Field-induced vortex-like textures as a probe of the critical line in reentrant spin glasses.

We study the evolution of the low-temperature field-induced magnetic defects observed under an applied magnetic field in a series of frustrated amorphous ferromagnets (Fe[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]P[Formula: see text]B[Formula: see text]Al[Formula: see text] ("a-Fe[Formula: see text]Mn[Formula: see text]"). Combining small-angle neutron scattering and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the morphology of these defects resemble that of quasi-bidimensional spin vortices. They are observed in the so-called "reentrant" spin-glass (RSG) phase, up to the critical concentration [Formula: see text] which separates the RSG and "true" spin glass (SG) within the low temperature part of the magnetic phase diagram of a-Fe1-xMnx. These textures systematically decrease in size with increasing magnetic field or decreasing the average exchange interaction, and they finally disappear in the SG sample ([Formula: see text]), being replaced by field-induced correlations over finite length scales. We argue that the study of these nanoscopic defects could be used to probe the critical line between the RSG and SG phases.

Magnetization process in Er2Ti2O7 at very low temperature.

We present a model which accounts for the high-field magnetization at very low temperature in the frustrated pyrochlore compound Er2Ti2O7. In Er2Ti2O7, the Er(3+) ion has a planar crystal field anisotropy and the material undergoes a transition to antiferromagnetism at TN = 1.2 K. Our model is a mean-field self-consistent calculation involving the four rare earth sites of a tetrahedron, the building unit of the pyrochlore lattice. It includes the full crystal field Hamiltonian, the infinite range dipolar interaction and anisotropic nearest neighbour exchange described by a 4-component tensor. We discuss the equivalence of our treatment of the exchange tensor, taken to be diagonal in a frame linked to a rare earth-rare earth bond, with the pseudo-spin Hamiltonian recently developed for Kramers doublets in a pyrochlore lattice.

Effect of electron doping on the magnetic correlations in the bilayered brownmillerite compound Ca(2.5-x)La(x)Sr(0.5)GaMn2O8: a neutron diffraction study.

The effect of electron doping on the magnetic properties of the brownmillerite type bilayered compounds has been investigated by neutron powder diffraction in La substituted Ca(2.5-x)La(x)Sr(0.5)GaMn(2)O(8) compounds (x = 0.05 and 0.1), in comparison with the undoped compound (x = 0). In all compounds, a long-range three-dimensional collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure is found below the Néel temperature T(N) of the respective compound, whereas, well above T(N), three-dimensional short-range magnetic ordering is observed. In the intermediate temperature range just above T(N), a strong effect of electron doping (La substitution) on the magnetic correlations has been observed. Here, a short-range AFM correlation with a possible dimensionality of three has been found for substituted compounds (x = 0.05 and 0.1) as compared to the reported two-dimensional long-range AFM ordering in the parent compound. With increasing electron doping, a decrease in T(N) is also observed. The short-range magnetic correlations set in over a large temperature range above T(N). A magnetic phase diagram in the x-T plane is proposed from these results.

The spin ice Ho(2)Ti(2)O(7) versus the spin liquid Tb(2)Ti(2)O(7): field-induced magnetic structures.

We studied the field-induced magnetic structures of Ho(2)Ti(2)O(7) spin ice by means of single-crystal neutron diffraction with a magnetic field applied along a [110] direction. These structures are compared to those of the spin liquid Tb(2)Ti(2)O(7) previously measured in similar experimental conditions. For both compounds, magnetic structures of two types with k = 0 and k = (0, 0, 1) propagation vectors coexist at low temperature (1.6 K) and high applied field (7 T). The k = 0 structures are described by the basis functions of the same irreducible representation for both Tb(2)Ti(2)O(7) and Ho(2)Ti(2)O(7). On the other hand, the k = (0, 0, 1) structures of Tb(2)Ti(2)O(7) and Ho(2)Ti(2)O(7) correspond to different irreducible representations, leading to different magnetic structures.

Ising versus XY anisotropy in frustrated R(2)Ti(2)O(7) compounds as "Seen" by Polarized Neutrons.

We studied the field induced magnetic order in R(2)Ti(2)O(7) pyrochlore compounds with either uniaxial (R=Ho, Tb) or planar (R=Er, Yb) anisotropy, by polarized neutron diffraction. The determination of the local susceptibility tensor {chi(parallel to),chi(perpendicular)} provides a universal description of the field induced structures in the paramagnetic phase (2-270 K), whatever the field value (1-7 T) and direction. Comparison of the thermal variations of chi(parallel to) and chi(perpendicular) with calculations using the rare earth crystal field shows that exchange and dipolar interactions must be taken into account. We determine the molecular field tensor in each case and show that it can be strongly anisotropic.

Spin-lattice coupling, frustration, and magnetic order in multiferroic RMnO3.

We have performed high-resolution neutron diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering experiments in the frustrated multiferroic hexagonal compounds RMnO_{3} (R = Ho,Yb,Sc,Y), which provide evidence of a strong magnetoelastic coupling in the whole family. We can correlate the atomic positions, the type of magnetic structure, and the nature of the spin waves whatever the R ion and temperature. The key parameter is the position of the Mn ions in the unit cell with respect to a critical threshold of 1/3, which determines the sign of the coupling between Mn triangular planes.

Anisotropic exchange in frustrated pyrochlore Yb(2)Ti(2)O(7).

The local Yb(3+) magnetic susceptibility tensor was recently measured in the frustrated pyrochlore compound Yb(2)Ti(2)O(7) by means of in-field polarized neutron scattering in a single crystal. A very anisotropic effective exchange tensor was derived for the Yb(3+) ion. Using this result, we reinterpret here the data for the powder susceptibility in Yb(2)Ti(2)O(7). We show that, in the case of a well-isolated Kramers doublet with anisotropic g and exchange tensors, the inverse susceptibility for a powder sample does not strictly obey a Curie-Weiss law at low temperature. We discuss the consequences regarding the paramagnetic Curie temperature, usually taken as a measure of the exchange/dipolar interaction, and the exotic 'slow fluctuation' ground state of Yb(2)Ti(2)O(7).

Field-induced spin-ice-like orders in spin liquid Tb2Ti2O7.

We have studied the field-induced magnetic structures in Tb2Ti2O7, in a wide temperature (0.3 < T < 270 K) and field (0 < H < 7 T) range, by single crystal polarized and unpolarized neutron diffraction, with H parallel[110] axis. A ferromagneticlike structure with k = 0 propagation vector is induced, whose local order at low field and low temperature is akin to spin ice. The four Tb ions separate in alpha and beta chains having different values of the magnetic moments, which is quantitatively explained by taking the crystal field anisotropy into account. Above 2 T and below 2 K, an antiferromagneticlike structure with k = (0,0,1) is induced besides the k = 0 structure. It shows a reentrant behavior and extends over a finite length scale. It occurs together with a broadening of the nuclear peaks, which suggests a field-induced distortion and magnetostriction effect.

Microscopic study of a pressure-induced ferromagnetic-spin-glass transition in the geometrically frustrated pyrochlore (Tb1-xLax)2Mo2O7.

We have studied (Tb1-xLax)2Mo2O7 pyrochlores by neutron diffraction and muSR at ambient and under applied pressure. (Tb,La) substitution expands the lattice and induces a change from a spin-glass-like state (x=0) to a noncollinear ferromagnet (x=0.2). In the ferromagnetic structure, the Tb moments orient close to their local anisotropy axes as for an ordered spin ice, while the Mo ones orient close to the net moment. The temperature dependence of the muSR relaxation rates and static local fields suggests a second transition of dynamical nature below the Curie transition. Under pressure, the long range order breaks down and a spin-glass-like state is recovered. The whole set of data provides a microscopic picture of the spin correlations and fluctuations in the region of the ferromagnetic-spin-glass threshold.

Field-induced order and spin waves in the pyrochlore antiferromagnet Tb2Ti207.

High resolution time-of-flight neutron scattering measurements on Tb(2)Ti(2)0(7) reveal a rich low temperature phase diagram in the presence of a magnetic field applied along [110]. In zero field at T = 0.4 K, Tb(2)Ti(2)0(7) is a highly correlated cooperative paramagnet with disordered spins residing on a pyrochlore lattice of corner-sharing tetrahedra. Application of a small field condenses much of the magnetic diffuse scattering, characteristic of the disordered spins, into a new Bragg peak characteristic of a polarized paramagnet. At higher fields, a magnetically ordered phase is induced, which supports spin wave excitations indicative of continuous, rather than Ising-like, spin degrees of freedom.

Magnetic ordering and spin waves in Na0.82CoO2.

NaxCoO2, the parent compound of the recently synthesized superconductor Na(x)CoO(2):yH(2)O, exhibits bulk antiferromagnetic order below approximately 20 K for 0.75

Pressure and field induced magnetic order in the spin liquid Tb2Ti2O7 as studied by single crystal neutron diffraction.

We have studied the spin liquid Tb2Ti2O7 by single crystal neutron diffraction under high pressure up to 2.8 GPa, together with uniaxial stress, down to 0.1 K, in zero and high magnetic fields up to 7 T. In zero magnetic field, a long-range ordered antiferromagnetic structure is induced by pressure. The Néel temperature and ordered magnetic moment can be tuned by the anisotropic pressure component. Under magnetic field, the antiferromagnetic structure transforms into a canted ferromagnetic one at 0.6 T. Spin canting persists even at 7 T. The magnetic phase diagram under pressure shows a strong increase of the Néel temperature with the field.

Pressure-induced crystallization of a spin liquid.

Liquids are expected to crystallize at low temperature. The only exception is helium, which can remain liquid at 0 K, owing to quantum fluctuations. Similarly, the atomic magnetic moments (spins) in a magnet are expected to order at a temperature scale set by the Curie-Weiss temperature theta(CW) (ref. 3). Geometrically frustrated magnets represent an exception. In these systems, the pairwise spin interactions cannot be simultaneously minimized because of the lattice symmetry. This can stabilize a liquid-like state of short-range-ordered fluctuating moments well below theta(CW) (refs 5-7). Here we use neutron scattering to observe the spin liquid state in a geometrically frustrated system, Tb(2)Ti(2)O(7), under conditions of high pressure (approximately 9 GPa) and low temperature (approximately 1 K). This compound is a three-dimensional magnet with theta(CW) = -19 K, where the negative value indicates antiferromagnetic interactions. At ambient pressure Tb(2)Ti(2)O(7) remains in a spin liquid state down to at least 70 mK (ref. 8). But we find that, under high pressure, the spins start to order or 'crystallize' below 2.1 K, with antiferromagnetic order coexisting with liquid-like fluctuations. These results indicate that a spin liquid/solid mixture can be induced by pressure in geometrically frustrated systems.

Magnetic ordering and phase transition in MnO embedded in a porous glass.

We present the results of a neutron diffraction study of the antiferromagnet MnO embedded in a porous glass. The type of magnetic ordering and the structural distortion are similar to those of the bulk, but the ordered magnetic moment of 3.84(4)muB/ion is strongly reduced and the Néel temperature is enhanced. The magnetic transition is second order, in contrast to the first order transition of the bulk. The size of the magnetic region is smaller than the average size of the nanoparticles. The reasons for this behavior are discussed.