X-ray and neutron diffraction studies of coupled structural phase transitions in DyBaCo2_{2}O5.5_{5.5}

A structural transition at $T\approx 322$ K from the $Pmmm$ to $Pmma$ phase is found to coincide with an anomaly of resistivity. Another structural phase transition doubling the lattice parameter $c$, which has been postulated earlier to accompany a low-temperature magnetic transition in TbBaCo$_{2}$O$_{5.5}$, is observed in a single crystal DbBaCo$_{2}$O$_{5.5}$ by means of the X-ray and neutron diffraction. The low temperature phase does not belong to the space group $Pcca$ that has been chosen earlier as the highest subgroup of the $Pmma$. The transition is of the first order with the temperature hysteresis, between $T\approx 100$ and $T\approx 200$ K, which probably explains anomalous magnetic properties in this temperature range.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Phonon Raman scattering in LaMn₁₋xCoxO₃ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 1.0)

The Raman-active phonons in perovskite-like LaMn₁–xCoxO₃ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 1.0) were studied by measuring Raman spectra at temperatures of 295 and 5 K. The changes in the spectra with Co doping are correlated with the decrease of orthorhombic distortions. Surprisingly more phonon lines than allowed for the rhombohedral LaCoO₃ structure were observed

Soft phonons and structural phase transition in superconducting Ba0.59K0.41BiO3

We have observed a softening of phonons and a structural phase transition in a superconducting Ba0.59K0.41BiO3 (Tc = 31 K) single crystal using elastic and inelastic neutron scattering measurements. The soft phonon occurs for the [111] transverse acoustic mode at the zone boundary. The phonon energies in this vicinity are found to continuously decrease with decreasing temperature from above room temperature to 200 K, where a structural phase transition from cubic to tetragonal symmetry occurs. The overall results are consistent with previous data that reported phonon softening and a (0.5, 0.5, 0.5) type superstructure in several Ba1-xKxBiO3 systems. However, we also find weak (0.5, 0.5, 0) type superstructure peaks that reveal an additional component to the modulation. No significant change related to the superconductivity was observed for the soft phonon energies or linewidths.Comment: 15 page

Magnetic Anisotropy in Geometrically Frustrated Kagome Staircase Lattices

This paper reviews experimental results concerning magnetic anisotropy in geometrically frustrated kagome staircase lattices. Following problems are discussed: high-temperature susceptibility measurements of kagome single crystals; inelastic neutron scattering measurements on Co3V2O8 single crystals; EPR of Co2+ ions in kagome staircase Mg3V2O8 single crystals. The single-ion anisotropy Hamiltonian is used to analyze experimental results. It is suggested that the magnetic anisotropy in kagome staircase M3V2O8 (M \ubc Co, Ni, Mn) oxides has mainly single-ion origin.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye