Magnetoelectric properties of A2A_2[FeCl5_5(H2_2O)] with A=A = K, Rb, Cs

The compounds $A_2$[FeCl$_5$(H$_2$O)] with $A=$ K, Rb, Cs are identified as new linear magnetoelectric materials. We present a detailed investigation of their linear magnetoelectric properties by measurements of pyroelectric currents, dielectric constants and magnetization. The anisotropy of the linear magnetoelectric effect of the K-based and Rb-based compound is consistent with the magnetic point group $m'm'm'$, already reported in literature. A symmetry analysis of the magnetoelectric effect of the Cs-based compound allows to determine the magnetic point group $mmm'$ and to develop a model for its magnetic structure. In addition, magnetic-field versus temperature phase diagrams are derived and compared to the closely related multiferroic (NH$_4$)$_2$[FeCl$_5$(H$_2$O)].Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures (updated to the weakly revised version that has been accepted for publication

A simple closure approximation for slow dynamics of a multiscale system: nonlinear and multiplicative coupling

Multiscale dynamics are ubiquitous in applications of modern science. Because of time scale separation between relatively small set of slowly evolving variables and (typically) much larger set of rapidly changing variables, direct numerical simulations of such systems often require relatively small time discretization step to resolve fast dynamics, which, in turn, increases computational expense. As a result, it became a popular approach in applications to develop a closed approximate model for slow variables alone, which both effectively reduces the dimension of the phase space of dynamics, as well as allows for a longer time discretization step. In this work we develop a new method for approximate reduced model, based on the linear fluctuation-dissipation theorem applied to statistical states of the fast variables. The method is suitable for situations with quadratically nonlinear and multiplicative coupling. We show that, with complex quadratically nonlinear and multiplicative coupling in both slow and fast variables, this method produces comparable statistics to what is exhibited by an original multiscale model. In contrast, it is observed that the results from the simplified closed model with a constant coupling term parameterization are consistently less precise

New structures in the proton-antiproton system

In the most recent measurements of the reaction $e^+e^- \rightarrow p\bar{p}$ by the BABAR collaboration, new structures have been found with unknown origin. We examine a possible relation of the most distinct peak to the recently observed $\Phi(2170)$. Alternatively, we analyse possible explanations due to the nucleon$\,\bar{\Delta}$ and $\Delta\bar{\Delta}$ thresholds. The latter could explain a periodicity found in the data

Magnetoelastic Coupling in the Spin-Dimer System TlCuCl3_3

We present high-resolution measurements of the thermal expansion and the magnetostriction of TlCuCl$_{3}$ which shows field-induced antiferromagnetic order. We find pronounced anomalies in the field and temperature dependence of different directions of the lattice signaling a large magnetoelastic coupling. The phase boundary is extremely sensitive to pressure, e.g. the transition field would change by about +/- 185$%/GPa under uniaxial pressure applied along certain directions. This drastic effect can unambiguously be traced back to changes of the intradimer coupling under uniaxial pressure. The interdimer couplings remain essentially unchanged under pressure, but strongly change when Tl is replaced by K.Comment: 4 pages with 4 figures include

Thermal expansion of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg-chain compound Cu(C4_4H4_4N2_2)(NO3_3)2_2

Compounds containing magnetic subsystems representing simple model spin systems with weak magnetic coupling constants are ideal candidates to test theoretical predictions for the generic behavior close to quantum phase transitions. We present measurements of the thermal expansion and magnetostriction of the spin-1/2-chain compound copper pyrazine dinitrate Cu(C$_4$H$_4$N$_2$)(NO$_3$)$_2$. Of particular interest is the low-temperature thermal expansion close to the saturation field $H_c \simeq 13.9 \mathrm{T}$, which defines a quantum phase transition from the gapless Luttinger liquid state to the fully saturated state with a finite excitation gap. We observe a sign change of the thermal expansion for the different ground states, and at the quantum critical point $H_c$ the low-temperature expansion approaches a $1/\sqrt{T}$ divergence. Thus, our data agree very well with the expected quantum critical behaviour.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; to appear in the proceedings of the ICM 09 held in Karlsruhe, German

Anisotropy study of multiferroicity in the pyroxene NaFeGe2_2O6_6

We present a study of the anisotropy of the dielectric, magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of the multiferroic clinopyroxene NaFeGe$_2$O$_6$. Pyroelectric currents, dielectric constants and magnetic susceptibilities as well as the thermal expansion and the magnetostriction were examined on large synthetic single crystals of NaFeGe$_2$O$_6$. The spontaneous electric polarization detected below $T_{\rm C}\simeq 11.6$ K in an antiferromagnetically ordered state ($T_{\rm N}\simeq 13$ K) is mainly lying within the $ac$ plane with a small component along $b$, indicating a triclinic symmetry of the multiferroic phase of NaFeGe$_2$O$_6$. The electric polarization can be strongly modified by applying magnetic fields along different directions. We derive detailed magnetic-field versus temperature phase diagrams and identify three multiferroic low-temperature phases, which are separated by a non-ferroelectric, antiferromagnetically ordered state from the paramagnetic high-temperature phase.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. (minor modifications and corrections of the text

On propagation failure in 1 and 2 dimensional excitable media

We present a non-perturbative technique to study pulse dynamics in excitable media. The method is used to study propagation failure in one-dimensional and two-dimensional excitable media. In one-dimensional media we describe the behaviour of pulses and wave trains near the saddle node bifurcation, where propagation fails. The generalization of our method to two dimensions captures the point where a broken front (or finger) starts to retract. We obtain approximate expressions for the pulse shape, pulse velocity and scaling behavior. The results are compared with numerical simulations and show good agreement.Comment: accepted for publication in Chao