Spin dynamics and disorder effects in the S=1/2 kagome Heisenberg spin liquid phase of kapellasite

We report $^{35}$Cl NMR, ESR, $\mu$SR and specific heat measurements on the $S=1/2$ frustrated kagom\'e magnet kapellasite, $\alpha-$Cu$_3$Zn(OH)$_6$Cl$_2$, where a gapless spin liquid phase is stabilized by a set of competing exchange interactions. Our measurements confirm the ferromagnetic character of the nearest-neighbour exchange interaction $J_1$ and give an energy scale for the competing interactions $|J| \sim 10$ K. The study of the temperature-dependent ESR lineshift reveals a moderate symmetric exchange anisotropy term $D$, with $|D/J|\sim 3$%. These findings validate a posteriori the use of the $J_1 - J_2 - J_d$ Heisenberg model to describe the magnetic properties of kapellasite [Bernu et al., Phys. Rev. B 87, 155107 (2013)]. We further confirm that the main deviation from this model is the severe random depletion of the magnetic kagom\'e lattice by 27%, due to Cu/Zn site mixing, and specifically address the effect of this disorder by $^{35}$Cl NMR, performed on an oriented polycrystalline sample. Surprisingly, while being very sensitive to local structural deformations, our NMR measurements demonstrate that the system remains homogeneous with a unique spin susceptibility at high temperature, despite a variety of magnetic environments. Unconventional spin dynamics is further revealed by NMR and $\mu$SR in the low-$T$, correlated, spin liquid regime, where a broad distribution of spin-lattice relaxation times is observed. We ascribe this to the presence of local low-energy modes.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Hexagons become second if symmetry is broken

Pattern formation on the free surface of a magnetic fluid subjected to a magnetic field is investigated experimentally. By tilting the magnetic field the symmetry can be broken in a controllable manner. When increasing the amplitude of the tilted field, the flat surface gives way to liquid ridges. A further increase results in a hysteretic transition to a pattern of stretched hexagons. The instabilities are detected by means of a linear array of magnetic hall sensors and compared with theoretical predictions.Comment: accepted for publication by Physical Review E/Rapid Communicatio

Scanning SQUID Susceptometry of a paramagnetic superconductor

Scanning SQUID susceptometry images the local magnetization and susceptibility of a sample. By accurately modeling the SQUID signal we can determine the physical properties such as the penetration depth and permeability of superconducting samples. We calculate the scanning SQUID susceptometry signal for a superconducting slab of arbitrary thickness with isotropic London penetration depth, on a non-superconducting substrate, where both slab and substrate can have a paramagnetic response that is linear in the applied field. We derive analytical approximations to our general expression in a number of limits. Using our results, we fit experimental susceptibility data as a function of the sample-sensor spacing for three samples: 1) delta-doped SrTiO3, which has a predominantly diamagnetic response, 2) a thin film of LaNiO3, which has a predominantly paramagnetic response, and 3) a two-dimensional electron layer (2-DEL) at a SrTiO3/AlAlO3 interface, which exhibits both types of response. These formulas will allow the determination of the concentrations of paramagnetic spins and superconducting carriers from fits to scanning SQUID susceptibility measurements.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figure

Educational paper: Imaging child abuse: the bare bones

Fractures are reported to be the second most common findings in child abuse, after skin lesions such as bruises and contusions. This makes careful interpretation of childhood fractures in relation to the provided clinical history important. In this literature review, we address imaging techniques and the prevailing protocols as well as fractures, frequently seen in child abuse, and the differential diagnosis of these fractures. The use of a standardised protocol in radiological imaging is stressed, as adherence to the international guidelines has been consistently poor. As fractures are a relatively common finding in childhood and interpretation is sometimes difficult, involvement of a paediatric radiologist is important if not essential. Adherence to international guidelines necessitates review by experts and is therefore mandatory. As in all clinical differential diagnoses, liaison between paediatricians and paediatric radiologists in order to obtain additional clinical information or even better having joint review of radiological studies will improve diagnostic accuracy. It is fundamental to keep in mind that the diagnosis of child abuse can never be solely based on radiological imaging but always on a combination of clinical, investigative and social findings. The quality and interpretation, preferably by a paediatric radiologist, of radiographs is essential in reaching a correct diagnosis in cases of suspected child abuse

Spin Glasses: Model systems for non-equilibrium dynamics

Spin glasses are frustrated magnetic systems due to a random distribution of ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions. An experimental three dimensional (3d) spin glass exhibits a second order phase transition to a low temperature spin glass phase regardless of the spin dimensionality. In addition, the low temperature phase of Ising and Heisenberg spin glasses exhibits similar non-equilibrium dynamics and an infinitely slow approach towards a thermodynamic equilibrium state. There are however significant differences in the detailed character of the dynamics as to memory and rejuvenation phenomena and the influence of critical dynamics on the behaviour. In this article, some aspects of the non-equilibrium dynamics of an Ising and a Heisenberg spin glass are briefly reviewed and some comparisons are made to other glassy systems that exhibit magnetic non-equilibrium dynamics.Comment: To appear in J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, Proceedings from HFM2003, Grenobl

Anomalous Scale Dimensions from Timelike Braiding

Using the previously gained insight about the particle/field relation in conformal quantum field theories which required interactions to be related to the existence of particle-like states associated with fields of anomalous scaling dimensions, we set out to construct a classification theory for the spectra of anomalous dimensions. Starting from the old observations on conformal superselection sectors related to the anomalous dimensions via the phases which appear in the spectral decomposition of the center of the conformal covering group $Z(\widetilde{SO(d,2)}),$ we explore the possibility of a timelike braiding structure consistent with the timelike ordering which refines and explains the central decomposition. We regard this as a preparatory step in a new construction attempt of interacting conformal quantum field theories in D=4 spacetime dimensions. Other ideas of constructions based on the $AdS_{5}$-$CQFT_{4}$ or the perturbative SYM approach in their relation to the present idea are briefly mentioned.Comment: completely revised, updated and shortened replacement, 24 pages tcilatex, 3 latexcad figure

The relative influences of disorder and of frustration on the glassy dynamics in magnetic systems

The magnetisation relaxations of three different types of geometrically frustrated magnetic systems have been studied with the same experimental procedures as previously used in spin glasses. The materials investigated are Y$_2$Mo$_2$O$_7$ (pyrochlore system), SrCr$_{8.6}$Ga$_{3.4}$O$_{19}$ (piled pairs of Kagom\'e layers) and (H$_3$O)Fe$_3$(SO$_4$)$_2$(OH)$_6$ (jarosite compound). Despite a very small amount of disorder, all the samples exhibit many characteristic features of spin glass dynamics below a freezing temperature $T_g$, much smaller than their Curie-Weiss temperature $\theta$. The ageing properties of their thermoremanent magnetization can be well accounted for by the same scaling law as in spin glasses, and the values of the scaling exponents are very close. The effects of temperature variations during ageing have been specifically investigated. In the pyrochlore and the bi-Kagom\'e compounds, a decrease of temperature after some waiting period at a certain temperature $T_p$ re-initializes ageing and the evolution at the new temperature is the same as if the system were just quenched from above $T_g$. However, as the temperature is raised back to $T_p$, the sample recovers the state it had previously reached at that temperature. These features are known in spin glasses as rejuvenation and memory effects. They are clear signatures of the spin glass dynamics. In the Kagom\'e compound, there is also some rejuvenation and memory, but much larger temperature changes are needed to observe the effects. In that sense, the behaviour of this compound is quantitatively different from that of spin glasses.Comment: latex VersionCorrigee4.tex, 4 files, 3 figures, 5 pages (Proceedings of the International Conference on Highly Frustrated Magnetism (HFM2003), August 26-30, 2003, Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), Grenoble, France