Magnetic phase transitions of antiperovskite Mn3−xFexSnC (0.5≤x≤1.3)

The magnetization and electrical resistivity of Mn_3−xFe_xSnC (0.5≤x≤1.3) were measured to investigate the behavior of the complicated magnetic phase transitions and electronic transport properties from 5 to 300 K. The results obtained demonstrate that Fe doping at the Mn sites of Mn₃SnC induces a more complicated magnetic phase transition than that in its parent phase Mn₃SnC from a paramagnetic (PM) state to a ferrimagnetic (FI) state consisting of antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM) components, while, with the change of Fe-doped content and magnetic field, there is a competition between the AFM component and FM component in the FI state. Both the Curie temperature (T_C) and the saturated magnetization M_s increase with increasing x. The FM component region becomes broader with further increasing Fe-doped content x. The external magnetic field easily creates a saturated FM state (and increased T_C) when . Fe doping quenches the negative thermal expansion (NTE) behavior from 200 to 250 K reported in Mn₃SnC.     

Metamagnetism near <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis><Subscript>C</Subscript> in Mn-substituted chalcopyrite Cd<Subscript>0.90</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>0.10</Subscript>GeAs<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The magnetic and electric properties of a Cd_0.90Mn_0.10GeAs₂ solid solution with the chalcopyrite structure have been investigated in wide temperature and field ranges. It has been found that a metamagnetic transition from a low-magnetization state to a high-magnetization one is initiated in Cd_0.90Mn_0.10GeAs₂ near the magnetic ordering temperature. This transition is accompanied by the hysteresis of magnetic properties. An external magnetic field at temperatures above T _C also induces the metamagnetic transition. When the temperature increases above T _C, the magnetization jump decreases, whereas fields inducing the metamagnetic transition increase. The band character of magnetism and metamagnetism in the effective magnetic field is assumed on the basis of the behavior of magnetization in the metamagnetic transition and analysis of the band structure of the solid solution of cadmium-germanium diarsenide with manganese.     

Magnetic dynamics of charge ordered Nd0.80Na0.20MnO3 compound

The magnetic dynamics of charge ordered Nd_0.8Na_0.2MnO₃ compound was studied by measuring the temperature variation of magnetization for different magnetic fields up to 7 T and, the field variation of magnetization at different temperatures down to 5 K. This sample exhibits a charge-ordering transition at 180 K, followed by a weak ferromagnetic (FM) transition at around 100 K and a spin glass like transition below 40 K. Suppression of charge-ordering and spin glass like transition and increase in FM T_C were observed with an increase in magnetic field. A reversible metamagnetic transition above a threshold field (H_f) of 4.5 T was observed at 130 K, followed by a saturation magnetization of 3.2 μ_B/f.u. However at 5 K, an irreversible field induced first order phase transition from charge ordered state to FM state was observed at H_f=5 T. For comparison, the temperature and field variations of magnetization were studied on a FM compound from the same series with the composition Nd_0.90Na_0.10MnO₃. A clear FM transition with a T_C of 113 K and a saturation magnetization of 4.3 μ_B/f.u was observed.     

Metamagnetic transition and magnetocaloric effect in antiferromagnetic TbPdAl compound

Magnetic properties and the magnetocaloric effect of the compound TbPdAl are investigated. The compound exhibits a weak antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling, and undergoes two successive AFM transitions at T_N=43 K and T_t=22 K. A field-induced metamagnetic transition from AFM to ferromagnetic (FM) state is observed below T_N, and a small magnetic field can destroy the AFM structure of TbPdAl, inducing an FM-like state. The maximal value of magnetic entropy change is −11.4 J/kg K with a refrigerant capacity of 350 J/kg around T_N for a field change of 0-5 T. Good magnetocaloric properties of TbPdAl result from the high saturation magnetization caused by the field-induced AFM-FM transition.     

Magnetostriction and magnetization measurements on a DyNi2B2C single crystal in a magnetic field

In order to investigate the interactions between lattice properties, magnetic ordering and superconductivity of DyNi₂B₂C, thermal expansion, magnetostriction and magnetization measurements were performed for T=2–15 K and for μ₀H=0–3 T on a single crystal in the crystallographic [1 1 0] direction. A magnetic phase diagram is derived that shows two phases (AF1 and AF2) in the narrow region between the zero-field antiferromagnetic AF and the induced ferromagnetic state FM. Moreover, it is characterized by a large-field hysteresis. This behaviour can be described by a two domain magnetic state. The metamagnetic structure AF1 with about a quarter of the saturated magnetization is responsible for suppressing the superconductivity in DyNi₂B₂C because of its ferromagnetic component.     

Magnetic phase transitions in Nd<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Ca<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> manganites

The magnetic properties of manganites of the Nd_1?xCa_xMnO₃ system with x≤0.15 have been studied. It is shown that, in the 0.06≤x≤0.1 interval, the results can be interpreted using a model according to which the concentrational transition from a weakly ferromagnetic (WFM) state (x=0) to a ferromagnetic (FM) state (x>0.15) proceeds via a mixture of the exchange-coupled FM and WFM phases. In the vicinity of T=9 K, samples with 0.06≤x≤0.1 exhibit a spontaneous magnetic phase transition involving reorientation of the magnetization vectors of the WFM and the exchange-coupled FM phases. In the temperature interval between 5 and 20 K, a sample with the composition Nd^0.92Ca^0.08MnO^2.98 exhibits metamagnetic behavior. Magnetic phase diagrams in the H?T and T?x coordinates are presented. The appearance of the spin-reorientation transitions is explained in terms of the magnetic analog of the Jahn-Teller effect with allowance for the fact that, according to the neutron diffraction data, the magnetic moments of neodymium ions in the FM phase are parallel to the magnetic moments of manganese ions.     

Effects of divalent alkaline earth ions on the magnetic and transport features of La0.65A0.35Mn0.95Fe0.05O3 (A = Ca, Sr, Pb, Ba) compounds

We have studied the magnetic and transport properties of Fe doped La_0.65A_0.35Mn_0.95Fe_0.05O₃ (A = Ca, Sr, Pb, Ba) manganites. All the compositions show ferromagnetic/metal to paramagnetic/insulator transition (T_C) except the Pb doped sample which is insulating and ferromagnetic (FM) in the entire temperature range. The magnetization and T_C are decreased by decreasing the cation size on La site. The transition temperature and magnetic moment at 77 K is a maximum for Sr doped sample and is decreasing if we increase or decrease the cation size from Sr size. The maximum value of T_C and magnetic moment for Sr based sample is most likely due to the closer ionic sizes of La and Sr as compared to the other dopants (Ca, Pb, and Ba). We observed a spin freezing type effect in the Pb doped sample below 120 K in resistivity, ac susceptibility and in magnetization. This suggests that the AFM interactions introduced by the Fe are most effective in the Pb doped composition leading to increased competition between the FM and AFM interactions. This FM and AFM interaction generates some degree of frustration leading to the appearance of spin glass like phase whose typical magnetic behavior is studied for small ion when the metallic like behavior is lost.     

Critical behavior near the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition temperature in La0.7Pb0.05Na0.25MnO3

Critical behavior in La_0.7Pb_0.05Na_0.25MnO₃ has been investigated by dc magnetization measurements. Magnetic data indicate that the compound exhibits a continuous (second-order) paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition. Estimates of critical exponents yield δ=4.80±0.01, γ=1.296±0.002 and β=0.344±0.007 (consistent with both the predictions for the three-dimensional-Heisenberg model and with those reported for materials when the FM transition is ascribed to the double exchange (DE) mechanism as a major origin) with T_C=334.54±0.08. The critical exponent γ is slightly inferior than predicted from the 3D Heisenberg model. Such a difference may be due, within the context of the quenched disorder, to the presence of some alterations of short-range magnetic order of FM clusters in the PM phase. The temperature variation in the effective exponent (γ_eff) is similar to those for disordered ferromagnets.     

Magnetocaloric effect in antiferromagnetic Dy3Co compound

Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects (MCEs) of the Dy₃Co compound are studied. Two successive magnetic transitions: the antiferromagnetic (AFM)-to-AFM transition at T _AF =29 K and the AFM-to-paramagnetic (PM) transition with increasing temperature at the Néel temperature T _N =44 K are observed. Dy₃Co undergoes a field-induced metamagnetic transition from the AFM to the ferromagnetic (FM) state below T _N , giving rise to a large MCE. The maximal value of magnetic entropy change ΔS _m is −13.9 J/kg K with a refrigerant capacity (RC) of 498 J/kg around T _N for a field change of 0–5 T. A sign change of MCE in Dy₃Co with magnetic field and temperature is observed near the critical field where the metamagnetic transition occurs.     

Magnetic properties and magnetic structures of Sr3−xCaxRu2O7

We have measured magnetization curves and powder neutron diffraction of double-layered Ruddlesden-Popper type ruthenate Sr_3−xCa_xRu₂O₇ (x=1.5, 2.0 and 3.0). The field dependence of the magnetization revealed that the transition field of metamagnetic transition along the b-axis shifted to lower fields and that the transition became broad with increasing Sr content. The slope of the magnetization curve also increased with increasing Sr content below the metamagnetic transition. These results indicate that an itinerant component is partly introduced by the Sr substitution. From the magnetic reflection, on cooling below T_N, an additional reflection was observed at (0 0 1) for each x, and the amplitude increased with decreasing temperature. The observed diffraction patterns are very similar to those of Ca₃Ru₂O₇. We conclude that the magnetic structure of the antiferromagnetic ordered phase is basically the same structure with that of Ca₃Ru₂O₇.     

Magnetostructural phase transitions in manganese arsenide single crystals

The effect of an external magnetic field with a strength up to 140 kOe on the phase transitions in manganese arsenide single crystals has been investigated. The existence of unstable magnetic and crystal structures at temperatures above the Curie temperature T _C = 308 K has been established. The displacements of manganese and arsenic atoms during the magnetostructural phase transition and the shift in the temperature of the first-order magnetostructural phase transition in a magnetic field have been determined. It has been shown that the magnetocaloric effect in a magnetic field of 140 kOe near the Curie temperature T _C is equal to ??T ?? 13 K. A model of the superparamagnetic state in MnAs above the temperature T _C has been proposed using the data on the magnetic properties and structural transformation in the region of the first-order magnetostructural phase transition. It has been demonstrated that, at temperatures close to T _C, apart from the contribution to the change in the entropy from the change in the magnetization there is a significant contribution from the transformation of the crystal lattice due to the magnetostructural phase transition.     

Magnetization anomaly in metamagnetic superconductors

The magnetization in the tetragonal c-plane was measured below T_N using a single crystal of bct ErRh₄B₄. The magnetization decreases with increasing magnetic field in a field range just below the metamagnetic transition. This magnetization anomaly is explained by the fact that the entrance of the vortices is suppressed by an increase of the vortex core energy due to the precursor metamagnetic transition in the core around metamagnetic transition field.     

Second-order phase transition with coexistence of short-range and long-range ferromagnetic interactions in Ba1.7La0.3FeMoO6 compound

In this work, the magnetic properties and critical behavior around ferromagnetic–paramagnetic (FM–PM) phase transition in Ba_1.7La_0.3FeMoO₆ compound have been investigated in detail. This compound exhibits a second-order magnetic phase transition with Curie temperature T_C = 345 K. The critical exponents β, γ, and δ that are determined by using the modified Arrott plots (MAP), the Kouvel–Fisher (KF) and the critical isotherm analysis agree very well. Our results indicate a coexistence of short-range and long-range ferromagnetic (FM) interactions in Ba_1.7La_0.3FeMoO₆ compound. The existence of long-range FM interactions in this compound can be associated with the crystal structure of materials with long-range Fe/Mo ordering parameter and strength of double-exchange interaction, whereas the existence of the short-range FM interactions can be explained by magnetic inhomogeneity and FM clusters.     

Observation of mixed-phase behavior in the Mn-doped cobaltite La0.7Sr0.3Co1−xMnxO3 (x=0-0.5)

Studies on La_0.7Sr_0.3Co_1−xMn_xO₃ (x=0-0.5) compounds evidence that the interaction between Mn and Co ions in this system is antiferromagnetic super-exchange and not ferromagnetic (FM) double-exchange (DE). As a result, antiferromagnetism and magnetic glassiness develop steadily with increasing Mn content and the system becomes a spin glass at x∼0.1. Analyses of high-field magnetization data indicate that the system consists of two major phases: a metallic FM phase which magnetically saturates in rather low field, and an insulating non-FM phase which has a linear dependence of magnetization on magnetic field. In the low doping regime, the fraction of the non-FM component expands with temperature at the expense of the FM phase and becomes maximal at T_C. Ferromagnetism reappears in highly doped (x≥0.2) compounds due to the presence of DE interaction between the Mn ions. The small volume fraction of the FM phase derived from the M(H) data in high-field region supports the coexistence of insulating and FM behaviors in the highly doped samples.     

Specific character of metamagnetic transitions in Fe2P

Temperature and field dependences of magnetization in the fields directed along the easy axis of magnetization are studied on Fe₂P single crystals under pressure. It is shown that the first-order magnetic transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism (FM-PM) usually observed in sufficiently strong fields can be resolved into two sequential transitions in weak fields (H ? 600 Oe): 1) from the PM state to the intermediate metamagnetic phase and 2) transition to the low-temperature magnetic phase. The temperatures of these transitions undergo a specific evolution under pressure. A theoretical model, in which the characteristic features of magnetic behaviour of Fe₂P are associated with the successive additional ordering of magnetic components of its composition, is proposed.     

Peculiarities of the magnetic,galvanomagnetic, elastic,and magnetoelastic properties of Sm<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Sr<Subscript>x</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> manganites

Manganites of the Sm1?xSr_xMnO₃ system (x=0.33, 0.4, and 0.45) possess giant negative values of the magnetoresistance Δρ/ρ and the volume magnetostriction ω near the Curie temperature T_C. In the compound with x=0.33, the isotherms of Δρ/ρ, ω, and magnetization σ exhibit smooth variation and do not reach saturation up to maximum magnetic field strengths (120 kOe) studied (according to the neutron diffraction data, this substance comprises a ferromagnetic (FM) matrix with distributed clusters of a layered antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure of the A type). In the compounds with x=0.4 and 0.45 containing, besides the FM matrix and A-type AFM phase, a charge-ordered AFM phase of the CE type (thermally stable to higher temperatures as compared to the A-type AFM and the FM phases), the same isotherms measured at T ≥ T_C show a jumplike increase in the interval of field strengths between H_c1 and H_c2 and then reach saturation. In the interval H_c1 > H > H_c2, the σ, ω, and Δρ/ρ values exhibit a metastable behavior. At temperatures above T_C, the anisotropic magnetostriction changes sign, which is indicative of rearrangements in the crystal structure. The giant values of ω and Δρ/ρ observed at T ≥ T_C for all compounds, together with excess (relative to the linear) thermal expansion and a maximum on the ρ(T) curve, are explained by the phenomenon of electron phase separation caused by a strong s-d exchange. The giant values of magnetoresistance and volume magnetostriction (with ω reaching ～10^?3) are attributed to an increase in the volume of the FM phase induced by the applied magnetic field. In the compound with x=0.33, this increase proceeds smoothly as the FM phase grows through the FM layers in the A-type AFM phase. In the compounds with x=0.4 and 0.45, the FM phase volume increases at the expense of the charge-ordered CE-type AFM structure (in which spins of the neighboring manganese ions possess an AFM order). The jumps observed on the σ(H) curves, whereby the magnetization σ reaches ～70% of the value at T=1.5 K, are indicative of a threshold character of the charge-ordered phase transition to the FM state. Thus, the giant values of ω and Δρ/ρ are inherent in the FM state, appearing as a result of the magnetic-field-induced transition of the charge-ordered phase to the FM state, rather than being caused by melting of this phase.     

Metamagnetic phase transitions induced by static and pulsed fields in (Sm0.5Gd0.5)0.55Sr0.45MnO3 ceramics

It has been found that the magnetic susceptibility of (Sm_0.5Gd_0.5)_0.55Sr_0.45MnO₃ ceramic samples in zero external magnetic field exhibits a sharp peak near the temperature of 48.5 K with a small temperature hysteresis that does not depend on the frequency of measurements and is characteristic of the phase transition to an antiferromagnetic state with a long-range charge orbital ordering, which is accompanied by an increase in the magnetic susceptibility with a decrease in the temperature. The magnetization isotherms in static and pulsed magnetic fields at temperatures below 60 K demonstrate the occurrence of an irreversible metamagnetic transition to a homogeneous ferromagnetic state with a critical transition field independent of the measurement temperature, which, apparently, is associated with the destruction of the insulating state with a long-range charge ordering. In the temperature range 60 K ?? T ?? 150 K, the ceramic samples undergo a magnetic-field-induced reversible phase transition to the ferromagnetic state, which is similar to the metamagnetic transition in the low-temperature phase and is caused by the destruction of local charge/orbital correlations. With an increase in the temperature, the critical transition fields increase almost linearly and the field hysteresis disappears. Near the critical fields of magnetic phase transitions, small ultra-narrow magnetization steps have been revealed in pulsed fields with a high rate of change in the magnetic field of ??400 kOe/??s.     

C60 molecular configurations leading to ferromagnetic exchange interactions in TDAE*C60

The charge-transfer salt tetrabis(dimethylamino)ethylene-fullerene (C₆₀), or TDAE*C₆₀, is a rare exception among pure organic crystalline systems, because it shows a transition to a ferromagnetic (FM) state with fully saturated s=1/2 molecular spins at a respectable T _c=16 K. In spite of extensive experimental and theoretical work over the past ten years, the origin of the ferromagnetism in TDAE*C₆₀ has remained a mystery. To resolve this problem, we performed a comparative structural study of two different magnetic forms of TDAE*C₆₀ crystals, one of which is magnetic and the other is nonmagnetic at low temperatures, and fully correlated their structural properties (particularly, the intermolecular orientations) with their magnetic properties. We identified the relative orientation of C₆₀ molecules along the c axis as the primary variable that controls the ferromagnetic order parameter and showed that both FM and low-temperature spin-glass-like ordering are possible in this material, depending on the orientational state of the C₆₀ molecules. Thus, we resolved the apparent contradictions intrinsic to different macroscopic measurements and opened a path to a microscopic understanding of p-electron FM exchange interactions.     

Fine structure of the field-induced magnetic transition in Nd0.1La0.9Fe11.5Al1.5

For the Nd_0.1La_0.9Fe_11.5Al_1.5 compound, the fine structure of the magnetic transition from the ferromagnetic (FM) to the antiferromagnetic (AFM) states has been studied carefully by means of magnetization (M) and heat capacity (C_p) measurements. Although a single phase with the cubic NaZn₁₃-type structure (Fm3c) has been proved by the room temperature X-ray diffraction pattern, the phase transition has been clearly found to be a stepwise process in M(T) and C_p(T) curves under proper fields. Due to the strong competition between the FM order and AFM order, the characteristic is especially evident under low fields, weakens gradually with the increasing applied field and finally vanishes when the field is higher than 2 T. This multi-step magnetic transition results from the inhomogeneity of the sample, probably due to the inhomogeneous distribution of Nd atoms.     

Effect of Cr doping in the bilayer manganite La1.4Sr1.6Mn2O7

The effect of Cr doping on magnetic and electrical properties in the bilayer manganites La_1.4Sr_1.6(Mn_1−yCr_y)₂O₇ (y=0-0.1) has been investigated. When y≤0.025, Cr doping enhances the three-dimensional magnetic transition temperature T_C and the insulator-metal transition temperature T_IM as well as decreases the peak resistivity at T_IM, and the saturated magnetization decreases slightly. When y≥0.035, T_IM decreases gradually accompanied by the increase of peak resistivity, but T_C remains nearly constant, and the saturated magnetization decreases heavily. In the whole doping region, the two-dimensional magnetic transition temperature T^? monotonously decreases with an increasing of Cr doping level. These results can be explained by considering different magnetic (including ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic) interactions between Mn ions and Cr ions.