231 research outputs found
Interface Ferromagnetism in a SrMnO3/LaMnO3 Superlattice
Resonant soft x-ray absorption measurements at the O K edge on a
SrMnO3/LaMnO3 superlattice show a shoulder at the energy of doped holes, which
corresponds to the main peak of resonant scattering from the modulation in the
doped hole density. Scattering line shape at the Mn L3,2 edges has a strong
variation below the ferromagnetic transition temperature. This variation has a
period equal to half the superlattice superperiod and follows the development
of the ferromagnetic moment, pointing to a ferromagnetic phase developing at
the interfaces. It occurs at the resonant energies for Mn3+ and Mn4+ valences.
A model for these observations is presented, which includes a double-exchange
two-site orbital and the variation with temperature of the hopping frequency
tij between the two sites.Comment: 8.1 pages, 6 figure
Charge modulations vs. strain waves in resonant x-ray scattering
A method is described for using resonant x-ray scattering to separately
quantify the charge (valence) modulation and the strain wave associated with a
charge density wave. The essence of the method is a separation of the atomic
form factor into a "raw" amplitude, fR(w), and a valence-dependent amplitude,
fD(w), which in many cases may be determined independently from absorption
measurements. The advantage of this separation is that the strain wave follows
the quantity |fR(w) + fD(w)|^2 whereas the charge modulation follows only
|fD(w)|^2. This allows the two distinct modulations to be quantified
separately. A scheme for characterizing a given CDW as Peierls-like or
Wigner-like naturally follows. The method is illustrated for an idealized model
of a one-dimensional chain.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Mapping the magneto-structural quantum phases of Mn3O4
We present temperature-dependent x-ray diffraction and temperature- and
field-dependent Raman scattering studies of single crystal Mn3O4, which reveal
the novel magnetostructural phases that evolve in the spinels due to the
interplay between strong spin-orbital coupling, geometric frustration, and
applied magnetic field. We observe a structural transition from tetragonal to
monoclinic structures at the commensurate magnetic transition at T2=33K, show
that the onset and nature of this structural transition can be controlled with
an applied magnetic field, and find evidence for a field-tuned quantum phase
transition to a tetragonal incommensurate or spin glass phase.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett; typos correcte
Enhancement of Wigner crystallization in quasi low-dimensional solids
The crystallization of electrons in quasi low-dimensional solids is studied
in a model which retains the full three-dimensional nature of the Coulomb
interactions. We show that restricting the electron motion to layers (or
chains) gives rise to a rich sequence of structural transitions upon varying
the particle density. In addition, the concurrence of low-dimensional electron
motion and isotropic Coulomb interactions leads to a sizeable stabilization of
the Wigner crystal, which could be one of the mechanisms at the origin of the
charge ordered phases frequently observed in such compounds
Pressure- and Field-Tuning the Magnetostructural Phases of Mn3O4: Raman Scattering and X-Ray Diffraction Studies
We present temperature-, magnetic-field-, and pressure-dependent Raman
scattering studies of single crystal Mn3O4, combined with temperature- and
field-dependent x-ray diffraction studies, revealing the novel
magnetostructural phases in Mn3O4. Our temperature-dependent studies showed
that the commensurate magnetic transition at T2=33K in the binary spinel Mn3O4
is associated with a structural transition from tetragonal to orthorhombic
structures. Field-dependent studies showed that the onset and nature of this
structural transition can be controlled with an applied magnetic field, and
revealed evidence for a field-tuned quantum phase transition to a tetragonal
spin-disordered phase for H||[1-10]. Pressure-dependent Raman measurements
showed that the magnetic easy axis direction in Mn3O4 can be controlled---and
the ferrimagnetic transition temperature increased---with applied pressure.
Finally, combined pressure- and magnetic-field-tuned Raman measurements
revealed a rich magnetostructural phase diagram---including a pressure- and
field-induced magnetically frustrated tetragonal phase in the PH phase
diagram---that can be generated in Mn3O4 with applied pressure and magnetic
field.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.
Raman scattering studies of temperature- and field-induced melting of charge order in (La,Pr,Ca)MnO
We present Raman scattering studies of the structural and magnetic phases
that accompany temperature- and field-dependent melting of charge- and
orbital-order (COO) in La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3. Our results
show that thermal and field-induced COO melting in La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 exhibits
three stages in a heterogeneous melting process associated with a structural
change: a long-range, strongly JT distorted/COO regime; a coexistence regime;
and weakly JT distorted/PM or FM phase. We provide a complete structural phase
diagram of La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 for the temperature and field ranges 6<=T<=170 K and
0<=H<=9 T. We also investigate thermal and field-induced melting in
La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3 to elucidate the role of disorder in melting of COO.
We find that while thermal melting of COO in La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3 is quite
similar to that in La0.5Ca0.5MnO3, the field-induced transition from the COO
phase to the weakly JT-distorted/FM phase in La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3 is very
abrupt, and occurs at significantly lower fields (H~2 T at T~0 K) than in
La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 (H~30 T at T=0 K). Moreover, the critical field H_c increases
with increasing temperature in La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3 in contrast to
La0.5Ca0.5MnO3. To explain these differences, we propose that field-induced
melting of COO in La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3 is best described as the
field-induced percolation of FM domains, and we suggest that Griffiths phase
physics may be an appropriate theoretical model for describing the unusual
temperature- and field- dependent transitions observed in
La0.25Pr0.375Ca0.375MnO3.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, to be published in PR
Graded Orbital Occupation near Interfaces in a La2NiO4 - La2CuO4 Superlattice
X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant soft x-ray reflectivity show a
non-uniform distribution of oxygen holes in a La2NiO4 - La2CuO4 (LNO-LCO)
superlattice, with excess holes concentrated in the LNO layers. Weak
ferromagnetism with Tc = 160 K suggests a coordinated tilting of NiO6
octahedra, similar to that of bulk LNO. Ni d3z2-r2 orbitals within the LNO
layers have a spatially variable occupation. This variation of the Ni valence
near LNO-LCO interfaces is observed with resonant soft x-ray reflectivity at
the Ni L edge, at a reflection suppressed by the symmetry of the structure, and
is possible through graded doping with holes, due to oxygen interstitials taken
up preferentially by inner LNO layers. Since the density of oxygen atoms in the
structure can be smoothly varied with standard procedures, this orbital
occupation, robust up to at least 280 K, is tunable.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
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