45 research outputs found
Magnetic-field induced multiferroicity in a quantum critical frustrated spin liquid
Dielectric spectroscopy is used to check for the onset of polar order in the
quasi one-dimensional quantum spin system Sul-Cu2Cl4 when passing from the
spin-liquid state into the ordered spiral phase in an external magnetic field.
We find clear evidence for multiferroicity in this material and treat in detail
its H-T phase diagram close to the quantum-critical regime.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Revised according to suggestions of referee
Relaxor ferroelectricity and the freezing of short-range polar order in magnetite
A thorough investigation of single crystalline magnetite using broadband
dielectric spectroscopy and other methods provides evidence for relaxor-like
polar order in Fe3O4. We find long-range ferroelectric order to be im-peded by
the continuous freezing of polar degrees of freedom and the formation of a
tunneling-dominated glasslike state at low temperatures. This also explains the
lack of clear evidence for a non-centrosymmetric crystal structure below the
Verwey transition. Within the framework of recent models assuming an intimate
relation of charge and polar order, the charge order, too, can be speculated to
be of short-range type only and to be dominated by tunneling at low
temperatures.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, final version with revisions according to
referee demand
Recommended from our members
FeCr₂S₄ in magnetic fields: possible evidence for a multiferroic ground state.
We report on neutron diffraction, thermal expansion, magnetostriction, dielectric, and specific heat measurements on polycrystalline FeCr2S4 in external magnetic fields. The ferrimagnetic ordering temperatures TC ≈ 170 K and the transition at TOO ≈ 10 K, which has been associated with orbital ordering, are only weakly shifted in magnetic fields up to 9 T. The cubic lattice parameter is found to decrease when entering the state below TOO. The magnetic moments of the Cr- and Fe-ions are reduced from the spin-only values throughout the magnetically ordered regime, but approach the spin-only values for fields >5.5 T. Thermal expansion in magnetic fields and magnetostriction experiments indicate a contraction of the sample below about 60 K. Below TOO this contraction is followed by a moderate expansion of the sample for fields larger than ~4.5 T. The transition at TOO is accompanied by an anomaly in the dielectric constant. The dielectric constant depends on both the strength and orientation of the external magnetic field with respect to the applied electric field for T < TOO. A linear correlation of the magnetic-field-induced change of the dielectric constant and the magnetic-field dependent magnetization is observed. This behaviour is consistent with the existence of a ferroelectric polarization and a multiferroic ground state below 10 K
Chain Formation by Spin Pentamers in eta-Na9V14O35
The nature of the gapped ground state in the quasi-one-dimensional compound
eta-Na9V14O35 cannot easily be understood, if one takes into account the odd
number of spins on each structural element. Combining the results of specific
heat, susceptibility and electron spin resonance measurements we show that
eta-Na9V14O35 exhibits a novel ground state where multi-spin objects build up a
linear chain. These objects - pentamers - consist of five antiferromagnetically
arranged spins with effective spin 1/2. Their spatial extent results in an
exchange constant along the chain direction comparable to the one in the
high-temperature state.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
Multiferroicity in an organic charge-transfer salt: Electric-dipole-driven magnetism
Multiferroics, showing simultaneous ordering of electrical and magnetic
degrees of freedom, are remarkable materials as seen from both the academic and
technological points of view. A prominent mechanism of multiferroicity is the
spin-driven ferroelectricity, often found in frustrated antiferromagnets with
helical spin order. There, similar to conventional ferroelectrics, the
electrical dipoles arise from an off-centre displacement of ions. However,
recently a different mechanism, namely purely electronic ferroelectricity,
where charge order breaks inversion symmetry, has attracted considerable
interest. Here we provide evidence for this exotic type of ferroelectricity,
accompanied by antiferromagnetic spin order, in a two-dimensional organic
charge-transfer salt, thus representing a new class of multiferroics. Quite
unexpectedly for electronic ferroelectrics, dipolar and spin order arise nearly
simultaneously. This can be ascribed to the loss of spin frustration induced by
the ferroelectric ordering. Hence, here the spin order is driven by the
ferroelectricity, in marked contrast to the spin-driven ferroelectricity in
helical magnets.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures (including 4 pages and 6 figures in supplementary
information). Version 2 with minor errors corrected (legend of Fig. 3c and
definition of vectors e and Q
The multiferroic phases of (Eu:Y)MnO3
We report on structural, magnetic, dielectric, and thermodynamic properties
of (Eu:Y)MnO3 for Y doping levels 0 <= x < 1. This system resembles the
multiferroic perovskite manganites RMnO3 (with R= Gd, Dy, Tb) but without the
interference of magnetic contributions of the 4f-ions. In addition, it offers
the possibility to continuously tune the influence of the A-site ionic radii.
For small concentrations x <= 0.1 we find a canted antiferromagnetic and
paraelectric groundstate. For higher concentrations x <= 0.3 ferroelectric
polarization coexists with the features of a long wavelength incommensurate
spiral magnetic phase analogous to the observations in TbMnO3. In the
intermediate concentration range around x = 0.2 a multiferroic scenario is
realized combining weak ferroelectricity and weak ferromagnetism, presumably
due to a canted spiral magnetic structure.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure
Switching the Ferroelectric Polarization by External Magnetic Fields in the Spin = 1/2 Chain Cuprate LiCuVO4
We present a detailed study of complex dielectric constant and ferroelectric
polarization in multiferroic LiCuVO4 as function of temperature and external
magnetic field. In zero external magnetic field, spiral spin order with an ab
helix and a propagation vector along the crystallographic b direction is
established, which induces ferroelectric order with spontaneous polarization
parallel to a. The direction of the helix can be reoriented by an external
magnetic field and allows switching of the spontaneous polarization. We find a
strong dependence of the absolute value of the polarization for different
orientations of the spiral plane. Above 7.5 T, LiCuVO4 reveals collinear spin
order and remains paraelectric for all field directions. Thus this system is
ideally suited to check the symmetry relations for spiral magnets as predicted
theoretically. The strong coupling of ferroelectric and magnetic order is
documented and the complex (B,T) phase diagram is fully explored.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
Colossal magnetocapacitive effect in differently synthesized and doped CdCr2S4
In the present work, we address the question of an impurity-related origin of
the colossal magnetocapacitive effect in the spinel system CdCr2S4. We
demonstrate that a strong variation in the dielectric constant below the
magnetic transition temperature or in external magnetic fields also arises in
crystals prepared without chlorine. This excludes that an inhomogeneous
distribution of chlorine impurities at the surface or in the bulk material
gives rise to the unusual effects in the spinel multiferroics. In addition, we
show that colossal magnetocapacitive effects can be also generated in
chlorine-free ceramic samples of CdCr2S4, doped with indium.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Microscopic mechanisms of spin-dependent electric polarization in 3d oxides
We present a short critical overview of different microscopic models for
nonrelativistic and relativistic magnetoelectric coupling including the
so-called "spin current scenario", ab-initio calculations, and several recent
microscopic approaches to a spin-dependent electric polarization in 3d oxides.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
On the magnetism of Ln{2/3}Cu{3}Ti{4}O{12} (Ln = lanthanide)
The magnetic and thermodynamic properties of the complete
LnCuTiO series were investigated. Here stands for
the lanthanides La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb. %Most
of the compounds were prepared as single phase polycrystalline powder %without
any traces of impurities. Marginal amounts of %impurities were
detected Gd, Er, and Tm. %Significant amounts of impurity phases were
found for Ce and Yb. All the samples investigated crystallize in the
space group with lattice constants that follow the lanthanide
contraction. The lattice constant of the Ce compound reveals the presence of
Ce leading to the composition CeCuTiO. From
magnetic susceptibility and electron-spin resonance experiments it can be
concluded that the copper ions always carry a spin and order
antiferromagnetically close to 25\,K. The Curie-Weiss temperatures can
approximately be calculated assuming a two-sublattice model corresponding to
the copper and lanthanide ions, respectively. It seems that the magnetic
moments of the heavy rare earths are weakly coupled to the copper spins, while
for the light lanthanides no such coupling was found. The moments remain
paramagnetic down to the lowest temperatures, with the exception of the Tm
compound, which indicates enhanced Van-Vleck magnetism due to a non-magnetic
singlet ground state of the crystal-field split manifold. From
specific-heat measurements we accurately determined the antiferromagnetic
ordering temperature and obtained information on the crystal-field states of
the rare-earth ions. The heat-capacity results also revealed the presence of a
small fraction of Ce in a magnetic state.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure