Heisenberg-like ferromagnetism and percolative conductivity in the half-doped manganite Nd0.5Ca0.25Sr0.25MnO3

The magnetic behavior and electronic transport in the half-doped manganite Nd_0.5Ca_0.25Sr_0.25MnO₃ have been investigated. The critical exponents are studied by using isothermal magnetization methods. The results show that the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition is second order and the magnetic interaction is satisfied with the prediction of three-dimensional Heisenberg model. The electronic transport belongs to the percolation mechanism. These findings demonstrate that the critical behavior of the magnetic transition and conductivity for manganites are related to Mn-site ordering degree.     

Phase diagrams of liquid helium mixtures and metamagnets: Experiment and mean field theory

The phase behavior at low temperature, in particular the critical and tricritical properties, of liquid ³He⁴He mixtures and certain types of metamagnets — a class of highly anisotropic antiferromagnets, such as FeCl₂ etc. — is investigated. Since both systems exhibit two successive phase transitions, one of which is a λ-type of transition while the other is a first order transition, special attention is given to the similarity in the behavior of the two systems. In part A first the experimental and earlier theoretical work are briefly reviewed. Then the phase behavior of each system is calculated on the basis of a simple model treated in mean field approximation. The results obtained are in general qualitative agreement with experiment. For the helium mixtures an isotopic mixture of hard-spheres following Fermi and Bose statistics is used, while for the metamagnet a two sublattice spin $\text{1}\text{2}$ Ising model with nearest neighbor and next-nearest neighbor interactions is employed. A simple physical argument for the analogous behavior of the two models is given. In part B, in an attempt to obtain a deeper understanding of the similarity of the two systems, the Hamiltonians of the two models are extended to include symmetry breaking fields: a particle source field for the helium mixtures and a staggered magnetic field for the metamagnet. The phase diagrams and critical behavior of the two models in an extended thermodynamic space that includes the symmetry breaking fields are discussed in mean field theory.We find that although the two models (treated in the mean field approximation) are very similar, there are differences near T = 0°K and in some of the critical exponents.     

Phase transitions and critical properties of the frustrated Heisenberg model on a layer triangular lattice with next-to-nearest-neighbor interactions

The critical behavior of the three-dimensional antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with nearest-neighbor (J) and next-to-nearest-neighbor (J ₁) interactions is studied by the replica Monte Carlo method. The first-order phase transition and pseudouniversal critical behavior of this model are established for a small lattice in the interval R = |J ₁/J| = 0?C0.115. A complete set of the main static magnetic and chiral critical indices is calculated in this interval using the finite-dimensional scaling theory.     

Critical behavior of the specific heat of small magnetic Cr2O3 particles

The critical behavior of the specific heat of small magnetic particles of the real antiferromagnet Cr₂O₃ is investigated by the Monte-Carlo method. The critical indices α=−0.17±0.03 and the ratio of the critical amplitudes A/A′=1.03±0.07 are calculated for particles containing N=286 to 2502 spins. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1661–1662 (September 1998)     

Critical behavior studies in Ti-substituted lanthanum bismuth perovskite manganites

Perovskite manganite La_0.4Bi_0.6Mn_1−xTi_xO₃ (x = 0.05 and 0.1) synthesized using conventional solid state route method give rise to critical phenomenon in their magnetic interactions due to the substitution of non magnetic Ti ions. The critical behavior is observed near paramagnetic–ferromagnetic transition and is studied by magnetization measurements. Various techniques like Modified Arrott plot, Kouvel–Fisher method, scaling equation of state analysis and the critical magnetization isotherm were used to analyze the magnetization data on magnetic phase transition. The values of critical exponents β and γ obtained using different techniques are in good agreement. The obtained critical exponents are found to follow scaling equation with the magnetization data scaled into two different curves below and above the transition temperature, T_C. This confirms that the critical exponents and T_C are reasonably accurate. The obtained critical exponents for both the samples deviates from mean-field model and do not completely follow the static long range ferromagnetic ordering. This behavior is consistent with non magnetic nature of Ti substituted at Mn site and can be associated with Griffiths phase like phenomenon.     

Universality of the ratio of the critical amplitudes of the magnetic susceptibility in a two-dimensional ising model with nonmagnetic impurities

The behavior of the magnetic susceptibility of a two-dimensional Ising model with nonmagnetic impurities is investigated numerically. A new method for determining the critical amplitudes and critical temperature is developed. The results of a numerical investigation of the ratio of the critical amplitudes of the magnetic susceptibility are presented. It is shown that the ratio of the critical amplitudes is universal right up to impurity concentrations q ≤ 0.25 (the percolation point of a square lattice is q _c = 0.407254). The behavior of the effective critical exponent γ(q) of the magnetic susceptibility is discussed. Apparently, a transition from Ising-type universal behavior to percolation behavior should occur in a quite narrow concentration range near the percolation point of the lattice.     

Critical Behavior of the Kramers Escape Rate in Asymmetric Classical Field Theories

We introduce an asymmetric classical Ginzburg–Landau model in a bounded interval, and study its dynamical behavior when perturbed by weak spatiotemporal noise. The Kramers escape rate from a locally stable state is computed as a function of the interval length. An asymptotically sharp second-order phase transition in activation behavior, with corresponding critical behavior of the rate prefactor, occurs at a critical length ? _c , similar to what is observed in symmetric models. The weak-noise exit time asymptotics, to both leading and subdominant orders, are analyzed at all interval lengthscales. The divergence of the prefactor as the critical length is approached is discussed in terms of a crossover from non-Arrhenius to Arrhenius behavior as noise intensity decreases. More general models without symmetry are observed to display similar behavior, suggesting that the presence of a “phase transition” in escape behavior is a robust and widespread phenomenon.     

Metamagnetic phase transitions induced by static and pulsed fields in (Sm0.5Gd0.5)0.55Sr0.45MnO3 ceramics

It has been found that the magnetic susceptibility of (Sm_0.5Gd_0.5)_0.55Sr_0.45MnO₃ ceramic samples in zero external magnetic field exhibits a sharp peak near the temperature of 48.5 K with a small temperature hysteresis that does not depend on the frequency of measurements and is characteristic of the phase transition to an antiferromagnetic state with a long-range charge orbital ordering, which is accompanied by an increase in the magnetic susceptibility with a decrease in the temperature. The magnetization isotherms in static and pulsed magnetic fields at temperatures below 60 K demonstrate the occurrence of an irreversible metamagnetic transition to a homogeneous ferromagnetic state with a critical transition field independent of the measurement temperature, which, apparently, is associated with the destruction of the insulating state with a long-range charge ordering. In the temperature range 60 K ?? T ?? 150 K, the ceramic samples undergo a magnetic-field-induced reversible phase transition to the ferromagnetic state, which is similar to the metamagnetic transition in the low-temperature phase and is caused by the destruction of local charge/orbital correlations. With an increase in the temperature, the critical transition fields increase almost linearly and the field hysteresis disappears. Near the critical fields of magnetic phase transitions, small ultra-narrow magnetization steps have been revealed in pulsed fields with a high rate of change in the magnetic field of ??400 kOe/??s.     

Phase transition of superparamagnetic system in spontaneous coherent state

In the system of magnetic particles in superparamagnetic that interacted with resonance radiation field, phase transition in the spontaneous coherent state takes place. There are brought critical value for temperature and density of the system. Direct magnetic dipole-dipole interactions take into account in the molecular field approximation and it influence on the conditions of the phase transition is investigated.     

The magnetic phase diagram of CsNiF3 as determined by neutron diffraction

By neutron diffraction we investigated the magnetic properties of CsNiF₃ around and below T_N with and without magnetic field. We measured the phase diagram for 1.9 K ≤ T ≤ T_N = 2.7 K in an external field. The phase transition in this temperature-range is always continuous. We were able to measure the critical scattering connected with the magnetic phase transition. This critical scattering is centered around the position of the magnetic Bragg reflections. The critical scattering was found to be similar everywhere on the phase-separation line (H ≠ )0 and at T_N(H = 0). When applying a small field only processes were found, which correspond to a growing or diminishing of certain domains.     

The influence of Al substitution on the phase transitions and magnetocaloric effect in Ni43Mn46Sn11−xAlx alloys

The effects of Al substitution on the phase transitions and magnetocaloric effect of Ni₄₃Mn₄₆Sn_11−xAl_x (x=0-2) ferromagnetic shape memory alloys were investigated by X-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements. With the increase of Al content, the cell volume decreases due to the smaller radius of Al, and the martensitic transformation temperature increases rapidly, while the Curie temperature of austenitic phase shows a small increase. A large positive and a negative magnetic entropy change were observed near the first-order martensitic transition and the second-order magnetic transition, respectively. The magnetic entropy changes, hysteresis behavior, and refrigerant capacity near the two transitions are compared.     

The effective-field theory studies of critical phenomena in a mixed spin-1 and spin-2 Ising model on honeycomb and square lattices

An effective-field theory with correlations has been used to study critical behaviors of a mixed spin-1 and spin-2 Ising system on a honeycomb and square lattices in the absence and presence of a longitudinal magnetic field. The ground-state phase diagram of the model is obtained in the longitudinal magnetic field (h) and a single-ion potential or crystal-field interaction (Δ) plane. The thermal behavior of the sublattice magnetizations of the system are investigated to characterize the nature of (continuous and discontinuous) of the phase transitions and obtain the phase transition temperature. The phase diagrams are presented in the (Δ/|J|, k_BT/|J|) plane. The susceptibility, internal energy and specific heat of the system are numerically examined and some interesting phenomena in these quantities are found due to the absence and presence of the applied longitudinal magnetic field. Moreover, the system undergoes second- and first-order phase transition; hence, the system gives a tricritical point. The system also exhibits reentrant behavior.     

Critical phenomena of amorphous Nd4(Fe0.75Cr0.25)77.5B18.5 alloys

The magnetic behavior of amorphous Nd₄(Fe_0.75Cr_0.25)_77.5B_18.5 alloys was investigated in the critical region. The Curie temperature T_C and critical exponents β, γ and δ are found to be 141 K, 0.45±0.02, 1.64±0.08 and 4.66±0.10, respectively. The data are fitted to a magnetic equation of state characteristic of a second-order phase transition over a rather wide range of temperatures both above and below T_C. It is noted that the values of the exponents are in disagreement with those derived for a three-dimensional Heisenberg ferromagnet and show an enhancement. This anomalous critical behavior may originate from magnetic inhomogeneity.     

Unambiguous determining the Curie point in perovskite manganite with second-order phase transition by scaling method

The accurate determination of the Curie temperature (T_C) is particularly important in describing the magnetic behavior close to the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic (PM-FM) phase transition. In this paper, we studied the magnetic phase transition and accurately predicted the Curie point of perovskite manganite La_0.825Sr_0.175MnO₃. We find the compound shows a second-order PM-FM transition and has a large magnetic entropy change (MEC) in vicinity of phase transition region. Based on the scaling law and the correlation between magnetic field and MEC, the precise and magnetic-independent Curie temperature was determined to be 281.7 K, obviously lower than 285.4 K decided from the magnetization versus temperature. The reliability of new Curie temperature can be well confirmed by the modified Arrott plot together with the critical exponents. Our results not only open up a new pathway for precise definition of Curie point but also facilitate the efficient exploitation of spontaneous magnetic bubbles in perovskite manganite.     

Domain-wall mechanism of nucleation in a magnetic structural phase transition in La<Subscript>2</Subscript>CuO<Subscript>4</Subscript>

The structure of domain walls and new-phase nucleation are investigated in a four-sublattice antiferromagnet (AFM) of the La₂CuO₄ type placed in a magnetic field which initiates an AFM-weak-ferromagnet (WFM) magnetic structural phase transition. The critical fields for nucleus growth are found in the case of two types of domain walls present. The magnetization curve is calculated and a two-step mechanism is proposed for the AFM-WFM phase transition observed in La₂CuO₄.     

Magnetic force microscopic study of the magnetic field induced antiferro to ferrimagnetic transition in Mn1.85Co0.15Sb

Magnetic field induced first order antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferrimagnetic (FRI) transition in polycrystalline Mn_1.85Co_0.15Sb has been studied using magnetic force microscopy (MFM) at 60 K and up to 8 T magnetic fields. Our MFM studies provide real space visualization of AFM to FRI transition. It shows growth (decay) of FRI phase with increasing (decreasing) magnetic field. The hysteretic behavior and co-existing FRI and AFM phases across the critical field required for FRI-AFM transition in Mn_1.85Co_0.15Sb are highlighted. This study demonstrates the potential of MFM for studying phase co-existence at high field and low temperatures.     

Cluster structure and the first-order phase transition in dipolar systems Monte Carlo simulation

: The Monte Carlo technique is used to simulate a 3D dipolar hard-sphere system. The spatial and magnetic structure of clusters formed by magnetic dipolar interactions in zero applied field is investigated. It is shown that the many-particle clusters are characterized by a quasi-spherical shape, extremely small magnetic moments, and a fractal dimension close to three. These clusters are regarded as nuclei of a new concentrated isotropic phase. The numerical simulation of the first-order phase transition has been realized which allows us to find the interface between two coexisting phases. It has been found that the dipole-dipole and steric interactions are sufficient to separate the system into two phases with low and high concentrations of particles. The introduction of any additional attraction potential is not required. The phase diagram of dipolar system in zero applied field has been obtained. The simulation results are in qualitative agreement with the predictions of some analytical models.     

The behavior of a many-particle electrode in a lithium-ion battery

We study a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that uses a many-particle FePO₄ electrode to reversibly store lithium atoms. This process is accompanied by a phase transition and charging/discharging run along different paths, so that hysteretic behavior is observed.Although there are experimental studies suggesting that the overall behavior of the battery is a many-particle effect, most authors exclusively describe the phase transition within a single particle model of the electrode.In this work, we study in detail a many-particle model for the electrode. The model is capable to describe a kind of phase transition where each individual particle of the electrode is homogeneous. It will be shown that the particles are either in the first phase or in the second phase. This phenomenon is due to the non-monotone relation between the chemical potential and the lithium mole fraction of a single particle.The pressure-radius relation of a spherical elastic rubber balloon also exhibits non-monotone behavior. In fact, a system of many interconnected balloons behaves correspondingly to an electrode consisting of many storage particles. The analogy between the two systems is important, because the predictions of the many-particle model can easily be tested with rubber balloons of macroscopic size than with an ensemble of microscopically small (FePO₄) particles.     

On the theory of phase transitions in magnetic fluids

Particles of magnetic fluids (ferrofluids), as is known from experiments, can condense to bulk dense phases at low temperatures (that are close to room temperature) in response to an external magnetic field. It is also known that a uniform external magnetic field increases the threshold temperature of the observed condensation, thus stimulating the condensation process. Within the framework of early theories, this phenomenon is interpreted as a classical gas-liquid phase transition in a system of individual particles involved in a dipole-dipole interaction. However, subsequent investigations have revealed that, before the onset of a bulk phase transition, particles can combine to form a chain cluster or, possibly, a topologically more complex heterogeneous cluster. In an infinitely strong magnetic field, the formation of chains apparently suppresses the onset of a gas-liquid phase transition and the condensation of magnetic particles most likely proceeds according to the scenario of a gas-solid phase transition with a wide gap between spinodal branches. This paper reports on the results of investigations into the specific features of the condensation of particles in the absence of an external magnetic field. An analysis demonstrates that, despite the formation of chains, the condensation of particles in this case can proceed according to the scenario of a gas-liquid phase transition with a critical point in the continuous binodal. Consequently, a uniform magnetic field not only can stimulate the condensation phase transition in a system of magnetic particles but also can be responsible for a qualitative change in the scenario of the phase transition. This inference raises the problem regarding a threshold magnetic field in which there occurs a change in the scenario of the phase transition.     

Magnetic Phase Transitions in Nanoclusters and Nanostructures

New phenomena – the first order magnetic phase transitions were observed in nanoclusters and nanostructures. For isolated ferrihydrite nanoclusters (d ～ 1–2 nm) in porous materials, for α-,γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoclusters (d ～ 20–50 nm) and for composites of nanostructured metallic Eu with additives of α-, γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoclusters and adamantane the critical temperatures (T _C, T _N) and magnetic cluster critical sizes (R _cr) were determined by means of thermodynamic models and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The first order magnetic phase transitions (jump-like) proceed by such a way when magnetization and magnetic order disappear by jump without superparamagnetic relaxation. According to thermodynamic model predictions the cluster and interface defects were suggested to play the main role in magnetic behavior. Thus, for the defective α-, γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoclusters, at R ≤ R _cr, the presence of the first order (jump-like) magnetic phase transition was described in terms of magnetic critical size of cluster. The action of high pressure (up to 2 GPa) with shear (120–240°) was effective for defect generation and nanostructure formation. For nanosystems including iron oxide nanoclusters, adamantane and metallic europium and subjected to shear stress under high pressure loading the critical value of defect density was estimated by the study of the character of magnetic phase transition. First-to-second-order (nanostructured metallic Eu) and second-to-first-order (α-, γ-ferric oxide nanoclusters) changes of the character of magnetic phase transition were shown to accompany by the variation of critical temperatures compared to the corresponding bulk values.