Spin dynamics in the spin-gap system CaV₄O₉ studied using muon-spin relaxation

We report a muon-spin relaxation study of the two-dimensional spin-gap system CaV4O9. We find that the form of the muon-spin relaxation is strongly temperature dependent and attribute this behaviour to the presence of a spin gap. At temperatures below 30 K a root-exponential behaviour is seen for the muon-spin relaxation function, which can be attributed to defect spins. At temperatures above 160 K we see the onset of muon hopping

Magnetic properties of d8-(DMe-DCNQI)₂Cu studied by μSR

Examples from the (R-1,R-2-DCNQI)(2)X family of molecular conductors have been studied using mu SR in order to provide information about the microscopic magnetic properties of the various phases. For the fully deuterated dimethyl Cu salt (d(8)-DMe-Cu) there is a metal-insulator (MI) transition around 80 K and a magnetic transition around 7 K. The muon spin relaxation rate becomes enhanced in the region of the MI transition and below, reflecting the quenching of valence fluctuations and the appearance of localised spins on the Cu sites. A zero field precession signal develops below 7 K as a result of the 3D magnetic ordering of the Cu spins; the field distribution derived from the precession frequency is consistent with the proposed magnetic structure. In addition to the zero field studies, nuclear quadrupolar level crossing resonance between the muon and the imine nitrogen of the DCNQI has been used to study the temperature dependence of the electronic stale of the molecular conductor

Zero Field μSR and Cu-QLCR in the Molecular Metal System (DMe-DCNQI)₂Cu

We have carried out implanted positive muon studies on the molecular metal system d(n)(DMe-DCNQI)(2)Cu in order to understand better its novel magnetic properties. Examples of these salts at different levels of deuteration were studied. The fully deuterated (d(8)) salt shows a metal-insulator (MI) transition around 80 K and a magnetic transition around 7 K. The muon spin relaxation rate is enhanced below the MI transition, reflecting the localisation of spins along the Cu columns, however, the increase in muon spin relaxation rate occurs well above the metal-insulator (MI) transition and suggests a slowdown of the spin fluctuations around 120 K. At temperatures below 7 K a zero field precession signal was observed as a result of the 3D magnetic ordering of the Cu spins. For a muon site associated with the ring of the DCNQI molecule, the local field distribution was found to be consistent with the previously proposed magnetic structure. A sharp nuclear quadrupolar level crossing resonance (QLCR) was observed at 50 G which was assigned to resonance with the imine nitrogen on the DCNQI molecule

Muon-spin-relaxation studies of magnetic order and dynamics of the n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper phases Sr2RMn2O7 (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho)

Zero field muon spin relaxation (μSR) has been used to study the magnetic properties of n=2 Ruddlesden-Popper phases Sr2RMn2O7, where R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho. The results show that the size of the lanthanide ion is crucial in determining the magnetic state and dynamics of the system. Because muons are implanted throughout the bulk of the sample, impurity phases contribute only according to their volume fraction. Hence in the case of biphasic samples the data are dominated by the majority phase. Although none of our samples has a ferromagnetic ground state, colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) is observed over a wide temperature range, 4

Physical properties of the n=3 Ruddlesden-Popper compound Ca₄Mn₃O₁₀

We present the results of a combined magnetization, muon-spin rotation, transport and magnetotransport study of the n = 3 Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) compound Ca4Mn3O10. This compound adopts a layered structure in which groups of three perovskite layers alternate with single rock-salt layers. The muon-spin rotation data show that there is a sharp magnetic phase transition at 115 K. The resistance and magnetoresistance of the sample show no particular features at this temperature, but the transition affects the energy barriers associated with hopping transport. The magnetoresistance is proportional to the square of the magnetization, and is largest at low temperatures; a 40% drop in resistivity is observed in a magnetic field of 14 T at 61 K, much smaller than that measured in the related n = ∞ RP (perovskite) manganites which exhibit colossal magnetoresistance (CMR)

μSR of conducting and non-conducting polymers

μSR has been used to study a variety of polymers with very different electronic properties. In conducting polymers, the muon-generated radical states take the form of highly mobile polarons. Muon spin relaxation has been used to study the mobility of these polarons and to measure the temperature dependence of their intra-chain and inter-chain diffusion rates. It is found that the transport properties are strongly influenced by the librational ring modes of the phenylene rings in these polymers. In contrast, the muon-generated radical states in non-conducting polymers such as polybutadiene remain localized near the site of the muon. High field muon spin rotation, avoided level crossing resonance and longitudinal relaxation studies have been made, using the muon radical state as a probe of the dynamical properties of the polymer. Dramatic changes in the μSR signals are seen on going through the glass-rubber transition, as various dynamical degrees of freedom become frozen out. Additional information about the stability of the muon radical states on the microsecond timescale has also been obtained using RF muon spin rotation techniques. Using time-delayed RF resonance of the diamagnetic state at the RIKEN-RAL muon facility, the transition rate between paramagnetic and diamagnetic states could be studied as a function of temperature