90 research outputs found
Electric field control of multiferroic domains in NiVO imaged by X-ray polarization enhanced topography
The magnetic structure of multiferroic NiVO has been investigated
using non-resonant X-ray magnetic scattering. Incident circularly polarized
X-rays combined with full polarization analysis of the scattered beam is shown
to yield high sensitivity to the components of the cycloidal magnetic order,
including their relative phases. New information on the magnetic structure in
the ferroelectric phase is obtained, where it is found that the magnetic
moments on the "cross-tie" sites are quenched relative to those on the "spine"
sites. This implies that the onset of ferroelectricity is associated mainly
with spine site magnetic order. We also demonstrate that our technique enables
the imaging of multiferroic domains through polarization enhanced topography.
This approach is used to image the domains as the sample is cycled by an
electric field through its hysteresis loop, revealing the gradual switching of
domains without nucleation.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
Magnetically driven ferroelectric order in NiVO
We show that for NiVO long-range ferroelectric and incommensurate
magnetic order appear simultaneously in a single phase transition. The
temperature and magnetic field dependence of the spontaneous polarization show
a strong coupling between magnetic and ferroelectric orders. We determine the
magnetic symmetry of this system by constraining the data to be consistent with
Landau theory for continuous phase transitions. This phenomenological theory
explains our observation the spontaneous polarization is restricted to lie
along the crystal b axis and predicts that the magnitude should be proportional
to a magnetic order parameter.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
Competing Magnetic Phases on a "Kagome Staircase"
We present thermodynamic and neutron data on Ni_3V_2O_8, a spin-1 system on a
kagome staircase. The extreme degeneracy of the kagome antiferromagnet is
lifted to produce two incommensurate phases at finite T - one amplitude
modulated, the other helical - plus a commensurate canted antiferromagnet for T
->0. The H-T phase diagram is described by a model of competing first and
second neighbor interactions with smaller anisotropic terms. Ni_3V_2O_8 thus
provides an elegant example of order from sub leading interactions in a highly
frustrated systemComment: 4 pages, 3 figure
beta-Cu3V2O8: Magnetic ordering in a spin-1/2 kagome-staircase lattice
The spin-1/2 Cu2+ ions in beta-Cu3V2O8 occupy the sites of a Kagome-staircase
lattice, an anisotropic variant of the Kagome net: buckled layers and imbedded
plaquettes of three edge-shared CuO4 squares break the ideal Kagome symmetry.
Susceptibility and heat capacity measurements show the onset of short-range
ordering at approximately 75 K, and a magnetic phase transition with the
characteristics of antiferromagnetism at ~29 K. Comparison to the Curie Weiss
theta (theta,CW = -135 K) indicates that the geometric frustration is largely
relieved by the anisotropy. A ferromagnetic contribution to the magnetization
below the ordering temperature and negative magnetization in zero-field cooled
measurements at low fields are attributed to uncompensated spins at grain
boundaries or defects.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure
Field dependence of magnetic ordering in Kagome-staircase compound Ni3V2O8
We present powder and single-crystal neutron diffraction and bulk
measurements of the Kagome-staircase compound Ni3V2O8 (NVO) in fields up to
8.5T applied along the c-direction. (The Kagome plane is the a-c plane.) This
system contains two types of Ni ions, which we call "spine" and "cross-tie".
Our neutron measurements can be described with the paramagnetic space group
Cmca for T < 15K and each observed magnetically ordered phase is characterized
by the appropriate irreducible representation(s). Our zero-field measurements
show that at T_PH=9.1K NVO undergoes a transition to an incommensurate order
which is dominated by a longitudinally-modulated structure with the spine spins
mainly parallel to the a-axis. Upon further cooling, a transition is induced at
T_HL=6.3K to an elliptically polarized incommensurate structure with both spine
and cross-tie moments in the a-b plane. At T_LC=4K the system undergoes a
first-order phase transition, below which the magnetic structure is a
commensurate antiferromagnet with the staggered magnetization primarily along
the a-axis and a weak ferromagnetic moment along the c-axis. A specific heat
peak at T_CC'=2.3K indicates an additional transition, which we were however
not able to relate to a change of the magnetic structure. Neutron, specific
heat, and magnetization measurements produce a comprehensive temperature-field
phase diagram. The symmetries of the two incommensurate magnetic phases are
consistent with the observation that only one phase has a spontaneous
ferroelectric polarization. All the observed magnetic structures are explained
theoretically using a simplified model Hamiltonian, involving competing
nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor exchange interactions, spin anisotropy,
Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya and pseudo-dipolar interactions.Comment: 25 pages, 19 figure
Strongly linked current flow in polycrystalline forms of the new superconductor MgB2
The discovery of superconductivity at 39 K in MgB2[1] raises many issues. One
of the central questions is whether this new superconductor resembles a
high-temperature-cuprate superconductor or a low-temperature metallic
superconductor in terms of its current carrying characteristics in applied
magnetic fields. In spite of the very high transition temperatures of the
cuprate superconductors, their performance in magnetic fields has several
drawbacks[2]. Their large anisotropy restricts high bulk current densities to
much less than the full magnetic field-temperature (H-T) space over which
superconductivity is found. Further, weak coupling across grain boundaries
makes transport current densities in untextured polycrystalline forms low and
strongly magnetic field sensitive[3,4]. These studies of MgB2 address both
issues. In spite of the multi-phase, untextured, nano-scale sub-divided nature
of our samples, supercurrents flow throughout without the strong sensitivity to
weak magnetic fields characteristic of Josephson-coupled grains[3].
Magnetization measurements over nearly all of the superconducting H-T plane
show good temperature scaling of the flux pinning force, suggestive of a
current density determined by flux pinning. At least two length scales are
suggested by the magnetization and magneto optical (MO) analysis but the cause
of this seems to be phase inhomogeneity, porosity, and minority insulating
phase such as MgO rather than by weakly coupled grain boundaries. Our results
suggest that polycrystalline ceramics of this new class of superconductor will
not be compromised by the weak link problems of the high temperature
superconductors, a conclusion with enormous significance for applications if
higher temperature analogs of this compound can be discovered
Prospective analysis of psychological differences between adult and elderly cancer patients during postoperaritve adjuvant chemotherapy
PURPOSE: Despite the burgeoning geriatric population with cancer and the importance of understanding how age may be related to mental adjustment and quality of life so far, differences in coping strategies and psychological harm between the elderly and adults are hardly being taken into account to modify the approach to this population. The aim of this prospective study is to describe the differences in psychological characteristics between older and adult cancer patients and examine dissimilarities in their psychological evolution during adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: Adults (18-69 years old) and older patients (≥ 70) with newly diagnosed non-metastatic resected cancer admitted to receive adjuvant chemotherapy were recruited. Patients completed the following questionnaires: mini-mental adjustment to cancer, brief symptom inventory, shared decision-making questionnaire-patient's version, multidimensional scale of perceived social support, EORTC quality-of-life instrument, life orientation test-revised, and satisfaction with life scale. RESULTS: 500 cancer patients (394 adults and 106 older) were evaluated. The impact of the diagnosis was less negative among older patients, with no differences in coping strategies, quality of life, or search for support. Regarding psychological changes from the beginning to the end of the adjuvant treatment, both age groups reported more somatic symptoms, increased psychological difficulty, reduced coping strategies, and a significant decrease in quality of life at the end of postoperative chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Although there were clear psychological differences between adults and senior cancer patients, their evolution during adjuvant chemotherapy was similar, with deterioration in quality of life and coping. This negative psychological impact of adjuvant chemotherapy should be taken into account when considering interventions
Giant anharmonicity and non-linear electron-phonon coupling in MgB; A combined first-principles calculations and neutron scattering study
We report first-principles calculations of the electronic band structure and
lattice dynamics for the new superconductor MgB. The excellent agreement
between theory and our inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the phonon
density of states gives confidence that the calculations provide a sound
description of the physical properties of the system. The numerical results
reveal that the in-plane boron phonons (with E symmetry) near the
zone-center are very anharmonic, and are strongly coupled to the partially
occupied planar B bands near the Fermi level. This giant anharmonicity
and non-linear electron-phonon coupling is key to explaining the observed high
T and boron isotope effect in MgBComment: In this revised version (to appear in PRL) we also discuss the boron
isotope effect. Please visit http://www.ncnr.nist.gov/staff/taner/mgb2 for
detail
Coupled magnetic and ferroelectric domains in multiferroic Ni3V2O8
Electric control of multiferroic domains is demonstrated through polarized
magnetic neutron diffraction. Cooling to the cycloidal multiferroic phase of
Ni3V2O8 in an electric field (E) causes the incommensurate Bragg reflections to
become neutron spin polarizing, the sense of neutron polarization reversing
with E. Quantitative analysis indicates the E-treated sample has handedness
that can be reversed by E. We further show close association between cycloidal
and ferroelectric domains through E-driven spin and electric polarization
hysteresis. We suggest that definite cycloidal handedness is achieved through
magneto-elastically induced Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Updated affiliations and references. Minor
changes to text and figure
Investigation of the Spin Density Wave in NaxCoO2
Magnetic susceptibility, transport and heat capacity measurements of single
crystal NaxCoO2 (x=0.71) are reported. A transition to a spin density wave
(SDW) state at Tmag = 22 K is observable in all measurements, except chi(ac)
data in which a cusp is observed at 4 K and attributed to a low temperature
glassy phase. M(H) loops are hysteretic below 15 K. Both the SDW transition and
low temperature hysteresis are only visible along the c-axis. The system also
exhibits a substantial (~40%) positive magnetoresistance below this
temperature. Calculations of the electronic heat capacity gamma above and below
Tmag and the size of the jump in C indicate that the onset of the SDW brings
about the opening of gap and the removal of part of the Fermi surface. Reduced
in-plane electron-electron scattering counteracts the loss of carriers below
the transition and as a result we see a net reduction in resistivity below
Tmag. Sodium ordering transitions at higher temperatures are observable as
peaks in the heat capacity with a corresponding increase in resistivity.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure
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