The magnetic exchange parameters and anisotropy of the quasi-two dimensional antiferromagnet NiPS3_3

Neutron inelastic scattering has been used to measure the magnetic excitations in powdered NiPS$_3$, a quasi-two dimensional antiferromagnet with spin $S = 1$ on a honeycomb lattice. The spectra show clear, dispersive magnons with a $\sim 7$ meV gap at the Brillouin zone center. The data were fitted using a Heisenberg Hamiltonian with a single-ion anisotropy assuming no magnetic exchange between the honeycomb planes. Magnetic exchange interactions up to the third intraplanar nearest-neighbour were required. The fits show robustly that NiPS$_3$ has an easy axis anisotropy with $\Delta = 0.3$ meV and that the third nearest-neighbour has a strong antiferromagnetic exchange of $J_3 = -6.90$ meV. The data can be fitted reasonably well with either $J_1 < 0$ or $J_1 > 0$, however the best quantitative agreement with high-resolution data indicate that the nearest-neighbour interaction is ferromagnetic with $J_1 = 1.9$ meV and that the second nearest-neighbour exchange is small and antiferromagnetic with $J_2 = -0.1$ meV. The dispersion has a minimum in the Brillouin zone corner that is slightly larger than that at the Brillouin zone center, indicating that the magnetic structure of NiPS$_3$ is close to being unstable.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, 33 reference

Magnetic Excitations of Undoped Iron Oxypnictides

We study the magnetic excitations of undoped iron oxypnictides using a three-dimensional Heisenberg model with single-ion anisotropy. Analytic forms of the spin wave dispersion, velocities, and structure factor are given. Aside from quantitative comparisons which can be made to inelastic neutron scattering experiments, we also give qualitative criteria which can distinguish various regimes of coupling strength. The magnetization reduction due to quantum zero point fluctuations shows clear dependence on the c-axis coupling.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Frontiers of Physics in China: a special issue on Iron-based superconductor

Investigation of the dynamics of 1-octene adsorption at 293 K in a ZSM-5 catalyst by inelastic and quasielastic neutron scattering

The properties of 1-octene adsorbed in zeolite ZSM-5 at 293 K are studied by means of inelastic and quasielastic neutron scattering (INS and QENS) in order to investigate interactions relevant to the zeolite solid acid catalysis of fluidised catalytic cracking reactions. The INS spectrum is compared to that recorded for the solid alkene and reveals significant changes of bonding on adsorption at ambient temperatures; the changes are attributed to the oligomerization of the adsorbed 1-octene to form a medium chain n-alkane or n-alkane cation. QENS analysis shows that these oligomers are immobilised within the zeolite pore structure but a temperature-dependant fraction is able to rotate around their long axis within the pore channels

X-ray Resonant Scattering Study of the Order Parameters in Multiferroic TbMnO3_3

We report on an extensive investigation of the multiferroic compound TbMnO$_3$. Non-resonant x-ray magnetic scattering (NRXMS) revealed a dominant $A$-type domain. The temperature dependence of the intensity and wavevector associated with the incommensurate magnetic order was found to be in good agreement with neutron scattering data. XRS experiments were performed in the vicinity of the Mn $K$ and Tb $L_3$ edges in the high-temperature collinear phase, the intermediate temperature cycloidal/ferroelectric phase, and the low-temperature phase. In the collinear phase resonant $E1-E1$ satellites were found at the Mn $K$ edge associated with $A$-type but also $F$-type peaks. The azimuthal dependence of the $F$-type satellites (and their absence in the NRXMS experiments) indicates that they are most likely non-magnetic in origin. We suggest instead that they may be associated with an induced charge multipole. At the Tb $L_3$ edge resonant $A$- and $F$-type satellites ($E1-E1$) were observed in the collinear phase. These we attribute to a polarisation of the Tb 5$d$ states by the ordering of the Mn sublattice. In the cycloidal/ferroelectric phase a new set of resonant satellites appear corresponding to $C$-type order. These appear at the Tb $L_3$ edge only. In addition to a dominant $E1-E1$ component in the $\sigma-\pi^\prime$ channel, a weaker component is found in the pre-edge with $\sigma-\sigma^\prime$ polarization. Calculations of the XRS were performed using the $FDMNES$ code showing that the unrotated $\sigma-\sigma^\prime$ component of the Tb $L_3$ $C$-type peaks appearing in the ferroelectric phase contains a contribution from a multipole that is odd with respect to both space and time, known in various contexts as the anapole.Comment: Phys. Rev. B (In press

An x-ray resonant diffraction study of multiferroic DyMn2O5

X-ray resonant scattering has been used to measure the magnetic order of the Dy ions below 40K in multiferroic DyMn$_{2}$O$_{5}$. The magnetic order has a complex behaviour. There are several different ordering wavevectors, both incommensurate and commensurate, as the temperature is varied. In addition a non-magnetic signal at twice the wavevector of one of the commensurate signals is observed, the maximum intensity of which occurs at the same temperature as a local maximum in the ferroelectric polarisation. Some of the results, which bear resemblence to the behaviour of other members of the RMn$_{2}$O$_{5}$ family of multiferroic materials, may be explained by a theory based on so-called acentric spin-density waves.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Normal State Spin Dynamics of Five-band Model for Iron-pnictides

Normal state spin dynamics of the recently discovered iron-pnictide superconductors is discussed by calculating spin structure factor S(q, omega) in an itinerant five-band model within RPA approximation. Due to the characteristic Fermi surface structure of iron-pnictide, column like response is found at (pi, 0) in extended Brillouin zone in the undoped case, which is consistent with the recent neutron scattering experiment. This indicates that the localized spin model is not necessary to explain the spin dynamics of this system. Furthermore, we show that the temperature dependence of inelastic neutron scattering intensity can be well reproduced in the itinerant model. We also study NMR 1/T_1T in the same footing calculation and show that the itinerant model can capture the magnetic property of iron-pnictide superconductors.Comment: 4 page

Nature of the magnetic order in the charge-ordered cuprate La1.48Nd0.4Sr0.12CuO4

Using polarized neutron scattering we establish that the magnetic order in La1.48Nd0.4Sr0.12CuO4 is either (i) one dimensionally modulated and collinear, consistent with the stripe model or (ii) two dimensionally modulated with a novel noncollinear structure. The measurements rule out a number of alternative models characterized by 2D electronic order or 1D helical spin order. The low-energy spin excitations are found to be primarily transversely polarized relative to the stripe ordered state, consistent with conventional spin waves