Field-induced spin-density-wave phases in TMTSF organic conductors: quantization versus non-quantization

We study the magnetic-field-induced spin-density-wave (FISDW) phases in TMTSF organic conductors in the framework of the quantized nesting model. In agreement with recent suggestions, we find that the SDW wave-vector ${\bf Q}$ deviates from its quantized value near the transition temperature $T_c$ for all phases with quantum numbers $N>0$. Deviations from quantization are more pronounced at low pressure and higher $N$ and may lead to a suppression of the first-order transitions $N+1\to N$ for $N\ge 5$. Below a critical pressure, we find that the N=0 phase invades the entire phase diagram in accordance with earlier experiments. We also show that at T=0, the quantization of ${\bf Q}$ and hence the Hall conductance is always exact. Our results suggest a novel phase transition/crossover at intermediate temperatures between phases with quantized and non-quantized ${\bf Q}$.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Revte

Effective action and collective modes in quasi-one-dimensional spin-density-wave systems

We derive the effective action describing the long-wavelength low-energy collective modes of quasi-one-dimensional spin-density-wave (SDW) systems, starting from the Hubbard model within weak coupling approximation. The effective action for the spin-wave mode corresponds to an anisotropic non-linear sigma model together with a Berry phase term. We compute the spin stiffness and the spin-wave velocity. We also obtain the effective action for the sliding mode (phason) taking into account the density fluctuations from the outset and in presence of a weak external electromagnetic field. This leads to coupled equations for the phase of the SDW condensate and the charge density fluctuations. We also calculate the conductivity and the density-density correlation function.Comment: 16 pages, Resubmitted to Physical Review B with minor suggested change

An anomalous magnetic phase transition at 10 K in Nd7Rh3

The compound, Nd7Rh3, crystallizing in Th7Fe3-type hexagonal structure, has been shown recently by us to exhibit a signature of magnetic phase-coexistence phenomenon below 10 K after a field cycling, uncharacteristic of stoichiometric intermetallic compounds, bearing a relevance to the trends in the field of electronic phase-separation. In order to characterize this compound further, we have carried out dc magnetic susceptibility (chi), electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance and heat-capacity measurements as a function temperature (T= 1.8 to 300 K). The results reveal that this compound exhibits another unusual finding at the 10K-transition in the sense that the plot of chi(T) shows a sharp increase in the field-cooled cycle, whereas the zero-field-cooled curve shows a downturn below the transition. In addition, the sign of magnetoresistance is negative and the magnitude is large over a wide temperature range in the vicinity of magnetic ordering temperature, with a sharp variation at 10 K. The results indicate that the transition below 10 K is first-order in its character.Comment: Appeared in JPCM (Letters) 18 (2006) L40

One-dimensional itinerant ferromagnets with Heisenberg symmetry and the ferromagnetic quantum critical point

We study one-dimensional itinerant ferromagnets with Heisenberg symmetry near a ferromagnetic quantum critical point. It is shown that the Berry phase term arises in the effective action of itinerant ferromagnets when the full SU(2) symmetry is present. We explicitly demonstrate that dynamical critical exponent of the theory with the Berry term is $z=2 +{\rm O}(\epsilon^2)$ in the sense of $\epsilon$ expansion, as previously discovered in the Ising limit. It appears, however, that the universality class at the interacting fixed point is not the same. We point out that even though the critical theory in the Ising limit can be obtained by the standard Hertz-Millis approach, the Heisenberg limit is expected to be different. We also calculate the exact electron Green functions $G(x,t=0)$ and $G(x=0,t)$ near the transition in a range of temperature, which can be used for experimental signatures of the associated critical points.Comment: Replaced with final version accepted in PRB; minor changes from the previous versio