Nouveaux états quantiques induits sous champ (étude microscopique par résonance magnétique nucléaire de l'azurite)

Nous présentons une étude par Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire (RMN) de l'azurite, Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2, un système de spins quantiques. Ce composé peut être modélisé comme une chaine quasi-unidimensionnelle, frustrée, de type diamant', de spins électroniques S=1/2 portés par les ions de cuivre Cu2+. Il présente dans sa courbe de l'aimantation en fonction du champ magnétique, entre 11 et 30 T et à très basse température, un plateau à 1/3 de l'aimantation à saturation. Nous avons effectué des mesures RMN du cuivre dans l'azurite à T=1.5 K afin de déterminer sa structure magnétique microscopique. Les résultats obtenus dans le plateau démontrent que le dimère' des deux spins qui sont plus fortement couplés est approximativement dans l'état singulet, tandis que le troisième spin (le monomère') est presque complètement polarisé. Cela confirme que la configuration électronique du plateau à 1/3 est un nouvel état quantique qui n'a pas d'équivalent classique [F. Aimo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102 127205, (2009)]. Par RMN du proton à très haut champ magnétique, entre 31 et 34 T à T=0.6 K, nous avons aussi étudié le passage depuis le plateau à 1/3 vers la polarisation complète du système, afin de confirmer ou infirmer l'existence éventuelle d'un plateau à 2/3. Ce plateau est attendu dans le cas exceptionnel où les corrélations longitudinales de spins sont dominantes et stabilisent un ordre incommensurable longitudinal. L'analyse détaillée du dédoublement très symétrique des spectres RMN nous amène à conclure que c'est un ordre antiferromagnétique transverse et non longitudinal qui est établi, ce qui est incompatible avec l'existence du plateau à 2/3.We present a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) study of azurite, Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2, a quantum spin system. This compound has been recognised as a model system for a quasi-1D, frustrated, diamond' chain of S=1/2 spins beared by Cu2+ ions. In the magnetisation curve as a function of magnetic field it presents, between 11 and 30 T and at very low temperatures, a plateau at 1/3 of the saturation magnetisation. We performed Cu NMR measurements in azurite at T=1.5 K in order to determine its microscopic magnetic structure. The obtained results show that the dimer' of two more strongly coupled spins is approximately in a singlet state while the third spin (the monomer') is almost fully polarised. This confirms that the electronic configuration of the 1/3 plateau is a new quantum state without classical analogue [F. Aimo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 127205, (2009)]. By very high magnetic field proton NMR, between 31 and 34 T and at T=0.6 K, we have also studied the transition region between the 1/3 plateau and the full polarisation of the system in order to test for the possible existence of a 2/3 plateau. This plateau is expected in rather exceptional case when longitudinal spin correlations are dominant and stabilise an incommensurable longitudinal order. However, our analysis showed that the symmetric splitting of NMR spectra corresponds to an antiferromagnetic transverse and not longitudinal order, which is incompatible with the existence of a 2/3 plateau.SAVOIE-SCD - Bib.électronique (730659901) / SudocGRENOBLE1/INP-Bib.électronique (384210012) / SudocGRENOBLE2/3-Bib.électronique (384219901) / SudocSudocFranceF

NMR and NQR study of the tetrahedral frustrated quantum spin system Cu2Te2O5Br2 in its paramagnetic phase

The quantum antiferromagnet Cu2Te2O5Br2 was investigated by NMR and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR). The Te-125 NMR investigation showed that there is a magnetic transition around 10.5 K at 9 T, in agreement with previous studies. From the divergence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate, we ruled out the possibility that the transition could be governed by a one-dimensional divergence of the spin-spin correlation function. The observed anisotropy of the Te-125 shift was shown to be due to a spin polarization of the 5s(2) "E" doublet of the [TeO3E] tetrahedra, highlighting the importance of tellurium in the exchange paths. In the paramagnetic state, Br NQR and NMR measurements led to the determination of the Br hyperfine coupling and the electric field gradient tensor, and to the spin polarization of Br p orbitals. The results demonstrate the crucial role of bromine in the interaction paths between Cu spins

Prognostic significance of glomerular and tubulointerstitial morphometry in idiopathic membranous nephropathy

The purpose of our study was to investigate the prognostic value of clinical and pathological, in particular glomerular and tubulointerstitial morphometric variables in idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). We prospectively followed 60 Caucasian patients diagnosed with idiopathic membranous nephropathy for at least 2 years or until primary outcome (≥50% permanent decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate or death). Glomerular and tubulointerstitial morphometric variables at the time of renal biopsy were analyzed with respect to this outcome. Univariate analysis revealed that significant negative prognostic factors for this outcome were higher cholesterol and smaller albumin concentrations, higher creatinine and maximal 24-h proteinuria, higher grade of nephroangiosclerosis, higher glomerular basement membrane thickness and glomerulopathy index, higher interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy percentage and higher injury score. In multivariate analysis, only the maximal 24-h proteinuria and interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy percentage were independent predictors of this outcome. The results suggest that morphometric analysis, mainly quantitative measurement of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy percentage, injury score, glomerular basement membrane thickness and glomerulopathy index could be used as an additional method for risk stratification of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy

Field-angular Dependence of Pairing Interaction in URhGe: Comparison with UCoGe

International audienceThe field-angular dependence of Co-NMR spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 has been measured for a 10% Co-doped single crystal of URhGe. The experiment revealed that spin fluctuations in ferromagnetic (FM) state of URhGe are robust against magnetic field below about 4 T, applied along any direction in the bc crystal plane. This is in clear contrast with the sister compound UCoGe, in which FM spin fluctuations are rapidly suppressed by a tiny applied field along the c axis. We show that such a difference in the character of the spin fluctuations is reflected in their two distinct phase diagrams for the upper critical field Hc2, providing further support to the mechanism of superconductivity mediated by spin fluctuations in these materials