Owen Peter Vajk

Spin correlations in the electron-doped high-transition-temperature superconductor Nd2- xCexCuO4±δ

High-transition-temperature (high-Tc) superconductivity develops near antiferromagnetic phases, and it is possible that magnetic excitations contribute to the superconducting pairing mechanism. To assess the role of antiferromagnetism, it is essential to understand the doping and temperature dependence of the two-dimensional antiferromagnetic spin correlations. The phase diagram is asymmetric with respect to electron and hole doping, and for the comparatively less-studied electron-doped materials, the antiferromagnetic phase extends much further with doping and appears to overlap with the superconducting phase. The archetypal electron-doped compound Nd2-xCexCuO4±δ (NCCO) shows bulk superconductivity above x ≈ 0.13 (refs 3, 4), while evidence for antiferromagnetic order has been found up to x ≈ 0.17 (refs 2, 5, 6). Here we report inelastic magnetic neutron-scattering measurements that point to the distinct possibility that genuine long-range antiferromagnetism and superconductivity do not coexist. The data reveal a magnetic quantum critical point where superconductivity first appears, consistent with an exotic quantum phase transition between the two phases. We also demonstrate that the pseudogap phenomenon in the electron-doped materials, which is associated with pronounced charge anomalies, arises from a build-up of spin correlations, in agreement with recent theoretical proposals.

Magnetic order and spin dynamics in ferroelectric HoMnO3.

Hexagonal HoMnO3 is a frustrated antiferromagnet (T(N)=72 K) ferroelectric (T(C)=875 K) in which these two order parameters are coupled. Our neutron measurements of the spin-wave dispersion for the S=2 Mn3+ on the layered triangular lattice are well described by a two-dimensional nearest-neighbor Heisenberg exchange J=2.44 meV, and an anisotropy D that is 0.28 meV above the spin-reorientation transition at 40 K and 0.38 meV below. For H parallel c the magnetic structures and phase diagram have been determined, and reveal additional transitions below 8 K where the ferroelectrically displaced Ho3+ ions are ordered magnetically.

Spin correlations and magnetic order in nonsuperconducting Nd(2-x)Ce(x)CuO(4+/-delta).

We report quantitative neutron scattering measurements of the evolution with doping of the Néel temperature, the antiferromagnetic correlations, and the ordered moment of as-grown, nonsuperconducting Nd(2-x)Ce(x)CuO(4+/-delta) (0</=x</=0.18). The instantaneous correlation length can be effectively described by our quantum Monte Carlo calculations for the randomly site-diluted nearest-neighbor spin-1/2 square-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet. However, quantum fluctuations have a stronger effect on the ordered moment, which decreases more rapidly than for the quenched-disorder model.

Neutron-scattering studies of magnetism in multiferroic HoMnO3 (invited)

Hexagonal HoMnO3 is a frustrated antiferromagnet (TN=72K) ferroelectric (TC=875K) with a rich magnetic phase diagram consisting of multiple temperature- and field-dependent phases. Previously observed anomalies in the dielectric constant at magnetic phase transitions indicate strong coupling between the ferroelectricity and magnetism. Neutron-diffraction measurements in a magnetic field reveal new intermediate-field phases at low temperatures. Inelastic neutron-scattering measurements are used to establish the primary magnetic interactions and demonstrate that the spin dynamics in HoMnO3 are well described by a simple two-dimensional nearest-neighbor Heisenberg antiferromagnetic exchange J=2.44meV and a temperature-dependent anisotropy D.

Incident energy and polarization-dependent resonant inelastic x-ray scattering study of La2CuO4

We present a detailed Cu K-edge resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) study of the Mott insulator La2CuO4 in the 1-7 eV energy transfer range. As initially found for the high-temperature superconductor HgBa2CuO4+d, the spectra exhibit a multiplet of weakly-dispersive electron-hole excitations, which are revealed by utilizing the subtle dependence of the cross section on the incident photon energy. The close similarity between the fine structures for in-plane and out-of-plane polarizations is indicative of the central role played by the 1s core hole in inducing charge excitations within the CuO2 planes. On the other hand, we observe a polarization dependence of the spectral weight, and careful analysis reveals two separate features near 2 eV that may be related to different charge-transfer processes. The polarization dependence indicates that the 4p electrons contribute significantly to the RIXS cross section. Third-order perturbation arguments and a shake-up of valence excitations are then applied to account for the final-energy resonance in the spectra. As an alternative scenario, we discuss fluorescence-like emission processes due to 1s ->4p transitions into a narrow continuum 4p band.

Magnetic field effect on the superconducting magnetic gap of Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4

Inelastic neutron-scattering measurements on the archetypical electron-doped material Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4 up to a high relative magnetic-field strength, H/H(c2) approximately 50%, reveal a simple linear magnetic-field effect on the superconducting magnetic gap and the absence of field-induced in-gap states. The extrapolated gap-closing field value is consistent with the upper critical field H(c2), and the high-field response resembles that of the paramagnetic normal state.

Magnetic phase competition in Dy1−xYxMnO3

The magnetic phase diagram of Dy1−xYxMnO3 is investigated with neutron diffraction measurements for concentrations ranging from x = 0.6−1. The onset of a transition from YMnO3-like order to DyMnO3-like order of the Mn3+ moments is observed at temperatures as high as 25 K. This transition approaches from low temperatures, as in Er1−xYxMnO3, rather than from high temperatures, as in Ho1−xYxMnO3, but the Y-like phase persists over a broad compositional range, as in Ho1−xYxMnO3 and in contrast to Er1−xYxMnO3. Inelastic scattering measurements in the Y-like phase reveal quasielastic scattering at positions for scattering from the Dy-like phase. These results suggest significant complexity in the magnetic phase competition in RMnO3.