Charge dynamics in thermally and doping induced insulator-metal transitions of (Ti1-xVx)2O3

Charge dynamics of (Ti1-xVx)2O3 with x=0-0.06 has been investigated by measurements of charge transport and optical conductivity spectra in a wide temperature range of 2-600K with the focus on the thermally and doping induced insulator-metal transitions (IMTs). The optical conductivity peaks for the interband transitions in the 3d t2g manifold are observed in the both insulating and metallic states, while their large variation (by ~0.4 eV) with change of temperature and doping level scales with that of the Ti-Ti dimer bond length, indicating the weakened singlet bond in the course of IMTs. The thermally and V-doping induced IMTs are driven with the increase in carrier density by band-crossing and hole-doping, respectively, in contrast to the canonical IMT of correlated oxides accompanied by the whole collapse of the Mott gap.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

The Lorenz number in CeCoIn5_5 inferred from the thermal and charge Hall currents

The thermal Hall conductivity $\kappa_{xy}$ and Hall conductivity $\sigma_{xy}$ in CeCoIn$_5$ are used to determine the Lorenz number ${\cal L}_H$ at low temperature $T$. This enables the separation of the observed thermal conductivity into its electronic and non-electronic parts. We uncover evidence for a charge-neutral, field-dependent thermal conductivity, which we identify with spin excitations. At low $T$, these excitations dominate the scattering of charge carriers. We show that suppression of the spin excitations in high fields leads to a steep enhancement of the electron mean-free-path, which leads to an interesting scaling relation between the magnetoresistance, thermal conductivity and $\sigma_{xy}$.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures Intro para slightly lengthened. Added 2 new re

Magnetic digital flop of ferroelectric domain with fixed spin chirality in a triangular lattice helimagnet

Ferroelectric properties in magnetic fields of varying magnitude and direction have been investigated for a triangular-lattice helimagnet CuFe1-xGaxO2 (x=0.035). The magnetoelectric phase diagrams were deduced for magnetic fields along [001], [110], and [1-10] direction, and the in-plane magnetic field was found to induce the rearrangement of six possible multiferroic domains. Upon every 60-degree rotation of in-plane magnetic field around the c-axis, unique 120-degree flop of electric polarization occurs as a result of the switch of helical magnetic q-vector. The chirality of spin helix is always conserved upon the q-flop. The possible origin is discussed in the light of the stable structure of multiferroic domain wall.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Accepted in Phys. Rev. Let

Specific heat study of spin-structural change in pyrochlore Nd2_2Mo2_2O7_7

By measurements of specific heat, we have investigated the magnetic field ($H$) induced spin-structural change in Nd$_2$Mo$_2$O$_7$ that shows spin-chirality-related magneto-transport phenomena. A broad peak around 2 K caused by the ordering of 2-in 2-out structure of the Nd moments at zero $H$ shifts to the lower temperature ($T$) up to around 3 T and then to the higher $T$ above around 3 T with increasing $H$ for all the direction of $H$. This is due to the crossover from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic arrangement between the Nd and Mo moments. While the peak $T$ increases monotonically above 3 T for $H$//[100], another peak emerges around 0.9 K at 12 T for $H$//[111], which is ascribed to the ordering of 3-in 1-out structure. For $H$//[110], a spike like peak is observed at around 3 T, which is caused perhaps by some spin flip transition.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Impurity-doping induced ferroelectricity in frustrated antiferromagnet CuFeO2

Dielectric responses have been investigated on the triangular-lattice antiferromagnet CuFeO2 and its site-diluted analogs CuFe1-xAlxO2 (x=0.01 and 0.02) with and without application of magnetic field. We have found a ferroelectric behavior at zero magnetic field for x=0.02. At any doping level, the onset field of the ferroelectricity always coincides with that of the noncollinear magnetic structure while the transition field dramatically decreases to zero field with Al doping. The results imply the further possibility of producing the ferroelectricity by modifying the frustrated spin structure in terms of site-doping and external magnetic field.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Ferroelectricity induced by spin-dependent metal-ligand hybridization in Ba2_2CoGe2_2O7_7

We have investigated the variation of induced ferroelectric polarization under magnetic field with various directions and magnitudes in a staggered antiferromagnet Ba$_2$CoGe$_2$O$_7$. While the ferroelectric polarization cannot be explained by the well-accepted spin current model nor exchange striction mechanism, we have shown that it is induced by the spin-dependent $p$-$d$ hybridization between the transition-metal (Co) and ligand (O) via the spin-orbit interaction. On the basis of the correspondence between the direction of electric polarization and the magnetic state, we have also demonstrated the electrical control of the magnetization direction.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure