A. A. Guda | Searcharxiv

arXiv2017

Multiferroic rust: magnetoelectric effect in göthite, $α$-FeOOH

By means of symmetry analysis, density functional theory calculations, and Monte Carlo simulations we show that goethite, $α$-FeOOH, is a linear magnetoelectric below its Néel temperature $T_{\rm N}=400$ K. The experimentally observed magnetic field induced spin-flop phase transition results in either change of direction of electric polarization or its suppression. Calculated value of magnetoelectric coefficient is 0.24 $μ$C m$^{-2}$ T$^{-1}$. The abundance of goethite in nature makes it arguably the most widespread magnetoelectric material.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Spin-polarized electronic structure of the core-shell ZnO/ZnO:Mn nanowires probed by x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy

The combination of x-ray spectroscopy methods complemented with theoretical analysis unravels the coexistence of paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases in the Zn_0.9Mn_0.1O shell deposited onto array of wurtzite ZnO nanowires. The shell is crystalline with orientation toward the ZnO growth axis, as demonstrated by X-ray linear dichroism. EXAFS analysis confirmed that more than 90% of Mn atoms substituted Zn in the shell while fraction of secondary phases was below 10%. The value of manganese spin magnetic moment was estimated from the Mn Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy to be 4.3μB which is close to the theoretical value for substitutional Mn_Zn. However the analysis of L_2,3 x-ray magnetic circular dichroism data showed paramagnetic behaviour with saturated spin magnetic moment value of 1.95μB as determined directly from the spin sum rule. After quantitative analysis employing atomic multiplet simulations such difference was explained by a coexistence of paramagnetic phase and local antiferromagnetic coupling of Mn magnetic moments. Finally, spin-polarized electron density of states was probed by the spin-resolved Mn K-edge XANES spectroscopy and consequently analyzed by band structure calculations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗