Electronic states of CdIn2S4 and of other II–III2–VI4 compounds: How sensitive are they to the crystal structure?

The valence band states of the spinel semiconductor CdIn₂S₄ have been studied by UV photoemission spectroscopy. Contrary to what structural considerations would suggest the measured spectra closely resemble those of defect-zincblend CdIn₂Se₄ and of other II–III₂–VI₄ compounds. The likelihood of structural effects in the electronic states of this family is discussed in light of the above results.     

Magnetic properties for the Cu2MnSnSe4 and Cu2FeSnSe4 compounds

Magnetic susceptibility χ measurements in the range from 2 to 300 K were carried out on samples of the Cu₂FeSnSe₄ and Cu₂MnSnSe₄ compounds. It was found that Cu₂FeSnSe₄ was antiferromagnetic showing ideal Curie-Weiss behavior with a Néel temperature T_N of about 19 K and Curie-Weiss temperature θ=−200 K, while for Cu₂MnSnSe₄ the behavior was spin-glass with a freezing temperature T_f of about 22 K and Curie-Weiss temperature θ=−25 K. The spin-glass order parameter q(T), determined from the susceptibility data, was found to be in agreement with the prediction of conventional spin-glass theory.     

Lattice dynamics and ionic charge of VI2

We present an Extended Shell Model calculation of the phonon dispersion curves in VI₂. The dynamical matrix is derived from interionic potentials including Coulomb monopole and dipole, van der Waals, nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor Born-Mayer repulsive interactions. The potential parameters are either known in literature or derived from lattice constants and cohesive energy. A suitable choice of only three adjustable parameters (net charge Z, shell charge and shell-core displacement) yields an excellent fit of the five optical frequencies and of the anion static dipole. The resulting ionic charge Z = 0.75 is very well consistent with the recent neutron data on transferred hyperfine interaction.     

Magnetic measurements on Heusler alloys Ni2(Ti,Mn)Sn and Co2(Ti,Mn)Sn

Magnetic measurements (temperature and field dependence) on Heusler alloys Ni₂(Ti, Mn)Sn and Co₂(Ti, Mn)Sn were performed in the ferro- and para-magnetic region. In both systems the composition range was from x = 0 to x = 1. All the Co₂(Ti, Mn)Sn samples are ferromagnetic; in the system Ni₂Ti_1?xMn_xSn for x ? 0.2. Our interpretation of the magnetic data differs from that of previous authors.     

Force field of some AB2C4 spinel compounds

A rigid-ion model is employed to deduce the Urey-Bradley force constants and the effective ionic charges of some spinels by means of a normal coordinate analysis at zero wave vector. The observed frequencies of the normal modes are taken from the literature. The results are discussed.     

Magnetic disorder resistivity of RECu2Si2 compounds

The resistivity of RECu₂Si₂ compounds contains a term which is due to a mixture of spin and aspherical Coulomb scattering. The disorder resistivities and the ordering temperatures scale well with each other but deviate strongly from the de Gennes factor. The deviations scale with an anomaly of the c/a ratio which develops at low temperatures for the RE ions with L ≠ 0.     

Magnetic structures and related properties of some rare-earth intermetallic compounds, RCu2

The magnetic structures and some relevant bulk magnetic properties of R(Cu, Ni)₂ (R = Tb, Tb_zY_1−z, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm) are summarized. Basically, the magnetic structures are antiferromagnetically modulated with propagation vector a^*. For R = Tb, Dy, Ho the a-axis anisotropy dominates and the structures are longitudinally modulated. For R = Tm, Er (probably) the b-axis anisotropy dominates and this results in transversely modulated structures. For R = Tb, Dy the structures are collinear, For R = Ho, Er, Tm (probably) an incommensurate modulation coexists with the commensurate a^*-axis modulation at the lowest temperature.     

Magnetic properties of NdCo2Ge2, ErCo2Ge2 and PrFe2Ge2 compounds

Magnetometric and neutron diffraction studies of polycrystalline NdCo₂GE₂, ErCo₂Ge₂ and PrFe₂Ge₂ compounds were carried out in the temperature range between 4.2 and 300 K. All samples are antiferromagnetic with Néel temperature 26.5, ～ 4.2 and 13 K, respectively. The RECo₂Ge₂ compounds have collinear antiferromagnetic order of +?+? type. For PrFe₂Ge₂ a sinusoidal magnetic structure is observed. Magnetic moment is localized on RE atoms only and is equal to that of RE³⁺ free ion value. In ErCo₂Ge₂ the magnetic moment of Er atoms is perpendicular to the c-axis, whereas for remaining compounds it is parallel to the c-axis.     

Magnetic and structural investigations of GdMn2-GdNi2 intermetallic compounds

Magnetic and structural properties of the intermetallic system Gd(Mn_1-xNi_x)₂ were investigated. The 0?x?0.4 and 0.7<x?1 compounds are Laves phases of the MgCu₂ type. The remaining compounds 0.4?x?0.7. crystallize with the hexagonal structure. For single crystal GdMn_0.8Ni_1.2 the P6₃/mmc space group and the lattice parameters a=5.175 Å and c=16.731 Å are obtained. The magnetic properties of investigated series are investigated in stationary and in pulsed magnetic fields in the temperature range 2.6–700 K. For 0.4?x?0.8 two magnetic transitions are observed. In the paramagnetic range the χ^-1_M (T) is described by a Néel type variation and the molecular field coefficients N_{i j} are calculated. The localized character of the magnetic moment of Mn is observed.     

Magnetic anisotropy and saturation of LaFe12O19 and some related compounds

The saturation magnetization σ_s and uniaxial anisotropy constants K₁ and K₂ are measured on a polycrystalline, crystal-oriented sample of LaFe₁₂O₁₉ contaminated with known amounts of Fe₃O₄ and LaFeO₃. K₁ and K₂ increase strongly with decreasing temperature and the value of K₁ = (19–24) × 10⁵ erg/g at T = 0 shows that the substance is considerably more anisotropic than BaFe₁₂O₁₉ (K₁ ? 8·5 × 10⁵ erg/g) at low temperatures. The σ_s-T curve is more convex than that of BaFe₁₂O₁₉, so that σ_s is 11 per cent higher at room temperature but lower at T = 0. The value σ_s(T = 0) = 96·2 G cm³/g (19·2 μ_B/molecule) and the anisotropic behaviour are attributed to the presence of 1 Fe²⁺/molecule occupying the octahedral 2a sites in the magnetoplumbite lattice and having a uniaxial anisotropy of 10–15 cm^?1/ion.From measurements on polycrystalline, crystal-oriented samples of BaFe_10·8Fe²⁺_0·6Ti⁴⁺_0·6O₁₉ and BaFe_10·5Fe²⁺_1·0Sb⁵⁺_0·5O₁₉ it was found that, in comparison with LaFe₁₁Fe²⁺O₁₉, σ_s (T = 0) is smaller and K₁ is much smaller and much less temperature-dependent. The difference in anisotropic behaviour is attributed to a different distribution of the Fe²⁺ ions among the lattice sites due to the effective positive charge of the Ti⁴⁺ and Sb⁵⁺ ions.     

Magnetic properties of ternary RMn2Si2 and RMn2Ge2 compounds

Magnetic properties of RMn₂Si₂ and RMn₂Ge₂ compounds, where R is a rare earth metal, have been investigated by magnetometric measurements. RMn₂Ge₂ (where R is a light rare earth) and LaMn₂Si₂ are ferromagnets. Remaining compounds have antiferromagnetic properties. DyMn₂Si₂ and ErMn₂Si₂ show ferromagnetic properties at low temperatures. It was confirmed that the value of Curie (or Néel) temperature for the Mn sublattice decreases with increasing c constant.     

Magnetic properties of RAuNi4 rare earth compounds

Magnetization studies of new f.c.c. RAuNi₄ intermetallic compounds were performed. The compounds with R = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er are ferromagnetically ordered at temperatures ranging from 14 to 38K. Two ferromagnetic transitions were observed in the magnetization curves. TmAuNi₄ and YbAuNi₄ exhibit paramagnetic behaviour for temperatures as low as 4.2 K.     

Magnetic phase transition in (Fe,Mn)65Ni35 alloys

Magnetization measurements on the Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ and Fe₅₀Mn₁₅Ni₃₅ alloy samples were carried out in the temperature range 80T300 K and in magnetic fields up to 8 kOe. The Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ was found to order ferromagnetically with a Curie temperature, T_c, above 300 K. From the temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization, M_s, it was concluded that the magnetic behavior of Fe₆₀Mn₅Ni₃₅ follows Wohlfarth theory of weak itinerant ferromagnet. The Fe₅₀Mn₁₅Ni₃₅ sample exhibits a magnetic phase transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism at T_c=242 K. The critical amplitudes and critical exponents (β, γ and δ) have been determined by using Arrott plots, Kouvel–Fisher method and scaling plots of the reduced magnetization and reduced magnetic field. The values of β, γ and δ are discussed and compared with the results obtained for various theoretical models and also with the experimentally determined values for related systems obtained by others.     

Cation ordering and crystal structures in AGa2X4 compounds (CoGa2S4, CdGa2S4, CdGa2Se4, HgGa2Se4, HgGa2Te4)

Single crystals of some AGa₂X₄ compounds (CoGa₂S₄, CdGa₂S₄, CdGa₂Se₄, HgGa₂Se₄, HgGa₂Te₄) were prepared by chemical vapour deposition and flux method.The X-ray structural investigations indicated blende or defect chalcopyrite structures.A simple relationship is suggested between the c/a ratio and the cationic sublattice ordering.     

Enhancement of Mn red emission in CaGa2S4 compounds by co-doping rare-earth elements

When certain trivalent rare-earth ions (Ln's) are co-doped in CaGa₂S₄:Mn²⁺ as sensitizers, the Mn red emission of the compound is strikingly enhanced. In this work, efficiency of each lanthanide is studied. The best efficiencies are achieved with La³⁺-, Pr³⁺-, and Tb³⁺- co-doped compounds, for each of which the effects of concentrations of the co-doped ions on the Mn²⁺ emission are investigated. The energy-transfer mechanisms and the location of electronic energy levels of both the trivalent and the divalent lanthanides in the energy band gap of the host material are discussed. Depending on Ln's, charge transfer or cross-relaxation should be taken into account.     

Fine structure in the low temperature luminescence of Zn2SiO4:Mn and Mg4Ta2O9:Mn

The luminescence of powder samples of the well-known green-emitting Zn₂SiO₄:Mn and the red-emitting Mg₄Ta₂O₉:Mn phosphor shows a considerable fine structure at 4° K in appropriately prepared samples containing a sufficiently low Mn concentration. For (Zn_1-xMn_x)₂SiO₄ (0.0005?x?0.05) two sharp lines were found which are interpreted as due to zero phonon transitions between the ⁴T₁ and ⁶A₁ levels of Mn²⁺ ions on the two crystallographically different zinc sites. The remaining structure is ascribed to vibronic sidebands. The decay times of the luminescence bands associated with the two sites differ; they are 12 and 15 ms for the high and low energy bands respectively. The experimental results of Vlam are confirmed by our data. In addition some (Zn_1-yBe_y)₂SiO₄:Mn (0.025? y ?1) samples were investigated. In Mg₄Ta₂O₉:Mn two zero phonon lines could be identified, indicating that in this material Mn²⁺ is distributed over two inequivalent Mg sites. Most of the phonon replicas were found at intervals of 15 meV. Raman scattering experiments showed that this energy corresponds to one of the lattice vibrations. The decay time of this luminescence band is 1.0 ms.     

Magnetic properties of RAu2Si2 rare earth compounds

The magnetic properties of the R Au₂Si₂ compounds with R = Ce-Er have been investigated. It was found that the compounds for which R = Ce, Sm, Gd, Tb and Dy are antiferromagnetically ordered at temperatures ranging from 5.7 to 15.9°K. PrAu₂Si₂ and NdAu₂Si₂ exhibit paramagnetic behavior for temperatures as low as 4.2°K. The magnetic structure is ferrimagnetic for the compounds in which R = Eu, Ho, and Er. The Eu compound is in the divalent state. The Néel and Curie points for this system do not follow the De-Gemnes function. Curie-Weiss Behavior is exhibited by all the compounds with effective moments in good agreement with that of a free tripositive lanthanide ion. The difference in magnetic properties between R Au₂Si₂ and the isomorphous R Fe₂Si₂ series is discussed.     

Critical behaviour of the two-dimensional ising antiferromagnets K2CoF4 and Rb2CoF4

The studies have been performed by means of neutron scattering. We report here the first experimental verification of the theoretical predictions concerning temperature dependence of the long range order parameter of two-dimensional Ising systems, giving the values B = 1·16±0·03 and β = 0·119±0·008 for the critical parameters. Also the parameters for the inverse correlation length and the staggered susceptibility were determined, with exponents v = 0·89±0·1 and γ = 1·34±0·22. It was discovered that frozen-in states of stacking of the two-dimensional planes appeared upon quick cooling through the ordering temperature.     

Magnetic susceptibilities and knight shifts of the intermetallic compounds NdCu4 and NdCu5

The magnetic susceptibility and Knight shift of the intermetallic compounds NdCu₄ and NdCu₅ were investigated over the temperature range 80–850 K. The most important contributions to the magnetic susceptibility are the Curie-Weiss term, expressing the paramagnetism of the localized 4?-electrons, and a temperature independent term, both of which have been determined. The phenomenological quantity J_s? between the 4?-electron and conduction electron spins was found to be ?2.46.10^?3eV for NdCu₄ and 1.35.10^?3 eV for NdCu₅. A reversal in the sign of the s-? coupling for CeCu₅ was noted.     

Magnetic properties of PrCo2 and its ternary hydride PrCo2H4

Magnetization and susceptibility data on PrCo₂ and PrCo₂H₄ are presented. The ac susceptibility of PrCo₂ measured in zero dc field displays a sharp and high peak at T_c = (39.9 ± 0.2) K. The magnetization versus temperature curves show ferromagnetic behaviour for B >1 T, but display a maximum at lower values of the applied field. These results, together with the behaviour of the hysteresis loops at different temperatures below T_c, indicate that PrCo₂ orders ferromagnetically, the magnetic hardness increasing strongly for T → 0. The saturation moment at 4.2 K equals 3.9 μ_B per formula unit, as found from the magnetization curve measured in a pulsed-field magnet up to B = 30 T.Similar experiments on PrCo₂H₄ provide evidence that the introduction of hydrogen in PrCo₂ not only destroys the long-range atomic order, but also considerably reduces the ferromagnetic interactions. Such an effect of the hydrogen is commonly observed in cobalt intermetallics. Part of the PrCo₂H₄ is found to have decomposed into PrH₂ and free Co. The clusters of free Co atoms give rise to a maximum in the zero-field ac susceptibility versus temperature curves, similar as observed in spin glasses or magnetic glasses. By increasing the ac frequency, the maximum shifts to higher temperatures. The behavior can be explained in terms of the Néel model for superparamagnetic particles with randomly oriented local anisotropy axes.