P. Dalmas de Réotier

Structural and magnetic properties of RE2Fe14BH(D)x; REY, Ce, Er☆

Abstract The structural and magnetic characteristics of RE 2 Fe 14 BH x hydrides with RE ≡ Y, Ce, Er have been studied as a function of x . Both Curie temperature and magnetization are increased on hydriding the ternary bondes. Neutron diffraction experiments performed on deuterated samples have permitted the location of the host sites and the measurement of the magnetic moments of iron and RE. Different anomalies reported in the structural and magnetic behaviour of Ce 2 Fe 14 BH x are related to the change of electronic state on cerium.

Positive muon data analysis at ISIS

The pulsed surface muon beam of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is well suited to performing μSR measurements in zero and low magnetic fields with the longitudinal set-up. In this paper we describe our data analysis procedure and the effect of the collimation on the spectra. The determination of the efficiency ratio of the telescopes is discussed. We point out that for some measurements it is important to take into account the muon beam structure properly.

μSR study of RNi5 intermetallics where R=La, Gd or Tb

Zero-field μSR studies of some hexagonal intermetallic compounds are described. Our LaNI5 data provide information on the muon localisation site. This site could be one of the deuterium sites deduced from neutron diffraction. A comparison of the temperature dependence of the exponential damping rate, λ(T), of our samples shows that λ(T) is strongly influenced by crystal field effects. The TbNi5 spectra exhibit two components forT<60 K. We discuss the possible explanations of this result. We see a μSR signal below the magnetic phase transition in GdNi5. This makes the study of the spin-lattice relaxation rate possible in the ordered magnetic state.

Transitions and Spin Dynamics at Very Low Temperature in the Pyrochlores Yb2Ti2O7 and Gd2Sn2O7

The very low temperature properties of two pyrochlore compounds, Yb2Ti2O7 and Gd2Sn2O7, were investigated using an ensemble of microscopic and bulk techniques. In both compounds, a first order transition is evidenced, as well as spin dynamics persisting down to the 20 mK range. The transition however has a quite different character in the two materials: whereas that in Gd2Sn2O7 (at 1 K) is a magnetic transition towards long range order, that in Yb2Ti2O7 (at 0.24 K) is reminiscent of the liquid–gas transition, in the sense that it involves a 4 orders of magnitude drop of the spin fluctuation frequency, with no long range order. We attribute these unusual features to the frustration of the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction in the pyrochlore lattice.

Effect of the Tb3+ crystal field on the positive muon precession frequency in TbNi5

We have recorded positive muon spectra on a single crystal of the ferromagnetic (Tc = 23K) hexagonal compound TbNi5 for T<Tc. Only one muon precession frequency is observed. Its temperature dependence is well described by an Hamiltonian which is the sum of the molecular field and the crystal field Hamiltonian. Our results suggest that μSR spectroscopy can be used to get information on the Hamiltonian which describes the magnetic and electric interactions in 4f intermetallics.

Static and dynamic properties of R(Rh1−x Ru x )2Si2 probed by μSR (R=U,Nd,Ce)

Muon spin relaxation experiments have been carried out in the paramagnetic and magnetically ordered states of URh2Si2, U(Rh0.35Ru0.65)2Si2, NdRh2Si2 and CeRh2Si2. In order to obtain information on the localisation and diffusion properties of the muon, some measurements have been performed also on isostructural diamagnetic compounds. From our measurements. information on the magneto-crystalline anisotropy of the samples has been obtained. Depending on the compound, we found a static field distribution below the Néel temperature. We discuss the implications of this result on the magnetic properties of the various materials.

Spin dynamics in RENi5 ferromagnets by microSR measurements

We report a zero fieldμSR study of single crystals of theRENi5 ferromagnets where RE=Gd, Er, Dy or Tm. Our work points out the strong influence of the crystal electric field on the rare earth total momentum dynamics: whereas the spin-lattice relaxation process belowTc is controlled by a two magnon mechanism for a weakly anisotropic magnet (GdNi5), the phonons drive the relaxation for a strongly anisotropic magnet such asErNi5. ForTmNi5 a comparison is made between the fluctuation time measured byμSR and169Tm Mössbauer spectroscopy.

Evidence for unidimensional low-energy excitations as the origin of persistent spin dynamics in geometrically frustrated magnets

We report specific heat, magnetic, and muon spin relaxation measurements performed on a polycrystalline sample of the normal spinel CdHo2S4. The rare-earth ions sit on a lattice of corner-sharing regular tetrahedra as in pyrochlore compounds. Magnetic ordering is detected at Tc ~ 0.87 K. From spin-lattice relaxation rate measurements on both sides of Tc we uncover similar magnetic excitation modes driving the so-called persistent spin dynamics at T < Tc. Unidimensional excitations are argued to be at its origin. Often observed spin loop structures are suggested to support these excitations. The possibility of a generic mechanism for their existence is discussed.

Short-range magnetic ordering process for the triangular-lattice compound NiGa2S4: A positive muon spin rotation and relaxation study

We report a study of the triangular lattice Heisenberg magnet NiGa2S4 by the positive muon spin rotation and relaxation technique. We unravel three temperature regimes: (i) below T_c = 9.2(2) K a spontaneous static magnetic field at the muon site is observed and the spin dynamics is appreciable: the time scale of the modes we probe is ~ 7 ns; (ii) an unconventional stretched exponential relaxation function is found for T_c < T < T_{cross} where T_{cross} = 12.6 K, which is a signature of a multichannel relaxation for this temperature range; (iii) above T_{cross}, the relaxation is exponential as expected for a conventional compound. The transition at T_c is of the continuous type. It occurs at a temperature slightly smaller than the temperature at which the specific heat displays a maximum at low temperature. This is reminiscent of the behavior expected for the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. We argue that these results reflect the presence of topological defects above T_c.

Anisotropic spin fluctuations in metallic erbium

Abstract From a μSR study of metallic erbium single crystals, the presence of anisotropic spin correlations in the paramagnetic state at temperatures well above TN has been detected. The temperature dependence of the depolarization rate of the muon precession signal gives a dynamical critical exponent of 0.15(3) for the fluctuations of the magnetic field component at the muon site that is parallel with the c-axis. For magnetic field components perpendicular to the c-axis there are no indications of slowing down of fluctuations due to the onset of spin correlations on approaching TN.