Structural and Magnetic Properties of Nanosized Half-Doped Rare-Earth Ho0.5Ca0.5MnO3 Manganite

We investigated the structural and magnetic properties of 20 nm-sized nanoparticles of the half-doped manganite Ho0.5Ca0.5MnO3 prepared by sol-gel approach. Neutron powder diffraction patterns show Pbnm orthorhombic symmetry for 10 K < T < 290 K, with lattice parameters a, b, and c in the relationship c/√2 < a < b, indicating a cooperative Jahn–Teller effect, i.e., orbital ordering OO, from below room temperature. In contrast with the bulk samples, in the interval 250 < T < 300 K, the fingerprint of charge ordering (CO) does not manifest itself in the temperature dependence of lattice parameters. However, there are signs of CO in the temperature dependence of magnetization. Accordingly, below 100 K superlattice magnetic Bragg reflections arise, which are consistent with an antiferromagnetic phase strictly related to the bulk Mn ordering of a charge exchange-type (CE-type), but characterized by an increased fraction of ferromagnetic couplings between manganese species themselves. Our results show that in this narrow band half-doped manganite, size reduction only modifies the balance between the Anderson superexchange and Zener double exchange interactions, without destabilizing an overall very robust antiferromagnetic state.

Structural, Electronic and Magnetic Properties of CaSe Doped with 3d (V, Cr and Mn)

We report first-principles investigation on structural, electronic and magnetic properties of 3d transition metal element-doped rock-salt calcium selenide Ca[Formula: see text]TMxSe (TM = V, Cr and Mn) at concentrations [Formula: see text] = 0.0625, 0.125 and 0.25. We performed the calculations in the framework of the density functional theory (DFT) using the full-potential linearized augmented plane waves plus local orbitals (FP-LAPW+lo) method within the Wu–Cohen generalized gradient approximation (WC-GGA) for the structural optimization and the Tran–Blaha modified Becke–Johnson (TBmBJ) potential for the electronic and the magnetic properties. The computed spin-polarized band structures and densities of states show that Ca[Formula: see text]CrxSe compounds at all studied concentrations are half-metallic ferromagnets with a complete spin polarization of 100% at Fermi-level while the Ca[Formula: see text]VxSe and Ca[Formula: see text]MnxSe are ferromagnetic semiconductors. The total magnetic moments for Ca[Formula: see text]VxSe, Ca[Formula: see text]CrxSe, and Ca[Formula: see text]MnxSe show the integer values of 3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text], 4[Formula: see text][Formula: see text], and 5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text], respectively, with a major contribution of transition metal elements (TM) in the total magnetization. Also, we reported the calculated exchange constants [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] and the band edge spin splitting of the valence ([Formula: see text]) and conduction ([Formula: see text]) bands. The ferromagnetism of these compounds is due to the super-exchange and the double-exchange mechanisms in addition to the strong p–d exchange interaction. Therefore, the predicted results indicate that the diluted Ca[Formula: see text]TMxSe (TM = V, Cr, Mn) compounds are suitable candidates for a possible application in the field of spintronic technology.

Weak Ferromagnetism in a One-Orbital Double-Exchange Model with Ising Spins for Cerium Oxides

Cerium oxides (ceria) are materials that exhibit weak, room-temperature ferromagnetism without d-electrons. The latter are usually responsible for magnetism in a variety of other oxide compounds, but the underlying mechanism for such a magnetic response in ceria without the d-electrons (d0-magnetism) is still under debate. A possible explanation is Zener double-exchange, where itinerant electrons polarize the localized spins via Hund-coupling as they hop from site to site. Here, we report magnetization and spin-spin correlation results using various values of the Hund-coupling in a one-orbital double-exchange model with Ising spins. In the real material with formula CeO2−x, the oxygen-deficient sites are denoted by x. These sites are related to the density of tetravalent cerium spins (the Ising spin background in our model), which we denoted as and set at N=0.50 in our simulations. Our results at this value of localized spin concentration show ferromagnetic tendencies at low carrier densities (n=0.25). However, ferromagnetism is lost at intermediate carrier concentrations (n=0.50) due to charge localization at high temperatures, as evident from density of states calculations and Monte Carlo snapshots. To our knowledge, our study based on a realistic Zener-type double exchange mechanism is a first in the study of magnetism in cerium oxides. Our results are also consistent with previous studies using similar Hamiltonians in the context of diluted magnetic semiconductors, where Heisenberg spins were used.

Understanding complex multiple sublattice magnetism in double double perovskites

Understanding magnetism in multiple magnetic sublattice system, driven by the interplay of varied nature of magnetic exchanges, is on one hand challenging and on other hand intriguing. Motivated by the recent synthesis of AA$$^{\prime }$$ ′ BB$$^{\prime }$$ ′ O$$_6$$ 6 double double perovskites with multiple magnetic ions both at A- and B-sites, we investigate the mechanism of magnetic behavior in these interesting class of compounds. We find that the magnetism in such multiple sublattice compounds is governed by the interplay and delicate balance between two distinct mechanisms, (a) kinetic energy-driven multiple sublattice double exchange mechanism and (b) the conventional super-exchange mechanism. The derived spin Hamiltonian based on first-principles calculations is solved by classical Monte Carlo technique which reproduces the observed magnetic properties. Finally, the influence of off-stoichiometry, as in experimental samples, is discussed. Some of these double double perovskite compounds are found to possess large total magnetic moment and also are found to be half-metallic with reasonably high transition temperature, which raises the hope of future applications of these large magnetic moment half-metallic oxides in spintronics and memory devices.

Phase diagram senses orbitals and prompts a fundamental constant

Van der Waals’ discovery of that the volumes of molecules and their intermolecular attraction between them cause the peculiarities of the phase diagrams of gases and liquids1 gave the greatest impact on the progress of science and industry. Unfortunately, the phase charts of solids capable to advance scientific and technical progress remain uncomprehended mystery. Only the certain linear phase boundaries are understood by the struggle of magnetic field B against the thermal agitation2,3. Here we show that the intersection volume of internal atomic orbitals determines the form of phase boundary and, furthermore, energy per unit volume of the intersection is a new fundamental constant v = 8.941 eV/Å3. Together with the known struggle contribution2,3 to TC(B), we found a term proportional to the intersection volume of 3deg and 2p orbitals in the Sm0.55Sr0.45MnO3 manganite. Hysteresis of TC is described by the avalanche-like widening of the intersection volume due to reducing the Coulomb distortion with double-exchange ferromagnetism. The pressure-TC diagram4 of (Sm1-xNdx)0.55Sr0.45MnO3 (x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5) is approximated with the same parameters as the TC(B) diagram of Sm0.55Sr0.45MnO3. Furthermore, the diamond’s melting point 4157oC calculated from the intersection volume of sp3-orbitals is in excellent agreement with the real 4000oC. Tips explaining the puzzling pressure-TN diagrams5-10 of NiS, Ni1-xS1-ySey, BaVS3, V2O3, RNiO3 and ferrites were given. Our discovery is the beginning of condensed-matter geometrodynamics and marks an era of studying phase diagrams to advance condensed-matter physics and tailor new materials with predicted properties necessary in sunrise industries. Moreover, internucleon, interquark and intergluon orbital intersections would be useful for understanding the properties of nuclei, nucleons and quarks.