R. N. Saxena

Magnetic behavior of LaMn2(Si(1−x)Gex)2 compounds characterized by magnetic hyperfine field measurements

The temperature dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) at Mn atom sites was measured in LaMn2(Si(1−x)Gex)2, with 0u2009≤u2009xu2009≤u20091, compounds with perturbed γ−γ angular correlation spectroscopy using 111In(111Cd) as probe nuclei in the temperature range from 20u2009K to 480u2009K. The results show a transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic ordering for all studied compounds when Ge gradually replaces Si and allowed an accurate determination of the Neel temperature (TN) for each compound. It was observed that TN decreases when Ge concentration increases. Conversely, the Curie temperature increases with increase of Ge concentration. This remarkable change in the behavior of the transition temperatures is discussed in terms of the Mn-Mn distance and ascribed to a change in the exchange constant Jex.

Effect of Ge substitution for Si on the magnetic hyperfine field in LaMn2Si2 compound measured by perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy with 140Ce as probe nuclei

The effect of substitution of Ge for Si in LaMn2Si2 compound on the magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) has been investigated by perturbed γ−γ angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using 140La(140Ce) as probe nuclei. This compound exhibits antiferromagnetism followed by a ferromagnetic ordering when temperature decreases. The behavior of the ferromagnetic transition when Ge gradually replaces Si, with concentrations of 20%, 40%, 80%, and 100% is discussed. PAC measurements were carried out in the temperature range from 15u2009K to 325u2009K. Results for LaMn2Si2 compound showed that the dependence of Bhf with temperature follows the expected behavior for the host magnetization and could be fitted by a Brillouin function for JMnu2009=u20095/2. However, the temperature dependence of Bhf for compounds when Si is gradually replaced by Ge showed a deviation from such a behavior, which gradually increases up to a strong deviation observed for LaMn2Ge2. This striking behavior was ascribed to the hybridization of d band of the host and f band of the Ce impurities, which is stronger when the unit cell volume increase as Si ions are substituted by Ge atoms.The effect of substitution of Ge for Si in LaMn2Si2 compound on the magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) has been investigated by perturbed γ−γ angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using 140La(140Ce) as probe nuclei. This compound exhibits antiferromagnetism followed by a ferromagnetic ordering when temperature decreases. The behavior of the ferromagnetic transition when Ge gradually replaces Si, with concentrations of 20%, 40%, 80%, and 100% is discussed. PAC measurements were carried out in the temperature range from 15u2009K to 325u2009K. Results for LaMn2Si2 compound showed that the dependence of Bhf with temperature follows the expected behavior for the host magnetization and could be fitted by a Brillouin function for JMnu2009=u20095/2. However, the temperature dependence of Bhf for compounds when Si is gradually replaced by Ge showed a deviation from such a behavior, which gradually increases up to a strong deviation observed for LaMn2Ge2. This striking behavior was ascribed to the hybridization of d band of the host ...

Investigation of Hyperfine Interactions in CeIn3 byTDPAC

Magnetic hyperfine fields (mhf) at 111Cd and 140Ce nuclei, dilutely substituting the In and Ce sites, respectively, have been measured in the intermetallic compound CeIn3 using perturbed angular correlation technique. A pure electric quadrupole interaction with an axially symmetric electric field gradient was observed at 111In(EC)u2009111Cd probe nuclei at room temperature while a combined magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole interaction is observed below 10K. Below the ordering temperature, only a magnetic interaction is observed at 140La(β−)u2009140Ce probe. The values of mhf measured experimentally as a function of temperature are discussed in terms of critical behavior.

The magnetic behavior of the intermetallic compound NdMn2Ge2 studied by magnetization and hyperfine interactions measurements

The magnetic behavior of the intermetallic compound NdMn2Ge2 was investigated by bulk magnetization measurements and measurements of hyperfine interactions using perturbed γ–γ angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy. Magnetization measurements indicate the presence of four magnetic transitions associated with the Mn and Nd magnetic sublattices. At high temperatures, magnetic measurements show a change in the slope of the magnetization due to an antiferromagnetic transition around TNu2009∼u2009425u2009K and a well defined ferromagnetic transition at TCu2009∼u2009320u2009K. Moreover, at ∼210u2009K a peak is observed in the magnetization curve, which is assigned to the reorientation of the Mn spin, and at ∼25u2009K an increase in the magnetic moment is also observed, which is ascribed to the ordering of Nd ions. PAC measurements using 140La(140Ce) and 111In(111Cd) probe nuclei allowed the determination of the temperature dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) at Nd and Mn sites, respectively. PAC results with 111Cd probe nuclei at...

Stable tetragonal phase and magnetic properties of Fe-doped HfO2 nanoparticles

In this paper, the effect in structural and magnetic properties of iron doping with concentration of 20% in hafnium dioxide (HfO2) nanoparticles is investigated. HfO2 is a wide band gap oxide with great potential to be used as high-permittivity gate dielectrics, which can be improved by doping. Nanoparticle samples were prepared by sol-gel chemical method and had their structure, morphology, and magnetic properties, respectively, investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD), and magnetization measurements. TEM and SEM results show size distribution of particles in the range from 30 nm to 40 nm with small dispersion. Magnetization measurements show the blocking temperature at around 90 K with a strong paramagnetic contribution. XRD results show a major tetragonal phase (94%).In this paper, the effect in structural and magnetic properties of iron doping with concentration of 20% in hafnium dioxide (HfO2) nanoparticles is investigated. HfO2 is a wide band gap oxide with great potential to be used as high-permittivity gate dielectrics, which can be improved by doping. Nanoparticle samples were prepared by sol-gel chemical method and had their structure, morphology, and magnetic properties, respectively, investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD), and magnetization measurements. TEM and SEM results show size distribution of particles in the range from 30 nm to 40 nm with small dispersion. Magnetization measurements show the blocking temperature at around 90 K with a strong paramagnetic contribution. XRD results show a major tetragonal phase (94%).

Study of hyperfine interactions in GdIn3

In the present work, an experimental and theoretical study of the hyperfine interactions at Gd and In sites in GdIn3 were performed. The experimental measurements were carried out by perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy using 140Ce and 111Cd nuclear probes substituting Gd and In sites, respectively. Results for 111Cd probe at In sites in GdIn3 revealed only electric quadrupole interactions, differently from the results for CeIn3 where, in addition to quadrupole interactions, a magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) was also observed at In sites. The temperature dependence of Bhf at 140Ce on Gd sites in GdIn3 could be fitted by a Brillouin curve, and the extrapolated Bhf value to 0u2009K was found to be much smaller than that at 140Ce in CeIn3. Ab-initio electronic structure calculations for GdIn3 matrix doped with Ce were confronted with experimental data in order to explain such differences. The calculations were carried out within density functional theory using Augmented Plane Waves plus local orbitals basis...

Characterization of magnetic phase transitions in PrMn2Ge2 compound investigated by magnetization and hyperfine field measurements

The magnetic properties of PrMn2Ge2 compound have been investigated by perturbed γ−γ angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using 111In(111Cd) as probe nuclei as well as by magnetization measurements. This ternary intermetallic compound exhibits different magnetic structures depending on the temperature. The magnetic ordering is mainly associated with the magnetic moment of 3d-Mn sublattice but at low temperatures a magnetic contribution due to ordering of the magnetic moment from 4f-Pr sublattice appears. PAC results with 111Cd probe nuclei at Mn sites show that the temperature dependence of hyperfine field Bhf(T) follows the expected behavior for the host magnetization, which could be fitted by two Brillouin functions, one for antiferromagnetic phase and the other for ferromagnetic phase, associated with the magnetic ordering of Mn ions. Magnetization measurements showed the magnetic behavior due to Mn ions highlighting the antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic transition around 326 K and an increase in th...

Anomalous behavior of the magnetic hyperfine field at 140Ce impurities at La sites in LaMnSi2

Magnetic hyperfine field has been measured in the orthorhombic intermetallic compound LaMnSi2 with perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using radioactive 140La(140Ce) nuclear probes. Magnetization measurements were also carried out in this compound with MPSM-SQUID magnetometer. Samples of LaMnSi2 compound were prepared by arc melting the component metals with high purity under argon atmosphere followed by annealing at 1000°C for 60 h under helium atmosphere and quenching in water. X-ray analysis confirmed the samples to be in a single phase with correct crystal structure expected for LaMnSi2 compound. The radioactive 140La (T1/2 = 40 h) nuclei were produced by direct irradiation of the sample with neutrons in the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor at IPEN with a flux of ∼ 1013 n cm−2s−1 for about 3 - 4 min. The PAC measurements were carried out with a six BaF2 detector spectrometer at several temperatures between 10 K and 400 K. Temperature dependence of the hyperfine field, Bhf was found to be anomalous. A modified two-state model explained this anomalous behavior where the effective magnetic hyperfine field at 140Ce is believed to have two contributions, one from the unstable localized spins at Ce impurities and another from the magnetic Mn atoms of the host. The competition of these two contributions explains the anomalous behavior observed for the temperature dependence of the magnetic hyperfine field at 140Ce. The ferromagnetic transition temperature (TC) of LaMnSi2 was determined to be 400(1) K confirming the magnetic measurements.Magnetic hyperfine field has been measured in the orthorhombic intermetallic compound LaMnSi2 with perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using radioactive 140La(140Ce) nuclear probes. Magnetization measurements were also carried out in this compound with MPSM-SQUID magnetometer. Samples of LaMnSi2 compound were prepared by arc melting the component metals with high purity under argon atmosphere followed by annealing at 1000°C for 60 h under helium atmosphere and quenching in water. X-ray analysis confirmed the samples to be in a single phase with correct crystal structure expected for LaMnSi2 compound. The radioactive 140La (T1/2 = 40 h) nuclei were produced by direct irradiation of the sample with neutrons in the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor at IPEN with a flux of ∼ 1013 n cm−2s−1 for about 3 - 4 min. The PAC measurements were carried out with a six BaF2 detector spectrometer at several temperatures between 10 K and 400 K. Temperature dependence of the hyperfine field, Bhf was found to be a...

Investigation of the magnetic hyperfine field at R and Zn sites in RZn (R = Gd, Tb, Dy) compounds using perturbed gamma-gamma angular correlation spectroscopy with 140Ce and 111Cd as probe nuclei

The magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) in RZn compounds (Ru2009=u2009Gd, Tb, Dy) has been investigated by perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy using 140Ce and 111Cd as probe nuclei, respectively, at R and Zn sites, in order to study the origin of the magnetic coupling in these compounds. The results for 111Cd probe showed that the temperature dependence of Bhf roughly follows the Brillouin function for the R total angular momentum J of each compound. The temperature dependence of Bhf measured with 140Ce probes showed, however, a sharp deviation from the Brillouin curve for all compounds, which was ascribed to the contribution of the 4f-electron of Ce3+ to Bhf.

Magnetic hyperfine field in antiferromagnetic RGa2 (R = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er) studied by perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy using Cd111

The magnetic and electric hyperfine interactions of the nuclear probe Cd111 in the hexagonal antiferromagnetic rare earth-gallium RGa2 (Ru2009=u2009Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er) intermetallic compounds have been investigated by perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy as a function of temperature. With the exception of Ru2009=u2009Nd and Ho, the magnetic hyperfine field Bhf is roughly proportional to the spin projection (gu2009−u20091)J of the R constituent. However, in the group of the light rare earths, the variation of Bhf with (gu2009−u20091)J is much weaker than that for the heavy R constituents, in contrast to the trend reported for all rare earth intermetallics investigated up to now as well as to the trend of the magnetic ordering temperatures of RGa2. The orientation of the 4f spins relative to the c axis of RGa2 deduced from the angle between Bhf and the symmetry axis of the electric field gradient was found to be temperature independent and in agreement with the results of previous magnetization measurements...