Low temperature specific heat of bi-layered manganites La2−2xSr1+2xMn2O7 (x=0.3 and 0.5)

The specific heat (C) of bi-layered manganites La_2−2xSr_1+2xMn₂O₇ (x=0.3 and 0.5) is investigated for the ground state of low temperature excitations. A T^3/2 dependent term in the low temperature specific heat (LTSH) is identified at zero magnetic field and suppressed by magnetic fields for x=0.3 sample, which is consistent with a ferromagnetic metallic ground state. For x=0.5 sample, a T² term is observed and is consistent with a two-dimensional (2D) antiferromagnetic insulator. However, it is almost independent of magnetic field within the range of measured temperature (0.6-10 K) and magnetic field (6 T).     

Influence of Ni doping on the properties of perovskite molybdates SrMo1−xNixO3 (0.02≤x≤0.08)

Systematic studies of the structural, transport, magnetic and specific heat behavior have been performed on the perovskite molybdates SrMo_1−xNi_xO₃ (0.02≤x≤0.08). Ni doping at the Mo site does not change the structure of all samples, but increases the lattice parameter a monotonically. All of the doped samples keep their metallic behavior. The magnetic properties keep a Pauli paramagnetism in the high-temperature region, but have a ferromagnetic (FM) transition at about 50 K. The resistivity, ρ, and magnetic susceptibility, χ, increase, while the electronic specific heat coefficient, γ_e, decreases monotonically with the increase of Ni doping content, x. The electronic transport of all samples shows a T² dependence in the low-temperature region and a T dependence in the high-temperature region, respectively. The temperature dependence of the specific heat can be well described by the formula C_p(T)/T=γ_e+β_pT² in the low-temperature range. These behaviors can be explained by the competition between the decrease in the density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level and the electron localization due to the disorder effect induced by the random distribution of Ni at the Mo site in the samples.     

Structural,electrical transport,and magnetic properties of Ni1−xZnxFe2O4

Structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of Ni_1−xZn_xFe₂O₄ (x=0.2, 0.4) samples sintered at various temperatures have been investigated thoroughly. The bulk density of the Ni_0.8Zn_0.2Fe₂O₄ samples increases as the sintering temperature (T_s) increases from 1200 to 1300 °C and above 1300 °C the bulk density decreases slightly. The Ni_0.6Zn_0.4Fe₂O₄ samples show similar behavior of changes to that of Ni_0.8Zn_0.2Fe₂O₄ samples, except that the bulk density is found to be the highest at 1350 °C. The DC electrical resistivity, ρ(T)$\rho (T)$, decreases as the temperature increases indicating that the samples have semiconductor-like behavior. As the Zn content increases, the Curie temperature (T_c), resistivity, and the activation energy decrease while the magnetization, initial permeability, and the relative quality factor (Q) increases. A Hopkinson peak is obtained near T_c in the real part of the initial permeability vs. temperature curves. The ferrite with higher permeability has a relatively lower resonance frequency. The initial permeability and magnetization of the samples has been found to correlate with density, average grain sizes. Possible explanation for the observed structural, magnetic, and changes of resistivity behavior with various Zn content are discussed.     

Magnetic properties of the quasi-one-dimensional system BaMn2V 2O8

Magnetic properties of BaMn₂V ₂O₈ are investigated by means of susceptibility, magnetization, and heat capacity measurements. Our experimental results show that BaMn₂V ₂O₈ is a one-dimensional canted antiferromagnet. The antiferromagnetic transition at a relatively high T_N of 37 K may be due to an enhancement of interchain interaction in the system, since Mn²⁺ ions have large spin moment of S=5/2. Weak ferromagnetism in BaMn₂V ₂O₈ may be due to Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions arising from its noncentrosymmetric crystal structure.     

Anisotropic thermal expansion and evaluation of uniaxial pressure dependence of superconducting and magnetic transitions in ErNi2B2C

We present anisotropic thermal expansion measurements on single crystalline ErNi₂B₂C. All three, superconducting, antiferromagnetic and weak ferromagnetic phase transitions are unambiguously distinguished in the data. Anisotropic uniaxial pressure dependencies of the transitions are estimated based on the Ehrenfest relation, leading to a conclusion, in particular, that weak ferromagnetic states may be suppressed by small, order of few kbar, hydrostatic pressure. Additionally, magnetostriction is shown to be a useful probe for rich and complex H-T diagram in this material.     

Magnetic phases in lanthanum-strontium manganite-cobaltite La1.25Sr0.75MnCoO6

Two methods—the solid-phase high-temperature (1300 °C) and the liquid-phase low-temperature (750 °C) routes—were used to synthesize the complex oxide La_1.25Sr_0.75MnCoO₆, which has the structure of rhombohedral perovskite and is characterized by a disordered distribution of Mn and Co in structural sites. It was found by means of X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) at the K-edge that mixed valence states of Co²⁺/Co³⁺ and Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺, exist in both phases. Measurements of dc magnetization and real (χ′) and imaginary (χ″) parts of the ac susceptibility showed that the magnetic properties of these oxides are determined by a ferromagnetic transition at T_C=217 K and a frequency-dependent transition at T_g<100 K. The high frequency dependence of T_g is indicative of the cluster-glass behavior of La_1.25Sr_0.75MnCoO₆ (7 5 0) at T<T_C within the ferromagnetic state.     

Microstructure characterization and magnetic behavior of NiAlxFe2−xO4 and Ni1−yMnyAl0.2Fe1.8O4 ferrites

NiAl_xFe_2−xO₄ and Ni_1−yMn_yAl_0.2Fe_1.8O₄ ferrites were prepared by the conventional ceramic method and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and magnetic measurements. The single spinel phase was confirmed for all prepared samples. A proper explanation of data is possible if the Al³⁺ ions are assumed to replace Fe³⁺ ions in the A and B sites simultaneously for NiAl_xFe_2−xO₄ ferrites, and if the Mn²⁺ ions are assumed to replace Ni²⁺ ions in the B sites for Ni_1−yMn_yAl_0.2Fe_1.8O₄ ferrites. Microstructural factors play an important role in the magnetic behavior of Ni_1−yMn_yAl_0.2Fe_1.8O₄ ferrites with large Mn²⁺ content.     

Antiferromagnetic phase transition in garnet-type AgCa2Co2V3O12 and AgCa2Ni2V3O12

Antiferromagnetic phase transition in two vanadium garnets AgCa₂Co₂V₃O₁₂ and AgCa₂Ni₂V₃O₁₂ has been found and investigated extensively. The heat capacity exhibits sharp peak due to the antiferromagnetic order with the Néel temperature T_N=6.39 K for AgCa₂Co₂V₃O₁₂ and 7.21 K for AgCa₂Ni₂V₃O₁₂, respectively. The magnetic susceptibilities exhibit broad maximum, and these T_N correspond to the inflection points of the magnetic susceptibility χ a little lower than T(χ_max). The magnetic entropy changes from zero to 20 K per mol Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions are 5.31 J K⁻¹ mol-Co²⁺-ion⁻¹ and 6.85 J K⁻¹ mol-Ni²⁺-ion⁻¹, indicating S=1/2 for Co²⁺ ion and S=1 for Ni²⁺ ion. The magnetic susceptibility of AgCa₂Ni₂V₃O₁₂ shows the Curie-Weiss behavior between 20 and 350 K with the effective magnetic moment μ_eff=3.23 μ_B Ni²⁺-ion⁻¹ and the Weiss constant θ=−16.4 K (antiferromagnetic sign). Nevertheless, the simple Curie-Weiss law cannot be applicable for AgCa₂Co₂V₃O₁₂. The complex temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility has been interpreted within the framework of Tanabe-Sugano energy diagram, which is analyzed on the basis of crystalline electric field. The ground state is the spin doublet state ²E(t₂⁶e) and the first excited state is spin quartet state ⁴T₁(t₂⁵e²) which locates extremely close to the ground state. The low spin state S=1/2 for Co²⁺ ion is verified experimentally at least below 20 K which is in agreement with the result of the heat capacity.     

Magnetic properties of PrRh2Si2: A neutron diffraction study

The magnetic properties of polycrystalline PrRh₂Si₂ sample have been investigated by neutron diffraction measurements. Antiferromagnetic transition with an anomalously high ordering temperature (T_N∼68 K) is clearly observed in magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, electrical resistivity and neutron diffraction measurements. Neutron diffraction study shows that Pr³⁺ ions carry an ordered moment of 2.99(7)μ_B/Pr³⁺ and align along the crystallographic±c-directions for the ions located at the (0,0,0) and positions. The magnetoresistance at 2 K and 10 T is rather large (∼35%).     

Metastable ferromagnetic phases with predictable Tcs in La2MnCo1−xNixO6

Metastable ferromagnetic phases, for different compositions in La₂MnCo_1−xNi_xO₆, are obtained for samples synthesized by a low-temperature method and annealed in air at different temperatures in the range 200-1350 °C. The T_cs of the ferromagnetic phases vary linearly between those of the phases of the end members. T_cs of the different phases of La₂MnCo_1−xNi_xO₆ can be predicted based on the T_cs and spin states of Mn, Co and Ni in the different phases of the end members, La₂MnCoO₆ and La₂MnNiO₆.     

High temperature magnetic ordering in La2RuO5

Magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity and electrical resistivity measurements have been carried out on a new ruthenate, La₂RuO₅ (monoclinic, space group P2₁/c) which reveal that this compound is a magnetic semiconductor with a high magnetic ordering temperature of 170 K. The entropy associated with the magnetic transition is 8.3 J/mol K close to that expected for the low spin (S=1) state of Ru⁴⁺ ions. The low temperatures specific heat coefficient γ is found to be nearly zero consistent with the semiconducting nature of the compound. The magnetic ordering temperature of La₂RuO₅ is comparable to the highest known Curie temperature of another ruthenate, namely, metallic SrRuO₃, and in both these compounds the nominal charge state of Ru is 4+.     

Magnetic ordering in CeMnCuSi2

Temperature and field-dependent magnetization measurements on polycrystalline CeMnCuSi₂ reveal that the Mn moments in this compound exhibit ordering with a ferromagnetic (FM) component ordered instead of the previously reported purely antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering. The FM ordering temperature, T_c, is about 120 K and almost unchanged with external fields up to 50 kOe. Furthermore, an AFM component (such as in a canted spin structure) is observed to be present in this phase, and its orientation is modified rapidly by the external magnetic field. The Ce L₃-edge X-ray absorption result shows that the Ce ions in this compound are nearly trivalent, very similar to that in the heavy fermion system CeCu₂Si₂. Large thermomagnetic irreversibility is observed between the zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) M(T) curves below T_c indicating strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy in the ordered phase. At 5 K, a metamagnetic-type transition is observed to occur at a critical field of about 8 kOe, and this critical field decreases with increasing temperature. The FM ordering of the Mn moments in CeMnCuSi₂ is consistent with the value of the intralayer Mn–Mn distance R^a_Mn–Mn=2.890 Å, which is greater than the critical value 2.865 Å for FM ordering. Finally, a magnetic phase diagram is constructed for CeMnCuSi₂.     

Low-temperature study of magnetic ordering in gadolinium orthophosphate

The zero-field heat capacity shows an antiferromagnetic ordering of Gd³⁺ in gadolinium orthophosphate at 0.8 K. The application of the external magnetic field leads to the splitting of the Gd³⁺ ground-state multiplet. The antiferromagnetic ordering becomes gradually suppressed with increasing field, and the loss of the long-range magnetic ordering with a threshold field between 0.2 and 0.5 T is indicated by heat-capacity data. Estimated entropy of the anomaly due to magnetic ordering or the Schottky-type anomaly (above 0.5 T) is close to Rln8 as expected for Gd³⁺ ground-state multiplet. Magnetization measurements above 2 K corroborate this magnetic behaviour.     

Effect of magnetic field on Nd0.7Pb0.3MnO3 single crystal

Magnetization and specific heat of Nd_0.7Pb_0.3MnO₃ single crystal are studied at applied magnetic field. Magnetization measurement at 0.3 T shows ferromagnetic phase below 150 K (T_C) and below 20 K displays an antiferromagnetic component. The latter appears to be destroyed at 4.8 T. This anomalous increase below 50 K is probably due to reorientation of Nd moments at high magnetic field. Heat capacity has been measured at 0-10 T at low temperature. The data have been fitted to contributions from free electrons (γ), ferromagnetic spin excitations (β_3/2), lattice and a Schottky-like anomaly related to the rare-earth magnetism of the Nd ions. Fitting yields that β_3/2 term is very small at 6 and 10 T because of introducing paramagnetic component in ferromagnetic phase at applied magnetic field. Peak due to Schottky anomaly is observed to be broadened with application of magnetic field and the magnitude of Schottky gap(Δ_Sch) also increases accordingly.     

Schottky-like anomaly in the low-temperature specific heat of single-crystal NdMnO3

The specific heat of single-crystal NdMnO₃ was investigated from 2 to 20 K under different magnetic fields up to 8 T. All the specific heat data show a Schottky-like anomaly, which becomes more indistinctive as increasing magnetic field. The experiment data were successfully fitted by taking into account factors such as crystal-field splitting, the two-level Schottky anomaly, the lattice vibration, and type-A antiferromagnetic (A-AF) spin waves. It was found that the splitting of the ground state doublet of Nd³⁺ ion increases linearly with magnetic field. The above phenomena can be interpreted in terms of the model of unchanged effective molecular field at Nd³⁺ site caused by the ferromagnetic component of A-AF structure of Mn spins. This ferromagnetic component is likely caused by the GdFeO₃-type octahedron rotation. In addition, it was also found that the magnetic field increases the spin-wave stiffness coefficient, but reduces the Debye temperature.     

Antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition induced by the hydrogenation of the ternary stannide Ce(Ni0.82Cu0.18)Sn

The title compound absorbs slowly hydrogen at 523 K under a pressure of P(H₂)=1 MPa, giving the new hydride Ce(Ni_0.82Cu_0.18)SnH_1.7(1). The hydrogenation induces both: (i) a structural transition from orthorhombic TiNiSi-type to hexagonal ZrBeSi-type and (ii) a magnetic transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic ordering This behaviour is compared to that observed recently during the hydrogen insertion into the Kondo semi-metal stannide CeNiSn.     

Field dependent susceptibility of the 2D ferromagnet (CH3NH3)2CuCl4 in the paramagnetic phase

The temperature dependence of the ac susceptibility (χ) at constant applied magnetic field was investigated in the paramagnetic region of the quasi-2D ferromagnet (CH₃NH₃)₂CuCl₄. Above the Curie temperature (T_C=8.85 K) a maximum in the χ(T,H) curves was observed at T_m(H). The temperature at the maximum increases with increasing applied field. This anomaly is related to short range fluctuations close the order transition. The behavior of T_m(H) is governed by the gap exponent of the scaling function (Δ=γ+β). We found Δ=2.2±0.1 in very good agreement with the previously known values of γ and β.     

Ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism in Ni2+x+yMn1−xAl1−y alloys

The magnetic behavior of Ni_2+xMn_1−xAl alloys around the stoichiometric 2:1:1 composition was investigated with several experimental techniques. The results of low-temperature magnetization measurements indicate that a competition mechanism between ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism is expected in off-stoichiometric alloys. Although the Curie temperature is strongly dependent on the composition, the saturation magnetization has an unsystematic variation for deviations from the stoichiometric Ni₂MnAl alloy. A reentrant-spin-glass behavior is observed below 50 K.     

Magnetic phase coexistence in Tb- and Sr-doped La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 manganite:A temperature-dependent neutron diffraction study

We report the results of the temperature-dependent neutron diffraction measurements on the nearly half-doped (La_0.325Tb_0.125)(Ca_0.3Sr_0.25)MnO₃ manganite sample. The simultaneous doping of magnetic Tb³⁺ and divalent Sr²⁺ in the La_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ system results into a large A-site size disorder. Rietveld refinement of neutron diffraction data reveal that the single phase sample crystallizes in a distorted orthorhombic structure. Increased 〈r_A〉 value affects the transport behavior that results into an insulating-like behavior of the sample. Under application of 1 T field sample exhibit insulating-like behavior while insulator-metal transition (T_IM) is exhibited under 5 and 8 T fields. Variable range hoping (VRH) mechanism of charge carriers is exhibited in the insulating region. Field cooled and zero field cooled magnetization measurement shows the Curie temperature (T_C)~47 K. The refinement of the ND data collected at various temperatures below 300 K shows that there is no structural phase transition in the compound. Around 100 K, a magnetic peak appears at lower angle that can be ascribed to the presence of the A-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase. Two more peaks are observed around 50 K at lower angles that can be fitted in CE-type antiferromagnetic phase. Splitting of the peaks at lower temperatures is the signature of orbital ordering in the presently studied nearly half-doped manganite system. Results of the detailed structural analysis of the temperature-dependent ND measurements on (LaTb)_0.45(CaSr)_0.55MnO₃ sample has been discussed in the light of coexisting A-type and CE-type antiferromagnetic phases present in the sample at low temperature.     

Magnetic,electrical transport and electron spin resonance studies of Fe-doped manganite LaMn0.7Fe0.3O3+δ

We have investigated the magnetic, electrical transport and electron spin resonance (ESR) properties of polycrystalline Fe-doped manganite LaMn_0.7Fe_0.3O_3+δ prepared by sol–gel method. A typical cluster-glass feature is presented by DC magnetization and AC susceptibility measurements and a sharp but shallow memory effect was observed. Symmetrical Lorentzian lines of the Mn/Fe spectra were detected above 120 K, where the sample is a paramagnetic (PM) insulator. When the temperature decreases from 120 K, magnetic clusters contributed from ferromagnetic (FM) interaction between Mn³⁺ and Mn³⁺/Fe³⁺ ions develop and coexist with PM phase. At lower temperature, these FM clusters compete with antiferromagnetic (AFM) ones between Fe³⁺ ions, which are associated with a distinct field-cooled (FC) effect in characteristic of cluster-glass state.