Anomalous influence of spin fluctuations on the heat capacity and entropy in a strongly correlated helical ferromagnet MnSi

The influence of spin fluctuations on the thermodynamic properties of a helical ferromagnet MnSi has been investigated in the framework of the Hubbard model with the electronic spectrum determined from the first-principles LDA + U + SO calculation, which is extended taking into account the Hund coupling and the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya antisymmetric exchange. It has been shown that the ground state of the magnetic material is characterized by large zero-point fluctuations, which disappear at the temperature T* (<T _c is the temperature of the magnetic phase transition). In this case, the entropy abruptly increases, and a lambdashaped anomaly appears in the temperature dependence of the heat capacity at constant volume (C _V (T)). In the temperature range T* < T < T _c , thermal fluctuations lead to the disappearance of the inhomogeneous magnetization. The competition between the increase in the entropy due to paramagnon excitations and its decrease as a result of the reduction in the amplitude of local magnetic moments, under the conditions of strong Hund exchange, is responsible for in the appearance of a “shoulder” in the dependence C _V (T)).     

Partial magnetic order in the itinerant-electron magnet MnSi

MnSi is an itinerant ferromagnet with a long-wavelength helical modulation of the spin structure. Macroscopic measurements suggest that the ordering temperatureT _c is reduced with increasing pressure fromT _c = 30 K atp = 0 to zero at the critical pressurep _c = 14.6 kbar. Resistivity measurements show that MnSi enters a non-Fermi liquid state atp _c, which remains to be understood. Neutron scattering techniques have been used to investigate the magnetic structure at and abovep _c, i.e. triple-axis spectrometry and small angle neutron scattering. Surprisingly, sizeable quasi-static moments were found to survive to pressures considerably abovep _c. They are, however, organized in a highly unusual way such that the magnetic Bragg reflections are sharp in the longitudinal direction but are very broad in the transverse direction, implying a partial magnetic order that was never seen before.     

Precursor state of skyrmions in MnSi: a heat capacity study

The magnetic phase diagram of MnSi based on the detailed magneto‐heat capacity study is presented. It shows the A‐phase, a precursor to the formation of stable skyrmion lattice, along with the intermediate, helical, conical, ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases. The field isotherms of specific heat in and around the transition temperature reveal the different magnetic modulations. The local minima represent the relatively low entropy state due to the formation of A‐phase as a precursor to the stable skyrmion lattice. The field‐induced second‐order phase transition is observed by melting the intermediate phase. The region of existence of first‐order phase transition is found to be, effectively, from helical to the intermediate phase. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Magnetic blue phase in the chiral itinerant magnet MnSi

Chiral nematic liquid crystals sometimes form blue phases characterized by spirals twisting in different directions. By combining model calculations with neutron-scattering experiments, we show that the magnetic analogue of blue phases does form in the chiral itinerant magnet MnSi in a large part of the phase diagram. The properties of this blue phase explain a number of previously reported puzzling features of MnSi such as partial magnetic order and a two-component specific-heat and thermal-expansion anomaly at the magnetic transition.     

Electronic structure and spin fluctuations in the helical ferromagnet MnSi

The influence of spin fluctuations on the magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic helimagnet MnSi has been studied in the Hubbard model taking into account the antisymmetric relativistic Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction for band electrons. The obtained equations of the magnetic state indicate the correlation between the fine structure of the density of electronic states and the magnetization and coefficient of mode–mode coupling. It has been shown that the position of the Fermi energy in the immediate proximity on the point of the local minimum of the density of electronic states leads to large zero spin fluctuations at low magnetization of the helimagnet. When approaching from down the Néel point (approximately, at 0.9T_N), the zero fluctuation disappear, and the temperature rise of thermal spin fluctuation is accompanied by the change in the sign of the coefficient of mode–mode coupling. A magnetic field perpendicular to the helicoids plane brings about the formation and subsequent “collapse” of the helimagnetic cone. However, the condition of the change in the sign of the coefficient of mode–mode coupling divides the MnSi phase diagram into two parts, one of which corresponds to the ferromagnetic state induced by the field, and the other corresponding to the paramagnetic state. In this case, the h–T diagram has a specific region, inside which the paramagnetic and the ferromagnetic state are instable. The boundaries of the region agree with the experimental data on the boundaries of the anomalous phase (a phase). It has been found that the results of calculations of the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility agree with the experimental data.     

Ferromagnetic resonance in the Cr1/3NbS2 helical magnet

The high-frequency spin excitations in the Cr_1/3NbS₂ helical magnet have been investigated. The contributions of the uniform and Goldstone modes of the spin precession have been determined. It has been shown that the resonant field of the uniform mode is determined by the uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Final values of the energy and the resonant field of the Goldstone mode are determined by the sixth-order magnetocrystalline anisotropy in the basal plane.     

利用简单方法分析定压热容Cp和熵S对压强与温度的依赖性

假设α(T,p)Bτ(T,p)=α(T0,O)Bτ(T0,0),并运用考虑热压项之后的Tait方程,提出了一种简单而直接的方法来计算不同温度和压强条件下定压热容Cp和熵S的值．将这种方法应用于NaCl晶体和液体甲醇,计算值与可提供的数据吻合得很好．     

Thermodynamic properties of clathrates: I. The heat capacity and entropy of argon in the argon quinol clathrates

Measurements have been made of the heat capacity C_p from ～ 13°k to ～ 273°k of five clathrates of argon and β-quinol. The argon content ranged from ～ 20 per cent to ～ 80 per cent of the maximum possible amount. Over much of the temperature range studied, C_p proved to be a linear function of the argon content, but from 13°k to 20°k, and from 50°k to 100°k the relation between C_p and argon content is obscure, and may, in fact, be non-linear. Estimates have been made of the contribution to C_p made by a mole of argon in the temperature region where C_p is a linear function of composition, and these experimental values have been compared with those calculated according to the theory of J. H. van der Waals, which is based on the cell model of Lennard-Jones and Devonshire. The agreement between theory and experiment is satisfactory.     

Theory of the helical spin crystal: a candidate for the partially ordered state of MnSi

MnSi is an itinerant magnet which at low temperatures develops a helical spin-density wave. Under pressure it undergoes a transition into an unusual partially ordered state whose nature is debated. Here we propose that the helical spin crystal (the magnetic analog of a solid) is a useful starting point to understand partial order in MnSi. We consider different helical spin crystals and determine conditions under which they may be energetically favored. The most promising candidate has bcc structure and is reminiscent of the blue phase of liquid crystals in that it has line nodes of magnetization protected by symmetry. We introduce a Landau theory to study the properties of these states, in particular, the effect of crystal anisotropy, magnetic field, and disorder. These results compare favorably with existing data on MnSi from neutron scattering and magnetic field studies. Future experiments to test this scenario are also proposed.     

Negative entropy,energy, and heat capacity in connection with surface tension: Artifact of a model or real?

It is only byneglecting self-adsorption (a treatment referred to as “pure-energy,” PE) that one gets textbook thermodynamics of a surface, based upon the tensionL as a function of temperatureT, and one finds negative specific heat for hot water. Any lower critical point and PE provides the other exciting negatives: nicotine-and-water is an example. In order toinclude adsorption,L must be known in terms ofT and chemical potentials asindependent variables; this forces measurement of the tension of curved menisci. Will the minus signs remain?     

低温超导磁体杜瓦装置的结构设计与传热分析

介绍了低温超导磁体杜瓦装置的结构设计和传热分析。为了获得有效的超导磁体运行的低温环境,研制了一套采用真空多层绝热、铜辐射冷屏、蛇形排气管结构形式的绝热系统,省去了传统的在内杜瓦外面添加液氮屏的结构,简化了工艺结构,操作方便,绝热效果良好。通过传热理论计算表明,液氦的损耗量小于技术要求的0.9 L/h指标,能够保证超导磁体系统能够在一定的低温环境下长时间的运行。     

Chiral spin liquid in a two-dimensional helical XY magnet with two chiral order parameters

The critical properties of an XY helimagnet on a square lattice with two chiral order parameters are studied by Monte Carlo simulations. This model is a modification of the J ₁-J ₂-J ₃ model with J ₂ = 0. The case of different third range order interactions J ₃ are considered, J ₃ ^a ?? J ₃ ^b . A first order transition is found away from the Lifshitz points 4J ₃ ^a = J ₁ and 4 J ₃ ^b = J ₁. It is pointed out that a chiral spin liquid phase possibly exists near the Lifshitz points.     

Specific heat of the dilute Ising magnet LiHoxY1-xF4

We present specific heat data on three samples of the dilute Ising magnet LiHoxY1-xF4 with x=0.018, 0.045, and 0.080. Previous measurements of the ac susceptibility of an x=0.045 sample showed the Ho3+ moments to remain dynamic down to very low temperatures, and the specific heat was found to have unusually sharp features. In contrast, our measurements do not exhibit these sharp features in the specific heat and instead show a broad feature, for all three samples studied, which is qualitatively consistent with a spin glass state. Integrating C/T, however, reveals an increase in residual entropy with lower Ho concentration, consistent with recent Monte Carlo simulations showing a lack of spin glass transition for low x.     

分离式螺旋热管在蓄冷系统的换热特性分析

阐述了分离式螺旋热管的换热特性,并提出了将螺旋热管应用于蓄冷系统的新方案。建立了分离式螺旋热管的换热模型,分析了热流密度、充液率以及几何尺寸对螺旋热管管内换热的影响,为螺旋热管结构的优化以及在蓄冷系统的应用提供了理论依据。     

MECO超导磁体支撑和冷屏的热流体计算

μ介子转化为电子实验装置(MECO)是美国能源部目前在建的一个高能物理项目。本文提出了MECO中的PS、TS1、TS2、DS四个超导螺线管磁体支撑和冷屏新的冷却方案,设计了支撑和冷屏的冷却结构。采用三维仿真方法,计算得到新方案下磁体冷质量的热负荷,并计算了50K冷却氦流质量流量、压降的大小以及冷屏上温度分布。从而为冷却结构设计和制定的新方案提供可靠的理论依据。     

Low-temperature heat capacity and heat conductivity of single-crystal synthetic opals

The heat capacity at constant pressure (in the range 3–50 K) and the lattice heat conductivity (from 5 to 75 K) of a single-crystal synthetic opal are measured. It is shown that the heat capacity of the opal behaves at these temperatures in a way similar to porous amorphous materials. The data on the heat conductivity suggest that single-crystal opals can be related to a class of semicrystalline (partially crystallized amorphous) materials. However, because of specific features of their crystal structure, the opals form a nonstandard type of semicrystalline material which we termed semiamorphous.     

Measuring the configurational heat capacity of liquids

A high electric field impedance experiment on supercooled molecular liquids is employed to transfer energy to the slow modes by absorption from the field and detect the increase of their "configurational temperature", T(cfg), via the change of the relaxation times. This allows us to determine the configurational heat capacity, which accounts for most of the excess heat capacity for stronger liquids, but for only half of the heat capacity step in the case of more fragile systems. It is also observed that T(cfg) gradually approaches the phonon temperature on the structural relaxation time scale.     

Magnetic contribution to heat capacity and entropy of nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4)

The heat capacity of nickel ferrite was measured as a function of temperature from 50 to 1200 °C using a differential scanning calorimeter. A thermal anomaly was observed at 584.9 °C, the expected Curie temperature, T_C. The observed behavior was interpreted by recognizing the sum of three contributions: (1) lattice (vibrational), (2) a spin wave (magnetic) component and (3) a λ-transition (antiferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition) at the Curie temperature. The first was modeled using vibrational frequencies derived from an experimentally-based IR absorption spectrum, while the second was modeled using a spin wave analysis that provided a T^3/2 dependency in the low-temperature limit, but incorporated an exchange interaction between cation spins in the octahedral and tetrahedral sites at elevated temperatures, as first suggested by Grimes [15]. The λ-transition was fitted to an Inden-type model which consisted of two truncated power law series in dimensionless temperature (T/T_C). Exponential equality (m=n=7) was observed below and above T_C, indicating symmetry about the Curie temperature. Application of the methodology to existing heat capacity data for other transition metal ferrites (AFe₂O₄, A=Fe, Co) revealed nearly the same exponential equality, i.e., m=n=5.     

On the entropy production for the Davies model of heat conduction

The formula for the entropy production in open quantum systems is examined for the Davies model of heat conduction.This work is supported by Polish Ministry of Higher Education Science and Technology, project MRI 7.