Magnetostriction and elasticity of body centered cubic Fe100−xBex alloys

Magnetostriction measurements from 77 K to room temperature on oriented (100) and (110) disk samples of Fe93.9Be6.1 and Fe88.7Be11.3 reveal substantial increases in λ100compared to iron. For the 11.3% alloy, λ100=110 ppm, a sixfold increase above that of α-Fe. For the 6.1% alloy, λ100=81 ppm, ∼40% and ∼170% greater than λ100 of comparable Fe–Ga and Fe–Al alloys, respectively, for H=15 kOe. Large differences exist between the values of λ100 and λ111 (λ100\u3e0, λ111\u3c0) and their temperature dependencies. Elastic constants, c11, c12, and c44, from 4 to 300 K were obtained on the same Fe–Be alloys. From these measurements, the magnetoelastic energy coefficients b1 and b2 were calculated. While the magnitudes of the magnetostrictions λ100 and λ111 are widely different, the magnitudes of b1 and b2 are within a factor of 2. The Fe–Be alloys are highly anisotropic magnetostrictively, elastically, and magnetoelastically. For Fe88.7Be11.3 at room temperature λ100/λ111, 2c44/(c11−c12), and b1/b2 are −6.6, 3.55, and −1.86, respectively

Magnetostrictive and elastic properties of Fe100−xMox (2

In this paper we investigate the magnetostrictive [(3/2)λ100 and (3/2)λ111] and elastic (c′and c44) behavior of single crystalline alloys Fe100−xMox for 21 and −b2) are computed from the measurements. Similar to other Fe–X (X = Al, Ga, and Ge) alloys, the tetragonal magnetostriction (3/2)λ100 increases monotonically from ∼ 70×10−6 at ∼ 2.5 at. % Mo to a maximum of either ∼ 100×10−6 at ∼ 8 at. % Mo for the slow cooled crystals or ∼ 125×10−6 at ∼ 11 at. % Mo for quenched crystals. A sharp decrease after the peak is observed for the slow cooled crystals due to the formation of a second phase. The rhombohedral magnetostriction (3/2)λ111 of the Fe–Mo alloys is found to be insensitive to the Mo content. This behavior is distinctly different from other Fe–X (X = Al, Ga, and Ge) alloys where a slight decrease in magnitude and a sign reversal upon chemical ordering was observed for (3/2)λ111. Both shear elastic constants (c′ and c44) for Fe–Mo are remarkably insensitive to the Mo content, which is also distinct from the other Fe-based alloys used in the comparison. The two magnetoelastic coupling constants −b1 = 3λ100c′ (with values from 7.15 to 9.77 MJ/m3) and −b2 = 3λ111c44 (with values from −4.96 to −5.81 MJ/m3) were calculated and compared with those of other Fe–X (X = Al, Ga, and Ge) alloys

Magnetoelastic coupling in Fe100−xGex single crystals with 4

In this paper we examine the elastic (c′ and c44) and magnetostrictive (λ100 and λ111) behaviors of Fe100−xGex for 4\u3cx\u3c18, quantities used further to find the fundamental magnetoelastic coupling constants b1 and b2 at room temperature. The x dependence ofb1 and b2 for Fe100−xGex is contrasted to those of Fe100−xGax and Fe100−xAlx. While the rhombohedral shear elastic constant c44 is almost insensitive to the type and amount of solute, the tetragonal shear constant c′ shows a pronounced and rapid softening with increasing x for all three alloys but with different decreasing slopes. Similarly, while the rhombohedral magnetostriction λ111 behavior is analogous for all three alloy systems, showing a sign change from negative to positive at the onset of chemical order, the tetragonal magnetostriction λ100 behavior differs. For the Ga and Al alloys, λ100 maintains positive values over the entire x range, both curves showing large peak values, whereasλ100 of Fe100−xGex exhibits a moderate positive peak followed by a negative dip, both of comparable magnitude. Finally the tetragonal coupling constant −b1 of Fe–Ge shows a marked, sharp decrease as chemical order occurs at x ∼ 12 at. % Ge. The decline continues until the ordered D03 phase is fully established at x ∼ 18 at. % Ge. The peak value of |b1| for Fe–Ge is approximately half of those for Fe–Ga and Fe–Al. This smaller value of |b1|, obtained for the higher electron concentration Ge alloy, is consistent with predictions based on band structure calculations. The rhombohedral coupling constant−b2 shows a consistent sign change at the occurrence of chemical ordering in both Fe–Ga and Fe–Ge

High superconducting anisotropy and weak vortex pinning in Co doped LaFeAsO

Here, we present an electrical transport study in single crystals of LaFe$_{0.92}$Co$_{0.08}$AsO ($T_c \simeq 9.1$ K) under high magnetic fields. In contrast to most of the previously reported Fe based superconductors, and despite its relatively low $T_c$, LaFe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$AsO shows a superconducting anisotropy which is comparable to those seen for instance in the cuprates or $\gamma_H = H_{c2}^{ab}/H_{c2}^{c} = m_c/m_{ab} \simeq 9$, where $m_c/m_{ab}$ is the effective mass anisotropy. Although, in the present case and as in all Fe based superconductors, $\gamma \rightarrow 1$ as $T \rightarrow 0$. Under the application of an external field, we also observe a remarkable broadening of the superconducting transition particularly for fields applied along the inter-planar direction. Both observations indicate that the low dimensionality of LaFe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$AsO is likely to lead to a more complex vortex phase-diagram when compared to the other Fe arsenides and consequently, to a pronounced dissipation associated with the movement of vortices in a possible vortex liquid phase. When compared to, for instance, F-doped compounds pertaining to same family, we obtain rather small activation energies for the motion of vortices. This suggests that the disorder introduced by doping LaFeAsO with F is more effective in pinning the vortices than alloying it with Co.Comment: 7 figures, 7 pages, Phys. Rev. B (in press

Magnetic phase transition in the itinerant helimagnet MnSi: Thermodynamic and transport properties

A careful study of thermodynamic and transport properties of a high-quality single crystal of MnSi at ambient pressure suggests that its transition to a helical magnetic state near 29 K is weakly first order. The heat capacity, temperature derivative of resistivity, thermal expansion, and magnetic susceptibility exhibit a specific structure around the phase transition point, interpreted as a combination of first- and second-order features. Striking mirror symmetry between the temperature derivative of resistivity and the thermal expansion coefficient is observed. Conclusions drawn from these experiments question prevailing views on the phase diagram of MnSi

Interplay between Fe and Nd magnetism in NdFeAsO single crystals

The structural and magnetic phase transitions have been studied on NdFeAsO single crystals by neutron and x-ray diffraction complemented by resistivity and specific heat measurements. Two low-temperature phase transitions have been observed in addition to the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic transition at T_S = 142 K and the onset of antiferromagnetic (AFM) Fe order below T_N = 137 K. The Fe moments order AFM in the well-known stripe-like structure in the (ab) plane, but change from AFM to ferromagnetic (FM) arrangement along the c direction below T* = 15 K accompanied by the onset of Nd AFM order below T_Nd = 6 K with this same AFM configuration. The iron magnetic order-order transition in NdFeAsO accentuates the Nd-Fe interaction and the delicate balance of c-axis exchange couplings that results in AFM in LaFeAsO and FM in CeFeAsO and PrFeAsO.Comment: revised; 4 pages, 3 figures; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Anisotropy of the Magnetoresistance in Gd5Si2Ge2

The observed magnetoresistance of single crystalline Gd5Si2Ge2 is negative and strongly anisotropic. The absolute values measured along the [100] and [010] directions exceed those parallel to the [001] direction by more than 60%. First principles calculations demonstrate that a structural modification is responsible for the anisotropy of the magnetoresistance, and that the latter is due to a significant reduction of electronic velocity in the [100] direction and the anisotropy of electrical conductivity

Nematic fluctuations and phase transitions in LaFeAsO: A Raman scattering study

Raman scattering experiments on LaFeAsO with distinct antiferromagnetic (TAFM=140 K) and tetragonal-orthorhombic (TS=155 K) transitions show a quasielastic peak (QEP) in B2g symmetry (2 Fe tetragonal cell) that fades away below ∼TAFM and is ascribed to electronic nematic fluctuations. A scaling of the reported shear modulus with the T dependence of the QEP height rather than the QEP area indicates that magnetic degrees of freedom drive the structural transition. The large separation between TS and TAFM in LaFeAsO compared to BaFe2As2 manifests itself in slower dynamics of nematic fluctuations in the former

The effect of partial substitution of Ge for Ga on the elastic and magnetoelastic properties of Fe–Ga alloys

Both components of the tetragonal magnetoelastic constant b1: the saturation magnetostriction, λγ,2 = (3/2)λ100, and the magnetic-field saturated shear elasticity, c′ = (c11−c12)/2, were investigated over a wide temperature range for the magnetostrictiveFe1−x−yGaxGey alloys, (x+y ≅ 0.125, 0.185, and 0.245; x/y ≅ 1 and 3). The magnetostriction was measured from 77 to 425 K using standard strain gage techniques. Both shear elastic constants (c′ and c44) were measured from 5 to 300 K using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Six alloy compositions were prepared to cover three important regions: (I) the disordered solute α-Fe region, (II) a richer solute region containing both disordered and ordered phases, and (III) a rich solute region containing ordered multiphases. Our observations reveal that, when the data is presented versus the total electron/atom (e/a) ratio, the above regions for both the ternary and binary alloys are in almost perfect alignment. Following this analysis, we find that the magnetoelastic coupling, b1, peaks for both the binary and the ternary alloys at e/a ∼ 1.35. The values of c′ as well as of λγ,2 in region I of the ternary alloys, when plotted versus e/a, fall appropriately between the binary limits