Heat Conduction and Magnetic Phase Behavior in Electron-Doped Ca_{1-x} La_x MnO_3(0 <= x <= 0.2)

Measurements of thermal conductivity (kappa) vs temperature are reported for a series of Ca_{1-x} La_x MnO_3(0 <= x <= 0.2) specimens. For the undoped (x=0), G-type antiferromagnetic compound a large enhancement of kappa below the Neel temperature (T_N ~ 125 K) indicates a strong coupling of heat-carrying phonons to the spin system. This enhancement exhibits a nonmonotonic behavior with increasing x and correlates remarkably well with the small ferromagnetic component of the magnetization reported previously [Neumeier and Cohn, Phys. Rev. B 61 14319 (2000).] Magnetoelastic polaron formation appears to underly the behavior of kappa and the magnetization at x <= 0.02.Comment: submitted to PRB; 4 pp., 4 Fig.'s, RevTex

Lattice dynamics and reduced thermal conductivity of filled skutterudites

The great reduction in thermal conductivity of skutterudites upon filling the ``void'' sites with Rare Earth (RE) ions is key to their favorable thermoelectric properties but remains to be understood. Using lattice dynamic models based on first principles calculations, we address the most popular microscopic mechanism, reduction via rattling ions. The model withstands inelastic neutron scattering and specific heat measurements, and refutes hypotheses of an anharmonic RE potential and of two distinct localized RE vibrations of disparate frequencies. It does indicate a strong hybridization between bare La vibrations and certain Sb-like phonon branches, suggesting anharmonic scattering by harmonic RE motions as an important mechanism for suppression of heat conductivity.Comment: modified version resubmitted to PRB. Results unchanged, text changed substantiall

Absence of singular superconducting fluctuation corrections to thermal conductivity

We evaluate the superconducting fluctuation corrections to thermal conductivity in the normal state which diverge as T approaches T_c. We find zero total contribution for one, two and three-dimensional superconductors for arbitrary impurity concentration. The method used is diagrammatic many-body theory, and all contributions -- Aslamazov-Larkin (AL), Maki-Thompson (MT), and density-of-states (DOS) -- are considered. The AL contribution is convergent, whilst the divergences of the DOS and MT diagrams exactly cancel.Comment: 4 pages text; 2 figure

Sturmian morphisms, the braid group B_4, Christoffel words and bases of F_2

We give a presentation by generators and relations of a certain monoid generating a subgroup of index two in the group Aut(F_2) of automorphisms of the rank two free group F_2 and show that it can be realized as a monoid in the group B_4 of braids on four strings. In the second part we use Christoffel words to construct an explicit basis of F_2 lifting any given basis of the free abelian group Z^2. We further give an algorithm allowing to decide whether two elements of F_2 form a basis or not. We also show that, under suitable conditions, a basis has a unique conjugate consisting of two palindromes.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figure

Role Of Oxygen Vacancies In The Magnetic And Dielectric Properties Of The High-dielectric-constant System Cacu3 Ti4 O12: An Electron-spin Resonance Study

We report experiments of electron spin resonance (ESR) of Cu2+ in polycrystalline samples of CaCu3 Ti4 O12 post-annealed in different atmospheres. After being synthesized by solid state reaction, pellets of CaCu3 Ti4 O12 were annealed for 24 h at 1000°C under air, Ar or O2. Our temperature dependent ESR data revealed for all samples nearly temperature independent g value (2.15(1)) and linewidth for T TN ≈25 K. However, the values of ESR linewidth are strongly affected by the oxygen content in the sample. For instance, argon post-annealed samples show a much larger linewidth than the O2 or air post-annealed samples. We attribute this broadening to an increase of the dipolar homogeneous broadening of the Cu2+ ESR lines due to the presence of oxygen vacancies which induce an S=1 2 spin inside the TiO6 octahedra. Correlation between a systematic dependence of the ESR linewidth on the oxygen content and the high dielectric constant of these materials is addressed. Also, ESR, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat data for a single crystal of CaCu3 Ti4 O12 and for polycrystals of CdCu3 Ti4 O12 are reported. © 2006 The American Physical Society.7322Subramanian, M.A., Li, D., Duan, N., Reisner, B., Sleight, A.W., (2000) J. Solid State Chem., 151, p. 323. , JSSCBI 0022-4596 10.1006/jssc.2000.8703Ramirez, A.P., Subramanian, M.A., Gardel, M., Blumberg, G., Li, D., Vogt, T., Shapiro, S.M., (2000) Solid State Commun., 151, p. 217. , SSCOA4 0038-1098Homes, C.C., Vogt, T., Shapiro, S.M., Wakimoto, S., Ramirez, A.P., (2001) Science, 293, p. 673. , SCIEAS 0036-8075 10.1126/science.292.5517.673Lunkenheimer, P., Bobnar, V., Pronin, A.V., Ritus, A.I., Volkov, A.A., Loidl, A., (2002) Phys. Rev. B, 66, p. 052105. , PRBMDO 0163-1829 10.1103/PhysRevB.66.052105Homes, C.C., Vogt, T., Shapiro, S.M., Wakimoto, S., Subramanian, M.A., Ramirez, A.P., (2003) Phys. Rev. B, 67, p. 092106. , PRBMDO 0163-1829 10.1103/PhysRevB.67.092106Sinclair, D.C., Admas, T.B., Morrison, F.D., West, A.R., (2002) Appl. Phys. Lett., 80, p. 2153. , APPLAB 0003-6951 10.1063/1.1463211Giulloto, E., Mozzati, M.C., Azzoni, C.B., Massarotti, V., Bini, M., (2004) Ferroelectrics, 298, p. 61. , FEROA8 0015-0193Mozzati, M.C., Azzoni, C.B., Capsoni, D., Bini, M., Massarotti, V., (2003) J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, 15, p. 7365. , JCOMEL 0953-8984 10.1088/0953-8984/15/43/018Subramanian, M.A., Sleight, A.W., (2002) Solid State Sci., 4, p. 347. , SSSCFJ 1293-2558 10.1016/S1293-2558(01)01262-6Fang, L., Shen, M., Cao, W., (2004) J. Appl. Phys., 95, p. 6483. , JAPIAU 0021-8979 10.1063/1.1728308Koitzsch, A., Blumberg, G., Gozar, A., Dennis, B., Ramirez, A.P., Trebst, S., Wakimoto, S., (2002) Phys. Rev. B, 65, p. 052406. , PRBMDO 0163-1829 10.1103/PhysRevB.65.052406Bosman, A.J., Van Daal, H.J., (1970) Adv. Phys., 19, p. 1. , ADPHAH 0001-8732 10.1080/00018737000101071Lenjer, S., Schirmer, O.F., Hesse, H., Kool, T.W., (2002) Phys. Rev. B, 66, p. 165106. , PRBMDO 0163-1829 10.1103/PhysRevB.66.165106Bednorz, J.G., Mller, K.A., (1988) Rev. Mod. Phys., 60, p. 585. , RMPHAT 0034-6861 10.1103/RevModPhys.60.585Salamon, M.B., Jaime, M., (2001) Rev. Mod. Phys., 73, p. 583. , RMPHAT 0034-6861 10.1103/RevModPhys.73.583Scharfschwerdt, R., Mazur, A., Schirmer, O.F., Hesse, H., Mendricks, S., (1996) Phys. Rev. B, 54, p. 15284. , PRBMDO 0163-1829 10.1103/PhysRevB.54.15284Laguta, V.V., Slipenyuk, A.M., Bykov, I.P., Glinchuck, M.D., Maglione, M., Michau, D., Rosa, J., Jastrabik, L., (2005) Appl. Phys. Lett., 87, p. 022903. , APPLAB 0003-6951 10.1063/1.1954900Cohn, J.L., Peterca, M., Neumeier, J.J., (2005) J. Appl. Phys., 97, p. 034102. , JAPIAU 0021-8979 10.1063/1.1834976Abragam, A., Bleaney, B., (1670) Electron Paramagnetic Resonance of Transition Ions, , Clarendon, OxfordPoole, C.P., Farach, H.A., (1971) Relaxation in Magnetic Resonance, , Academic, New YorkVan Vleck, J.H., (1948) Phys. Rev., 74, p. 1168. , PHRVAO 0031-899X 10.1103/PhysRev.74.1168Anderson, P.W., Weiss, P.R., (1953) Rev. Mod. Phys., 25, p. 269. , RMPHAT 0034-6861 10.1103/RevModPhys.25.269Wu, L., Zhu, Y., Park, S., Shapiro, S., Shirane, G., Tafto, J., (1953) Rev. Mod. Phys., 25, p. 269. , RMPHAT 0034-6861 10.1103/RevModPhys.25.26

Ground state at high density

Weak limits as the density tends to infinity of classical ground states of integrable pair potentials are shown to minimize the mean-field energy functional. By studying the latter we derive global properties of high-density ground state configurations in bounded domains and in infinite space. Our main result is a theorem stating that for interactions having a strictly positive Fourier transform the distribution of particles tends to be uniform as the density increases, while high-density ground states show some pattern if the Fourier transform is partially negative. The latter confirms the conclusion of earlier studies by Vlasov (1945), Kirzhnits and Nepomnyashchii (1971), and Likos et al. (2007). Other results include the proof that there is no Bravais lattice among high-density ground states of interactions whose Fourier transform has a negative part and the potential diverges or has a cusp at zero. We also show that in the ground state configurations of the penetrable sphere model particles are superposed on the sites of a close-packed lattice.Comment: Note adde

Quasiparticle contribution to heat carriers relaxation time in DyBa2_2Cu3_3O7−x_{7-x} from heat diffusivity measurements

It is shown that the controversy on phonons or electrons being the most influenced heat carriers below the critical temperature of high-T$_c$ superconductors can be resolved. Electrical and thermal properties of the same DyBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$ monodomain have been measured for two highly different oxygenation levels. While the oxygenated sample DyBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7}$ has very good superconducting properties ($T_c=90$ K), the DyBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.3}$ sample exhibits an insulator behavior. A careful comparison between measurements of the {\bf thermal diffusivity} of both samples allows us to extract the electronic contribution. This contribution to the relaxation time of heat carriers is shown to be large below $T_c$ and more sensitive to the superconducting state than the phonon contribution.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Anisotropic phonon conduction and lattice distortions in CMR-type bilayer manganite (La1−z_{1-z}Prz_{z})1.2_{1.2}Sr1.8_{1.8}Mn2_{2}O7_{7} (z=0,0.2,0.4 and 0.6) single crystals

We have undertaken a systematic study of thermal conductivity as a function of temperature and magnetic field of single crystals of the compound (La$_{1-z}$Pr$_{z}$)$_{1.2}$Sr$_{1.8}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$ for $z$(Pr) =0.2,0.4. and 0.6. The lattice distortion due to Pr-substitution and anisotropic thermal conductivity in bilayer manganites are discussed on the basis of different relaxation models of local lattice distortions in metal and insulating states proposed by Maderda et al. The giant magnetothermal effect is scaled as a function of magnetization and discussed on the basis of a systematic variation of the occupation of the $e_g$-electron orbital states due to Pr-substitution.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, in press in Phys.Rev.

Ultrafast photoinduced reflectivity transients in (Nd0.5Sr0.5)MnO3(Nd_{0.5}Sr_{0.5})MnO_3

The temperature dependence of ultrafast photoinduced reflectivity transients is reported in Nd$_{0.5}$Sr$_{0.5}$MnO$_{3}$ thin film. The photoinduced reflectivity shows a complex response with very different temperature dependences on different timescales. The response on the sub-ps timescale appears to be only weakly sensitive to the 270K-metal-insulator phase transition. Below $\sim 160$ K the sub-ps response displays a two component behavior indicating inhomogeneity of the film resulting from the substrate induced strain. On the other hand, the slower response on the 10-100 ps timescale is sensitive only to the metal-insulator phase transition and is in agreement with some previously published results. The difference in the temperature dependences of the responses on nanosecond and $\mu$s timescales indicates that thermal equilibrium between the different degrees of fredom is established relatively slowly - on a nanosecond timescale