No Arabic abstract
The ac-susceptibility of the electron doped single-layered manganite La$_{1.1}$Sr$_{0.9}$MnO$_4$ is analyzed in detail. A quasi two-dimensional (2$D$) antiferromagnetic (AFM) order with Ising anisotropy is stabilized below $T_N$ $sim$ 80K. We show that below $T_N$, a rare 2$D$ spin-glass (SG) correlation develops with the same Ising anisotropy as the AFM state. Using simple scaling arguments of the droplet model, we derive a scaling form for the ac-susceptibility data of a 2$D$ SG, which our experimental data follows fairly well. Due to simplifications in this 2$D$ case, the proposed scaling form only contains two unknown variables $psi u$ and $tau_0$. Hence, the logarithmic growth law of the SG correlation predicted by the droplet model is convincingly evidenced by the scaling of our experimental data. The origin and nature of this 2$D$ SG state is also discussed.
Famous for its spin-state puzzle, LaSrCoO$_4$ (Co$^{3+}$) is an intermediate between antiferromagnetic (AFM) La$_2$CoO$_4$ (Co$^{2+}$) and ferromagnetic (FM) Sr$_2$CoO$_4$ (Co$^{4+}$). The appearance of the Co$^{3+}$ valence state (not present in the end compounds) is intriguing because of the spin-state transitions associated with it. In this work, we report two magnetic transitions in LaSrCoO$_4$: (i) a transition at T $=$ T$_c$ $simeq$ 225 K, from the paramagnetic state to a state with an inhomogeneous long-range ferromagnetic (FM) order wherein finite FM clusters coexist with infinite FM matrix in the percolation sense, and (ii) the transition to the cluster spin glass (CSG) state at T $=$ T$_g$ $simeq$ 8 K. Finite FM clusters (which at low temperatures give rise to the cluster spin glass state) and infinite FM matrix are formed due to the spin-spin interactions brought about by the inhomogeneously distributed Co$^{3+}$ high spin (HS) and Co$^{3+}$ low spin (LS) ions. A firm support to the presence of an unconventional (inhomogeneous) ferromagnetic order comes from the anomalous values of the critical exponents $beta$, $gamma$ and $delta$ for the spontaneous magnetization, `zero-field magnetic susceptibility and the critical M - H isotherm, while the coexistence of HS Co$^{3+}$ and LS Co$^{3+}$ ions is confirmed by the results of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy.
As a sister compound and isostructural of MnBi2Te4, the high quality MnSb2Te4 single crystals are grown via solid-state reaction where prolonged annealing and narrow temperature window play critical roles on account of its thermal metastability. X-ray diffraction analysis on MnSb2Te4 single crystals reveals pronounced cation intermixing, 28.9(7)% Sb antisite defects on the Mn (3a) site and 19.3(6)% Mn antisite defects on the Sb (6c) site, compared with MnBi2Te4. Unlike antiferromagnetic (AFM) nature MnBi2Te4, MnSb2Te4 contains magnetic and antiferromagnetic competition and exhibits a spin glass (SG) state below 24 K. Its magnetic hysteresis, anisotropy, and relaxation process are investigated in detail with DC and AC magnetization measurements. Moreover, anomalous Hall effect as a p-type conductor is demonstrated through transport measurements. This work grants MnSb2Te4 a possible access to the future exploration of exotic quantum physics by removing the odd/even layer number restraint in intrinsic AFM MnBi2Te4-family materials as a result of the crossover between its magnetism and potential topology in the Sb-Te layer.
The relationship between orbital and spin degrees of freedom in the single-crystals of the hole-doped Pr$_{1-x}$Ca$_{1+x}$MnO$_4$, 0.3 $leq$ $x$ $leq$ 0.7, has been investigated by means of ac-magnetometry and charge transport. Even though there is no cation ordering on the $A$-site, the quenched disorder is extremely weak in this system due to the very similar ionic size of Pr$^{3+}$ and Ca$^{2+}$. A clear asymmetric response of the system to the under- (respective over-) hole doping was observed. The long-ranged charge-orbital order established for half doping ($x$=0.5) subsists in the over-doping case ($x$ $>$ 0.5), albeit rearranged to accommodate the extra holes introduced in the structure. The charge-orbital order is however destabilized by the presence of extra localized electrons (under-doping, $x$ $<$ 0.5), leading to its disappearance below $x$=0.35. We show that in an intermediate under-doped region, with 0.35 $leq$ $x$ $<$ 0.5, the ``orbital-master spin-slave relationship commonly observed in half-doped manganites does not take place. The long-ranged charge-orbital order is not accompanied by an antiferromagnetic transition at low temperatures, but by a frustrated short-ranged magnetic state bringing forth a spin-glass phase. We discuss in detail the nature and origin of this spin-glass state, which, as in the half-doped manganites with large quenched disorder, is not related to the macroscopic phase separation observed in crystals with minor defects or impurities.
We report a transport study of ultrathin Bi2Se3 topological insulators with thickness from one quintuple layer to six quintuple layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy. At low temperatures, the film resistance increases logarithmically with decreasing temperature, revealing an insulating ground state. The sharp increase of resistance with magnetic field, however, indicates the existence of weak antilocalization, which should reduce the resistance as temperature decreases. We show that these apparently contradictory behaviors can be understood by considering the electron interaction effect, which plays a crucial role in determining the electronic ground state of topological insulators in the two dimensional limit.
The growing library of two-dimensional layered materials is providing researchers with a wealth of opportunity to explore and tune physical phenomena at the nanoscale. Here, we review the experimental and theoretical state-of-art concerning the electron spin dynamics in graphene, silicene, phosphorene, transition metal dichalcogenides, covalent heterostructures of organic molecules and topological materials. The spin transport, chemical and defect induced magnetic moments, and the effect of spin-orbit coupling and spin relaxation, are also discussed in relation to the field of spintronics.