Thermally activated exchange narrowing of the Gd3+ ESR fine structure in a single crystal of Ce1-xGdxFe4P12 (x = 0.001) skutterudite

We report electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements in the Gd3+ doped semiconducting filled skutterudite compound Ce1-xGdxFe4P12 (x = 0.001). As the temperature T varies from T = 150 K to T = 165 K, the Gd3+ ESR fine and hyperfine structures coalesce into a broad inhomogeneous single resonance. At T = 200 K the line narrows and as T increases further, the resonance becomes homogeneous with a thermal broadening of 1.1(2) Oe/K. These results suggest that the origin of these features may be associated to a subtle interdependence of thermally activated mechanisms that combine: i) an increase with T of the density of activated conduction-carriers across the T-dependent semiconducting pseudogap; ii) the Gd3+ Korringa relaxation process due to an exchange interaction, J_{fd}S.s, between the Gd3+ localized magnetic moments and the thermally activated conduction-carriers and; iii) a relatively weak confining potential of the rare-earth ions inside the oversized (Fe2P3)4 cage, which allows the rare-earths to become rattler Einstein oscillators above T = 148 K. We argue that the rattling of the Gd3+ ions, via a motional narrowing mechanism, also contributes to the coalescence of the ESR fine and hyperfine structure.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Phys Rev

Eu2+ spin dynamics in the filled skutterudites EuM4Sb12 (M = Fe, Ru, Os)

We report evidence for a close relation between the thermal activation of the rattling motion of the filler guest atoms, and inhomogeneous spin dynamics of the Eu2+ spins. The spin dynamics is probed directly by means of Eu2+ electron spin resonance (ESR), performed in both X-band (9.4 GHz) and Q-band (34 GHz) frequencies in the temperature interval 4.2 < T < 300 K. A comparative study with ESR measurements on the Beta-Eu8Ga16Ge30 clathrate compound is presented. Our results point to a correlation between the rattling motion and the spin dynamics which may be relevant for the general understanding of the dynamics of cage systems.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

High-field Electron Spin Resonance of Cu_{1-x}Zn_{x}GeO_{3}

High-Field Electron Spin Resonance measurements were made on powder samples of Cu_{1-x}Zn_{x}GeO_{3} (x=0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.05) at different frequencies (95, 110, 190, 220, 330 and 440 GHz) at low temperatures. The spectra of the doped samples show resonances whose positions are dependent on Zn concentration, frequency and temperature. The analysis of intensity variation of these lines with temperature allows us to identify them as originating in transitions within states situated inside the Spin Peierls gap. A qualitative explanation of the details of the spectra is possible if we assume that these states in the gap are associated with "loose" spins created near the Zn impurities, as recently theoreticaly predicted. A new phenomenon of quenching of the ESR signal across the Dimerized to Incommensurate phase-boundary is observed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 ps figures in the text, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Direct determination of the crystal field parameters of Dy, Er and Yb impurities in the skutterudite compound CeFe4_{4}P12_{12} by Electron Spin Resonance

Despite extensive research on the skutterudites for the last decade, their electric crystalline field ground state is still a matter of controversy. We show that Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) measurements can determine the full set of crystal field parameters (CFPs) for the Th cubic symmetry (Im3) of the Ce$_{1-x}$R$_{x}$Fe$_{4}$P$_{12}$ (R = Dy, Er, Yb, $x\lesssim 0.003$) skutterudite compounds. From the analysis of the ESR data the three CFPs, B4c, B6c and B6t were determined for each of these rare-earths at the Ce$^{3+}$ site. The field and temperature dependence of the measured magnetization for the doped crystals are in excellent agreement with the one predicted by the CFPs Bnm derived from ESR.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, to appear in PR

Unconventional Metallic Magnetism in LaCrSb{3}

Neutron-diffraction measurements in LaCrSb{3} show a coexistence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic sublattices below Tc=126 K, with ordered moments of 1.65(4) and 0.49(4) Bohr magnetons per formula unit, respectively (T=10 K), and a spin reorientation transition at ~95 K. No clear peak or step was observed in the specific heat at Tc. Coexisting localized and itinerant spins are suggested.Comment: PRL, in pres

Electron Spin Resonance Of Gd3+ In Gdm Mn In3m+2n (m=rh,ir; N=0,1; M=1,2) Antiferromagnets

We report electron spin resonance experiments of Gd3+ in the Gdm Mn In3m+2n (M=Rh,Ir; n=0,1; m=1,2) intermetallic compounds. For T TN ∼45 K, all compounds present a single Dysonian resonance and show a Korringa-like temperature dependence of the linewidth, ΔH=a+bT. The residual linewidth a is strongly affected by the transition metal M=Rh or Ir and/or by the layering (m=1 or 2) or change in structure (n=0,1). The residual linewidth is associated with an unresolved crystalline electrical field (CEF) fine structure. Consequently, a systematic evolution of the CEF in the Gdm Mn In3m+2n compounds is inferred. A discussion to what extent our results can explain to the CEF effects observed in isostructural R-based compounds will be given. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.1037Hegger, H., (2000) Phys. Rev. Lett., 84, p. 4986Petrovic, C., (2001) Europhys. Lett., 53, p. 354Petrovic, C., (2001) J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, 13, p. 337Pagliuso, P.G., (2001) Phys. Rev. B, 63, p. 054426Pagliuso, P.G., (2000) Phys. Rev. B, 62, p. 12266Thompson, J.D., (2001) J. Magn. Magn. Mater., 226-230, p. 5Pagliuso, P.G., (2001) Phys. Rev. B, 64, p. 100503. , (R)Sidorov, V.A., (2002) Phys. Rev. Lett., 89, p. 157004Bianchi, A., (2003) Phys. Rev. Lett., 91, p. 257001Park, T., (2006) Nature (London), 440, p. 65Pham, L.D., (2006) Phys. Rev. Lett., 97, p. 056404Hering, E.N., (2006) Physica B, 378-380, p. 423Pagliuso, P.G., (2006) J. Appl. Phys., 99, pp. 08P703Granado, E., (2006) Phys. Rev. B, 74, p. 214428Granado, E., (2004) Phys. Rev. B, 69, p. 144411Lora-Serrano, R., (2006) Phys. Rev. B, 74, p. 214404Lora-Serrano, R., (2006) Physica B, 384, p. 326Amara, M., Amara, M., Amara, M., (1994) J. Magn. Magn. Mater., 130, p. 127. , 0304-8853 10.1016/0304-8853(94)90665-3, ();, J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 0304-8853 10.1016/0304-8853(94)90284-4 131, 402 (1994);, J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 140-144, 1157 (1994)Czopnik, A., (1991) Phys. Status Solidi A, 127, p. 243Abragam, Bleaney, B., (1670), Electron Paramagnetic Resonance of Transition Ions (Clarendon, Oxford)Korringa, J., (1950) Physica (Amsterdam), 10, p. 601Rettori, C., (1974) Phys. Rev. B, 10, p. 1826Davidov, D., (1973) Solid State Commun., 12, p. 62