No Arabic abstract
The ability to tune exchange (magnetic) interactions between 3d transition metals in perovskite structures has proven to be a powerful route to discovery of novel properties. Here we demonstrate that the introduction of 3d-5d exchange pathways in double perovskites enables additional tunability, a result of the large spatial extent of 5d wave functions. Using x-ray probes of magnetism and structure at high pressure, we show that compression of Sr2FeOsO6 drives an unexpected continuous change in the sign of Fe-Os exchange interactions and a transition from antiferromagnetic to ferrimagnetic order. We analyze the relevant electron-electron interactions, shedding light into fundamental differences with the more thoroughly studied 3d-3d systems.
The magnetic structure of Ca$_2$MnReO$_6$ double perovskite is investigated by neutron powder diffraction and bulk magnetization, showing dominant non-collinear Mn magnetic moments [$4.35(7)$ $mu_B$] that are orthogonally aligned with the small Re moments [$0.22(4)$ $mu_B$]. $Ab$-initio electronic structure calculations show that the strong spin-orbit coupling for Re $5d$ electrons combined with a relatively modest on-site Coulomb repulsion ($U_{eff}^{Re} gtrsim 0.6$ eV) is sufficient to render this material insulating. This is a rare example of spin-orbit assisted Mott insulator outside the realm of iridates, with remarkable magnetic properties.
We have carried out inelastic neutron scattering experiments to study magnetic excitations in ordered double perovskite Ca$_2$FeReO$_6$. We found a well-defined magnon mode with a bandwidth of $sim$50meV below the ferri-magnetic ordering temperature ($T_csim$520K), similar to previously studied Ba$_2$FeReO$_6$. The spin excitation is gapless for most temperatures within the magnetically ordered phase. However, a spin gap of $sim$10meV opens up below $sim$150K, which is well below the magnetic ordering temperature but coincides with a previously reported metal-insulator transition and onset of structural distortion. The observed temperature dependence of spin gap provides strong evidence for ordering of Re orbitals at $sim$150~K, in accordance with earlier proposal put forward by Oikawa $it{et.,al}$ based on neutron diffraction [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn., $bf{72}$, 1411 (2003)] as well as recent theoretical work by Lee and Marianetti [Phys. Rev. B, $bf{97}$, 045102 (2018)]. The presence of separate orbital and magnetic ordering in Ca$_2$FeReO$_6$ suggests weak coupling between spin and orbital degrees of freedom and hints towards a sub-dominant role played by spin orbit coupling in describing its magnetism. In addition, we observed only one well-defined magnon band near magnetic zone boundary, which is incompatible with simple ferrimagnetic spin waves arising from Fe and Re local moments, but suggests a strong damping of Re magnon mode.
We synthesize and study single crystals of a new double-perovskite Sr2YIrO6. Despite two strongly unfavorable conditions for magnetic order, namely, pentavalent Ir5+(5d4) ions which are anticipated to have Jeff=0 singlet ground states in the strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) limit, and geometric frustration in a face centered cubic structure formed by the Ir5+ ions, we observe this iridate to undergo a novel magnetic transition at temperatures below 1.3 K. We provide compelling experimental and theoretical evidence that the origin of magnetism is in an unusual interplay between strong non-cubic crystal fields and intermediate-strength SOC. Sr2YIrO6 provides a rare example of the failed dominance of SOC in the iridates.
We report on our investigation on the magnetism of the iridate double perovskite Sr$_2$CoIrO$_6$, a nominally Ir$^{5+}$ Van Vleck $J_{eff}=0$ system. Using x-ray absorption (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy at the Ir-$L_{2,3}$ edges, we found a nearly zero orbital contribution to the magnetic moment and thus an apparent breakdown of the $J_{eff}=0$ ground state. By carrying out also XAS and XMCD experiments at the Co-$L_{2,3}$ edges and by performing detailed full atomic multiplet calculations to simulate all spectra, we discovered that the compound consists of about 90% Ir$^{5+}$ ($J_{eff}=0$) and Co$^{3+}$ ($S=2$) and 10% Ir$^{6+}$ ($S=3/2$) and Co$^{2+}$ ($S=3/2$). The magnetic signal of this minority Ir$^{6+}$ component is almost equally strong as that of the main Ir$^{5+}$ component. We infer that there is a competition between the Ir$^{5+}$-Co$^{3+}$ and the Ir$^{6+}$-Co$^{2+}$ configurations in this stoichiometric compound.
From Raman spectroscopy, magnetization, and thermal-expansion on the system La2/3(Ca1-xSrx)1/3MnO3, we have been able to provide a quantitative basis for the heterogeneous electronic model for manganites exhibiting colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). We construct a mean-field model that accounts quantitatively for the measured deviation of TC(x) from the TC predicted by de Gennes double exchange in the adiabatic approximation, and predicts the occurrence of a first order transition for a strong coupling regime, in accordance with the experiments. The existence of a temperature interval TC<T<T* where CMR may be found is discussed, in connection with the occurrence of an idealized Griffiths phase.