Physical properties of Fe<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Dy<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Si crystals

The results of experimental investigation of magnetic and electric properties of Fe_1?x Dy _x Si crystals are reported. It is shown that the magnitude and position of the anomaly observed in the temperature dependences of magnetization are controlled to a considerable extent by the external magnetic field. It is found that the introduction of Dy ions leads to a weak magnetoresistive effect.     

Short-range order in Fe<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Si<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>=0.05−0.08) alloys with induced magnetic anisotropy

Previously, iron—silicon alloys were investigated using X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that, at low silicon concentrations, the alloys undergo a local separation into regions of the α iron phase depleted in silicon and silicon-rich clusters with a B2 ordering. The structure of locally ordered regions of the B2 phase is characterized by a pair ordering of silicon atoms: the Si—Si pairs are formed by next-nearest neighbors, and the axes of pairs are oriented along the 〈100〉 directions, which are the easy-magnetization axes. The thermomagnetic treatment in a constant magnetic field applied along the 〈100〉 axis induces an axial magnetic anisotropy, results in the formation of an anisotropic distribution of the B2 phase, and leads to a slight decrease in the volume fraction of the coordination 6: 2 with two silicon atoms in the first coordination shell of the iron atom. Therefore, the formation of an anisotropic local order of pairs of silicon atoms occurs as a result of their reorientation.     

High-temperature study of SrFe<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Mo<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>O<Subscript>3−<Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis></Subscript> perovskites

The structure of high-temperature SrFe_{1 − x} Mo _x O_{3 − z} (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) phases was studied. Such studies are necessary to understand the mechanism of oxygen transport in membrane materials used for high-temperature oxygen separation.     

Features of properties of microinhomogeneous PdMn<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Fe<Subscript>1− <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> alloys

Complex investigation of the properties of PdMn _x Fe_{1? x} ternary alloys with interacting magnetic and structural order parameters has been performed. It is shown that the complex structural and magnetic state near the transition from the atomically ordered PdFe ferromagnet to the intermetallic antiferromagnetic PdMn compound leads to unusual features not only in magnetic and lattice characteristics but also in electronic properties.     

Thermal and magnetic properties of La<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Pb<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The thermodynamic and magnetic properties of the La_{1 − x} Pb _x MnO₃ (0.24 ≤ x ≤ 0.40) solid solution system were investigated in the temperature range of 4.2–340 K. All objects were ferromagnetics with Curie temperature T _C ≈ 320–340 K, which slowly increased with x. The M(T) behavior in the magnetic ordering region indicated a nonuniform ground state, due possibly to the competition of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. The increase in the saturation magnetic moment with x can be described by a simple model of the binary bonds in La_{1 − x} Pb _x MnO₃.     

Evolution of the structure and magneto-optical properties of Mn<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Fe<Subscript>3 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> films prepared by solid-state reactions

This paper reports on the results of investigations into the structure and the magnetic and magnetooptical properties of thin films Mn _x Fe_{3 ? x} O₄ prepared by solid-state reactions: isothermal annealing, self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, and a combination of these two regimes. The regimes favorable for the formation of films close in composition and structure to the stoichiometric compounds MnFe₂O₄ or Fe₃O₄ are established. The features observed in the spectral response of the magneto-optical Faraday effect and of the magnetic circular dichroism of the MnFe₂O₄ films are considered in terms of the electronic transitions in magnetic ions, primarily Fe³⁺, which occupy octahedral positions in the spinel structure.     

Magnetostriction of Fe<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>S (<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis> = 0.27) crystals

The magnetostriction of Fe _x Mn_{1 − x} S (x = 0.27) single crystals in strong magnetic fields up to 120 kOe has been investigated. It has been found that the magnetostriction reaches colossal values (±3 × 10⁻⁴) atypical of compounds of 3d elements. It has been found that the magnetostriction changes sign when varying temperature and magnetic field; this behavior indicates an important role of the spin-phonon interactions in the formation of the magnetic order in solid solutions of iron-manganese sulfides.     

Neutron investigations of the magnetic properties of Fe<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>S under pressure up to 4.2 GPa

Fe _x Mn_1?x S belongs to the group of strong electron correlations compounds MnO. We present here experimental results for the antiferromagnetic iron–manganese sulfide system, based on X-ray and neutron diffraction studies. The neutron diffraction investigations were carried out at ambient conditions and at hydrostatic pressures up to 4.2 GPa in the temperature range from 65 to 300 K. Our results indicate that the Néel temperature of α-MnS increases up to room temperature by applying chemical (x _Fe) or weak hydrostatic pressure P. In Fe_0.27Mn_0.73S, the Néel temperature increases from 205(2) K (P = 0 GPa) to 280(2) K (P = 4.2 GPa) and the magnetization at 100 K decreases by a factor of 2.5 when the hydrostatic pressure increases from 0 to 4.2 GPa.     

Magnetic structure of Ce<Subscript>2</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>17 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Mn<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> intermetallic compounds

The magnetic structure of intermetallic compounds Ce₂Fe_{17 − x} Mn _x (0 ≤ x ≤ 3) was studied using neutron diffraction. The neutron diffraction patterns measured at 4.2 K contain satellites indicating a modulated structure with the wave vector k = [0, 0, τ]. As the concentration x increases, the value of τ increases, while the average magnetic moment of Fe/Mn atoms decreases. A change in the magnitudes of the average magnetic moment and wave vector k is explained by competition between exchange interactions at distances of nearest neighbor transition element atoms.     

Electronic structure and ground state parameters of Ru<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">Me</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Al refractory alloys

The electronic structure and ground state parameters of B2 RuAl-based refractory alloys have been investigated in the framework of the density functional theory using the exact muffin-tin orbital method in combination with the coherent potential approximation. It has been demonstrated that the number of states at the Fermi level for the Ru_{1 − x} Me _x Al alloys as a function of the alloying metal content has a minimum, which indicates a change in the Fermi surface topology and the presence of specific features in the behavior of elastic constants. It has been concluded that the electronic structure of the alloys can be described in terms of the rigid band model. The nonlinear variations of the lattice parameters of the alloys has been explained.     

Metal-insulator transition in Fe<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>S crystals

Results of an experimental study of MnS, FeS, and Fe _x Mn_1?x S single crystals are presented. The phase composition, the lattice parameters, and the state of paramagnetic ions in Fe _x Mn_1?x S have been determined by x-ray diffraction analysis and Mössbauer spectroscopy. A sequence of transitions have been found in iron manganese sulfide with x = 0.29 at temperatures T ₁ ≈ 25–50 K, T ₂ ≈ 125 K, and T ₃ ≈ 190 K with a change in kinetic properties and the formation of a metallic state at low temperatures T ≈ 2 K. The possibility of a Mott-Hubbard transition in Fe _x Mn_1?x S sulfides with variation of the composition and the temperature is discussed.     

Spatial topology of local nano scale inhomogeneity of crystal structure Zn<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Fe<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Se (<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis> = 0.001)

The method of thermal neutron diffraction is used to study a structural state of crystal Zn_{1 − x} Fe _x Se (x = 0.001) obtained in the sphalerite modification. It was found that the diffractive pictures of a cubic crystal contain the regions of diffuse scattering in the vicinity of Bragg reflections of an initial crystal lattice. It was shown that the diffuse scattering effects were caused by the local transverse displacements of atoms in a crystal lattice induced by Fe²⁺ ions. It is concluded that a static tetragonal-type Jahn-Teller effect exists in a ZnSe alloy doped by magnetoactive iron ions.     

Thermoelectric properties of Fe-substituted layered compound,LiCo<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Fe<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The layered compound LiCoO₂ belonging to the ABO₂ class exhibits a variety of interesting behaviors, and substitution adds a twist to the properties. Hence, the effect of partial substitution of Co⁺³ with Fe⁺³ on the high-temperature thermoelectric properties has been studied in detail. The X-ray diffraction patterns together with Rietveld refinement indicate formation of a single phase conforming to R\( \overset{-}{3} \)m space group in all the three cases, LiCo_1?x Fe _x O₂ with x = 0.01, 0.02, and 0.08. The electrical resistivity in all the compounds decreases by four orders of magnitude with increasing temperature from 300 to 1000 K, a semiconducting behavior. The Seebeck coefficient is found to be very high, >700 μV K^?1 in all the cases, and increases with increasing temperature and Fe⁺³ substitution. The thermal conductivity, on the other hand, has been found to decrease with temperature in all the compounds from 3.5 W m^?1 K^?1 at room temperature to 1 W m^?1 K^?1 at 973 K, a consequence of phonon-phonon scattering. High resistivity of the compounds limits power factor indicating that carrier concentration and mobility need to be increased to realize a high figure-of-merit.     

Structure and Curie temperature of Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>17−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Cr<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>

The structures of Y₂Fe_17−x Cr _x are simulated by theab initio potentials. The site preference of Cr atom in Y₂Fe₁₇ is evaluated and the order is determined as 4f, 12j, which is close to the experimental result. Based on the site preference behavior, the calculated parameters and the atom sites of Y-Fe-Cr system are studied. The result corresponds well to observed data. Further, the DOS of the relaxed structures are calculated and the variation in Curie temperature is explained qualitatively by the spin-fluctuation theory.     

The magnetic properties of nanosized La<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Ca<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> (0.5 ≤ <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis> ≤ 0.8)

Magnetic properties of La_1−x Ca _x MnO₃ (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 0.8) samples with an equivalent average particle size ~50 nm prepared by a sol–gel method were investigated. The charge ordering (CO) transition that is observed in the bulks disappears and the ferromagnetic (FM) transition occurs in all the prepared samples. For all the samples, the spontaneous magnetization (M _S) value is much lower than the corresponding theoretic value, which shows that the majority of the sample is antiferromagnetic (AFM). However, the M _S value is much larger than the corresponding value reported by some other groups. The invisible of CO transition and the large M _S value can be attributed to the good connection among the adjacent particles. Moreover, the exchange bias (EB) phenomenon is observed except the x = 0.5 sample. With x increasing, the M _S value decreases and the EB field increases, which can be understood by considering the coexistence of FM phase with Mn³⁺–Mn⁴⁺ spin clusters in the shell and the AFM phase in the core of the nanoparticles.     

X-ray,Mössbauer,and magnetic research of system Y(Fe<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Al<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript> alloys

The structural transformations and magnetic phase transitions in the quasibinary system Y(Fe_{1 ? x} Al _x )₂ have been investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and magnetic measurements of polycrystals.     

Antiferromagnetic ordering arising in Mn<Subscript>19.8 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Fe<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Sn<Subscript>0.2</Subscript> alloys with the β-Mn-type structure

The magnetic state of the Mn_{19.8 ? x} Fe _x Sn_0.2 alloys is revealed and the mechanisms of changing their properties depending on the iron content are determined.     

Morphology and composition tailoring of Co<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Fe<Subscript>3 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles

Nano-octahedra of cobalt ferrite Co _x Fe_3???xO₄ (1?≤?x?<?2), with a broad size distribution around 15–20 nm, were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using nitrates as precursors. For the first time, single-phased nano-octahedra of cobalt-rich ferrite Co _x Fe_3???xO₄ (x?=?1.5) were synthesized. The nano-octahedra are crystallized in a normal spinel structure, with tetrahedral sites occupied by Co²⁺. This specific octahedral shape was obtained with anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants. The nature of the surfactant influenced the chemical composition of the powder and the size of the nano-octahedra. The {100} truncation of the octahedra is more pronounced for the small particles. For the first time, single-phased nanoparticles with as much as x?=?1.8 cobalt were synthesized with ethylene glycol as solvent. These nanoparticles, around 8 nm in size, have no specific shape and possess a lacunar spinel structure similar to maghemite. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy.

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Optical properties and electronic structure of YNi<Subscript>5 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Cu<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> intermetallic compounds

The optical properties of hexagonal intermetallic compounds YNi_{5 − x} Cu _x (x = 0, 1, 2) have been investigated by ellipsometry in the spectral range of 0.22–15 μm. It is shown that the replacement of nickel atoms by copper atoms leads to local changes in the optical-conductivity spectra. A new absorption band is found at 3.5–4.5 eV; its intensity depends on the copper content. The plasma and relaxation frequencies of conduction electrons are determined. The electronic structure and interband optical conductivity of these compounds are calculated within the electron density functional theory using the pseudopotential method. The main parameters of the band structure and the total and partial densities of electronic states are determined. Qualitative agreement is obtained between the experimental and theoretical frequency dependences of the optical conductivity.     

Structural and magnetic phase transformations in the diluted laves phases Pr(Fe<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Al<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The Pr(Fe_{1 ? x} Al _x )₂ alloys with concentrations x = 0–1 have been synthesized under a high pressure. The phase composition and lattice parameters (a and c) have been determined as a function of x. The magnetic and Mössbauer measurements have been performed at T = 90–400 K. It has been established that the Curie temperatures of alloys linearly depend on their composition.