High-temperature phase transitions in the improper ferroelectric KIO3

The ac conductivity (σ_ac) and dielectric permittivity (?) are determined in the temperature range 300?K?T3 compound. The results indicated that the compound behaves as an improper ferroelectric and undergoes a ferroelectric phase transition from a high temperature rhombohedral phase I to a low temperature monoclinic phase II at T _c?=?(486?±?1)?K. A second structural phase transition was observed around 345?K. The conductivity varies with temperature range and for T?>?428?K intrinsic conduction prevails. Different activation energies in the different temperature regions were calculated. The frequency dependence of σ(ω) was found to follow the universal dynamic response [σ(ω)∝(ω) ^s(T)]. The thermal behaviour of the frequency exponent s(T) suggests the hopping over the barrier model rather than the quantum mechanical tunneling model for the conduction mechanism.     

Orbital ordering and Jahn-Teller distortion in Perovskite ruthenate SrRuO3

Local density approximation plus on-site Coulomb interaction U band structure calculations reveal that SrRuO3 exhibits a half-metallic ground state with an integer spin moment of 2.0 microB/SrRuO3. An associated tilting 4dt2g orbital ordering on a Ru sublattice is observed under the on-site Coulomb interaction U in the presence of lattice distortion. This finding unravels the on-site Coulomb correlation as the driving force of the 4d orbital ordering and Jahn-Teller distortion as well as of the half-metallic ground state.     

Structural and magnetic phase transitions in TbPO4 studied by neutron diffraction

Neutron diffraction experiments on TbPO₄ single crystals have been performed in the temperature range from 1.35 to 294 K. We observe two phase transitions: the onset of antiferromagnetic ordering along the tetragonalc-axis at 2.28 K and tilting of the moments away from thec-axis below 2.15 K. The analysis of the measured reflection profiles shows that the tilting is connected with a distortion of the tetragonal zircon structure.     

Displacive magnetic phase transitions upon spin ordering in magnets with strong single-ion anisotropy

Physics of the Solid State - This paper reports on the results of investigations into the magnetic ordering of magnets with integer spins of ions and sufficiently strong easy-plane single-ion...     

Spin state transition in LaCoO3 studied using soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and magnetic circular dichroism

Using soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy and magnetic circular dichroism at the Co-L(2,3) edge, we reveal that the spin state transition in LaCoO3 can be well described by a low-spin ground state and a triply degenerate high-spin first excited state. From the temperature dependence of the spectral line shapes, we find that LaCoO3 at finite temperatures is an inhomogeneous mixed-spin state system. It is crucial that the magnetic circular dichroism signal in the paramagnetic state carries a large orbital momentum. This directly shows that the currently accepted low- or intermediate-spin picture is at variance. Parameters derived from these spectroscopies fully explain existing magnetic susceptibility, electron spin resonance, and inelastic neutron data.     

Order-disorder transitions: structural and magnetic ordering in double perovskites

Using an effective lattice gas-like model for B-B′ site ordering we study order-disorder transitions in double perovskite materials A₂BB′O₆. We motivate this effective model from a microscopic hamiltonian. Using this model, we are able to address several experimentally observed issues including nonmonotonic dependence of the degree of order on annealing temperature, and the rapid decrease of order upon overdoping with either B or B′ species. We also study ordering in the ‘ternary’ compounds A₂BB′_1−yB″_yO₆, using a variant of the Blume-Emery-Griffiths model. Several issues related to structural and magnetic ordering are discussed.     

ESR millimeter-band spectroscopy of magnetic ordering in the low-dimensional magnet CuGeO3

Resonant absorption of microwaves in CuGeO₃ single crystals in a frequency band of 40 to 120 GHz, in magnetic field B⩽15 T, at temperatures ranging between 0.5 and 300 K, and in the configuration B∥a has been investigated. Several absorption lines (S ₀, S _a, and S _b) whose parameters strongly depend on temperature have been detected close to ESR. The temperature dependence of the total absorption in the main line S ₀ with the Landé g-factor g ₀=2.154 at temperatures above the spin-Peierls transition temperature is in good agreement with Bonner and Fisher’s theoretical prediction for a one-dimensional Heisenberg spin chain. In addition to the main resonance, a resonance of smaller amplitude, S _a, with the g-factor g _a=2.72 has been detected at temperatures ranging down to a characteristic temperature T≃1 K, below which the amplitude of this feature drops to zero. A radical restructuring of the magnetoabsorption spectrum occurs at the temperature of the spin-Peierls transition T _SP≈14 K. At T<12 K new features emerge in the spectrum, namely, a broad absorption line overlapping with the narrow lines S ₀ and S _a, and a line S _b with g _b=1.83, which is not detected at temperatures above T _SP. An analysis of amplitudes and total absorption of ESR lines as functions of temperature has shown that the temperature range below 1 K is anomalous, which may be caused by an additional ordering in the CuGeO₃ magnetic subsystem at low temperatures. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 1727–1738 (November 1997)     

Vibration-rotation transitions in the CF radical, studied by laser magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7.8 μm

Several transitions in the vibration-rotation spectrum of the CF radical in its X²Π state have been detected by CO-laser magnetic resonance. In addition to strong resonances for the ²Π_3/2-²Π_3/2 transitions in the fundamental band at 1286 cm⁻¹, weaker “cross” ²Π_3/2-²Π_1/2 and hot band transitions have also been observed. The ¹⁹F nuclear hyperfine splitting is clearly resolved for almost every transition. These observations provide an interesting comparison with the recent study of the same (1, 0) band of CF by diode laser spectroscopy.     

Surface magnetic phase transitions in films

Using a simple Landau model, we discuss the different possibilities of generating magnetic effects at a second-order transition for films. Varying the sample size d$d$ and/or surface coupling γ$\gamma$ one can decrease or increase substantially the surface critical temperature _Ts$T_{\mathrm{s}}$ and the saturation magnetization _Ms$M_{\mathrm{s}}$. In the case of γ>0$\gamma >0$, _Ms$M_{\mathrm{s}}$ and _Ts$T_{\mathrm{s}}$ decrease from the bulk values as the film thickness is reduced. These theoretical results are in nice agreement with the experimental data on superconducting _MgB2${\mathrm{MgB}}_2$ thin films. By contrast, for γ<0$\gamma <0$, an enhancement of both quantities is expected. This extraordinary transition has rarely been observed experimentally and, usually, the situation is far from being clear. We analyze a new experiment on _NiFe2O4${\mathrm{NiFe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4$ ultra-thin films, where a very strong enhancement of the saturation magnetization is observed.     

Multipolar phase transitions in magnetic crystals

We have studied the possibility of successive multipolar phase transitions in magnetic crystals. A Hamiltonian including various (l ? 4) multipolar interactions is treated in the molecularfield approximation. If each interaction is introduced with its characteristic symmetry, three successive phase transitions at most are found in the absence of any crystalline field anisotropy.     

Cascade of bulk magnetic phase transitions in NaxCoO2 as studied by muon spin rotation

Using muon spin rotation, well-defined bulk approximately 100% magnetic phases in NaxCoO2 are revealed. A novel magnetic phase is detected for x=0.85 with the highest transition temperature ever observed for x>or=0.75. This stresses the diversity of x>or=0.75 magnetic phases and the link between magnetic and structural degrees of freedom. For the charge-ordered x=0.50 compound, a cascade of transitions is observed below 85 K. From a detailed analysis of our data, we conclude that the ordered moment varies continuously with temperature and suggest that the two secondary transitions at 48 and 29 K correspond to a moderate reorientation of antiferromagnetically coupled moments.     

Structural and magnetic phase transitions in La0.9Sr0.1MnO3

A study is made of phase transitions in doped La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃ compounds using combined x-ray, electrical, and magnetic measurements. Structural phase transitions are observed accompanied by a change in the cell volume at temperatures of 100–110 K and 300–340 K. These structural changes are found to be related to different contributions of the rhombic Jahn-Teller Q ₂ mode to the formation of the crystal lattice. The structural transition at 100–110 K is accompanied by distinctive magnetic and electrical properties. The data are analyzed in detail. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1064–1069 (June 1999)     

Photoinduced phase transitions by time-resolved far-infrared spectroscopy in V2O3

Using time-resolved far-infrared spectroscopy, we observe multiple routes for photoinduced phase transitions in V(2)O(3). This includes (i) a photothermal antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition and (ii) an incipient strain-generated paramagnetic metal to paramagnetic insulator transition, which manifests as coherent oscillations in the far-infrared conductivity. The ～100 ps conductivity oscillation results from coherent acoustic phonon modulation of the bandwidth W. Our results indicate that poor metals are particularly amenable to coherent strain control of their electronic properties.     

Cooperative Jahn-Teller phase transition in LaMnO3 studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The local structure of LaMnO3 across the Jahn-Teller (JT) transition at T(JT)=750 K was studied by means of x-ray absorption near edge structure and extended x-ray absorption fine structure at the Mn K-edge. Our results indicate a similar electronic local structure for Mn atoms above and below T(JT) and a dynamical tetragonal JT distortion of MnO6 octahedra above T(JT). The structural transition is originated by the ordering of tetragonally distorted octahedra. The entropy content of the transition is analyzed within the framework of the three-state Potts model with nearest neighbor antiferrodistortive coupling.     

First order phase transitions studied in the dynamical ensemble

A knowledge of the density of states () of a many particle system ( is the energy per particle) contains the complete information about its thermal behaviour. In this paper it will be demonstrated that () can very efficiently and precisely be determined by a Monte Carlo calculation in an ensemble where the system of interest is coupled to another system of comparable size. This is in contrast to the canonical approach where the system of interest is coupled to an infinite bath at a temperatureT. The usefulness of the approach will be demonstrated for theq-states Potts model withq=4, 5, and 8 where the numerical data can be compared with exact results. In our numerical data we can clearly identify a first order phase transition forq5 and a second order transition forq=4.     

Structure and magnetic ordering in SrNpO3

In the course of studies of alkaline earth oxo-neptunates Mössbauer spectra of²³⁷Np in SrNpO₃ were taken. From the point of view of lattice symmetries two characteristically different sites for the Np ions were found. The transition temperature T_C=(30.5±0.5) K was confirmed. The phase transition turned out to be of second order. Below T_C the lattice orders antiferromagnetically.     

First-order magnetic phase transitions in thin films

Using the simple Landau model, we discuss near-surface magnetic effects for thin films corresponding to first-order phase transitions. The size effects observed in ultrathin ferroelectric films are in agreement with this theoretical interpretation. The presence of a weak external field is also formulated. The text was submitted by the authors in English.