Magnetic Fluctuations, Precursor Phenomena and Phase Transition in MnSi under Magnetic Field

The reference chiral helimagnet MnSi is the first system where skyrmion lattice correlations have been reported. At zero magnetic field the transition at $T_C$ to the helimagnetic state is of first order. Above $T_C$, in a region dominated by precursor phenomena, neutron scattering shows the build up of strong chiral fluctuating correlations over the surface of a sphere with radius $2\pi/\ell$, where $\ell$ is the pitch of the helix. It has been suggested that these fluctuating correlations drive the helical transition to first order following a scenario proposed by Brazovskii for liquid crystals. We present a comprehensive neutron scattering study under magnetic fields, which provides evidence that this is not the case. The sharp first order transition persists for magnetic fields up to 0.4 T whereas the fluctuating correlations weaken and start to concentrate along the field direction already above 0.2 T. Our results thus disconnect the first order nature of the transition from the precursor fluctuating correlations. They also show no indication for a tricritical point, where the first order transition crosses over to second order with increasing magnetic field. In this light, the nature of the first order helical transition and the precursor phenomena above $T_C$, both of general relevance to chiral magnetism, remain an open question

Real-space observation of quasicrystalline Sn monolayer formed on the fivefold surface of icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal

We investigate a thin Sn film grown at elevated temperatures on the fivefold surface of an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). At about one monolayer coverage, the deposited Sn is found to form a smooth film of height consistent with one-half of the lattice constant of the bulk Sn. Analysis based on the Fourier transform and autocorrelation function derived from high-resolution STM images reveals that Sn grows pseudomorphically and hence exhibits a quasicrystalline structure

Quasicrystalline nature of quasicrystal surfaces: A photoemission study

Differently prepared surfaces of quasicrystalline i-Al-Pd-Mn are analyzed using angle-resolved photoemission in the x-ray andultraviolet range of photon energies. Depending on the preparation, we find both surfaces with crystalline structure and metallic character, and surfaces with quasicrystalline structural fingerprints and a suppressed density of states at the Fermi level, compatible with a pseudogap

Growth of Bi thin films on quasicrystal surfaces

We present a comprehensive study of Bi thin-film growth on quasicrystal surfaces. The substrates used for the growth are the fivefold surface of icosahedral (i)-Al-Cu-Fe and i-Al-Pd-Mn and the tenfold surface of decagonal (d)-Al-Ni-Co quasicrystals. The growth is investigated at 300 and 525 K substrate temperatures and at different coverage (θ) ranging from submonolayer to ten monolayers. The film is characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At 300 K, the deposited Bi yields a quasicrystalline film for θ≤1. For 1\u3cθ\u3c5, it forms nanocrystallites with (100) surface orientation. The islands have magic heights, which correspond to the stacking of four atomic layers (predominantly). The selection of magic heights is interpreted in terms of quantum size effects arising from the electron confinement within the film thickness. The islands establish rotational epitaxial relationship with the substrate. For higher coverage, the film grows with monatomic height, not with magic heights, and reflects the symmetry of the bulk Bi. When deposition is performed at 525 K, terrace diffusion is more effective, resulting in the aggregation of Bi adatoms developing into a smooth monolayer with quasiperiodic order. At this temperature, multilayers do not adsorb

Morphology of Sn Films Grown on the Fivefold Surface of Icosahedral Al63Cu24Fe13 Investigated by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Sn film growth on the fivefold surface of icosahedral Al63Cu24Fe13 has been investigated by employing scanning tunneling microscopy. For about monolayer coverage, the deposited Sn forms a layer of monoatomic height. A Fourier transform of the layer\u27s structure reveals quasicrystalline long range order. At higher coverage, flat-topped clusters of uniform heights are formed. The clusters preferentially grow at the step edges

Structure of the Fivefold Surface of the Icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe Quasicrystal: Experimental Evidence of Bulk Truncations at Larger Interlayer Spacings

Based on scanning tunneling microscopy of the fivefold surface of the icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal and the refined structure model of the isostructural i-Al-Pd-Mn, we present evidence that the surface corresponds to bulk truncations at the positions where blocks of atomic layers are separated by larger interlayer spacings (gaps). Both step-height distribution and high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy images on terraces reveal bulk truncations at larger gaps

Magnetic and structural transitions in La0.4_{0.4}Na0.6_{0.6}Fe2_2As2_2 single crystals

La$_{0.4}$Na$_{0.6}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ single crystals have been grown out of an NaAs flux in an alumina crucible and characterized by measuring magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, specific heat, as well as single crystal x-ray and neutron diffraction. La$_{0.4}$Na$_{0.6}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ single crystals show a structural phase transition from a high temperature tetragonal phase to a low-temperature orthorhombic phase at T$_s$\,=\,125\,K. This structural transition is accompanied by an anomaly in the temperature dependence of electrical resistivity, anisotropic magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat. Concomitant with the structural phase transition, the Fe moments order along the \emph{a} direction with an ordered moment of 0.7(1)\,$\mu_{\textup{B}}$ at \emph{T}\,=\,5 K. The low temperature stripe antiferromagnetic structure is the same as that in other \emph{A}Fe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ (\emph{A}\,=\,Ca, Sr, Ba) compounds. La$_{0.5-x}$Na$_{0.5+x}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ provides a new material platform for the study of iron-based superconductors where the electron-hole asymmetry could be studied by simply varying La/Na ratio.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Physical Review

Lattice and spin dynamics in bcc Fe, 10 at. % Be

Body centered cubic Fe1−xBex alloys are known to display an enhanced tetragonal magnetostriction compared to Fe. In order to characterize the enhanced magnetoelasticity observed in this alloy system, we present detailed inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the phonon dispersion relations of a single crystal of bcc Fe, 10 at. %Be along the high symmetry directions [100], [110], and [111] at room temperature. We observe in particular that the frequency of transverse phonons propagating along the [110] direction with a [10] polarization at the zone boundary is reduced by 10% with respect to bcc Fe (the corresponding elastic shear constant c′ = ½(c11−c12) associated with this mode is approximately 70% that of pure Fe). The dispersion of spin waves has also been determined for energy transfers up to 40 meV and is found to follow the isotropic dispersion relation E(q) = Dq2, with D ∼ 200 meV/Å2 [for Fe, E(q) = Dq2, with D = 280 meV/Å2]

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.

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