Switching of the magnetic order in CeRhIn5−x_{5-x}Snx_{x} in the vicinity of its quantum critical point

We report neutron diffraction experiments performed in the tetragonal antiferromagnetic heavy fermion system CeRhIn$_{5-x}$Sn$_{x}$ in its ($x$, $T$) phase diagram up to the vicinity of the critical concentration $x_c$ $\approx$ 0.40, where long range magnetic order is suppressed. The propagation vector of the magnetic structure is found to be $\bf{k_{IC}}$=(1/2, 1/2, $k_l$) with $k_l$ increasing from $k_l$=0.298 to $k_l$=0.410 when $x$ increases from $x$=0 to $x$=0.26. Surprisingly, for $x$=0.30, the order has changed drastically and a commensurate antiferromagnetism with $\bf{k_{C}}$=(1/2, 1/2, 0) is found. This concentration is located in the proximity of the quantum critical point where superconductivity is expected.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Suppression of hidden order in URu2Si2 under pressure and restoration in magnetic field

We describe here recent inelastic neutron scattering experiments on the heavy fermion compound URu2Si2 realized in order to clarify the nature of the hidden order (HO) phase which occurs below T_0 = 17.5 K at ambient pressure. The choice was to measure at a given pressure P where the system will go, by lowering the temperature, successively from paramagnetic (PM) to HO and then to antiferromagnetic phase (AF). Furthermore, in order to verify the selection of the pressure, a macroscopic detection of the phase transitions was also achieved in situ via its thermal expansion response detected by a strain gauge glued on the crystal. Just above P_x = 0.5 GPa, where the ground state switches from HO to AF, the Q_0 = (1, 0, 0) excitation disappears while the excitation at the incommensurate wavevector Q_1 = (1.4, 0, 0) remains. Thus, the Q_0 = (1, 0, 0) excitation is intrinsic only in the HO phase. This result is reinforced by studies where now pressure and magnetic field $H$ can be used as tuning variable. Above P_x, the AF phase at low temperature is destroyed by a magnetic field larger than H_AF (collapse of the AF Q_0 = (1, 0, 0) Bragg reflection). The field reentrance of the HO phase is demonstrated by the reappearance of its characteristic Q_0 = (1, 0, 0) excitation. The recovery of a PM phase will only be achieved far above H_AF at H_M approx 35 T. To determine the P-H-T phase diagram of URu2Si2, macroscopic measurements of the thermal expansion were realized with a strain gauge. The reentrant magnetic field increases strongly with pressure. Finally, to investigate the interplay between superconductivity (SC) and spin dynamics, new inelastic neutron scattering experiments are reported down to 0.4 K, far below the superconducting critical temperature T_SC approx 1.3 K as measured on our crystal by diamagnetic shielding.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, ICN 2009 conference proceeding

Chemical modelling of Alkali Silica reaction: Influence of the reactive aggregate size distribution

International audienceThis article presents a new model which aims at the prediction of the expansion induced by Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) and the description of the chemical evolution of affected concretes. It is based on the description of the transport and reaction of alkalis and calcium ions within a Relative Elementary Volume (REV). It takes into account the influence of the reactive aggregate size grading on ASR, i.e. the effect of the simultaneous presence of different sized reactive aggregates within concrete. The constitutive equations are detailed and fitted using experimental results. Results from numerical simulations are presented and compared with experiments.Cet article présente un modèle qui a pour but la prédiction du gonflement induit par la réaction alcali-silice et la description de l'évolution chimique des bétons affectés. Il est basé sur la description du transport et de la réaction des alcalins et des ions calcium dans un Volume Elémentaire Représentatif. Il permet notamment de tenir compte de l'influence de la granulométrie réactive, c'est-à-dire de l'influence de la présence simultanée de granulats réactifs de différentes tailles dans le béton. Les équations constitutives du modèle sont détaillées puis calées à partir de résultats expérimentaux. Les résultats des simulations numériques sont présentés et comparés aux valeurs expérimentales

Field Reentrance of the Hidden Order State of URu2Si2 under Pressure

Combination of neutron scattering and thermal expansion measurements under pressure shows that the so-called hidden order phase of URu2Si2 reenters in magnetic field when antiferromagnetism (AF) collapses at H_AF (T). Macroscopic pressure studies of the HO-AF boundaries were realized at different pressures via thermal expansion measurements under magnetic field using a strain gauge. Microscopic proof at a given pressure is the reappearance of the resonance at Q_0=(1,0,0) under field which is correlated with the collapse of the AF Bragg reflections at Q_0.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Skutterudite Results Shed Light on Heavy Fermion Physics

Only few selected examples among the great diversity of anomalous rare earth skutterudite are reviewed. Focus is first given on PrFe4P12 in comparison with URu2Si2. For PrFe4P12, great progress has been made on determining the nature of the order parameter (OP). A non magnetic order parameter with a multipolar component emerges here while for URu2Si2 the nature of the so-called hidden order remains mysterious. The two systems have several similarities in their temperature--pressure (T, P) and magnetic field--temperature (H, T) phase diagrams, in their spin dynamics, in their nesting character and in their high sensitivity to impurities. Advances on one side must stimulate new views on the other. Besides general considerations on the choice of the OP, a simple basic problem is the treatment of the Kondo coupling in a system with low charge carrier number for the cases of uncompensated and compensated semi-metal. An interesting problem is also the possible decoupling between exciton modes and itinerant carriers.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, proceedings of International Conference on "New Quantum Phenomena in Skutterudite and Related Systems

Precise study of the resonance at Q0=(1,0,0) in URu2Si2

New inelastic neutron scattering experiments have been performed on URu2Si2 with special focus on the response at Q0=(1,0,0), which is a clear signature of the hidden order (HO) phase of the compound. With polarized inelastic neutron experiments, it is clearly shown that below the HO temperature (T0 = 17.8 K) a collective excitation (the magnetic resonance at E0 \approx 1.7 meV) as well as a magnetic continuum co-exist. Careful measurements of the temperature dependence of the resonance lead to the observation that its position shifts abruptly in temperature with an activation law governed by the partial gap opening and that its integrated intensity has a BCS-type temperature dependence. Discussion with respect to recent theoretical development is made

Electrical Resistivity and Thermal Expansion Measurements of URu2Si2 under Pressure

We carried out simultaneous measurements of electrical resistivity and thermal expansion of the heavy-fermion compound URu2Si2 under pressure using a single crystal. We observed a phase transition anomaly between hidden (HO) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordered states at TM in the temperature dependence of both measurements. For the electrical resistivity, the anomaly at TM was very small compared with the distinct hump anomaly at the phase transition temperature T0 between the paramagnetic state (PM) and HO, and exhibited only a slight increase and decrease for the I // a-axis and c-axis, respectively. We estimated each excitation gap of HO, Delta_HO, and AFM, Delta_AFM, from the temperature dependence of electrical resistivity; Delta_HO and Delta_AFM have different pressure dependences from each other. On the other hand, the temperature dependence of thermal expansion exhibited a small anomaly at T0 and a large anomaly at TM. The pressure dependence of the phase boundaries of T0 and TM indicates that there is no critical end point and the two phase boundaries meet at the critical point.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Angular Dependence of the High-Magnetic-Field Phase Diagram of URu2Si2

We present measurements of the magnetoresistivity RHOxx of URu2Si2 single crystals in high magnetic fields up to 60 T and at temperatures from 1.4 K to 40 K. Different orientations of the magnetic field have been investigated permitting to follow the dependence on Q of all magnetic phase transitions and crossovers, where Q is the angle between the magnetic field and the easy-axis c. We find out that all magnetic transitions and crossovers follow a simple 1/cos(Q) -law, indicating that they are controlled by the projection of the field on the c-axis

FU Orionis disk outburst: evidence for a gravitational instability scenario triggered in a magnetically dead zone

Context: FUors outbursts are a crucial stage of accretion in young stars. However a complete mechanism at the origin of the outburst still remains missing. Aims: We aim at constraining the instability mechanism in FU Orionis star itself, by directly probing the size and the evolution in time of the outburst region with near-infrared interferometry, and to confront it to physical models of this region. Methods: FU Orionis has been a regular target of near-infrared interferometry. In this paper, we analyze more than 20 years of interferometric observations to perform a temporal monitoring of the region of the outburst, and compare it to the spatial structure deduced from 1D MHD simulations. Results: We measure from the interferometric observations that the size variation of the outburst region is compatible with a constant or slightly decreasing size over time in the H and K band. The temporal variation and the mean sizes are consistently reproduced by our 1D MHD simulations. We find that the most compatible scenario is a model of an outburst occurring in a magnetically layered disk, where a Magneto-Rotational Instability (MRI) is triggered by a Gravitational Instability (GI) at the outer edge of a dead-zone. The scenario of a pure Thermal Instability (TI) fails to reproduce our interferometric sizes since it can only be sustained in a very compact zone of the disk <0.1 AU. The scenario of MRI-GI could be compatible with an external perturbation enhancing the GI, such as tidal interactions with a stellar companion, or a planet at the outer edge of the dead-zone. Conclusions: The layered disk model driven by MRI turbulence is favored to interpret the spatial structure and temporal evolution of FU Orionis outburst region. Understanding this phase gives a crucial link between the early phase of disk evolution and the process of planet formation in the first inner AUs.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&