Temperature behavior of magnetization of DyCo2 compound

Zero field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) magnetization measurements were performed on the binary DyCo₂ cubic compound. Maxima for this compound were observed under ZFC magnetization. Below the broad maximum, irreversibility is observed. The magnetization curves for ZFC and FC regimes are split and magnetic moments for FC are higher than for ZFC. The dependence of the maxima upon the magnetic field and the time dependence of remanence is similar to the case of spin-glass-like systems.     

Spin-glass state and ferromagnetic order in Cu(II)－Fe(III) cyanides

The static and dynamic magnetic properties of a Prussian blue analogue, molecular magnet Cu^Ⅱ_{3}[Fe^Ⅲ(CN)_6]_2·3NH_3·6H_2O were investigated in detail. The H dependence of the linear AC susceptibility, the irreversibility in the field-cooled (FC)/zero-field-cooled (ZFC) magnetization (M_{FC}/M_{ZFC}) and the relaxation of M_{ZFC} suggest that the magnetic system can be visualized as containing a ferromagnetic cluster of spin below T_C, mixed with small spin-glass clusters formed below temperature T_g less than T_C. The observed magnetic properties are explained with a ferromagnetic-spin-glass phase model. The magnetic ordering of the sample occurs below 19.8K.     

Large vertical loop shifts in mechanically synthesized (Mn,Fe)2O3−t nanograins

Magnetic properties of zero field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) sample of (Mn,Fe)₂O_3−t nanograins have been investigated by magnetometry (up to 70 kOe) and Mössbauer spectroscopy (up to 60 kOe) in the temperature interval 4.2–300 K. Large horizontal (up to 0.8 kOe) and vertical (up to 80%) shifts of the magnetization hysteresis loops are observed in the FC regime. The obtained results are discussed in terms of exchange interaction between an antiferromagnetic core and a spin-glass-like state of the nanograins boundaries. It is shown that hysteresis loop shifts (horizontal and vertical) depend on the field cooling magnitude, an effect that can be understood by the change of the boundary magnetic structure induced by the external magnetic field. The vertical magnetization shift is described by a phenomenological model, which takes into account the magnetic interaction between the spin-glass like boundary spins and the applied field.     

Approximant crystals of icosahedral Mg–(Ga,Al)–Zn alloys

The zero field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) low-field magnetic moment m of a dense frozen ferrofluid containing Fe₅₅Co₄₅ particles of size 4.6nm in hexane exhibits irreversibility at temperatures T?T _b≈ 30?K. FC in μ ₀ H ≤ 1?T gives rise to shifted minor hysteresis loops below T _b. At T _c≈ 10?K, sharp peaks of m ^ZFC and of the ac susceptibility χ ′, a kink of the thermoremanent magnetic moment m ^TRM, a sizeable reduction of the coercive field H _c, and the appearance of a spontaneous moment m ^SFM indicate a phase transition with near mean-field critical behaviour of both m ^SFM and χ ′ . These features are explained within a core-shell model of nanoparticles, whose strongly disordered shells gradually become blocked below T _b, while their soft ferromagnetic cores couple dipolarly and become superferromagnetic (SFM) below T _c.     

ENHANCEMENT OF FERROMAGNETIC CLUSTER INDUCED BY MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE PHASE-SEPARATED La0.5Ca0.5MnO3

Magnetic and transport properties of La_0.5Ca_0.5MnO₃ have been investigated by measuring the magnetization and resistance in zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) modes. Conspicuously irreversible behaviors of magnetization/resistance in the two different modes were observed below the charge ordering transition temperature (T_CO). The ZFC and FC magnetizations at 5K, as functions of the magnetic field, coincide for μ₀H≤1T. Afterwards, the ZFC magnetization tends to an approximate constant, but the FC one increases linearly with increasing field. There exists an excellent correspondence between magnetization and resistance below T_CO. All the results suggest that the ferromagnetic clusters embed in the charge-ordered matrix. The phenomenon of ferromagnetic clusters growing up easily in the FC procedure has been interpreted according to the model of thermally activated two-level system.     

Spin-glass-like ordering in the spinel ZnFe2O4 ferrite

In the present study, spin-glass-like ordering has been observed in the spinel ZnFe₂O₄ ferrite. Field cooled (FC) and zero-field cooled (ZFC) DC magnetizations display divergence at low temperature, which indicates a frozen state with the freezing temperature of T_f=21 K. Frequency dependence of AC susceptibility measurement was performed on the sample. It shows a peak at around T_f, with the peak position shifting as a function of driving frequency, indicating a spin-glass-like transition of the sample. The sample shows a typical spin-glass behavior with a manifestation of non-equilibrium dynamics of the spin glass, such as aging, rejuvenation and memory effects. These experimental findings indicate that Zn-ferrite exhibits a spin-glass-like phase at low temperature and it is not canted antiferromagnetic.     

Room temperature ferromagnetism and magnetotransport properties of the layered manganite system La1.2Ba1.8Mn2−xRuxO7 (0≤x≤1.0)

The dc magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements on two dimensional layered manganite La_1.2Ba_1.8Mn₂O₇ samples reveal the occurrence of ferromagnetism above room temperature with ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) transitions at 338 K. The bifurcation temperatures shown by the zero-field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) dc magnetization curves at high temperatures shift towards lower temperatures as the applied field is increased from 100 to 2500 Oe. The data are suggestive of a large magnetic anisotropy due to the strong competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions resulting in a spin-glass-like state. Ru doping is found to enhance the ferromagnetism and metallicity of the system in a remarkable way. The magnetoresistance (MR) values obtained are very high and about 40% even at 260 K for the undoped sample.     

Magnetic,magnetoelectric and dielectric behavior of CoFe2O4–Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 particulate and layered composites

Magnetic, magnetoelectric and dielectric properties of multiferroic CoFe₂O₄–Pb(Fe_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃ composites prepared as bulk ceramics were compared with those of tape cast and cofired laminates consisting of alternate ferrite and relaxor layers. X-ray diffraction analysis and Scanning Electron Microscope observations of ceramic samples revealed two-phase composition and fine grained microstructure with uniformly distributed ferrite and relaxor phases. High and broad maxima of dielectric permittivity attributed to dielectric relaxation were found for ceramic samples measured in a temperature range from −55 to 500 °C at frequencies 10 Hz–2 MHz. Magnetic hysteresis, zero-field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) curves, and dependencies of magnetization on temperature for both magnetoelectric composites were measured with a vibrating sample magnetometer in an applied magnetic field up to 80 kOe at 4–400 K. The hysteresis loops obtained for composites are typical of a mixture of the hard magnetic material with a significant amount of the paramagnet. The bifurcation of ZFC–FC magnetizations observed for both composites implies spin-glass behavior. Magnetoelectric properties at room temperature were investigated as a function of dc magnetic field (0.3–7.2 kOe) and frequency (10 Hz–10 kHz) of ac magnetic field. Both types of composites exhibit a distinct magnetoelectric effect. Maximum values of magnetoelectric coefficient attained for the layered composites exceed 200 mV/(cm Oe) and are almost three times higher than those for particulate composites.     

Anomalous magnetic behavior of CuO nanoparticles

We report studies on temperature, field and time dependence of magnetization on cupric oxide nanoparticles of sizes 9 nm, 13 nm and 16 nm. The nanoparticles show unusual features in comparison to other antiferromagnetic nanoparticle systems. The field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) magnetization curves bifurcate well above the Néel temperature and the usual peak in the ZFC magnetization curve is absent. The system does not show any memory effects which is in sharp contrast to the usual behavior shown by other antiferromagnetic nanoparticles. It turns out that the non-equilibrium behavior of CuO nanoparticles is very strange and is neither superparamagnetic nor spin glass like.     

Influence of dipolar interaction on magnetic properties of ultrafine ferromagnetic particles

We use Monte Carlo simulations to study the influence of dipolar interaction and polydispersity on the magnetic properties of single-domain ultrafine ferromagnetic particles. From the zero field cooling (ZFC)/field cooling (FC) simulations we observe that the blocking temperature T(B) clearly increases with increasing strength of interaction, but it is almost not effected by a broadening of the distribution of particle sizes. While the dependence of the ZFC/FC curves on interaction and cooling rate are reminiscent of a spin glass transition at T(B), the relaxational behavior of the magnetic moments below T(B) is not in accordance with the picture of cooperative freezing.     

Magnetic susceptibility curves of a nanoparticle assembly, I: Theoretical model and analytical expressions for a single magnetic anisotropy energy

We study a model system made of non-interacting monodomain ferromagnetic nanoparticles, considered as macrospins, with a randomly oriented uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. We derive a simple differential equation governing the magnetic moment evolution in an experimental magnetic susceptibility measurement, at low field and as a function of temperature, following the well-known Zero-Field Cooled/Field Cooled (ZFC/FC) protocol. Exact and approximate analytical solutions are obtained, together for the ZFC curve and the FC curve. The notion of blocking temperature is discussed and the influence of various parameters on the curves is investigated. A crossover temperature is defined and a comparison is made between our progressive crossover model (PCM) and the crude “two states” or abrupt transition model (ATM), where the particles are assumed to be either fully blocked or purely superparamagnetic. We consider here the case of a single magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE), which is a prerequisite before considering the more realistic and experimentally relevant case of an assembly of particles with a MAE distribution (cf. part II that follows).     

Thermomagnetic hysteresis and electrical transport in amorphous films

We report resistivity and magnetization measurements on an amorphous Ni₇₄Mn₂₄Pt₂ thin film in the temperature range of 3–300 K. Two significant features are apparent in both the magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity. A low-temperature (low-T) anomaly is observed at about 40 K, where a cusp appears in the resistivity, while a concomitant step-like increase in zero-field-cooled (ZFC) magnetization (M) appears with increasing temperature. The low-T anomaly is attributed to a crossover from a pure re-entrant spin-glass within individual domains to a mixed ferro-spin-glass regime at lower temperatures. By contrast, the high-temperature (high-T) anomaly, signaled by the appearance of hysteresis below 250 K, corresponds to the freezing of transverse spins in individual domains acting independently. Between the low-T and high-T anomalies a small but discernable magnetic hysteresis is observed for warming vs. cooling in the field-cooled (FC) case. This behavior clearly indicates the presence of domain structure in the sample, while the disappearance of this hysteresis at lower temperatures indicates the complete freezing of the spin orientation of these domains. According to these results, we have divided the magnetic state of this sample into three regions: at temperatures above 250 K, the sample behaves like a soft ferromagnet, exhibiting M vs. H loops with very small hysteresis (less than 5 Oe). As the temperature is lowered into the intermediate region (the range 40–250 K), spins become frozen randomly and progressively within the individual domains. These domains behave independently, rather than as a cooperative behavior of the sample. Weak irreversibility sets in, indicating the onset of transverse spin freezing within the domains. At temperatures below 40 K, the M vs. H loops exhibit larger hysteresis, for both the ZFC and FC cases, as in a pure spin-glass. We have also demonstrated giant noise in the resistivity at temperatures just below 250 K. Such noise can originate from fluctuations of the domains near the film surface because of competing effective bulk and surface anisotropy fields. The large observed amplitude may be explained by means of a large ferromagnetic anisotropy in the resistivity due to the large spin–orbit effect seen in NiMn systems. Finally, the low-T peak in the resistivity has been analyzed using Fisher and Langer's expression based on the Friedel Model proposed for critical transitions in transition metals (s–d systems). The fitted results are in satisfactory agreement with the predictions of this model.     

Physical and chemical properties of nanoscale magnetite-based solvent extractant

Nanoscale magnetite bearing magnetic carrier with an adsorbed layer of dibenzo-18-crown-6 was evaluated for removing radionuclides from nuclear waste solutions using magnetically assisted separation method. TEM results indicate that the average size of the base magnetite particles is ∼19 nm. The results of Mössbauer spectroscopy and field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) magnetization confirm the superparamagnetic behaviour of the magnetite particles in the polymer beads at room temperature and hence meet the requirement of magnetic filter regeneration capability.     

Equilibrium magnetic properties of dipolar interacting ferromagnetic nanoparticles

We use Monte Carlo simulations to study the influence of dipolar interaction on the equilibrium magnetic properties of monodisperse single-domain ferromagnetic nanoparticles. Low field magnetizations simulated in zero field cooling (ZFC)/field cooling (FC) procedures and field-dependent magnetization curves above the blocking temperatures show strong dependence on the concentration and the spatial arrangement (cubic or random) of the magnetic particles. The field-dependent magnetizations can not be simply described by the T^* model at relative low temperatures due to the interplay between anisotropy and dipolar interactions, as well as the spatial arrangement effect.     

Non-equilibrium effects in the magnetic behavior of Co3O4 nanoparticles

We report detailed studies of the non-equilibrium magnetic behavior of antiferromagnetic Co₃O₄ nanoparticles. The temperature and field dependence of magnetization, wait time dependence of magnetic relaxation (aging), memory effects, and temperature dependence of specific heat have been investigated to understand the magnetic behavior of these particles. We find that the system shows some features that are characteristic of nanoparticle magnetism such as bifurcation of field-cooled (FC) and zero-field-cooled (ZFC) susceptibilities and a slow relaxation of magnetization. However, strangely, the temperature at which the ZFC magnetization peaks coincides with the bifurcation temperature and does not shift on application of magnetic fields up to 1 kOe, unlike most other nanoparticle systems. Aging effects in these particles are negligible in both FC and ZFC protocols, and memory effects are present only in the FC protocol. We show that Co₃O₄ nanoparticles constitute a unique antiferromagnetic system which enters into a blocked state above the average Néel temperature.     

Magnetic susceptibility curves of a nanoparticle assembly II. Simulation and analysis of ZFC/FC curves in the case of a magnetic anisotropy energy distribution

Starting from the theoretical results established in Tournus and Bonet (2010 [1]) to describe ZFC/FC (zero-field cooled/field cooled) susceptibility curves, we examine the limitations of the widely used two states model (or abrupt transition model) where the magnetic particles are supposed to be either fully blocked or fully superparamagnetic. This crude model appears to be an excellent approximation in most practical cases, i.e. for particle assembly with broad enough size distributions. We improve the usual model by taking into account the temperature sweep existing in experimental measurements. We also discuss a common error made in the use of the two states model. We then investigate the relation between the ZFC peak temperature and the particle anisotropy constant, and underline the strong impact of the size dispersion. Other useful properties of ZFC/FC curves are discussed, such as invariance properties, the reversibility of the FC curve and the link between the susceptibility curves and the magnetic anisotropy distribution. All these considerations lay solid bases for an accurate analysis of experimental magnetic measurements.     

Quantum spin-glass transition in the two-dimensional electron gas

We discuss the possibility of spin-glass order in the vicinity of the unexpected metallic state of the two-dimensional electron gas in zero applied magnetic field. An average ferromagnetic moment may also be present, and the spin-glass order then resides in the plane orthogonal to the ferromagnetic moment. We argue that a quantum transition involving the destruction of the spinglass order in an applied in-plane magnetic field offers a natural explanation of some features of recent magnetoconductance measurements. We present a quantum field theory for such a transition and compute its mean field properties.     

Field cooled and zero field cooled 207Pb NMR of the relaxor ferroelectric PMN

A 2.8 kV/cm electric field has been applied parallel to the external magnetic field along the [111] direction of a PMN single crystal and the 207Pb NMR spectra were measured at 9.1 T. Whereas the zero field cooled (ZFC) spectrum exhibits a Gaussian-like line shape, the FC spectrum clearly shows a two peak structure. One of the two peaks coincides with the ZFC spectrum. The other peak is shifted by about 100 kHz towards lower frequencies with respect to the ZFC peak and seems to be characteristic for the ferroelectric state. The ferroelectric shift agrees with the predictions of the spherical random bond-random field model.     

Exchange bias in bulk layered hydroxylammonium fluorocobaltate (NH?OH)?CoF?

The magnetic properties of layered hydroxylammonium fluorocobaltate (NH(3)OH)(2)CoF(4) were investigated by measuring its dc magnetic susceptibility in zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) regimes, its frequency dependent ac susceptibility, its isothermal magnetization curves after ZFC and FC regimes, and its heat capacity. Effects of pressure and magnetic field on magnetic phase transitions were studied by susceptibility and heat capacity measurements, respectively. The system undergoes a magnetic phase transition from a paramagnetic state to a canted antiferromagnetic state exhibiting a weak ferromagnetic behavior at T(C) = 46.5 K and an antiferromagnetic transition at T(N) = 2.9 K. The most spectacular manifestation of the complex magnetic behavior in this system is a shift of the isothermal magnetization hysteresis loop in a temperature range below 20 K after the FC regime-an exchange bias phenomenon. We investigated the exchange bias as a function of the magnetic field during cooling and as a function of temperature. The observed exchange bias was attributed to the large exchange anisotropy which exists due to the quasi-2D structure of the layered (NH(3)OH)(2)CoF(4) material.