First-order transition in the itinerant ferromagnet CoS1.9_{1.9}Se0.1_{0.1}

Undoped CoS$_2$ is an isotropic itinerant ferromagnet with a continuous or nearly continuous phase transition at $T_{\rm C} = 122$ K. In the doped CoS$_{1.9}$Se$_{0.1}$ system, the Curie temperature is lowered to $T_{\rm C} = 90$ K, and the transition becomes clearly first order in nature. In particular we find a discontinuous evolution of the spin dynamics as well as strong time relaxation in the ferromagnetic Bragg intensity and small angle neutron scattering in vicinity of the ferromagnetic transition. In the ordered state the long-wavelength spin excitations were found to be conventional ferromagnetic spin-waves with negligible spin-wave gap ($< 0.04$ meV), indicating that this system is also an excellent isotropic (soft) ferromagnet. In a wide temperature range up to $0.9T_{\rm C}$, the spin-wave stiffness $D(T)$ follows the prediction of the two-magnon interaction theory, $D(T) = D(0)(1 - AT^{5/2})$, with $D(0) = 131.7 \pm 2.8$ meV-\AA$^{2}$. The stiffness, however, does not collapse as $T \to T_{\rm C}$ from below. Instead a quasielastic central peak abruptly develops in the excitation spectrum, quite similar to results found in the colossal magnetoresistance oxides such as (La-Ca)MnO$_3$.Comment: 8pages, 8figure

Uncorrelated and correlated nanoscale lattice distortions in the paramagnetic phase of magnetoresistive manganites

Neutron scattering measurements on a magnetoresistive manganite La$_{0.75}$(Ca$_{0.45}$Sr$_{0.55}$)$_{0.25}$MnO$_3$ show that uncorrelated dynamic polaronic lattice distortions are present in both the orthorhombic (O) and rhombohedral (R) paramagnetic phases. The uncorrelated distortions do not exhibit any significant anomaly at the O-to-R transition. Thus, both the paramagnetic phases are inhomogeneous on the nanometer scale, as confirmed further by strong damping of the acoustic phonons and by the anomalous Debye-Waller factors in these phases. In contrast, recent x-ray measurements and our neutron data show that polaronic correlations are present only in the O phase. In optimally doped manganites, the R phase is metallic, while the O paramagnetic state is insulating (or semiconducting). These measurements therefore strongly suggest that the {\it correlated} lattice distortions are primarily responsible for the insulating character of the paramagnetic state in magnetoresistive manganites.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures embedde

Phase transition in a super superspin glass

We here confirm the occurrence of spin glass phase transition and extract estimates of associated critical exponents of a highly monodisperse and densely compacted system of bare maghemite nanoparticles. This system has earlier been found to behave like an archetypal spin glass, with e.g. a sharp transition from paramagnetic to non-equilibrium behavior, suggesting that this system undergoes a spin-glass phase transition at a relatively high temperature, $T_g$ $\sim$ 140 K.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

A generalized structure of Bell inequalities for bipartite arbitrary dimensional systems

We propose a generalized structure of Bell inequalities for arbitrary d-dimensional bipartite systems, which includes the existing two types of Bell inequalities introduced by Collins-Gisin-Linden-Massar-Popescu [Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 040404 (2002)] and Son-Lee-Kim [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 060406 (2006)]. We analyze Bell inequalities in terms of correlation functions and joint probabilities, and show that the coefficients of correlation functions and those of joint probabilities are in Fourier transform relations. We finally show that the coefficients in the generalized structure determine the characteristics of quantum violation and tightness.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

Magnetic Order and Spin Dynamics in Ferroelectric HoMnO3_{3}

Hexagonal HoMnO$_{3}$ is a frustrated antiferromagnet (T$_{N}$=72 K) ferroelectric (T$_{C}$=875 K) in which these two order parameters are coupled. Our neutron measurements of the spin wave dispersion for the S=2 Mn$^{3+}$ on the layered triangular lattice are well described by a two-dimensional nearest-neighbor Heisenberg exchange J=2.44 meV, and an anisotropy $D$ that is 0.093 meV above the spin reorientation transition at 40 K, and 0.126 meV below. For $H\parallel c$ the magnetic structures and phase diagram have been determined, and reveal additional transitions below 8 K where the ferroelectrically displaced Ho$^{3+}$ ions are ordered magnetically.Comment: To be published in Physical Review Letter

Melting of Quasi-Two-Dimensional Charge Stripes in La5/3Sr1/3NiO4

Commensurability effects for nickelates have been studied by the first neutron experiments on La5/3Sr1/3NiO4. Upon cooling, this system undergoes three successive phase transitions associated with quasi-two-dimensional (2D) commensurate charge and spin stripe ordering in the NiO$_2$ planes. The two lower temperature phases (denoted as phase II and III) are stripe lattice states with quasi-long-range in-plane charge correlation. When the lattice of 2D charge stripes melts, it goes through an intermediate glass state (phase I) before becoming a disordered liquid state. This glass state shows short-range charge order without spin order, and may be called a "stripe glass" which resembles the hexatic/nematic state in 2D melting.Comment: 10 pages, RevTex, 4 figures available on request to [email protected]

Interplay of charge and spin correlations in nickel perovskites

Analyzing the motion of low--spin $(s=1/2)$ holes in a high--spin $(S=1)$ background, we derive a sort of generalized t--J Hamiltonian for the $\rm NiO_2$ planes of Sr--doped nickelates. In addition to the rather complex carrier--spin and spin--spin couplings we take into account the coupling of the doped holes to in--plane oxygen breathing modes by a Holstein--type interaction term. Because of strong magnetic confinement effects the holes are nearly entirely prelocalized and the electron--phonon coupling becomes much more effective in forming polarons than in the isostructural cuprates. In the light of recent experiments on $\rm La_{2-x}Sr_xNiO_4$ we discuss how the variety of the observed transport and charge/spin--ordering phenomena can be qualitatively understood in terms of our model Hamiltonian.Comment: 2 pages, LTpaper.sty, Proc. XXI Int. Conf. on Low Temp. Phys. Prague 9