Spin-wave coupling to electromagnetic cavity fields in dysposium ferrite

Coupling of spin-waves with electromagnetic cavity field is demonstrated in an antiferromagnet, dysprosium ferrite (DyFeO3). By measuring transmission at 0.2-0.35 THz and sweeping sample temperature, magnon-photon coupling signatures were found at crossings of spin-wave resonances with Fabry-Perot cavity modes formed in samples. The obtained spectra are explained in terms of classical electrodynamics and a microscopic model.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figure

Role of the particle size polydispersity in the electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube-epoxy composites

Carbon nanotubes (CTNs) with large aspect-ratios are extensively used to establish electrical connectedness in polymer melts at very low CNT loadings. However, the CNT size polydispersity and the quality of the dispersion are still not fully understood factors that can substantially alter the desired characteristics of CNT nanocomposites. Here we demonstrate that the electrical conductivity of polydisperse CNT-epoxy composites with purposely-tailored distributions of the nanotube length L is a quasiuniversal function of the first moment of L. This finding challenges the current understanding that the conductivity depends upon higher moments of the CNT length. We explain the observed quasiuniversality by a combined effect between the particle size polydispersity and clustering. This mechanism can be exploited to achieve controlled tuning of the electrical transport in general CNT nanocomposites.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes-SU8 epoxy composites

We have characterized the electrical conductivity of the composite which consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed in SU8 epoxy resin. Depending on the processing conditions of the epoxy (ranging from non-polymerized to cross-linked) we obtained tunneling and percolating-like regimes of the electrical conductivity of the composites. We interpret the observed qualitative change of the conductivity behavior in terms of reduced separation between the nanotubes induced by polymerization of the epoxy matrix.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Optical properties of BiTeBr and BiTeCl

We present a comparative study of the optical properties - reflectance, transmission and optical conductivity - and Raman spectra of two layered bismuth-tellurohalides BiTeBr and BiTeCl at 300 K and 5 K, for light polarized in the a-b planes. Despite different space groups, the optical properties of the two compounds are very similar. Both materials are doped semiconductors, with the absorption edge above the optical gap which is lower in BiTeBr (0.62 eV) than in BiTeCl (0.77 eV). The same Rashba splitting is observed in the two materials. A non-Drude free carrier contribution in the optical conductivity, as well as three Raman and two infrared phonon modes, are observed in each compound. There is a dramatic difference in the highest infrared phonon intensity for the two compounds, and a difference in the doping levels. Aspects of the strong electron-phonon interaction are identified. Several interband transitions are assigned, among them the low-lying absorption $\beta$ which has the same value 0.25 eV in both compounds, and is caused by the Rashba spin splitting of the conduction band. An additional weak transition is found in BiTeCl, caused by the lower crystal symmetry.Comment: Accepted in PR

Unusual Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in BiTeCl

We report measurements of Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations in single crystals of BiTeCl at magnetic fields up to 31 T and at temperatures as low as 0.4 K. Two oscillation frequencies were resolved at the lowest temperatures, $F_{1}=65 \pm 4$ Tesla and $F_{2}=156 \pm 5$ Tesla. We also measured the infrared optical reflectance $\left(\cal R(\omega)\right)$ and Hall effect; we propose that the two frequencies correspond respectively to the inner and outer Fermi sheets of the Rashba spin-split bulk conduction band. The bulk carrier concentration was $n_{e}\approx1\times10^{19}$ cm$^{-3}$ and the effective masses $m_{1}^{*}=0.20 m_{0}$ for the inner and $m_{2}^{*}=0.27 m_{0}$ for the outer sheet. Surprisingly, despite its low effective mass, we found that the amplitude of $F_{2}$ is very rapidly suppressed with increasing temperature, being almost undetectable above $T\approx4$ K

Synthesis of Homogeneous Manganese-Doped Titanium Oxide Nanotubes from Titanate Precursors

We report a novel synthesis route of homogeneously manganese-doped titanium dioxide nanotubes in a broad concentration range. The scroll-type trititanate (H(2)Ti(3)O(7)) nanotubes prepared by hydrothermal synthesis were used as precursors. Mn2+ ions were introduced by an ion exchange method resulting Mn(x)H(2-x)Ti(3)O(7). In a subsequent heat-treatment they were transformed into Mn(y)Ti(1-y)O(2) where y=x/(3+x). The state and the local environment of the Mn2+ ions in the precursor and final products were studied by Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) technique. It was found that the Mn2+ ions occupy two positions: the first having an almost perfect cubic symmetry while the other is in a strongly distorted octahedral site. The ratio of the two Mn2+ sites is independent of the doping level and amounts to 15:85 in Mn(x)H(2-x)Ti(3)O(7) and to 5:95 in Mn(y)Ti(1-y)O(2). SQUID magnetometry does not show long-range magnetic order in the homogeneously Mn2+-doped nanotubes.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure