The field-induced ordering transition in the quantum spin system NiCl$_2$$cdot$4SC(NH$_2$)$_2$ is studied by means of neutron diffraction, AC magnetometry and relaxation calorimetry. The interpretation of the data is strongly influenced by a finite d
istribution of transition fields in the samples, which was present but disregarded in previous studies. Taking this effect into account, we find that the order-parameter critical exponent is inconsistent with the BEC universality class even at temperatures below 100 mK. All results are discussed in comparison with previous measurements and with recent similar studies of disordered Ni(Cl$_{1-x}$Br$_x$)$_2$$cdot$4SC(NH$_2$)$_2$.
We report results of an electron spin resonance (ESR) study of a spin-gap antiferromagnet (C$_4$H$_{12}$N$_2$)(Cu$_2$Cl$_6$) (nicknamed PHCC) with chlorine ions partially substituted by bromine. We found that up to 10% of nominal doping the contribut
ion of the random defects to the absorption spectra remains at about 0.1% per copper ion, almost the same as in the pure system. Instead, a particular kind of ESR absorption corresponding to gapless S=1 triplets is observed at low temperatures in samples with high nominal bromine content x>5%. Increase of bromine concentration also leads to the systematic broadening of ESR absorption line indicating reduction of the quasi-particles lifetime.
In a recent publication [M. B. Stone et al., New Journal of Physics 9, 31 (2007)] a Renormalized Classical 2D (RC) phase has been reported in a quasi-two-dimensional quantum antiferromagnet PHCC. Its key signature is a sharp cusp-like feature in the
magnetic susceptibility which appears below the critical field of magnetic ordering indicated by specific heat anomaly and emergence of a Bragg peak. Here we present experimental data which shows that regardless of experimental geometry, the specific heat and susceptibility anomalies in PHCC both coincide with the onset of true long range order. This leaves no room for any additional intermediate RC phase.
We report the observation of quantized translational and rotational motion of molecular hydrogen inside the cages of C60. Narrow infrared absorption lines at the temperature of 6K correspond to vibrational excitations in combination with translationa
l and rotational excitations and show well resolved splittings due to the coupling between translational and rotational modes of the endohedral H2 molecule. A theoretical model shows that H2 inside C60 is a three-dimensional quantum rotor moving in a nearly spherical potential. The theory provides both the frequencies and the intensities of the observed infrared transitions. Good agreement with the experimental results is obtained by fitting a small number of empirical parameters to describe the confining potential, as well as the ortho to para ratio.
Optical spectroscopy on single crystals of the new iron arsenide superconductor Ba{0.55}K{0.45}Fe2As2 shows that the infrared spectrum consists of two major components: a strong metallic Drude band and a well separated mid infrared absorption centere
d at 0.7 eV. It is difficult to separate the two components unambiguously but several fits of Lorentzian peaks suggest a model with a Drude peak having a plasma frequency of 1.8 to 2.1 eV and a midinfrared peak with a plasma frequency of 2.5 eV. In contrast to the cuprate superconductors the scattering rate obtained from the extended Drude model saturates at 150 meV as compared to 500 meV for a typical cuprate. Detailed analysis of the frequency dependent scattering rate shows that the charge carriers interact with broad bosonic spectrum with a peak at 25 meV and a coupling constant lambda =approx 2 at low temperature. As the temperature increases this coupling weakens to lambda=0.6 at ambient temperature. This suggests a bosonic spectrum that is similar to what is seen in the lower Tc cuprates.
Terahertz reflectance spectra of the Ca-intercalated graphite CaC6 reveal a superconducting gap below 11K. The gap signature lacks a sharp onset to full reflectivity at 2Delta, but rather shows a distribution of gap values consistent with an anisotro
pic gap. The experimental data were successfully fitted to the gap distribution obtained from density functional calculations by Sanna et al. (Phys.Rev. B75, 020511, 2007). The temperature dependence of the superconducting gap is characteristic for a BCS type superconductor.
Using far-infrared spectroscopy we have studied the magnetic field and temperature dependence of the spin gap modes in the chains of Sr$_{14}$Cu$_{24}$O$_{41}$. Two triplet modes T$_1$ and T$_2$ were found in the center of the Brillouin zone at $Delt
a_1=9.65$ meV and $Delta_2=10.86$ meV in zero magnetic field. The T$_1$ mode was excited when the electric field vector ${bf E}$ of the light was polarized along the b axis (perpendicular to the planes of chains and ladders) and T$_2$ was excited for ${bf E}parallel {bf a}$ (perpendicular to the chains and along the rungs). Up to the maximum magnetic field of 18 T, applied along the chains, the electron $g$ factors of these two modes were similar, $g_{1c}=2.049$ and $g_{2c}=2.044$. Full linewidth at half maximum for both modes was 1 cm$^{-1}$ (0.12 meV) at 4K and increased with $T$. The temperature dependence of mode energies and line intensities was in agreement with the inelastic neutron scattering results from two groups [Matsuda {it et al.}, Phys. Rev. B {bf 59}, 1060 (1999) and Regnault {it et al.}, Phys. Rev. B {bf 59}, 1055 (1999)]. The T$_1$ mode has not been observed by inelastic neutron scattering in the points of the $k$-space equivalent to the center of the Brillouin zone. Our study indicates that the zone structure model of magnetic excitations of Sr$_{14}$Cu$_{24}$O$_{41}$ must be modified to include a triplet mode at 9.65 meV in the center of the magnetic Brillouin zone.
