In the spin ladder compound BiCu$_2$PO$_6$ there exists a decisive dynamics of spin excitations that we classify and characterize using inelastic light scattering. We observe low-energy singlets and a broad triplon continuum extending from 36 cm$^{-1
}$ to 700 cm$^{-1}$ in ($aa$), ($bb$), and ($cc$) light scattering polarizations. Though isolated spin ladder physics can roughly account for the observed excitations at high energies, frustration and interladder interactions need to be considered to fully describe the spectral distribution and scattering selection rules at low and intermediate energies. More significantly, an interladder singlet bound mode at 24 cm$^{-1}$, lying below the continuum, shows its largest scattering intensity in interladder ($ab$) polarization. In contrast, two intraladder bound states at 62 cm$^{-1}$ and 108 cm$^{-1}$ with energies comparable to the continuum are observed with light polarization along the leg ($bb$) and the rung ($cc$). We attribute the rich spectrum of singlet bound modes to a melting of a dimer crystal. Our study provides evidence for a Z$_2$ quantum phase transition from a dimer to a resonating valence bond state driven by singlet fluctuations.
We present evidence for a concomitant structural and ferroelectric transformation around $T_Ssim 360$ K in multiferroic BiFeO$_3$/LaAlO$_3$ thin films close to the tetragonal phase. Phonon excitations are investigated by using Raman scattering as a f
unction of temperature. The low-energy phonon modes at 180-260 cm$^{-1}$ related to the FeO$_6$ octahedron tilting show anomalous behaviors upon cooling through $T_S$; (i) a large hardening amounting to 15 cm$^{-1}$, (ii) an increase of intensity by one order of magnitude, and (iii) an appearance of a dozen new modes. In contrast, the high-frequency modes exhibit only weak anomalies. This suggests an intimate coupling of octahedron tilting to ferroelectricity leading to a simultaneous change of structural and ferroelectric properties.
We report ac susceptibility and high-frequency electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements on the geometrically frustrated compound Ba$_3$NbFe$_3$Si$_2$O$_{14}$ with the N{e}el temperature $T_N=27 K$. An unusually large frequency-dependence of ac susc
eptibility in the temperature range of 20 - 100 K reveals a spin-glass-like behavior, signalling the presence of frustration related slow magnetic fluctuations. ESR experiments show a multi-step magnetic and spin chirality ordering process. For temperatures above 30 K, the weak temperature dependence of the ESR linewidth $Delta H_{pp}propto T^{-p}$ with $p=0.8$ evidences the development of short-range correlated spin clusters. The critical broadening with $p =1.8$, persisting down to 14 K, indicates the coexistence of the short-range ordered spin clusters within a helically ordered state. Below 9.5 K, the anomalously large decrease of the linewidth reveals the stabilization of a long-range ordered state with one chirality.
We report $^{77}$Se and $^{63}$Cu nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) investigation on the charge-density-wave (CDW) superconductor Cu$_x$TiSe$_2$ ($x=0.05$ and 0.07). At high magnetic fields where superconductivity is suppressed, the temperature depend
ence of $^{77}$Se and $^{63}$Cu spin-lattice relaxation rates 1/T_{1}$ follow a linear relation. The slope of $^{77}1/T_{1}$ vs emph{T} increases with the Cu doping. This can be described by a modified Korringa relation which suggests the significance of electronic correlations and the Se 4emph{p}- and Ti 3emph{d}-band contribution to the density of states at the Fermi level in the studied compounds.
We report on Raman scattering experiments of the undoped SrFe2As2 and superconducting Sr0.85K0.15Fe2As2 (Tc=28K) and Ba0.72K0.28Fe2As2 (Tc=32K) single crystals. The frequency and linewidth of the B1g mode at 210 cm-1 exhibits an appreciable temperatu
re dependence induced by the superconducting and spin density wave transitions. We give estimates of the electron-phonon coupling related to this renormalization. In addition, we observe a pronounced quasi-elastic Raman response for the undoped compound, suggesting persisting magnetic fluctuations to low temperatures. In the superconducting state the renormalization of an electronic continuum is observed with a threshold energy of 61cm-1.
We report on the use of $^{69,71}$Ga nuclear magnetic resonance to probe spin dynamics in the rare-earth kagom{e} system Pr$_3$Ga$_5$SiO$_{14}$. We find that the spin-lattice relaxation rate $^{69}1/T_1$ exhibits a maximum around 30 K, below which th
e Pr$^{3+}$ spin correlation time $tau$ shows novel field-dependent behavior consistent with a field-dependent gap in the excitation spectrum. The spin-spin relaxation rate $^{69}1/T_{2}$ exhibits a peak at a lower temperature (10 K) below which field-dependent power-law behavior close to $T^{2}$ is observed. These results point to field-induced formation of nanoscale magnetic clusters consistent with recent neutron scattering measurements.
We report inelastic light scattering experiments on CaFe_2As_2 in the temperature range of 4 to 290 K. In in-plane polarizations two Raman-active phonon modes are observed at 189 and 211 cm-1, displaying A_1g and B_1g symmetries, respectively. Upon h
eating through the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic transition at about T_S=173 K, the B_1g phonon undergoes a discontinuous drop of the frequency by 4 cm-1 whereas the A_1g phonon shows a suppression of the integrated intensity. Their linewidth increases strongly with increasing temperature and saturates above T_S. This suggests (i) a first-order structural phase transition and (ii) a drastic change of charge distribution within the FeAs plane through T_S.
We used a continuously rotating torsion balance instrument to measure the acceleration difference of beryllium and titanium test bodies towards sources at a variety of distances. Our result Delta a=(0.6+/-3.1)x10^-15 m/s^2 improves limits on equivale
nce-principle violations with ranges from 1 m to infinity by an order of magnitude. The Eoetvoes parameter is eta=(0.3+/-1.8)x10^-13. By analyzing our data for accelerations towards the center of the Milky Way we find equal attractions of Be and Ti towards galactic dark matter, yielding eta=(-4 +/- 7)x10^-5. Space-fixed differential accelerations in any direction are limited to less than 8.8x10^-15 m/s^2 with 95% confidence.
We report $^{51}$V zero-field NMR of manganese vanadate spinel of MnV$_2$O$_4$, together with both ac and dc magnetization measurements. The field and temperature dependence of ac susceptibilities show a reentrant-spin-glass-like behavior below the f
errimagnetic(FEM) ordering temperature. The zero-field NMR spectrum consists of multiple lines ranging from 240 MHz to 320 MHz. Its temperature dependence reveals that the ground state is given by the simultaneous formation of a long-range FEM order and a short-range order component. We attribute the spin-glass-like anomalies to freezing and fluctuations of the short-range ordered state caused by the competition between spin and orbital ordering of the V site.
