We report thermodynamic properties, magnetic ground state, and microscopic magnetic model of the spin-1 frustrated antiferromaget Li$_{2}$NiW$_{2}$O$_{8}$ showing successive transitions at $T_{rm N1}simeq 18$ K and $T_{rm N2}simeq 12.5$ K in zero fie
ld. Nuclear magnetic resonance and neutron diffraction reveal collinear and commensurate magnetic order with the propagation vector $mathbf k=(frac12,0,frac12)$ below $T_{rm N2}$. The ordered moment of 1.8 $mu_B$ at 1.5 K is directed along $[0.89(9),-0.10(5),-0.49(6)]$ and matches the magnetic easy axis of spin-1 Ni$^{2+}$ ions, which is determined by the scissor-like distortion of the NiO$_6$ octahedra. Incommensurate magnetic order, presumably of spin-density-wave type, is observed in the region between $T_{rm N2}$ and $T_{rm N1}$. Density-functional band-structure calculations put forward a three-dimensional spin lattice with spin-1 chains running along the $[01bar 1]$ direction and stacked on a spatially anisotropic triangular lattice in the $ab$ plane. We show that the collinear magnetic order in Li$_2$NiW$_2$O$_8$ is incompatible with the triangular lattice geometry and thus driven by a pronounced easy-axis single-ion anisotropy of Ni$^{2+}$.
Magnetic frustration in three dimensions (3D) manifests itself in the spin-$frac12$ insulator Li$_2$CuW$_2$O$_8$. Density-functional band-structure calculations reveal a peculiar spin lattice built of triangular planes with frustrated interplane coup
lings. The saturation field of 29 T contrasts with the susceptibility maximum at 8.5 K and a relatively low Neel temperature $T_Nsimeq 3.9$ K. Magnetic order below $T_N$ is collinear with the propagation vector $(0,frac12,0)$ and an ordered moment of 0.65(4) $mu_B$ according to neutron diffraction data. This reduced ordered moment together with the low maximum of the magnetic specific heat ($C^{max}/Rsimeq 0.35$) pinpoint strong magnetic frustration in 3D. Collinear magnetic order suggests that quantum fluctuations play crucial role in this system, where a non-collinear spiral state would be stabilized classically.
We report structural and magnetic properties of the spin-$frac12$ quantum antiferromagnet Cu[C$_6$H$_2$(COO)$_4$][C$_2$H$_5$NH$_3$]$_2$ by means of single-crystal x-ray diffraction, magnetization, heat capacity, and electron spin resonance (ESR) meas
urements on polycrystalline samples, as well as band-structure calculations. The triclinic crystal structure of this compound features CuO$_4$ plaquette units connected into a two-dimensional framework through anions of the pyromellitic acid [C$_6$H$_2$(COO)$_4$]$^{4-}$. The ethylamine cations [C$_2$H$_5$NH$_3]^+$ are located between the layers and act as spacers. Magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements establish a quasi-two-dimensional, weakly anisotropic and non-frustrated spin-$frac12$ square lattice with the ratio of the couplings $J_a/J_csimeq 0.7$ along the $a$ and $c$ directions, respectively. No clear signatures of the long-range magnetic order are seen in thermodynamic measurements down to 1.8,K. However, the gradual broadening of the ESR line suggests that magnetic ordering occurs at lower temperatures. Leading magnetic couplings are mediated by the organic anion of the pyromellitic acid and exhibit a non-trivial dependence on the Cu--Cu distance, with the stronger coupling between those Cu atoms that are further apart.
We explore the prospects for confining alkaline-earth Rydberg atoms in an optical lattice via optical dressing of the secondary core valence electron. Focussing on the particular case of strontium, we identify experimentally accessible magic waveleng
ths for simultaneous trapping of ground and Rydberg states. A detailed analysis of relevant loss mechanisms shows that the overall lifetime of such a system is limited only by the spontaneous decay of the Rydberg state, and is not significantly affected by photoionization or autoionization. The van der Waals C_6 coefficients for the 5sns series are calculated, and we find that the interactions are attractive. Finally we show that the combination of magic-wavelength lattices and attractive interactions could be exploited to generate many-body Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states.
The static and dynamic properties of V^{4+} spins (S = 1/2) in the frustrated square lattice compound Pb2(VO)(PO4)2 were investigated by means of magnetic susceptibility chi and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shift (K) and 31P nuclear spin-latt
ice relaxation rate 1/T1 measurements on a single crystal. This compound exhibits long-range antiferromagnetic order below TN simeq 3.65 K. NMR spectra above TN show two distinct lines corresponding to two inequivalent P sites present in the crystal structure. The observed asymmetry in hyperfine coupling constant for the in-plane (P1) P site directly points towards a distortion in the square lattice at the microscopic level, consistent with the monoclinic crystal structure. The nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor exchange couplings were estimated to be J1/kB = (-5.4 pm 0.5) K (ferromagnetic) and J2/kB = (9.3 pm 0.6) K (antiferromagnetic), respectively. 1/(T1 T chi) is almost T-independent at high temperatures due to random fluctuation of spin moments. Below 20 K, the compound shows an enhancement of 1/(T1 T chi) which arises from a growth of antiferromagnetic spin correlations above TN. Below TN and for the field applied along the c-axis, the NMR spectrum for the P1 site splits into two satellites and the spacing between them increases monotonically with decreasing T which is a direct evidence of a columnar antiferromagnetic ordering with spins lying in the ab-plane. This type of magnetic ordering is consistent with expectation from the J2/J1 simeq -1.72 ratio. The critical exponent beta = 0.25 pm 0.02 estimated from the temperature dependence of sublattice magnetization as measured by 31P NMR at 11.13 MHz is close to the value (0.231) predicted for the two-dimensional XY model.
The partially attractive character of the dipole-dipole interaction leads to phonon instability in dipolar condensates, which is followed by collapse in three-dimensional geometries. We show that the nature of this instability is fundamentally differ
ent in two-dimensional condensates, due to the dipole-induced stabilization of two-dimensional bright solitons. As a consequence, a transient gas of attractive solitons is formed, and collapse may be avoided. In the presence of an harmonic confinement, the instability leads to transient pattern formation followed by the creation of stable two-dimensional solitons. This dynamics should be observable in on-going experiments, allowing for the creation of stable two-dimensional solitons for the first time ever in quantum gases.
We present a detailed investigation of the magnetic properties of complex vanadium phosphates M(VO)2(PO4)2 (M = Ca, Sr) by means of magnetization, specific heat, 31P NMR measurements, and band structure calculations. Experimental data evidence the pr
esence of ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions in M(VO)2(PO4)2 resulting in a nearly vanishing Curie-Weiss temperature theta_{CW} < 1 K that contrasts with the maximum of magnetic susceptibility at 3 K. Specific heat and NMR measurements also reveal weak exchange couplings with the thermodynamic energy scale J_c = 10-15 K. Additionally, the reduced maximum of the magnetic specific heat indicates strong frustration of the spin system. Band structure calculations show that the spin systems of the M(VO)2(PO4)2 compounds are essentially three-dimensional with the frustration caused by competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions. Both calcium and strontium compounds undergo antiferromagnetic long-range ordering at T_N = 1.5 K and 1.9 K, respectively. The spin model reveals an unusual example of controllable frustration in three-dimensional magnetic systems.
We have employed first principles calculations to study the electronic structure and magnetic properties of the low-dimensional phosphates, Ba2Cu(PO4)2 and Sr2Cu(PO4)2. Using the self-consistent tight-binding lin- earized muffin-tin orbital method an
d the Nth order muffin-tin orbital method, we have calculated the various intrachain as well as the interchain hopping parameters between the magnetic ions Cu2+ for both the com- pounds. We find that the nearest-neighbor intrachain hopping t is the dominant interaction suggesting the compounds to be indeed one dimensional. Our analysis of the band dispersion, orbital projected band struc- tures, and the hopping parameters confirms that the Cu2+-Cu2+ super-super exchange interaction takes place along the crystallographic b direction mediated by O-P-O. We have also analyzed in detail the origin of short-range exchange interaction for these systems. Our ab initio estimate of the ratio of the exchange inter- action of Sr2Cu(PO4)2 to that of Ba2Cu(PO4)2 compares excellently with available experimental results.
The magnetic properties of Na2CuP2O7 were investigated by means of 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic susceptibility, and heat capacity measurements. We report the 31P NMR shift, the spin-lattice 1/T1, and spin-spin 1/T2 relaxation-rate d
ata as a function of temperature T. The temperature dependence of the NMR shift K(T) is well described by the S=1/2 square lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnetic (HAF) model with an intraplanar exchange of J/k_B simeq 18pm2 K and a hyperfine coupling A = (3533pm185) Oe/mu_B. The 31P NMR spectrum was found to broaden abruptly below T sim 10 K signifying some kind of transition. However, no anomaly was noticed in the bulk susceptibility data down to 1.8 K. The heat capacity appears to have a weak maximum around 10 K. With decrease in temperatures, the spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 decreases monotonically and appears to agree well with the high temperature series expansion expression for a S = 1/2 2D square lattice.
The magnetic behavior of the low-dimensional phosphates (Sr,Ba)_2 Cu(PO_4)_2 and BaCuP_2O_7 was investigated by means of magnetic susceptibility and ^{31}P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. We present here the NMR shift K(T), the spin-la
ttice 1/T_1 and spin-spin 1/T_2 relaxation-rate data over a wide temperature range 0.02 K < T < 300 K. The T-dependence of the NMR K(T) is well described by the S=1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain model with an intrachain exchange of J/k_B = 165 K, 151 K, and 108 K in Sr_2Cu(PO_4)_2, Ba_2Cu(PO_4)_2, and BaCuP_2O_7, respectively. Our measurements suggest the presence of magnetic ordering at 0.8 K in BaCuP_2O_7 (J/k_B = 108 K). For all the samples, we find that 1/T_1 is nearly T-independent at low-temperatures (1 K < T < 10 K), which is theoretically expected for 1D chains when relaxation is dominated by fluctuations of the staggered susceptibility. At high temperatures, 1/T_1 varies nearly linearly with temperature.
