No Arabic abstract
We present the results of x-ray scattering and muon-spin relaxation ($mu^{+}$SR) measurements on the iron-pnictide compound FeCrAs. Polarized non-resonant magnetic x-ray scattering results reveal the 120$^circ$ periodicity expected from the suggested three-fold symmetric, non-collinear antiferromagnetic structure. $mu^+$SR measurements indicate a magnetically ordered phase throughout the bulk of the material below $T_mathrm{N}$=105(5) K. There are signs of fluctuating magnetism in a narrow range of temperatures above $T_mathrm{N}$ involving low-energy excitations, while at temperatures well below $T_mathrm{N}$ behaviour characteristic of freezing of dynamics is observed, likely reflecting the effect of disorder in our polycrystalline sample. Using density functional theory we propose a distinct muon stopping site in this compound and assess the degree of distortion induced by the implanted muon.
The complex optical properties of a single crystal of hexagonal FeCrAs ($T_N simeq 125$ K) have been determined above and below $T_N$ over a wide frequency range in the planes (along the $b$ axis), and along the perpendicular ($c$ axis) direction. At room temperature, the optical conductivity $sigma_1(omega)$ has an anisotropic metallic character. The electronic band structure reveals two bands crossing the Fermi level, allowing the optical properties to be described by two free-carrier (Drude) contributions consisting of a strong, broad component and a weak, narrow term that describes the increase in $sigma_1(omega)$ below $simeq 15$ meV. The dc-resistivity of FeCrAs is ``non-metallic, meaning that it rises in power-law fashion with decreasing temperature, without any signature of a transport gap. In the analysis of the optical conductivity, the scattering rates for both Drude contributions track the dc-resistivity quite well, leading us to conclude that the non-metallic resistivity of FeCrAs is primarily due to a scattering rate that increases with decreasing temperature, rather than the loss of free carriers. The power law $sigma_1(omega) propto omega^{-0.6}$ is observed in the near-infrared region and as $Trightarrow T_N$ spectral weight is transferred from low to high energy ($gtrsim 0.6$ eV); these effects may be explained by either the two-Drude model or Hunds coupling. We also find that a low-frequency in-plane phonon mode decreases in frequency for $T < T_N$, suggesting the possibility of spin-phonon coupling.
FeCrAs displays an unusual electrical response that is neither metallic in character nor divergent at low temperatures, as expected for an insulating response, and therefore it has been termed a nonmetal-metal. We carried out neutron scattering experiments on powder and single crystal samples to study the magnetic dynamics and critical fluctuations in FeCrAs. Magnetic neutron diffraction measurements find Cr3+ magnetic order setting in at 115 K with the mean-field critical exponent. Neutron spectroscopy, however, observes gapless stiff magnetic fluctuations emanating from magnetic positions with propagation wave vector q_0=(1/3,1/3), which persists up to at least 80 meV. The magnetism in FeCrAs therefore displays a response which resembles that of itinerant magnets at high energy transfers, such as chromium alloys. We suggest that the presence of stiff high-energy spin fluctuations is the origin of the unusual temperature dependence of the resistivity.
The influence of correlation effects on the orbital moments for transition metals and their alloys is studied by first-principle relativistic Density Functional Theory in combination with the Dynamical Mean-Field Theory. In contrast to the previous studies based on the orbital polarization corrections we obtain an improved description of the orbital moments for wide range of studied systems as bulk Fe, Co and Ni, Fe-Co disordered alloys and 3$d$ impurities in Au. The proposed scheme can give simultaneously a correct dynamical description of the spectral function as well as static magnetic properties of correlated disordered metals.
We present resistivity, magnetization, and zero field muon spin relaxation ($mu$SR) data for the pyrochlore iridate materials Nd$_{2-x}$Ca$_{x}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$ ($x = 0, 0.06$, and $0.10$) and Sm$_2$Ir$_2$O$_7$. While Nd$_{2}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$ (Nd227) is weakly conducting, Sm$_{2}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$ (Sm227) has slowly diverging resistivity at low temperature. Nd227 and Sm227 exhibit magnetic anomalies at $T_{M} = 105 K$ and $137 K$, respectively. However, zero-field $mu$SR measurements show that long-range magnetic order of the Ir$^{4+}$ sublattice sets in at much lower temperatures ($T_{LRO} sim 8 K$ for Nd227 and $70 K$ for Sm227); both materials show heavily damped muon precession with a characteristic frequency near 9 MHz. The magnetic anomaly at $T_{M}$ in Nd227 is not significantly affected by the introduction of hole carriers by Ca-substitution in the conducting Nd$_{2-x}$Ca$_{x}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$ samples, but the muon precession is fully suppressed for both.
This article reviews recent results of magnetotransport and magnetization measurements performed on highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) and single crystalline Kish graphite samples. Both metal-insulator and insulator-metal transitions driven by magnetic field applied perpendicular to the basal planes of graphite were found and discussed in the light of relevant theories. The results provide evidence for the existence of localized superconducting domains in HOPG even at room temperature, as well as an interplay between superconducting and ferromagnetic correlations. We also present experimental evidence for the superconductivity occurrence in graphite-sulfur composites.