215 research outputs found
X-ray holographic imaging of magnetic surface spirals in FeGe lamellae
Isotropic helimagnets are known to host a diverse range of chiral magnetic states. In 2016, Rybakov et al., theorized the presence of a surface-pinned stacked spin spiral phase [F. N. Rybakov et al., New J. Phys. 18, 045002 (2016)], which has yet to be observed experimentally. The phase is characterized by surface spiral periods exceeding the host material's fundamental winding period L D . Here, we present experimental evidence for the observation of this state in lamellae of FeGe using resonant x-ray holographic imaging data and micromagnetic simulations. We find images of FeGe lamellae, exceeding a critical thickness of 300 nm ( 4.3 L D ), exhibit contrast modulations with a field-dependent periodicity of λ ℠1.4 L D , consistent with theoretical predictions of the stacked spiral state. The identification of this spiral state has significant implications for the stability of other coexisting spin textures, and will help complete our understanding of helimagnetic systems
Cation disorder and phase transitions in the structurally complex solar cell material Cu2ZnSnS4
Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is a technologically important and complex quaternary semiconductor and a highly promising material for the absorber layer in sustainable thin film solar cells. Its photovoltaic performance is currently limited by low open-circuit voltage, thought to be due to a range of point defects such as disorder between the copper and zinc lattice sites. This is the highest-resolution neutron diffraction study reported for CZTS, which unambiguously identifies the crystal symmetry and accurately quantifies precise values for the disorder on all cation symmetry sites as a function of temperature. Two samples of CZTS were fabricated by solid state reaction and their compositions were measured by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, which identified significant tin loss during growth, leaving the samples Sn-poor, Cu-rich and Sn-poor, Zn-rich respectively. Both samples were found exclusively to adopt the tetragonal kesterite crystal structure with significant cation disorder, which is investigated in detail over the range 4â1275 K. Importantly, and in contrast to previous reports, the 2a Wyckoff site shows disorder equal to or greater than the 2c site. The orderâdisorder phase transition was observed at different temperatures for the two compositions, 489 and 501 K respectively, lower than previously reported. The kesteriteâsphalerite transition was observed between 1250 and 1275 K for the Sn-poor, Cu-rich sample, significantly higher than previously reported. These results provide new insights into the high levels of disorder present in CZTS and confirm that composition and cation disorder have a significant effect on the phase transition mechanism. This work will enable the development of routes to the fabrication of higher-efficiency photovoltaic devices
Stability and metastability of skyrmions in thin lamellae of Cu2OSeO3
We report small-angle x-ray scattering measurements of the skyrmion lattice in two 200-nm-thick Cu2OSeO3 lamellae aligned with the applied magnetic field parallel to the out of plane [110] or [100] crystallographic directions. Our measurements show that the equilibrium skyrmion phase in both samples is expanded significantly compared to bulk crystals, existing between approximately 30 and 50 K over a wide region of magnetic field. This skyrmion state is elliptically distorted at low fields for the [110] sample, and symmetric for the [100] sample, possibly due to crystalline anisotropy becoming more important at this sample thickness than it is in bulk samples. Furthermore, we find that a metastable skyrmion state can be observed at low temperature by field cooling through the equilibrium skyrmion pocket in both samples. In contrast to the behavior in bulk samples, the volume fraction of metastable skyrmions does not significantly depend on cooling rate. We show that a possible explanation for this is the change in the lowest temperature of the skyrmion state in this lamellae compared to bulk, without requiring different energetics of the skyrmion state
Investigating the magnetic ground state of the skyrmion host material Cu2OSeO3 using long-wavelength neutron diffraction
We present long-wavelength neutron diffraction data measured on both single crystal and polycrystalline samples of the skyrmion host material Cu2OSeO3. We observe magnetic satellites around the (01âŻâŻ1) diffraction peak not accessible to other techniques, and distinguish helical from conical spin textures in reciprocal space. Our measurements show that not only the field-polarised phase but also the helical ground state are made up of ferrimagnetic clusters instead of individual spins. These clusters are distorted Cu tetrahedra, where the spin on one Cu ion is anti-aligned with the spin on the three other Cu ions
Position-dependent stability and lifetime of the skyrmion state in nickel-substituted Cu2OSeO3
We report spatially resolved small-angle neutron-scattering measurements of the conical and skyrmion states of a bulk single crystal of nickel-substituted Cu2OSeO3, with a nominal concentration of Ni of 14%. We observe a significant spatial dependence of the structure of these magnetic states, characterized by increased disorder and misalignment with respect to the applied field as we approach the edge of the sample. Remarkably, the edge skyrmion state is also characterized by an extended stability towards lower temperatures. Surprisingly, in the same region of the sample, the metastable skyrmion state did not show simple decay. Instead, only a fraction of the scattered intensity appeared to decay, and the intensity therefore did not approach zero during our measurements. We suggest that the increased local disorder and the coexistence of conical and skyrmion states, induced by demagnetization effects at the edge of the sample, are responsible for the increased stability of this skyrmion state. We also infer that the unclear metastable behavior of the skyrmion lattice at the edge of the sample is due to the local geometry of the sample, which induces coexistence of different skyrmion states whose lifetimes are superimposed and difficult to separate in the data
History-dependent domain and skyrmion formation in 2D van der Waals magnet Fe3GeTe2
The discovery of two-dimensional magnets has initiated a new field of research, exploring both fundamental low-dimensional magnetism, and prospective spintronic applications. Recently, observations of magnetic skyrmions in the 2D ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2 (FGT) have been reported, introducing further application possibilities. However, controlling the exhibited magnetic state requires systematic knowledge of the history-dependence of the spin textures, which remains largely unexplored in 2D magnets. In this work, we utilise real-space imaging, and complementary simulations, to determine and explain the thickness-dependent magnetic phase diagrams of an exfoliated FGT flake, revealing a complex, history-dependent emergence of the uniformly magnetised, stripe domain and skyrmion states. The results show that the interplay of the dominant dipolar interaction and strongly temperature dependent out-of-plane anisotropy energy terms enables the selective stabilisation of all three states at zero field, and at a single temperature, while the Dzyaloshinksii-Moriya interaction must be present to realise the observed NĂ©el-type domain walls. The findings open perspectives for 2D devices incorporating topological spin textures
Thinking about growth : a cognitive mapping approach to understanding small business development
School of Managemen
Impact of Patching and Atropine Treatment on the Child and Family in the Amblyopia Treatment Study
Objective To assess the psychosocial impact on the child and family of patching and atropine as treatments for moderate amblyopia in children younger than 7 years. Methods In a randomized, controlled clinical trial, 419 children younger than 7 years with amblyopic eye visual acuity in the range of 20/40 to 20/100 were assigned to receive treatment with either patching or atropine at 47 clinical sites. After 5 weeks of treatment, a parental quality-of-life questionnaire was completed for 364 (87%) of the 419 patients. Main Outcome Measure Overall and subscale scores on the Amblyopia Treatment Index. Results High internal validity and reliability were demonstrated for the Amblyopia Treatment Index questionnaire. The overall Amblyopia Treatment Index scores and the 3 subscale scores were consistently higher (worse) in the patching group compared with the atropine-treated group (overall mean, 2.52 vs 2.02, P<.001; adverse effects of treatment: mean, 2.35 vs 2.11, P = .002; difficulty with compliance: mean, 2.46 vs 1.99, P<.001; and social stigma: mean, 3.09 vs 1.84, P<.001, respectively). Conclusion Although the Amblyopia Treatment Index questionnaire results indicated that both atropine and patching treatments were well tolerated by the child and family, atropine received more favorable scores overall and on all 3 questionnaire subscales
Single Skyrmion Generation via a Vertical Nanocontact in a 2D Magnet Based Heterostructure
Skyrmions have been well studied in chiral magnets and magnetic thin films due to their potential application in practical devices. Recently, monochiral skyrmions have been observed in two dimensional van der Waals magnets. Their atomically flat surfaces and capability to be stacked into heterostructures offer new prospects for skyrmion applications. However, the controlled local nucleation of skyrmions within these materials has yet to be realized. Here, we utilize real space X ray microscopy to investigate a heterostructure composed of the 2D ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2 FGT , an insulating hexagonal boron nitride layer, and a graphite top electrode. Upon a stepwise increase of the voltage applied between the graphite and FGT, a vertically conducting pathway can be formed. This nanocontact allows the tunable creation of individual skyrmions via single nanosecond pulses of low current density. Furthermore, time resolved magnetic imaging highlights the stability of the nanocontact, while our micromagnetic simulations reproduce the observed skyrmion nucleation proces
Equation of state and phonon frequency calculations of diamond at high pressures
The pressure-volume relationship and the zone-center optical phonon frequency
of cubic diamond at pressures up to 600 GPa have been calculated based on
Density Functional Theory within the Local Density Approximation and the
Generalized Gradient Approximation. Three different approaches, viz. a
pseudopotential method applied in the basis of plane waves, an all-electron
method relying on Augmented Plane Waves plus Local Orbitals, and an
intermediate approach implemented in the basis of Projector Augmented Waves
have been used. All these methods and approximations yield consistent results
for the pressure derivative of the bulk modulus and the volume dependence of
the mode Grueneisen parameter of diamond. The results are at variance with
recent precise measurements up to 140 GPa. Possible implications for the
experimental pressure determination based on the ruby luminescence method are
discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure
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