Isotope effect on the transition temperature TcT_c in Fe-based superconductors: the current status

The results of the Fe isotope effect (Fe-IE) on the transition temperature $T_c$ obtained up to date in various Fe-based high temperature superconductors are summarized and reanalyzed by following the approach developed in [Phys. Rev. B 82, 212505 (2010)]. It is demonstrated that the very controversial results for Fe-IE on $T_c$ are caused by small structural changes occurring simultaneously with the Fe isotope exchange. The Fe-IE exponent on $T_c$ [$\alpha_{\rm Fe}=-(\Delta T_c/T_c)/(\Delta M/M)$, $M$ is the isotope mass] needs to be decomposed into two components with the one related to the structural changes ($\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm str}$) and the genuine (intrinsic) one ($\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm int}$). The validity of such decomposition is further confirmed by the fact that $\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm int}$ coincides with the Fe-IE exponent on the characteristic phonon frequencies $\alpha_{\rm Fe}^{\rm ph}$ as is reported in recent EXAFS and Raman experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. The paper is partially based on the results published in [New J. Phys. 12, 073024 (2010) = arXiv:1002.2510] and [Phys. Rev. B 82, 212505 (2010) = arXiv:1008.4540

Moiré patterns observed in bi layer graphene irradiated with high energetic protons

Customarily, it is likely that irradiated graphene yield indication of per- turbations induced by irradiation. High Resolution Transmission Electron Micros- copy (HRTEM) analysis has been performed on proton irradiated graphene. The analysis indicates the existence of Moiré patterns produced by the rotations induced by the irradiation in between planes. The rotations measured fluctuate between 3 and 5 degrees respectively. These rotations may influence the electronic properties of the material under investigation. In order to explain the observed rotations in between planes, theoretical analysis were performed under the scheme of extended Hückel tight-binding method. Average total energy of the system was careful ana- lyzed throughout the experiment composed of two graphene layers with two carbon vacancies and then the replaced carbons were intercalated in between the two lay- ers. The results obtained indicate that the system remain semi metallic. Moreover, the theoretical results yielded that the 3 degree rotation is favored, although the 5 degree rotation is not discarded. Furthermore, energy bands as well as total and projected DOS were performed in order to provide more information about the electronic changes induced by the rotations applied to the system

On the Nature of the Spin Frustration in the CuO2 Ribbon Chains of LiCuVO4: Crystal Structure Determination at 1.6 K, Magnetic Susceptibility Analysis, and Density Functional Evaluation of the Spin Exchange Constants

The spin-1/2 Cu(2+) ions of LiCuVO(4) form one-dimensional chains along the b direction, and the spin frustration in LiCuVO(4) is described in terms of the nearest-neighbor ferromagnetic exchange h and the next-nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic exchange J(2) in these chains. Recently, it has become controversial whether or not J(1) is stronger in magnitude than J(2). To resolve this controversy, we determined the crystal structure of LiCuVO(4) at 1.6 K by neutron diffraction, analyzed the magnetic susceptibility of LiCuVO(4) to deduce the Curie-Weiss temperature theta and the J(2)/J(1) ratio, and finally extracted the spin exchange constants of LiCuVO(4) on the basis of density functional calculations. Our work shows unambiguously that the Curie-Weiss temperature theta of LiCuVO(4) is negative in the range of -20 K, so that J(2) is substantially stronger in magnitude than J(1). © 2011, American Chemical Societ

Tunable ferroelectric polarization and its interplay with spin-orbit coupling in tin iodide perovskites

Ferroelectricity is a potentially crucial issue in halide perovskites, breakthrough materials in photovoltaic research. Using density functional theory simulations and symmetry analysis, we show that the lead-free perovskite iodide (FA) SnI3, containing the planar formamidinium cation FA, (NH2CHNH2)(+), is ferroelectric. In fact, the perpendicular arrangement of FA planes, leading to a 'weak' polarization, is energetically more stable than parallel arrangements of FA planes, being either antiferroelectric or 'strong' ferroelectric. Moreover, we show that the 'weak' and 'strong' ferroelectric states with the polar axis along different crystallographic directions are energetically competing. Therefore, at least at low temperatures, an electric field could stabilize different states with the polarization rotated by pi/4, resulting in a highly tunable ferroelectricity appealing for multistate logic. Intriguingly, the relatively strong spin-orbit coupling in noncentrosymmetric (FA)SnI3 gives rise to a co-existence of Rashba and Dresselhaus effects and to a spin texture that can be induced, tuned and switched by an electric field controlling the ferroelectric state

Synthesis and Characterization of the Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of the New Fluorophosphate LiNaCo[PO4]F

The new compound LiNaCo[PO4]F was synthesized by a solid state reaction route, and its crystal structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. The magnetic properties of LiNaCo[PO4]F were characterized by magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and neutron powder diffraction measurements and also by density functional calculations. LiNaCo[PO4]F crystallizes with orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma, with a = 10.9334(6), b = 6.2934(11), c = 11.3556(10) angstrom, and Z = 8. The structure consists of edge-sharing CoO4F2 octahedra forming CoFO3 chains running along the b axis. These chains are interlinked by PO4 tetrahedra forming a three-dimensional framework with the tunnels and the cavities filled by the well-ordered sodium and lithium atoms, respectively. The magnetic susceptibility follows the Curie Weiss behavior above 60 K with theta = -21 K. The specific heat and magnetization measurements show that LiNaCo[PO4]F undergoes a three-dimensional magnetic ordering at T-mag = 10.2(5) K. The neutron powder diffraction measurements at 3 K show that the spins in each CoFO3 chain along the b-direction are ferromagnetically coupled, while these FM chains are antiferromagnetically coupled along the a-direction but have a noncollinear arrangement along the c-direction. The noncollinear spin arrangement implies the presence of spin conflict along the c-direction. The observed magnetic structures are well explained by the spin exchange constants determined from density functional calculations. © 2012, American Chemical Society