The correlated band theory implemented as a combination of the local density approximation with the exact diagonalization of the Anderson impurity model is applied to PuO$_2$. We obtain an insulating electronic structure consistent with the experimental photoemission spectra. The calculations yield the band gap of 1.8 eV and a non-magnetic singlet ground state that is characterized by a non-integer filling of the plutonium $f$ shell ($n_fapprox 4.5$). Due to sizeable hybridization of the $f$ shell with the $p$ states of oxygen, the ground state is more complex than the four-electron Russell--Saunders ${}^5{rm I}_4$ manifold split by the crystal field. The inclusion of hybridization improves the agreement between the theory and experiment for the magnetic susceptibility.
Rare earth triangular lattice materials have been proposed as a good platform for the investigation of frustrated magnetic ground states. KErSe$_2$ with the delafossite structure, contains perfect two-dimensional Er$^{3+}$ triangular layers separated by potassium ions, realizing this ideal configuration and inviting study. Here we investigate the magnetism of KErSe$_2$ at miliKelvin temperatures by heat capacity and neutron powder diffraction. Heat capacity results reveal a magnetic transition at 0.2 K in zero applied field. This long-range order is suppressed by an applied magnetic field of 0.5 T below 0.08 K. Neutron powder diffraction suggests that the zero-field magnetic structure orders with $k=(frac{1}{2},0,frac{1}{2})$ in a stripe spin structure. Unexpectedly, Er is found to have a reduced moment of 3.06(1) $mu_B$/Er in the ordered state and diffuse magnetic scattering, which originates at higher temperatures, is found to persist in the ordered state potentially indicating magnetic fluctuations. Neutron diffraction collected under an applied field shows a metamagnetic transition at $sim$ 0.5 T to ferromagnetic order with $k$=(0,0,0) and two possible structures, which are likely dependent on the applied field direction. First principle calculations show that the zero field stripe spin structure can be explained by the first, second and third neighbor couplings in the antiferromagnetic triangular lattice.
We argue that the centrosymmetric $C2/c$ symmetry in BiMnO$_3$ is spontaneously broken by antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions existing in the system. The true symmetry is expected to be $Cc$, which is compatible with the noncollinear magnetic ground state, where the ferromagnetic order along one crystallographic axis coexists with the the hidden AFM order and related to it ferroelectric polarization along two other axes. The $C2/c$ symmetry can be restored by the magnetic field $B sim 35$ Tesla, which switches off the ferroelectric polarization. Our analysis is based on the solution of the low-energy model constructed for the 3d-bands of BiMnO$_3$, where all the parameters have been derived from the first-principles calculations. Test calculations for isostructural BiCrO$_3$ reveal an excellent agreement with experimental data.
Layered trigonal EuMg$_2$Bi$_2$ is reported to be a topological semimetal that hosts multiple Dirac points that may be gapped or split by the onset of magnetic order. Here, we report zero-field single-crystal neutron-diffraction and bulk magnetic susceptibility measurements versus temperature $chi(T)$ of EuMg$_2$Bi$_2$ that show the intraplane ordering is ferromagnetic (Eu$^{2+},, S= 7/2$) with the moments aligned in the $ab$-plane while adjacent layers are aligned antiferromagnetically (i.e., A-type antiferromagnetism) below the Neel temperature.
To understand the magnetic property of layered van der Waals materials CrOX (X = Cl, Br), we performed the detailed first-principles calculations for both bulk and monolayer. We found that the charge-only density functional theory combined with the explicit on-site interaction terms (so-called cDFT$+U$) well reproduces the experimental magnetic ground state of bulk CrOX, which is not the case for the use of spin-dependent density functional (so-called sDFT$+U$). Unlike some of the previous studies, our results show that CrOX monolayers are antiferromagnetic as in the bulk. It is also consistent with our magnetic force linear response calculation of exchange couplings $J_{rm ex}$. The result of orbital-decomposed $J_{rm ex}$ calculations shows that the Cr $t_textrm{2g}$-$t_textrm{2g}$ component mainly contributes to the antiferromagnetic order in both bulk and monolayer. Our result and analysis show that taking the correct Hunds physics into account is of key importance to construct the magnetic phase diagram and to describe the electronic structure.
Atomistic defect engineering through the pulsed laser epitaxy of perovskite transition metal oxides offers facile control of their emergent opto-electromagnetic and energy properties. Among the various perovskite oxides, EuTiO3 exhibits a strong coupling between the lattice, electronic, and magnetic degrees of freedom. This coupling is highly susceptible to atomistic defects. In this study, we investigated the magnetic phase of EuTiO$_3$ epitaxial thin films via systematic defect engineering. A magnetic phase transition from an antiferromagnet to a ferromagnet was observed when the unit cell volume of EuTiO3 expanded due to the introduction of Eu-O vacancies. Optical spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations show that the change in the electronic structure as the ferromagnetic phase emerges can be attributed to the weakened Eu-Ti-Eu super-exchange interaction and the developed ferromagnetic Eu-O-Eu interaction. Facile defect engineering in EuTiO$_3$ thin films facilitates understanding and tailoring of their magnetic ground state.