Neutron Scattering Study of Crystal Field Energy Levels and Field Dependence of the Magnetic Order in Superconducting HoNi2B2C

Elastic and inelastic neutron scattering measurements have been carried out to investigate the magnetic properties of superconducting (Tc~8K) HoNi2B2C. The inelastic measurements reveal that the lowest two crystal field transitions out of the ground state occurat 11.28(3) and 16.00(2) meV, while the transition of 4.70(9) meV between these two levels is observed at elevated temperatures. The temperature dependence of the intensities of these transitions is consistent with both the ground state and these higher levels being magnetic doublets. The system becomes magnetically long range ordered below 8K, and since this ordering energy kTN ~ 0.69meV << 11.28meV the magnetic properties in the ordered phase are dominated by the ground-state spin dynamics only. The low temperature structure, which coexists with superconductivity, consists of ferromagnetic sheets of Ho{3+ moments in the a-b plane, with the sheets coupled antiferromagnetically along the c-axis. The magnetic state that initially forms on cooling, however, is dominated by an incommensurate spiral antiferromagnetic state along the c-axis, with wave vector qc ~0.054 A-1, in which these ferromagnetic sheets are canted from their low temperature antiparallel configuration by ~17 deg. The intensity for this spiral state reaches a maximum near the reentrant superconducting transition at ~5K; the spiral state then collapses at lower temperature in favor of the commensurate antiferromagnetic state. We have investigated the field dependence of the magnetic order at and above this reentrant superconducting transition. Initially the field rotates the powder particles to align the a-b plane along the field direction, demonstrating that the moments strongly prefer to lie within this plane due to the crystal field anisotropy. Upon subsequently increasing the field atComment: RevTex, 7 pages, 11 figures (available upon request); Physica

Mean field analysis of a model for superconductivity in an antiferromagnetic background

We study a lattice fermion model for superconductivity in the presence of an antiferromagnetic background, described as a fixed external staggered magnetic field. We discuss the possibility that our model provides an effective description of coexistence of antiferromagnetic correlations and superconductivity, and its possible application to high temperature superconductivity. We also argue that, under certain conditions, this model describes a variant of the periodic Anderson model for heavy fermions. Using a path integral formulation we construct mean field equations, which we study in some detail. We evaluate the superconducting critical temperature and show that it is strongly enhanced by antiferromagnetic order. We also evaluate the superconducting gap, the superconducting density of states, and the tunneling conductivity, and show that the most stable channel usually has a $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave gap.Comment: 26 pages, 9 ps figures included via epsf. Published versio

Phenomenological Theory of Superconductivity and Magnetism in Ho1−x_{1-x}Dyx_xNi2_2B2_2C

The coexistence of the superconductivity and magnetism in the Ho$_{1-x}$Dy$_x$Ni$_2$B$_2$C is studied by using Ginzburg-Landau theory. This alloy shows the coexistence and complex interplay of superconducting and magnetic order. We propose a phenomenological model which includes two magnetic and two superconducting order parameters accounting for the multi-band structure of this material. We describe phenomenologically the magnetic fluctuations and order and demonstrate that they lead to anomalous behavior of the upper critical field. The doping dependence of $T_c$ in Ho$_{1-x}$Dy$_x$Ni$_2$B$_2$C showing a reentrance behavior are analyzed yielding a very good agreement with experimental data.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, REVTeX, submitted to PR

Specific Heat Study of the Magnetic Superconductor HoNi2B2C

The complex magnetic transitions and superconductivity of HoNi2B2C were studied via the dependence of the heat capacity on temperature and in-plane field angle. We provide an extended, comprehensive magnetic phase diagram for B // [100] and B // [110] based on the thermodynamic measurements. Three magnetic transitions and the superconducting transition were clearly observed. The 5.2 K transition (T_{N}) shows a hysteresis with temperature, indicating the first order nature of the transition at B=0 T. The 6 K transition (T_{M}), namely the onset of the long-range ordering, displays a dramatic in-plane anisotropy: T_{M} increases with increasing magnetic field for B // [100] while it decreases with increasing field for B // [110]. The anomalous anisotropy in T_{M} indicates that the transition is related to the a-axis spiral structure. The 5.5 K transition (T^{*}) shows similar behavior to the 5.2 K transition, i.e., a small in-plane anisotropy and scaling with Ising model. This last transition is ascribed to the change from a^{*} dominant phase to c^{*} dominant phase.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figure

The aggressive behavior of Ring-billed Gulls between different age categories of birds.

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/53909/1/2344.pdfDescription of 2344.pdf : Access restricted to on-site users at the U-M Biological Station

A transgenic rat model for reducing adult neurogenesis.

The function of adult neurogenesis remains unclear. While many tools for manipulating neurogenesis have been developed for mice, there are fewer tools for rats. Radiological and chemical strategies have been used to inhibit adult neurogenesis in rats but these methods may also have undesired side effects. Since rats have a larger brain and can perform complex behaviors, it would be useful to have additional rat models for studying neurogenesis. To address this gap we therefore developed a transgenic GFAP-TK rat in which adult neurogenesis can be specifically inhibited. Preliminary results suggest that, as in mice, reduced adult neurogenesis leads to anhedonia

Neutron-diffraction study of antiferromagnetic order in the magnetic superconductor ErNi<SUB>2</SUB>B<SUB>2</SUB>C

We have carried out powder-neutron-diffraction studies of the antiferromagnetic order that develops below TN=6.8 K in the magnetic superconductor (Tc=11 K) ErNi2B2C. The antiferromagnetic structure is associated with spins on the Er atoms, which order in a transversely polarized planar sinusoidal structure propagating along the a or b axis in equal domains, with the Er moments parallel to the b or a axis, respectively. Third and fifth harmonics of the sine wave are observed at low temperatures, indicating a squared-up sine wave, with a low-temperature amplitude of 7.8&#956;B/Er atom. There is also evidence of an induced moment of -0.35&#956;B on the Ni ions. A similar study of the isostructural compound YNi2B2C revealed no magnetic peaks (&#956; &lt; 0.13&#956;B) developing down to 0.3 K for Q values less than 1.6 A-1

Structures and magnetic properties of trinuclear copper(II) halide salts

The crystal structures of a series of trinuclear copper(II) halide salts have been determined. These all contain pseudoplanar, symmetrically bibridged Cu3X82- (Ia) or Cu3X7L- (Ib) anions. A2Cu3Cl8 or A2Cu3Cl8 salts are formed with A being the (Chemical Equation Presented) N-methylpiperazinium (NMPZ), 3-methyl-2-aminopyridinium (3MAP), and 5-methyl-2-aminopyridinium (5MAP) cations. A Cu3Br83- analogue is found with the 5-bromo-6-methyl-2-aminopyridinium (5B6MAP) cation. With the methylphenethylammonium (NMPH) cation, a (NMPH)Cu3Cl7·EtOH salt is isolated. The salts are all monoclinic with the following space group and lattice constants: NMPZ, C5H14N2Cu3Cl8, P21/c, a = 6.840 (3) Å, b = 14.321 (9) Å, c = 9.890 (5) Å, β = 102.90 (5)°, Z = 4; 3MAP, C12H18N4Cu3Cl8, C2/c, a = 26.05 (1) Å, b = 13.687 (4) Å, c = 7.099 (3) Å, β = 117.95 (3)°, Z = 4; NMPH, C11H20NOC3Cl7, P21/n, a = 11.843 (4) Å, b = 7.626 (3) Å, c = 23.840 (10) Å, β = 79.61 (3)°, Z = 4; 5B6MAP, C12N10N4-Cu3Br10, P21/n, a = 13.216 (3) Å, b = 4.076 (1) Å, c = 24.614 (6) Å, β = 91.65 (2)°, Z = 2. Each copper ion extends its primary coordination by formation of two semicoordinate bonds to halide ions in adjacent oligomers, yielding the familiar 4+2 coordination geometry for copper(II) complexes. These additional linkages cause the oligomers to aggregate into stacks, yielding stacking patterns of type IIa (NMPZ, 3MAP salts) or type IIb (NMPH, 5MAP, and 5B6MAP). Cu-X distances are approximately 2.3 (Figure Presented) Å (Cl) or 2.4 Å (Br) within the oligomers and 2.7-3.3 Å (Cl) or 3.2-3.3 Å (Br) between oligomers. The bridging Cu-X-Cu angles within the trimer average near 94°. Magnetic susceptibility measurements have been made on the NMPZ, NMPH, 3MAP, and 5MAP chloride salts. In addition, measurements were performed on Cu3Cl6(CH3CN)2, which contains neutral trinuclear oligomers. All compounds have doublet ground states arising from antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between neighboring copper(II) ions. The value of J/k is typically -20 to -35 K, consistent with the structural characteristics of the trimeric specie