Study of the structural and magnetic characteristics of epitaxial Fe3Si/Si(111) films

The results of the structural and magnetic studies of the epitaxial structure prepared during the simultaneous evaporation from two iron and silicon sources on an atomically pure Si(111)7 × 7 surface at a substrate temperature of 150°C have been presented. The epitaxial structure has been identified as a single-crystal Fe₃Si silicide film with the orientation Si[111]‖Fe₃Si[111] using methods of the X-ray structural analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and reflection high-energy electron diffraction. It has been established that the epitaxial Fe₃Si film at room temperature has magnetic uniaxial anisotropy (H _a = 26 Oe) and a relatively narrow uniform ferromagnetic resonance line (ΔH = 11.57 Oe) measured at a pump frequency of 2.274 GHz.     

Ferroelastic phase transitions in (NH4)2TaF7

The heat capacity, unit cell parameters, permittivity, optical properties, and thermal expansion of the (NH₄)₂TaF₇ compound with a seven-coordinated anion polyhedron have been measured. It has been found that the compound undergoes two successive phase transitions with the symmetry change: tetragonal → (T ₁ = 174 K) orthorhombic → (T ₂ = 156 K) tetragonal. The ferroelastic nature of structural transformations has been established, and their entropy and susceptibility to hydrostatic pressure have been determined.     

Investigation into phase diagrams of the fluorine-oxygen system: Ferroelastic-antiferroelectric (NH4)2WO2F4-(NH4)2MoO2F4

Thermal, physical, structural, optical, and dielectric investigations have been performed for oxyfluoride solid solutions (NH₄)₂W_{1 — x} Mo _x O₂F₄ (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1). The character of the influence of the chemical and hydrostatic pressures on the stability of the parent (space group Cmcm) and distorted ferroelastic and antiferroelectric phases has been determined by analyzing the temperature-pressure, unit cell volume-composition, and temperature-composition phase diagrams. The specific features of the nature and mechanism of the phase transitions have been discussed using the available data on the structural, entropy, and dielectric parameters.     

Structure transformations during phase transitions in the K3WO3F3 oxyfluoride

The structures of three phases of the K₃WO₃F₃ crystal have been determined from X-ray diffraction data obtained for a powder sample. The profile and structural parameters have been refined according to the technique implemented in the DDM program. The results obtained have been discussed using the group-theoretical analysis of the complete order parameter condensate, which takes into account the critical and noncritical atomic displacements and allows the interpretation of the experimental data. The sequence of structural transformations is found to be as follows: $ Fm\bar 3m\xrightarrow[{(\eta _1 ,0,0)}]{{11 - 10(\Gamma _4^ - )}}I4mm\xrightarrow[{(\eta _1 ,\eta _2 ,0)}]{{11 - 10(\Gamma _4^ - )}}Cm $ Fm\bar 3m\xrightarrow[{(\eta _1 ,0,0)}]{{11 - 10(\Gamma _4^ - )}}I4mm\xrightarrow[{(\eta _1 ,\eta _2 ,0)}]{{11 - 10(\Gamma _4^ - )}}Cm .     

Structure and lattice dynamics of the high-pressure phase in the ScF3 crystal

The high-pressure phase of the ScF₃ crystal has been studied using synchrotron radiation diffraction and Raman scattering. This phase existing in the pressure range 0.6–3.2 GPa is optically anisotropic: its structure is described by space group R $ \bar 3 $ \bar 3 c, Z = 2, and the transition is associated with the rotation of ScF6 octahedra around the threefold axis. The pressure dependences of the lattice parameters and the rotation angle have been determined. The number of lines in the Raman spectrum corresponds to the expected number for this structure; the recovery of soft modes has been observed above the phase transition.     

Spectroscopic properties and structure of the ErFe3(BO3)4 single crystal

Single crystals of the ErFe₃(BO₃)₄ borate were synthesized and their structure was studied. Absorption spectra of the Er³⁺ ion in σ- and π-polarizations of f-f transitions ⁴ I _15/2 → ⁴ I _13/2, ⁴ I _11/2, ⁴ I _9/2, ⁴ F _9/2, ⁴ S _3/2, ² H _11/2, and ⁴ F _7/2 were measured. The refractive index and birefringence were measured as a function of the wavelength. The transition intensities were analyzed within the Judd-Ofelt theory, and the following parameters of the theory were obtained: Ω₂ = 7.056 × 10^?20 cm², Ω₄ = 1.886 × 10^?20 cm², and Ω₆ = 2.238 × 10^?20 cm². Using these parameters, the radiative transition probabilities, luminescence branching ratios, and radiative lifetimes of multiplets were calculated.     

Structural changes during phase transitions and the critical and noncritical order parameters in the (NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>Nb(O<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>F<Subscript>4</Subscript> crystal

The structures of two phases of the (NH₄)₃Nb(O₂)₂F₄ crystal, namely, the parent cubic phase and the most distorted low-temperature phase, have been determined from data of an X-ray diffraction experiment performed for a powder sample. The profile and structural parameters have been refined according to the procedure implemented in the DDM program. The results obtained have been discussed with invoking the group-theoretical analysis of the complete order parameter condensate, which takes into account the critical and noncritical atomic displacements and allows the interpretation of the obtained experimental data. It has been found that the most probable sequence of structural transformations occurring in the crystal can be schematically represented in the following form:

Magnetic properties of single crystals of the Cr<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>S solid solutions (0 ≤ <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis> < 0.3)

The Cr _x Mn_{1 − x} S single crystals have been synthesized based on manganese monosulfide as a result of cation substitution, and their magnetic properties have been studied. It has been established that the Cr _x Mn_{1 − x} S solid solutions with a face-centered cubic NaCl structure are formed in the concentration region 0 ≤ x < 0.3. The unit cell parameter of the solid solution decreases as the degree of substitution increases due to the variation in the ionic radius of cations. These substances are antiferromagnets. An increase in the degree of cation substitution in the Cr _x Mn_{1 − x} S solid solutions is accompanied by a decrease in the number of 3d electrons in the d shell of manganese monosulfide and causes a decrease in the magnetic transition temperature from 149 K (x = 0) to 96 K (x = 0.29), which differs from previously known results.     

Analysis of the exchange magnetic structure in Pb<Subscript>3</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>7</Subscript>O<Subscript>15</Subscript>

The indirect-coupling model is used to analyze the exchange magnetic structure of Pb₃Mn₇O₁₅ in the hexagonal setting. The ratios of manganese ions Mn⁴⁺/Mn³⁺ in each nonequivalent position are determined. Pb₃(Mn_0.95Ge_0.05)₇O₁₅ and Pb₃(Mn_0.95Ga_0.05)₇O₁₅ single crystals are grown by the solution–melt method in order to test the validity of the proposed model. The structural and magnetic properties of the single crystals are studied. The magnetic properties of the grown single crystals are compared with those of nominally pure Pb₃Mn₇O₁₅.