One-Center Charge Transfer Transitions in Manganites

In frames of a rather conventional cluster approach, which combines the crystal field and the ligand field models we have considered different charge transfer (CT) states and O 2p-Mn 3d CT transitions in MnO$_{6}^{9-}$ octahedra. The many-electron dipole transition matrix elements were calculated using the Racah algebra for the cubic point group. Simple "local" approximation allowed to calculate the relative intensity for all dipole-allowed $\pi -\pi$ and $\sigma -\sigma$ CT transitions. We present a self-consistent description of the CT bands in insulating stoichiometric LaMn$^{3+}$O$_3$ compound with the only Mn$^{3+}$ valent state and idealized octahedral MnO$_{6}^{9-}$ centers which allows to substantially correct the current interpretation of the optical spectra. Our analysis shows the multi-band structure of the CT optical response with the weak low-energy edge at 1.7 eV, associated with forbidden $t_{1g}(\pi)-e_{g}$ transition and a series of the weak and strong dipole-allowed high-energy transitions starting from 2.5 and 4.5 eV, respectively, and extending up to nearly 11 eV. The most intensive features are associated with two strong composite bands near $4.6\div 4.7$ eV and $8\div 9$ eV, respectively, resulting from the superposition of the dipole-allowed $\sigma -\sigma$ and $\pi -\pi$ CT transitions. These predictions are in good agreement with experimental spectra. The experimental data point to a strong overscreening of the crystal field parameter $Dq$ in the CT states of MnO$_{6}^{9-}$ centers.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Coherence, incoherence and scaling along the c axis of YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x}

The optical properties of single crystals of YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x} have been examined along the c axis above and below the critical temperature (T_c) for a wide range of oxygen dopings. The temperature dependence of the optically-determined value of the dc conductivity (\sigma_{dc}) in the normal state suggests a crossover from incoherent (hopping-type) transport at lower oxygen dopings (x \lesssim 0.9) to more coherent anisotropic three-dimensional behavior in the overdoped (x \approx 0.99) material at temperatures close to T_c. The assumption that superconductivity occurs along the c axis through the Josephson effect yields a scaling relation between the strength of the superconducting condensate (\rho_{s,c}, a measure of the number of superconducting carriers), the critical temperature, and the normal-state c-axis value for \sigma_{dc} just above T_c; \rho_{s,c} \propto \sigma_{dc} T_c. This scaling relation is observed along the c axis for all oxygen dopings, as well as several other cuprate materials. However, the agreement with the Josephson coupling model does not necessarily imply incoherent transport, suggesting that these materials may indeed be tending towards coherent behavior at the higher oxygen dopings.Comment: Six pages with four figures and one tabl

On the c-axis optical reflectivity of layered cuprate superconductors

Using a conventional BCS -- Fermi liquid model we calculate the c-axis optical reflectivity of the layered high temperature cuprate superconductors by obtaining the finite temperature dynamical dielectric function in a microscopic self-consistent gauge invariant formalism. We get good semi-quantitative agreement with all the existing experimental data by using the measured normal state $dc$ resistivities as the input parameters in obtaining the c-axis hopping amplitude and the normal state level broadening in our microscopic calculation.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 1 table gzipped tar fil

Angle-resolved photoemission study of insulating and metallic Cu-O chains in PrBa2_2Cu3_3O7_7 and PrBa2_2Cu4_4O8_8

We compare the angle-resolved photoemission spectra of the hole-doped Cu-O chains in PrBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$ (Pr123) and in PrBa$_2$Cu$_4$O$_8$ (Pr124). While, in Pr123, a dispersive feature from the chain takes a band maximum at $k_b$ (momentum along the chain) $\sim$ $\pi/4$ and loses its spectral weight around the Fermi level, it reaches the Fermi level at $k_b$ $\sim$ $\pi/4$ in Pr124. Although the chains in Pr123 and Pr124 are approximately 1/4-filled, they show contrasting behaviors: While the chains in Pr123 have an instability to charge ordering, those in Pr124 avoid it and show an interesting spectral feature of a metallic coupled-chain system.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to be published in PR

Spin dynamics and antiferromagnetic order in PrBa2Cu4O8 studied by Cu nuclear respnance

Results of the nuclear resonance experiments for the planar Cu sites in PrBa2Cu4O8 are presented. The NMR spectrum at 1.5 K in zero magnetic field revealed an internal field of 6.1 T, providing evidence for an antiferromagnetic order of the planar Cu spins. This confirms that the CuO2 planes are insulating, therefore, the metallic conduction in this material is entirely due to the one-dimensional zigzag Cu2O2 chains. The results of the spin-lattice relaxation rates measured by zero field NQR above 245 K in the paramagnetic state are explained by the theory for a Heisenberg model on a square lattice.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Investigation of the thermal stability of Mg/Co periodic multilayers for EUV applications

We present the results of the characterization of Mg/Co periodic multilayers and their thermal stability for the EUV range. The annealing study is performed up to a temperature of 400\degree C. Images obtained by scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy clearly show the good quality of the multilayer structure. The measurements of the EUV reflectivity around 25 nm (~49 eV) indicate that the reflectivity decreases when the annealing temperature increases above 300\degreeC. X-ray emission spectroscopy is performed to determine the chemical state of the Mg atoms within the Mg/Co multilayer. Nuclear magnetic resonance used to determine the chemical state of the Co atoms and scanning electron microscopy images of cross sections of the Mg/Co multilayers reveal changes in the morphology of the stack from an annealing temperature of 305\degreee;C. This explains the observed reflectivity loss.Comment: Published in Applied Physics A: Materials Science \& Processing Published at http://www.springerlink.com.chimie.gate.inist.fr/content/6v396j6m56771r61/ 21 page

Localization Transition in Multilayered Disordered Systems

The Anderson delocalization-localization transition is studied in multilayered systems with randomly placed interlayer bonds of density $p$ and strength $t$. In the absence of diagonal disorder (W=0), following an appropriate perturbation expansion, we estimate the mean free paths in the main directions and verify by scaling of the conductance that the states remain extended for any finite $p$, despite the interlayer disorder. In the presence of additional diagonal disorder ($W > 0$) we obtain an Anderson transition with critical disorder $W_c$ and localization length exponent $\nu$ independently of the direction. The critical conductance distribution $P_{c}(g)$ varies, however, for the parallel and the perpendicular directions. The results are discussed in connection to disordered anisotropic materials.Comment: 10 pages, Revtex file, 8 postscript files, minor change

Angle-resolved photoemission study of untwinned PrBa2_2Cu3_3O7_7: undoped CuO2_2 plane and doped CuO3_3 chain

We have performed an angle-resolved photoemission study on untwinned PrBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$, which has low resistivity but does not show superconductivity. We have observed a dispersive feature with a band maximum around ($\pi$/2,$\pi$/2), indicating that this band is derived from the undoped CuO$_2$ plane. We have observed another dispersive band exhibiting one-dimensional character, which we attribute to signals from the doped CuO$_3$ chain. The overall band dispersion of the one-dimensional band agrees with the prediction of $t-J$ model calculation with parameters relevant to cuprates except that the intensity near the Fermi level is considerably suppressed in the experiment.Comment: 6 pages, 10 figure

Temperature Dependence of Low-Lying Electronic Excitations of LaMnO_3

We report on the optical properties of undoped single crystal LaMnO_3, the parent compound of the colossal magneto-resistive manganites. Near-Normal incidence reflectance measurements are reported in the frequency range of 20-50,000 cm-1 and in the temperature range 10-300 K. The optical conductivity, s_1(w), is derived by performing a Kramers-Kronig analysis of the reflectance data. The far-infrared spectrum of s_1(w) displays the infrared active optical phonons. We observe a shift of several of the phonon to high frequencies as the temperature is lowered through the Neel temperature of the sample (T_N = 137 K). The high-frequency s_1(w) is characterized by the onset of absorption near 1.5 eV. This energy has been identified as the threshold for optical transitions across the Jahn-Teller split e_g levels. The spectral weight of this feature increases in the low-temperature state. This implies a transfer of spectral weight from the UV to the visible associated with the paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic state. We discuss the results in terms of the double exchange processes that affect the optical processes in this magnetic material.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure