23Na nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the lattice distortion in α-NaxV2O5

The full temperature dependence of the electric field gradient tensor at the Na sites has been determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the temperature range 8–330 K in α-Na_{x 2}O₅ (x = 0.996). Above the spin-Peierls transition (T _c = 34.7 K), only a single Na site is observed in agreement with the Pmmn space group proposed to describe this compound as the first example of a 1/4-filled ladder system. Below T_c, eight distinct quadrupolar²³Na sites are observed according to the distortion wave vector k_c = (1/2, 1/2, 1/4) previously reported. In addition, the opening of a spin gap is evidenced by a rapid drop of the magnetic hyperfine shift²³K at T_c. The results are discussed in the context of a charge-order-driven spin-Peierls transition.     

Effect of magnetic field on the TC and magnetic properties for the aligned MnBi compound

In the compound MnBi, a first-order transition from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic state can be triggered by an applied magnetic field and the Curie temperature increases nearly linearly with an increase in magnetic field by ∼2 K/T. Under a field of 10 T, T_C increases by 20 and 22 K during heating and cooling, respectively. Under certain conditions a reversible magnetic field or temperature induced transition between the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states can occur. A magnetic and crystallographic H-T phase diagram for MnBi is given. Magnetic properties of MnBi compound aligned in a Bi matrix have been investigated. In the low temperature phase MnBi, a spin-reorientation takes place during which the magnetic moments rotate from being parallel to the c-axis towards the basal plane at ∼90 K. A measuring Dc magnetic field applied parallel to the c-axis of MnBi suppresses partly the spin-reorientation transition. Interestingly, the fabricated magnetic field increases the temperature of spin-reorientation transition T_s and the change in magnetization for MnBi. For the sample solidified under 0.5 T, the change in magnetization is ∼70% and T_s is ∼91 K.     

Anomalous thermal conductivity of single crystal Cu2Te2O5Cl2

A strong increase of the thermal conductivity is observed at the phase transition (T _c=18.2 K) in Cu₂Te₂O₅Cl₂ single crystal. This behavior is compared with that of the spin-Peierls system NaV₂O₅, where a similar experimental observation has been made, and the conventional spin-Peierls system CuGeO₃, where a modest kink in the thermal conductivity curve has been observed. The strong increase of the thermal conductivity atT _c in Cu₂Te₂O₅Cl₂ could be partially attributed to the opening of the energy gap in the magnetic excitation spectrum evident from the magnetic susceptibility measurements. However, the main reason for the anomaly of the thermal conductivity could be explained by a strong spin-lattice coupling in this system, which what is in agreement with the preliminary X-band electron spin resonance measurement.     

Spin-peierls transition in anisotropic Heisenberg chains

We study spin-Peierls transition for anisotropic Heisenberg chains within mean field theory. We find that dimerization occurs in the absence of a magnetic field and when the field is smaller than a critical field H_c. The transition temperature is obtained as a function of anisotropy and magnetic field.     

Superconductivity of Li under pressure

The superconductivity of Li under pressure is studied by a density functional method. Structural and elastic properties, transition temperature (T_c), density of states (DOS), are considered for the material at ambient and at higher pressures. The calculations, particularly of T_c and DOS as a function of pressure, are compared with other available results. This is in view of the wide difference between the previously predicted maximum T_c-value and those observed by both magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity experiments. The present calculations yield better estimates of T_c and other parameters with respect to measured values.     

Magnetic field dependence on transition temperature Tc in cuprate superconductors

We investigate the magnetic field dependence on T_c in the high transition temperature superconductors. It is shown that phonon-enhanced spin fluctuations drive this superconductivity once more suggested by us [Phys. Rev. B 61 (2001) 4289]. We know magnetic field dependence on our transition temperature is in good correspondence with experimental data. It is elucidated that the external field is closely related to the local internal field in order to influence spin fluctuations.     

Nuclear relaxation studies of the spin-Peierls transition

Nuclear relaxation studies of the spin-Peierls transition in TTF-BDT are presented. At low temperature, but above T_c, the results agree in magnitude, frequency dependence and temperature dependence with calculations based on the pseudofermion treatment of the $\text{S =}\text{1}\text{2}$, 1-D Heisenberg antiferromagnet. The sharp decrease in the rate below T_c reflects the continuous opening of a magnetic energy gap at the spin-Peierls transition.     

Ferromagnetism in dilute magnetic semiconductors and new materials for spintronics

Spintronics materials may be classified under concentrated magnetic semiconductors, semimetals and half-metals, semimagnetic semiconductors, and dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS). The nature of ferromagnetism, that occurs in p-type DMS with an increase in the transition metal content, is governed by the proposed kinematic exchange involving the kinetic energy gain of the heavy hole carriers caused by their hybridization with 3d electrons of impurities. The synthesis of DMS (In,Mn)Sb is proposed on the basis of hint at its T_C from kinematic mechanism. The effect of the dimensionality-driven T_C increase is derived for spintronics materials such as delta-doped DMS (DDMS) and DMS heterostructures. The state-of-the-art in the field of synthesis and research of “new” DMS with announced “high T_C” is also outlined with particular attention to chalcopyrite-based systems.     

Effect of the mechanical stretching on the ferroelectric properties of a (VDF/TrFE) (75/25) copolymer film

The transition phase behaviour of a vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (VDF-TrFE) copolymer film was studied after being subjected to different mechanical stretching levels in both longitudinal (L) and transversal (T) directions relatively to the initial extrusion direction. Both ferroelectric-paraelectric (FE-PE) and melting transitions were detected in the films by differential scanning calorimetry, that were not affected by L stretching. This suggests that sliding mechanism along the c-axis of such films during plastic deformation influences slightly the all-trans chain conformations and the CF₂ dipole orientation. On the other hand, the FE-PE peak decreases in area and temperature upon T stretching, indicating a damage of the ferroelectric phase. However, the melting peak maintains unchanged. This fact provides evidence that the mechanical stretching do not change the total degree of crystallinity. The results suggest that the stretching induces a FE-PE phase transformation, without affecting the degree of crystallinity.     

Dependence of superconducting properties of undoped Bi2201 single crystals on conditions of their free growth in gas-filled cavities of a molten salt

High-quality undoped Bi2201 single crystals were obtained by free growth in gas-filled cavities formed in the volume of a KCl melt. The superconducting transition temperature T_c was found to be affected by the crystallization temperature T_cryst and varied from 10 to 2 K as T_cryst increased from 840 to 860 °C. The crystals with the highest T_c both in the underdoped and overdoped states were near the maximum of doping curve.     

NMR and NQR studies on superconducting Sr2RuO4

We review our nuclear-magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear-quadrupole-resonance (NQR) studies in superconducting Sr₂RuO₄, which have been performed in order to investigate the gap structure and the pairing symmetry in the superconducting state and magnetic fluctuations in the normal state. The spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T₁) of a high-quality sample with shows a sharp decrease without a coherence peak just below T_c, followed by a T³ behavior down to 0.15 K. This result indicates that the superconducting gap in pure Sr₂RuO₄ is a highly anisotropic character with a line-node gap. The Knight shift, which is related to the spin susceptibility, is unchanged in the superconducting state irrespective of the direction of the applied fields and various magnitude of the field. This result strongly suggests that the superconducting pairs are in the spin-triplet state, and the spin direction of the triplet pairs is considered to be changed by small fields of several hundred Oe.     

Superparamagnetic FePt nanoparticles as excellent MRI contrast agents

Chemically disordered face-centered cubic (fcc) FePt nanoparticles (NPs) with a mean diameter of 9 nm were synthesized via pyrolysis of iron(III) ethoxide and platinum(II) acetylacetonate. The surface ligands of these NPs were then exchanged from oleic acid to tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH) to measure the longitudinal (T₁) and transverse (T₂) proton relaxation times of aqueous dispersion of FePt NPs. Magnetic resonance relaxometry reveals that TMAOH-capped FePt NPs have a higher T₂-shortening effect than conventional superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs, indicating that fcc-phase FePt NPs might be superior negative contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging.     

The Hubbard model and pressure effects of YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductors

We apply a mean field approach to the extended Hubbard model on a square lattice to the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ family of superconductors under pressure. The parameters of the tight-binding band are taken from experiments, and the coupling strength U and V are estimated by the zero pressure phase diagram (T_c×n_h). This scheme yields the non-trivial dependence of the superconductor critical temperature T_c as a function of the hole concentration n_h in the CuO₂ plane. With the assumption that the pressure P modifies the potential V and the on-plane hole content n_h, we can distinguish the charge transfer and the intrinsic contribution to T_c(P). We show that the changes on T_c(P) for the YBa₂Cu₃O₇ optimally doped compound at low pressures are almost entirely due to the intrinsic term.     

Spin-peierls systems in magnetic field: Phase transition from dimerized to soliton lattice state

The phase diagram for the spin-Peierls system in high magnetic field is studied. The line of transition from dimerized (D) to soliton lattice (SL) phase is found, and it is shown that the SL phase is stable in fields h;h_c. Magnetization vs h is calculated as well as the sound velocity u_s of the domain walls oscillations. The possible experimental verification of the proposed theory is discussed also.     

NMR observation of critical dynamics in the (TMTSF)2PF6 organic superconductor

We have studied the organic superconductor (TMTSF)₂PF₆ using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance. The spin-lattice (T₁) and the spin-spin relaxation time (T₂) measurements manifested a divergence associated with a structural phase transition at 160 K.     

Thermomagnetic transitions and coercivity mechanism in bulk composite Nd60Fe30Al10 alloys

The thermomagnetic behaviour (within the temperature range 553-300 K) for the bulk composite Nd₆₀Fe₃₀Al₁₀ alloy is described in terms of a transition from paramagnetic to superferromagnetic state at T=553 K, followed by a ferromagnetic ordering for T<473 K. For the superferromagnetic regime, the alloy thermomagnetic response was associated to a homogeneous distribution of magnetic clusters with mean magnetic moment and size of 1072 μ_B and 2.5 nm, respectively. For T<473 K, a pinning model of domain walls described properly the alloy coercivity dependence with temperature, from which the domain wall width and the magnetic anisotropy constant were estimated as being of ≈8 nm and ≈10⁵ J/m³, typical values of hard magnetic phases. Results are supported by microstructural and magnetic domain observations.     

Crystal growth, structure and ferromagnetic properties of a Ce3Pt23Si11 single crystal

A high-quality single crystal of Ce₃Pt₂₃Si₁₁ has been grown using the Czochralski method. The crystal structure is presented and the chemical composition has been checked using an electron microprobe analyzer. Measurements of the electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility performed at low temperature show a ferromagnetic transition at T_c=0.44 K.     

A simple theory of 40 K superconductivity in MgB2: first-principles calculations of Tc, its dependence on boron mass and pressure

We have studied the superconducting properties of MgB₂ from first-principles under isotropic, uniaxial, and biaxial compressions. We find that the in-plane boron phonons near the zone-center are very anharmonic and strongly coupled to the planar B σ bands near the Fermi level. This mode is found to be the key to quantitatively explain the observed high T_c, the total isotope effect and the pressure dependence of T_c. We propose that a stringent test on the hole and phonon based theories of the superconductivity in MgB₂ would be a measurement of the biaxial ab-compression dependence of T_c.     

Enhanced ferromagnetic transition temperature in nanocrystalline lanthanum calcium manganese oxide (La0.67Ca0.33MnO3)

We report a novel, low temperature (450-600 °C) route for the synthesis of highly crystalline and homogeneous nanoparticles of lanthanum calcium manganese oxide La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ (LCMO). The nanocrystallites, with average particle size of 30 nm, possess a ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition temperature (T_c) of 300 K, which is about 50 K higher than that of a bulk single crystal. The transition temperature was found to be inversely proportional to the particle size. The Rietveld analysis of the powder X-ray diffraction data of the phase-pure nanopowders reveals that the particle size reduction leads to a significant contraction of the unit cell volume and a reduction of the unit cell anisotropy. We propose that these two lattice effects are responsible for the observed enhancement in T_c.     

Doping and temperature dependence of inversion symmetry breaking in La2−xSrxCuO4

The doping dependence of the Raman spectra of high quality La_2−xSr_xCu^16,18O₄ polycrystalline compounds has been investigated at low temperatures. It is shown that symmetry forbidden bands peaked at ∼150 cm⁻¹, ∼280 cm⁻¹, and ∼370 cm⁻¹ are activated in the (xx/yy) polarization Raman spectra due to the local breaking of the inversion symmetry mainly at low temperatures and for doping concentrations for which the compound is superconducting. The apparent A₁-character of the activated modes in the symmetry reduced phase indicates a reduction from the D_2h to C_2v or D₂ crystal symmetries, which associates the observed modes to specific IR-active phonons with eigenvectors mainly along the c-axis. The temperature and doping dependence of this inversion symmetry breaking and the superconducting transition temperature are very similar, though the symmetry reduction occurs at significantly higher temperatures.