Effect of structural defects on anomalous ultrasound propagation in solids during second-order phase transitions

The effect of structural defects on the critical ultrasound attenuation and ultrasound velocity dispersion in Ising-like three-dimensional systems is studied. A field-theoretical description of the dynamic effects of acoustic-wave propagation in solids during phase transitions is performed with allowance for both fluctuation and relaxation attenuation mechanisms. The temperature and frequency dependences of the scaling functions of the attenuation coefficient and the ultrasound velocity dispersion are calculated in a two-loop approximation for pure and structurally disordered systems, and their asymptotic behavior in hydrodynamic and critical regions is separated. As compared to a pure system, the presence of structural defects in it is shown to cause a stronger increase in the sound attenuation coefficient and the sound velocity dispersion even in the hydrodynamic region as the critical temperature is reached. As compared to pure analogs, structurally disordered systems should exhibit stronger temperature and frequency dependences of the acoustic characteristics in the critical region.Comment: 7 RevTeX pages, 4 figure

Calculations of the dynamical critical exponent using the asymptotic series summation method

We consider how the Pad'e-Borel, Pad'e-Borel-Leroy, and conformal mapping summation methods for asymptotic series can be used to calculate the dynamical critical exponent for homogeneous and disordered Ising-like systems.Comment: 21 RevTeX pages, 2 figure

Ordering in the dilute weakly-anisotropic antiferromagnet Mn(0.35)Zn(0.65)F2

The highly diluted antiferromagnet Mn(0.35)Zn(0.65)F2 has been investigated by neutron scattering in zero field. The Bragg peaks observed below the Neel temperature TN (approximately 10.9 K) indicate stable antiferromagnetic long-range ordering at low temperature. The critical behavior is governed by random-exchange Ising model critical exponents (nu approximately 0.69 and gamma approximately 1.31), as reported for Mn(x)Zn(1-x)F2 with higher x and for the isostructural compound Fe(x)Zn(1-x)F2. However, in addition to the Bragg peaks, unusual scattering behavior appears for |q|>0 below a glassy temperature Tg approximately 7.0 K. The glassy region T<Tg corresponds to that of noticeable frequency dependence in earlier zero-field ac susceptibility measurements on this sample. These results indicate that long-range order coexists with short-range nonequilibrium clusters in this highly diluted magnet.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Effective and Asymptotic Critical Exponents of Weakly Diluted Quenched Ising Model: 3d Approach Versus ϵ1/2\epsilon^{1/2}-Expansion

We present a field-theoretical treatment of the critical behavior of three-dimensional weakly diluted quenched Ising model. To this end we analyse in a replica limit n=0 5-loop renormalization group functions of the $\phi^4$-theory with O(n)-symmetric and cubic interactions (H.Kleinert and V.Schulte-Frohlinde, Phys.Lett. B342, 284 (1995)). The minimal subtraction scheme allows to develop either the $\epsilon^{1/2}$-expansion series or to proceed in the 3d approach, performing expansions in terms of renormalized couplings. Doing so, we compare both perturbation approaches and discuss their convergence and possible Borel summability. To study the crossover effect we calculate the effective critical exponents providing a local measure for the degree of singularity of different physical quantities in the critical region. We report resummed numerical values for the effective and asymptotic critical exponents. Obtained within the 3d approach results agree pretty well with recent Monte Carlo simulations. $\epsilon^{1/2}$-expansion does not allow reliable estimates for d=3.Comment: 35 pages, Latex, 9 eps-figures included. The reference list is refreshed and typos are corrected in the 2nd versio

Neutron-powder-diffraction study of the nuclear and magnetic structures of YBa2Fe3O8 at room temperature

The nuclear and magnetic structures of YBa 2 Fe 3 O 8 have been investigated by powder neutron diffraction at room temperature. The nuclear structure of the compound has the symmetry of space group P4/mmm and lattice parameters a=3.9170(1) and c=11.8252(4) Å. The configuration of the atoms in the unit cell is very similar to that of the superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 , with the exception that the iron ions corresponding to the Cu-chain ions have octahedral coordination, rather than square planar; the octahedra thus are arranged in layers rather than in chains. This significant difference is a consequence of the fact that all possible oxygen sites in these layers are fully occupied, resulting in an oxygen content of eight rather than seven atoms per formula unit. A second consequence of the full occupancy of the oxygen sites is that the Ba ions have a twelvefold cuboctahedral coordination in the iron compound, rather than tenfold. The magnetic structure is based on a unit cell related to that of the nuclear structure by an axis transformation of matrix (11¯0/110/002). The magnetic origin of the extra intensities and the basic spin configuration were determined by polarized-neutron-diffraction measurements. The iron moments are coupled antiferromagnetically within each FeO 2 layer, as well as along the c axis. The magnetic moments of all the iron ions are the same, with a value of 3.49(2) μ B . This configuration results in the magnetic symmetry Icmm’m. © 1992 American Physical Societ

Neutron-powder-diffraction study of the nuclear and magnetic structures of the substitution compound (Y1−xCax)Ba2Fe3O8+d (x = 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20)

The nuclear and magnetic structures of ( Y 1 − x Ca x ) Ba 2 Fe 3 O 8 + δ with x=0.05, 0.10, and 0.20 have been investigated by neutron-powder diffraction at room temperature. The compound crystallizes with the symmetry of space group P4/mmm and has a structure similar to that of the superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 (1:2:3). There are two types of Fe atoms in the unit cell, one having fivefold pyramidal coordination and the other octahedral coordination. The Ca and Y atoms are randomly distributed over the 1/2,1/2,1/2 position, which are exclusively occupied by Y in the 1:2:3 superconductor. Since the oxygen sites on the basal plane of the structure are fully occupied to achieve octahedral coordination for the iron atoms on this plane, the oxygen content is eight atoms per formula unit, the barium atoms are twelvefold coordinated, and the coordination polyhedron is a cuboctahedron. Extra oxygen atoms corresponding to δ=0.08 and 0.05 are located in the Y/Ca layer. The presence of these atoms produces disorder in the structure resulting in a shift of the oxygen atoms located near the plane of the pyramidal iron atoms. The charge compensation required by the substitution of Y3+ by Ca 2 + is achieved in these materials by elimination of the extra oxygen, rather than oxidation of the iron atoms. The magnetic structure is based on a unit cell related to that of the nuclear structure by the transformation of axes (1,-1,0/1,1,0/0,0,2). The magnetic origin of some of the observed diffraction peaks was established by polarized neutron diffraction measurements. As in YBa 2 Fe 3 O 8 , the iron moments are coupled antiferromagnetically within each ( FeO 2 ) layer as well as along the c axis of the structure, and they lie in the planes perpendicular to c. The magnetic moments of the two iron atoms are practically identical and have values at room temperature of 〈μ〉=3.50(3) μ B , 3.52(2) μ B , and 3.62(2) μ B for the three compositions x=0.05, 0.10, and 0.20, respectively. © 1994 American Physical Societ