larger than low- and high-doped samples because dopant scattering decreases carrier mobility.     

Electrical behavior of some silver-doped lanthanum-based CMR materials

With a view to understand the structural, magnetic and electrical properties of La_1−xAg_xMnO₃ (x=0.05-0.3), a series of samples were prepared by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel route. It has been found that both the metal-insulator and ferro- to paramagnetic transition temperatures after increasing up to the composition x=0.20, are found to remain constant thereafter. The electrical resistivity vs. temperature plot of the sample x=0.10 is found to exhibit an insulating behavior below 36 K, while the sample, x=0.20 exhibits two peaks, and the observed behavior is explained on the basis of the phase separation model. The low-temperature (T<T_P), electrical resistivity data were analyzed by a theoretical model, ρ=ρ₀+ρ₂T²+ρ_4.5T^4.5, indicating the importance of grain/domain boundary effects, electron-electron and two-magnon scattering processes. The low-temperature resistivity data (T<50 K) were fitted to an equation, which is based on the combined effect of weak localization, electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering.     

Electrical conductivity and magnetic properties of La1 ? xCaxMn1 ? yFeyO3 ceramic samples (x = 0.67, y = 0, 0.05)

The temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility χ(T) and the electrical resistivity ρ(T) of ceramic samples of La_{1 − x} Ca _x MnO₃ with x = 0.67 (LCMO) and La_{1 − x} Ca _x Mn_{1 − y} Fe _y O₃ with x = 0.67 and y = 0.05 (LCMFO) are investigated in magnetic fields B = 50–10⁵ G and the temperature range T = 4.2–400 K. Both samples undergo a transition from the paramagnetic state to a state with charge (orbital) ordering (CO) at temperatures T _CO ≈ 272 K for LCMO and T _CO ≈ 222 K for LCMFO. The behavior of the paramagnetic phase in the temperature range 320–400 K for LCMO and 260–400 K for LCMFO is described by the Curie-Weiss law with effective Bohr magneton numbers p _eff = 4.83 μ_B (LCMO) and 4.77 μ_B (LCMFO), respectively. The disagreement between the observed positive Weiss temperatures (θ ≈ 175 K (LCMO) and θ ≈ 134 K (LCMFO)) and negative Weiss temperatures required for the antiferromagnetic ground state can be explained by the phase separation and transition to the charge-ordered state. The magnetic irreversibility for T < T _CO is accounted for by the existence of a mixture of the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases, as well as the cluster glass phase. At low temperatures, doping with iron enhances the frustration of the system, which manifests itself in a more regular behavior of the decay rate of the remanent magnetization with time. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in the range of the charge-ordered phase conforms to the variable-range hopping model. The behavior of the electrical resistivity is governed by the complex structure of the density of localized states near the Fermi level, which includes a soft Coulomb gap Δ = 0.464 eV for LCMO and 0.446 eV for LCMFO. It is established that the ratio between the localization radii of charge carriers a for LCMFO and a _und for LCMO is a/a _und = 0.88. Original Russian Text ? V.S. Zakhvalinskiĭ, R. Laiho, T.S. Orlova, A.V. Khokhulin, 2008, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2008, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 61–68.     

Al-doping effect on the structural and physical properties of delafossite-type oxide CuCrO2

The structure, Raman spectroscopy, magnetization, and dielectric properties of delafossite-type oxide CuCr_1−xAl_xO₂ have been characterized. It was found that Al substitution generates an anisotropic effect on the structure, besides magnetic dilution. The temperature dependence of all samples exhibits paramagnetic behavior at high temperature. Above x=0.2 the ferromagnetic transition at 120 K disappears. It is argued that Al substitution destabilizes the antiferromagnetic order of Cr³⁺ ions and modulates the spin configuration, leading to a weak ferromagnetism. The coupling between the magnetic order and ferroelectric order is also characterized.