The low-temperature and high-magnetic field (2K, 8T) powder x-ray diffraction (LTHM-XRD) measurements have been carried out at different temperatures (T) and magnetic fields (H) to investigate the structural phase diagram for phase separated La0.175P
r0.45Ca0.375MnO3 (LPCMO) manganite. The antiferromagnetic (AFM) P21/m insulating phase undergoes field induced transformation to ferromagnetic (FM) Pnma metallic ground state below its AFM ordering temperature (220K) in zero-field cooling (ZFC) from room temperature. At temperature greater than 25K, the field induced FM Pnma phase remained irreversible even after complete removal of field. However, for T ( 39-65K), the field induced transformation is partially reversible. This behaviour has been attributed to magnetic field induced devitrification of the glass-like arrested AFM P21/m phase to FM Pnma equilibrium phase. The devitrified FM Pnma phase starts transforming back to AFM P21/m phase around ~39K on heating the sample under zero field. Our results corroborate the evidence of strong magneto-structural coupling in this system. An H-T phase-diagram has been constructed based on LTHM-XTD data, which resembles with the one made from magnetic measurements. These results have been explained on the basis of kinetic arrest of first order phase transition and field induced devitrification of the arrested phase.
We consider the effect of evaporation on the aggregation of a number of elastic objects due to a liquids surface tension. In particular, we consider an array of spring--block elements in which the gaps between blocks are filled by thin liquid films t
hat evaporate during the course of an experiment. Using lubrication theory to account for the fluid flow within the gaps, we study the dynamics of aggregation. We find that a non-zero evaporation rate causes the elements to aggregate more quickly and, indeed, to contact within finite time. However, we also show that the number of elements within each cluster decreases as the evaporation rate increases. We explain these results quantitatively by comparison with the corresponding two-body problem and discuss their relevance for controlling pattern formation in elastocapillary systems.
We have carried out dc magnetization (M), heat-capacity (C) and dielectric studies down to 2K for the compound GdCrTiO5, crystallizing in orthorhombic Pbam structure, in which well-known multiferroics RMn2O5 (R= Rare-earths) form. The points of empha
sis are: (i) The magnetic ordering temperature of Cr appears to be suppressed compared to that in isostructural Nd counterpart, NdCrTiO5, for which the Neel temperature is about 21 K. This finding on the Gd compound suggests that Nd 4f orbital plays a role on the magnetism of Cr in contrast to a proposal long ago. (ii) Dielectric constant does not exhibit any notable feature below about 30 K in the absence of external magnetic field, but a peak appears and gets stronger with the application of external magnetic fields, supporting the existence of magnetodielectric coupling. (iii) The dielectric anomalies appear even near 100 K, which can be attributed to short-range magnetic-order. We also observe a gain in spectral weight below about 150 K in Raman spectra in the frequency range 150 to 400 cm-1, which could be magnetic in origin supporting short-range magnetic order. It is of interest to explore whether geometrically frustration plays any role on the dielectric properties of this family, as in the case of RMn2O5.
We report the existence of ferromagnetic correlations (FMC) in paramagnetic (PM) matrix of cubic La1-xSrxMnO3-{delta} (x = 0.80, 0.85) well above its coupled structural, magnetic and electronic phase transitions. The dc-magnetization vs temperature [
M(T)] behaviour under different magnetic fields (from 100 Oe to 70 kOe) shows the presence of short range magnetic correlations up to (TFMC ~) 365 K, far above the antiferromagnetic ordering temperatures (TN =) 260 K and 238 K for x=0.80 and 0.85, respectively. More importantly the observed short-range FMC survive even up to 70 kOe, which indicates their robust nature. The temperature region between TN to TFMC is dominated by the presence of correlated ferromagnetic (FM) entities within the PM matrix and stabilized due to A-site chemical disorder. Our results further illustrate that for the studied compositions, the oxygen off-stoichiometry does not have any significant effect on the nature and strength of these FM entities; however, FM interactions increase in the oxygen deficient samples. These compositions are the unique examples, where the presence of FMC is observed in an undistorted basic cubic perovskite lattice well above TN and therefore are novel to understand the physics behind the colossal magneto-resistance effect.
We report the magnetic, heat-capacity, dielectric and magnetodielectric (MDE) behaviour of a Haldane spin-chain compound containing light rare-earth ion, Nd2BaNiO5, in detail, as a function of temperature (T) and magnetic field (H) down to 2 K. In ad
dition to the well-known long range antiferromagnetic order setting in at (T_N=) 48 K as indicated in dc magnetization (M), we have observed another magnetic transition near 10 K; this transition appears to be of a glassy-type which vanishes with a marginal application of external magnetic field (even H= 100 Oe). There are corresponding anomalies in dielectric constant as well with variation of T. The isothermal M(H) curves at 2 and 5 K reveal the existence of a magnetic-field induced transition around 90 kOe; the isothermal H-dependent dielectric constant also tracks such a metamagnetic transition. These results illustrate the MDE coupling in this compound. Additionally, we observe a strong frequency dependence of a step in T-dependent dielectric constant with this feature appearing around 25-30 K for the lowest frequency of 1 kHz, far below T_N. This is attributed to interplay between crystal-field effect and exchange interaction between Nd and Ni, which establishes the sensitivity of dielectric measurements to detect such effects. Interestingly enough, the observed dispersions of the T-dependent dielectric constant curves is essentially H-independent in the entire T-range of measurement, despite the existence of MDE coupling, which is in sharp contrast with other heavy rare-earth members in this series.
We have recently reported that the Haldane spin-chain system, Er2BaNiO5, undergoing antiferromagnetic order below 32 K, is characterized by the onset of ferroelectricity near 60K due to magnetoelectric coupling induced by short-range magnetic-order w
ithin spin-chains. We have carried out additional magnetic and dielectric studies to understand the properties well below antiferromagnetic ordering temperature. We emphasize here on the following: (i) A strong frequency dependent behaviors of ac magnetic susceptibility and complex dielectric properties have been observed at much lower temperatures (below 8 K), that is, reentrant multiglass-like phenomenon, naturally suggesting the existence of an additional transition well below Neel temperature; ii) Magnetoelectric phase coexistence is observed at very low temperature (e.g., T =2K), where the high-field magnetoelectric phase is partially arrested on returning to zero magnetic field after a cycling through metamagnetic transition.
We have investigated the magnetic, dielectric and magnetodielectric (MDE) behavior of a geometrically frustrated spin-chain system, Ca3Co1.4Rh0.6O6, in the single crystalline form for different orientations. The results bring out that the magnetic be
havior of this compound is by itself interesting in the sense that this compound exhibits an anisotropic glassy-like magnetic behavior with a huge frequency dependence of ac susceptibility peak for an orientation along the spin-chain in the range 30-60 K; this behavior is robust to applications of large external magnetic fields (H) unlike in canonical spin-glasses. The temperature dependence of dielectric constant also shows strong frequency dependence with similar robustness to H. The isothermal H-dependent dielectric results at low temperatures establishes anisotropic MDE coupling. It is intriguing to note that there is a step roughly at one-third of saturation values as in the case of isothermal magnetization curves for same temperatures (for orientation along spin-chain), a correlation hitherto unrealized for geometrically frustrated systems.
We performed magnetic and ferroelectric measurements, associated with Landau theory and symmetry analysis, in order to clarify the situation of the YMnO3 system, a classical example of type I multiferroics. We found that the only magnetic group compa
tible with all experimental data (neutrons scattering, magnetization,polarization, dielectric constant, second harmonic generation) is the P63 group. In this group a small ferromagnetic component along c is induced by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, and observed here in SQUID magnetization measurements. We found that the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic components can only be switched simultaneously, while the magnetic orders are functions of the polarization square and therefore insensitive to its sign.
We performed magnetic and ferroelectric measurements, first principle calculations and Landau theory analysis on hexagonal YMnO3. The polarization and the AFM order parameter were found to present different temperature dependence at TN. A linear coup
ling between these two order parameters is thus forbidden in the Landau theory and P63cm cannot be the magnetic group. The only compatible magnetic group is P63. In this group however, Landau theory predicts the possibility of a ferromagnetic component and of a linear coupling between the dielectric constant and the AFM order parameter. On one hand we performed dielectric constant measurements under magnetic field that clearly exhibit a metamagnetic transition, and thus confirm these predictions. On the other hand careful magnetization measurements show a small by non null FM component along the c-axis direction. Finally the Landau analysis within the P63 magnetic group shows that only the polarization square is coupled to the magnetic orders and thus neither the magnetization nor the AFM order can be reversed by an applied electric field.
The manganocuprate compound Gd3Ba2Mn2Cu2O12 (Gd-3222) has been synthesized by conventional solid state reaction method and its magnetic behavior has been studied by dc and ac magnetization (M) and heat capacity (C) measurements as a function of tempe
rature (T). This compound crystallizes in a tetragonal structure (space group I4/mmm). We find that this compound exhibits three magnetic transitions, around 2.5, 4.8 and 9 K, as inferred from dc and ac magnetic susceptibility (chi) data. However, no evidence for a well-defined lambda-anomaly is found in C(T) above 1.8 K, though there is a gradual upturn below about 10 K. An application of a magnetic field results in a peak around 5K, while ac chi appears to show a very weak frequency dependence below 9 K. Isothermal M curve at 1.8 K exhibits a weak hysteresis without any evidence for saturation even at fields as high as 120 kOe. These results imply that this compound undergoes a spin-glass-like freezing at low temperatures, though the exact nature of the magnetic transition at 10 K is not clear. The magnitude of the magnetocaloric effect, as inferred from M and C data, is quite large over a wide temperature range below 50 K peaking around 4 K.
