Magnetic properties of Nd5Ge3 studied by neutron diffraction and magnetic measurements

Nd₅Ge₃ crystallizes in the hexagonal, Mn₅Si₃ type structure and orders antiferromagnetically at (52±2) K with a collinear double sheet structure fro the Nd atoms at the 6 (g) position and a canted structure for the 4(d) atoms. The main axis of antiferromagnetism is parallel to the c direction. The ordered saturation moments for both Nd positions (1.39 and 1.34μ_B, respectively) are below the free ion value gJ = 3.27 μ_B, due to crystal field effects. At temperatures below about 20 K a comparatively strong ferromagnetic component can be induced by means of an external field. From the constricted shape of the hysteresis loop it is derived that the corresponding spin flop transition is stronly hysteretic in character.     

Rapid anisotropic diffusion of lithium in electrochromic thin films based on the hexagonal tungsten bronze structure

The chemical diffusion coefficient of lithium in oxidized potassium hexatungstate and reduced hexagonal potassium tungsten bronze films was measured by the galvanostatic transient method. Two-dimensional anisotropic diffusion was found in the hexagonal hexatungstates, while no appreciable anisotropy was observed in samples with the potassium hexagonal tungsten bronze structure. The chemical diffusion coefficients along the c-axis in thin films of the tungstates K_0.33WO_3.165 and K_0.3WO_3.15 (about 6000 Å thick) are about 10^?10 cm²/s, while those along the a-axis are about 10^?7 cm²/s. This latter value is about the same to those measured in a potassium hexagonal tungsten bronze single crystal of composition K_0.28WO₃ which was grown electrochemically. It is most likely that the presence of the additional oxygen atoms in the tunnels within the hexatungstate structure is responsible for the large decrease in the rate of motion of lithium along the c-axis that leads to the anisotropy in the macroscopic diffusion coefficient in this crystal structure.     

Anomalies in the temperature dependence of the critical field in antiferromagnetic single crystal dysprosium

An intensive study of the temperature variation of the critical field, H_c, in antiferromagnetic dysprosium, reveals small, abrupt changes in the value of H_c at particular temperatures between the Néel temperature, T_N, and Curie temperature T_c. These measurements made on two single crystals of different quality, show that anomalies occur at ≈99, 114, 127, 131, 138, 146 and 153 K, and the jump in the critical field is ≈ 10^-2 T on each occasion. The anomalies are attributed to a distortion of the helical antiferromagnetic structure whenever the periodicity of the helix is commensurate with that of the hexagonal crystal lattice. Accompanying changes in the helical turn angle, Δω, are estimated and found to increase as the temperature approaches T_c.     

Sinusoidal incommensurate structure in spiral antiferromagnets

It is shown, that in hexagonal antiferromagnets, the form of incommensurate structure depends on the ratio of dipole-dipole energy to the anisotropic interaction energy at fixed values of exchange constants. In CsCuCl₃-type compounds, in which the spiral magnetic structure realizes along the c-axis and 120° structure - in the c-plane, there appears a new sinusoidal phase in the external field H>H_c, where H_c is a critical field. Thus, in result, two modulated structures form at intermediate temperatures.     

Structural,electronic and magnetic properties of the linear chain compounds CsMI3 (M = V, Cr, Mn) from 129I mössbauer spectroscopy

The crystal structures of the compounds CsVI₃ and CsMnI₃ belong to the space group P6₃/mmc. CsCrI₃ undergoes at 165 K a crystal phase transition from a hexagonal to an orthorhombic structure. The three-dimensional magnetic structure of CsMnI₃ consists of an arrangement of Mn moments parallel to the hexagonal c-axis and coupled antiferromagnetically within the chain. The electronic charge and spin densities in the iodine valence orbitals are deduced from an analysis of the hyperfine interaction parameters measured at the ¹²⁹I nucleus in CsVI₃, CsMnI₃ and CsCrI₃     

Sign reversal of the magnetoplastic effect in C60 single crystals during the sc-fcc phase transition

It is found that the magnetoplastic effect in C₆₀ single crystals in a pulsed magnetic field with induction larger than 10 T changes its sign in the vicinity of the phase transition at T _c =250–260 K: crystal strengthening is observed for T<T _c , and softening occurs for T>T _c . This indicates a change in the crystal lattice structure in the magnetic field.     

Ferromagnetism and spin reorientation in Sm12Fe14Al5

The single crystal of the new ternary compound Sm₁₂Fe₁₄Al₅ was grown and its crystallographic and magnetic properties were investigated. Sm₁₂Fe₁₄Al₅ has a hexagonal structure of the space group p-3m1 and shows ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature of 245 K. The easy direction of magnetization is parallel to the c-axis at temperatures between 245 and 85 K; however, it changes to the c-plane below 85 K through a first-order-like phase transition. No saturation is observed in the magnetization curve even under the applied field of 55 kOe at 5 K. Sm₁₂Fe₁₄Al₅ seems to have a large coercive field at very low temperatures. The anisotropy field was estimated at 5 and 120 K and the saturation magnetization of low temperature phase is explained assuming a ferromagnetic coupling between Fe and Sm sublattices.     

Jahn-Teller phase transitions in TbcGd1−cVO4

The temperatures at which the cooperative Jahn-Teller phase transitions occur in Tb_cGd_1?cVO₄ have been determined from Raman and optical birefringence measurements. Over a narrow range of c there are two transition temperatures; between these temperatures the crystal is distorted, but a higher and lower temperatures the crystal has the same undistorted structure. This unusual behaviour was predicted earlier, and is accurately described by molecular field theory.     

Simultaneous gamma, x-ray, and electron Mössbauer spectroscopy of the volume and surface magnetic structure of hexagonal M-ferrites

Direct comparative studies are made between the magnetic structures of a surface layer of thickness ～40 nm and the bulk magnetic structure of ferromagnetic single crystals of hexagonal M ferrites (BaFe₁₂O₁₉, SrFe₁₂O₁₉, PbFe₁₂O₁₉) with a magneto-plumbite structure. Measurements are made by simultaneous gamma, x-ray, and electron Mössbauer spectroscopy in order to investigate the properties of the surface layer and the bulk crystal simultaneously. Experimental data obtained with a depth resolution of ～ 10 nm show that the orientation of the magnetic moments of the iron ions (along the crystallographic c axis) does not change on approaching the surface from the crystal volume. Thus, to within an experimental error of ～ 10 nm, single crystals of the hexagonal ferrites BaFe₁₂O₁₉, SrFe₁₂O₁₉, and PbFe₁₂O₁₉ with a ferromagnetic structure do not have a “ transition” surface layer whose magnetic structure differs from that of the bulk crystal such as that which exists, with a depth of several hundred nm, in antiferromagnetic materials with weak ferromagnetism.     

Atomic resolution and vortex lattice studies of magnetic superconductors: A first approach in the nickel borocarbide TmNi2B2C

We present new scanning tunneling microscopy measurements in the superconductor TmNi₂B₂C. The topography shows in some areas flat surfaces, where atomic size modulations can be identified. We find a hexagonal vortex lattice between 0.15 T and 1.4 T, when the magnetic field is applied along the basal plane of the tetragonal crystal structure (B⊥c)$(B\perp c)$, and a hexagonal to square transition around 0.15 T when the field is applied along the c  -axis (B‖c)$(B\Vert c)$. Measured intervortex distance are smaller than expected at high field, due to the internal field being larger than the applied field.     

Effect of pressure and magnetic field on bilayer La1.25Sr1.75Mn2O7 single crystal

We report the temperature dependence of susceptibility for various pressures, magnetic fields and constant magnetic field of 5 T with various pressures on La_2−2xSr_1+2xMn₂O₇ single crystal to understand the effectiveness of pressure and magnetic field in altering the magnetic properties. We find that the Curie temperature, T_c, increases under pressure (dT_c/dP=10.9 K/GPa) and it indicates the enhancement of ferromagnetic phase under pressure up to 2 GPa. The magnetic field dependence of T_c is about 26 K for 3 T. The combined effect of pressure and constant magnetic field (5 T) shows dT_c/dP=11.3 K/GPa and the peak structure is suppressed and broadened. The application of magnetic field of 5 T realizes 3D spin ordered state below T_c at atmospheric pressure. Both peak structure in χ_c and 3D spin ordered state are suppressed, and changes to 2D-like spin ordered state by increase of pressure. These results reveal that the pressure and the magnetic field are more competitive in altering the magnetic properties of bilayer manganite La_1.25Sr_1.75Mn₂O₇ single crystal.     

Anisotropy of Hc2 in Rb0.2WO3

The T_c and H_c2 of hexagonal single crystals Rb_0.2WO₃ were measured. Upper critical field rotation data in the plane perpendicular to the c-axis showed a large anisotropy with a 60° periodicity. Rotation in a plane containing the c-axis showed an even larger anisotropy having 180° symmetry.     

Mössbauer investigations of the surface state of hexagonal ferrites Sr-M near the curie point

The temperature dependence of the parameters of the hyperfine interaction in the surface layers and in the bulk of macroscopic crystals of hexagonal ferrites of the type Sr-M (SrFe₁₂O₁₉) is investigated by the method of simultaneous gamma-, x-ray, and electron Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is shown experimentally that the transition of an ≈ 200 nm thick surface layer of macroscopic ferromagnets to the paramagnetic state occurs at a temperature 3° below the Curie point (T _c) for the bulk of the crystal. It was established that the transition temperatureT _c(L) of a thin layer localized at a depthL from the surface of the crystal increases away from the surface and reaches the valueT _c at the lower (away from the surface) boundary of the so-called “critical” surface layer. A nonuniform state in which the bulk region of the crystal is magnetically ordered while the surface region is disordered is observed nearT _N.     

Anisotropy of the magnetocaloric effect in DyNiAl

We present study of the anisotropic magnetocaloric effect in DyNiAl. This compound crystallizes in the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type structure, orders magnetically below and undergoes a further magnetic phase transition at . The Dy-moments are aligned ferromagnetically along the hexagonal c-axis below T_C, the additional antiferromagnetic component develops within the basal plane below T₁. The magnetocaloric effect was evaluated from the magnetization measurements with field applied along the c-axis and perpendicular to it. Our data reveal a strong anisotropy of the magnetocaloric effect. The large effect occurs for field applied along the c-axis whereas the entropy change is small for the perpendicular field direction.     

A powder neutron diffraction study of the ErCu2Ge2 compound - crystal field

The compound ErCu₂Ge₂ was studied by neutron diffraction. The diffraction diagram of this compound at 170 K agrees with its crystallographic structure. Its diagram at 1.9 K reveals the existence of superlattice lines consistent with a cell doubled in the a and c directions. The erbium magnetic moment (8.0±0.4)μ_B lies on the c-axis. Crystal field calculations on the Er³⁺ site give 7.9μ_B, with easy magnetization axis the c-axis of the crystal. Copper must contribute to the V^m_l crystal field parameters with a charge equal to 0.6⁺.     

Specific heat of EuIn2P2 at high magnetic fields

We have carried out specific heat measurements on EuIn₂P₂ at high magnetic fields perpendicular to the c-axis in the hexagonal crystal structure in order to understand its thermal properties. The temperature dependence of the specific heat exhibits a clear λ-type anomaly due to a magnetic transition at , indicating that the magnetic transition is of second-order. The λ-type anomaly becomes markedly broader with increasing the magnetic field. This remarkable field-dependence is consistent with the results of previous magnetization measurements which suggest that Eu²⁺ magnetic moments align ferromagnetically perpendicular to the c-axis below T_C. In addition, a hump in the specific heat is observed around 7 K, which can be ascribed to the Zeeman splitting of the Eu²⁺ multiplet by internal magnetic fields.     

Magnetic and crystallographic study of Tb0.75Y0.25Co3B2

Tb_0.75Y_0.25Co₃B₂ was studied as a function of temperature by neutron powder diffraction, ac susceptibility and SQUID magnetization measurements. The solid solution, which is of hexagonal symmetry and is paramagnetic at 300 K, undergoes a magnetic Co–Co ordering transition at ∼150 K, and a second magnetic Tb–Tb ordering transition at ∼17 K. The latter induces a spin-reorientation transition, in which the magnetic axis rotates from the c-axis toward the basal plane. The component of the magnetic axis, which is perpendicular to c, leads to a crystal symmetry reduction from hexagonal to monoclinic. The observed magnitude of the magnetic moment of the Tb ion is 1.5 μ_B, unusually small relative to the free ion and parent compound (TbCo₃B₂) values. These magnetic and crystal properties are discussed and compared with what was previously published for the parent compound.     

Magnetic properties of the Nd0.95Dy0.05Fe3(BO3)4 ferroborate with small substitution in the rare-earth element subsystem

The magnetic properties of a substituted Nd_0.95Dy_0.05Fe₃(BO₃)₄ ferroborate single crystal with competing Nd-Fe and Dy-Fe exchange interactions are studied experimentally and theoretically. A spontaneous spin-reorientation transition is detected near T = 4.3 K, and anomalies are observed in the low-temperature magnetization curves along trigonal axis c and in basal plane ab. The measured properties and the detected effects are interpreted in terms of a general theoretical approach, which is based on the molecular field approximation and crystal field calculations for a rare-earth ion. The experimental temperature dependences of the initial magnetic susceptibility in the range 2–300 K, the anomalies in the magnetization curves for B ‖ c and B ⊥ c in fields up to 1.5 T, and the field and temperature dependences of magnetization in fields up to 9 T are described. The effect of small substitution in the rare-earth subsystem on the magnetic properties is analyzed. The crystal field parameters and the parameters of the R-Fe and Fe-Fe exchange interactions are determined from the experimental data.     

Hexagonal spin structure of A-phase in MnSi: Densely packed skyrmion quasiparticles or two-dimensionally modulated spin superlattice?

We have studied in detail the A-phase region in the field-temperature (H-T) phase diagram of the cubic heli-magnet MnSi using small angle neutron diffraction. The A-phase revealed itself as a two-dimensional hexagonal pattern of Bragg spots with k _{h(1, 2, 3)} ⊥ H. The directions and magnitudes of the wave vectors k _{h(1, 2, 3)} are well preserved over the whole crystal of the size of 100 mm³, but in the small room of the (H-T) phase diagram just below T _c = 29 K. The droplets of the orientationally disordered, presumably hexagonal, spin structure with k _h ⊥ H are observed in the wide range beyond the A-phase boundaries in the field range from B _T1 ≈ 0.1 T to B _T2 ≈ 0.25 T at temperatures down to 15 K. No melting of these droplets into individual randomly located skyrmions is observed for all temperatures and magnetic fields. The wave vector of two-dimensional modulations k _h is equal to the wave vector of the cone phase k _c . We conclude that observable is a two dimensionally modulated hexagonal spin superlattice built on the same competition of interactions (ferromagnetic exchange and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions) similar to a case of one-dimensionally modulated simple spin spiral.     

Two-dimensional spin ordering in YFe2O4

A neutron diffraction study was performed on a single crystal of a new compound YFe₂O₄ below its Néel point. In a slightly oxygen deficient crystal, the elastic magnetic scattering takes the form of Bragg line along the c axis at $\text{(}\text{n}\text{3}\text{,}\text{n}\text{3}\text{, l) (n ≠ 3m)}$ in the hexagonal lattice. This fact indicates the two-dimensional long range order of a commensurate sinusoidal spin structure.