RESUMO
We have performed inelastic neutron scattering on the near ideal spin-ladder compound La4Sr10Cu24O41 as a starting point for investigating doped ladders and their tendency toward superconductivity. A key feature was the separation of one-triplon and two-triplon scattering. Two-triplon scattering is observed quantitatively for the first time and so access is realized to the important strong magnetic quantum fluctuations. The spin gap is found to be 26.4+/-0.3 meV. The data are successfully modeled using the continuous unitary transformation method, and the exchange constants are determined by fitting to be Jleg=186 meV and Jrung=124 meV along the leg and rung, respectively; a substantial cyclic exchange of Jcyc=31 meV is confirmed.
RESUMO
We report for the first time, the observation of non-Fermi-liquid scaling behavior in an elemental paramagnetic metal. Both the dynamical susceptibility and the resistivity of beta-Mn are shown to display non-Fermi-liquid scaling over a relatively large temperature range at ambient pressure. The temperature dependence of the resistivity in beta-Mn is consistent with the existence of an antiferromagnetic zero-temperature phase transition or "quantum critical point." Since there is no site disorder in this pure element, we show that non-Fermi-liquid behavior observed in beta-Mn is not a consequence of summing over different local atomic environments, but a much more fundamental phenomenon.
RESUMO
Neutron spectroscopic measurements of the magnetic excitations in PrO2 reveal (1) sharp peaks characteristic of transitions between levels of the 4f(1) configuration of Pr4+ split by the cubic crystal field, and (2) broad bands of scattering centered near 30 and 160 meV. We present a simple model based on a vibronic Hamiltonian that accounts for these contrasting features of the data. The analysis shows that 90%+/-10% of the Pr ions have a localized 4f(1) configuration and provides strong evidence for a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in the gamma(8) electronic ground state.
