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B. Alascio

Publications and source records attributed to B. Alascio.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Unusual giant magnetostriction in the ferrimagnet Gd$_{2/3}$Ca$_{1/3}$MnO$_3$

We report an unusual giant linear magnetostrictive effect in the ferrimagnet Gd$_{2/3}$Ca$_{1/3}$MnO$_3$ ($T_{c} \approx$80 K). Remarkably, the magnetostriction, negative at high temperature ($T \approx T_{c}$), becomes positive below 15 K when the magnetization of the Gd sublattice overcomes the magnetization of the Mn sublattice. A rather simple model where the magnetic energy competes against the elastic energy gives a good account of the observed results and confirms that Gd plays a crucial role in this unusual observation. Unlike previous works in manganites where only striction associated with 3$d$ Mn orbitals is considered, our results show that the lanthanide 4$f$ orbitals related striction can be very important too and it cannot be disregarded.

cond-mat.str-el

Coexisting on- and off-center Yb3+ sites in Ce1-xYbxFe4P12 skutterudites

Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) measurements performed on the filled skutterudite system Ce1-x$YbxFe4P12 (x< 0.003) unequivocally reveal the coexistence of two Yb3+ resonances, associated with sites of considerably different occupations and temperature behaviors. Detailed analysis of the ESR data suggests a scenario where the fraction of oversized (Fe2P3)4 cages that host Yb ions are filled with a low occupation of on-center Yb3+ sites and a highly occupied T-dependent distribution of off-center Yb3+ sites. Analysis of the 171Yb3+ (I=1/2) isotope hyperfine splittings reveal that these two sites are associated with a low (~ 1 GHz) and a high (> 15 GHz) rattling frequency, respectively. Our findings introduce Yb3+ in Th symmetry systems and uses the Yb3+ ESR as a sensitive microscopic probe to investigate the Yb3+ ions dynamics.

cond-mat.str-el

The effect of Coulomb interaction at ferromagnetic-paramagnetic metallic perovskite junctions

We study the effect of Coulomb interactions in transition metal oxides junctions. In this paper we analyze charge transfer at the interface of a three layer ferromagnetic-paramagnetic-ferromagnetic metallic oxide system. We choose a charge model considering a few atomic planes within each layer and obtain results for the magnetic coupling between the ferromagnetic layers. For large number of planes in the paramagnetic spacer we find that the coupling oscillates with the same period as in RKKY but the amplitude is sensitive to the Coulomb energy. At small spacer thickness however, large differences may appear as function of : the number of electrons per atom in the ferromagnetics and paramagnetics materials, the dielectric constant at each component, and the charge defects at the interface plane emphasizing the effects of charge transfer.

cond-mat.str-el

Spin order in the one-dimensional Kondo and Hund lattices

We study numerically the one-dimensional Kondo and Hund lattices consisting of localized spins interacting antiferro or ferromagnetically with the itinerant electrons, respectively. Using the Density Matrix Renormalization Group we find, for both models and in the small coupling regime, the existence of new magnetic phases where the local spins order forming ferromagnetic islands coupled antiferromagnetically. Furthermore, by increasing the interaction parameter $|J|$ we find that this order evolves toward the ferromagnetic regime through a spiral-like phase with longer characteristic wave lengths. These results shed new light on the zero temperature magnetic phase diagram for these models.

cond-mat.str-el

Magnons in the half-doped manganites

Recently, based on the refined crystal structure of Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 from neutron diffraction, Daoud-Aladine et al.[PRL89,97205(2002)] have proposed a new ground state structure for the half-doped manganites R0.5Ca0.5MnO3, where R is a trivalent ion like Bi,La,Pr,Sm or Y. Their proposal describes the CE magnetic structure attributed to these materials as an arrangement of dimers along the ferromagnetic Mn zig-zag chains that form it. However, the dimers' proposal is in conflict with the Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson rules, which give a coherent description of many transition metal insulating compounds and predict the coexistence of Mn3+ and Mn4+ ions in equal parts in the half-doped manganites. On the other hand, Rivadulla et al.[PRB 66, 174432 (2002)] have studied several single crystal samples of half-doped manganites and propose a phase diagram in terms of the tolerance factor which contains both types of structures. In the present work we have calculated the magnon dispersion relations for the CE magnetic structure, arising for each type of proposal: the charge ordered and the dimer phases, respectively. We consider a three-dimensional unit cell containing 16 spins, and compare the magnetic excitations along different paths in the first Brillouin zone. We conclude that measurement of the magnon dispersion relations should allow a clear distinction between the two proposals, predicting qualitative differences arising along specific directions of propagation in the first Brillouin zone.

cond-mat.str-el

Charge and spin inhomogeneous phases in the Ferromagnetic Kondo Lattice Model

We study numerically the one-dimensional ferromagnetic Kondo lattice. This model is widely used to describe nickel and manganese perovskites. Due to the competition between double and super-exchange, we find a region where the formation of magnetic polarons induces a charge-ordered state. This ordering is present even in the absence of any inter-site Coulomb repulsion. There is an insulating gap associated to the charge structure formation. We also study the insulator-metal transition induced by a magnetic field which removes simultaneously both charge and spin ordering.

cond-mat.str-el

High temperature susceptibility in electron doped Ca1-xYxMnO3: Double Exchange vs Superexchange

We present a study of the magnetic properties of the electron doped manganites Ca1-xYxMnO3 (for 0<=x<=0.25) in the paramagnetic regime. For the less doped samples (x<=0.1) the magnetic susceptibility, c(T), follows a Curie-Weiss (CW) law only for T > 450 K and, below this temperature, c^-1(T) shows a ferrimagnetic-like curvature. We approached the discussion of these results in terms of a simple mean-field model where double exchange, approximated by a ferromagnetic Heisenberg-like interaction between Mn3+ and Mn4+ ions, competes with classical superexchange. For higher levels of doping (x>=0.15), the CW behaviour is observed down to the magnetic ordering temperature (Tmo) and a better description of c(T) was obtained by assuming full delocalization of the eg electrons. In order to explore the degree of delocalization as a function of T and x, we analyzed the problem through Montecarlo simulations. Within this picture we found that at high T the electrons doped are completely delocalized but, when Tmo is approached, they form magnetic polarons of large spin that cause the observed curvature in c^-1(T) for x<=0.1.

cond-mat.str-el

Double Exchange in Electron Doped Ca1-xYxMnO3 Manganites

We have studied structural, magnetic and transport properties as a function of temperature and magnetic field in the electron doped manganite YxCa1-xMnO3, for 0 0. With a simple model where antiferromagnetic (AF) superexchange and ferromagnetic (FM) double exchange (DE) compete, we fit the experimental χ(x, T) obtaining parameter values which indicate that the FM-DE interaction is about twice as intense as the AF interaction. In the ordered phase, the H-dependence of the magnetization M(x,T) is explained in terms of magnetic polarons. We propose that the displacement of the eg electrons (in the G-type AF background) causes the alignement of the polaron with H. Signatures of polaronic behavior were also found in the x and T dependence of the electric resistivity.

cond-mat

Magnetic polarons in Ca_(1-x)Y_xMnO_3

Experimental evidence show that in the magnetoresistive manganite Ca_(1-x) Y_xMnO_3, ferromagnetic (FM) polarons arises in an antiferromagnetic (AF) background, as a result of the doping with Yttrium. This hypothesis is supported in this work by classical Monte Carlo (MC) calculations performed on a model where FM Double Exchange (DE) and AF Superexhange (SE) compite.

cond-mat

Metal-insulator transition in the double perovskites

We construct an effective Hamiltonian for the motion of electrons among the transition metal ions of ordered double perovskites like Sr2FeMoO6. in which strong intra-atomic Coulomb repulsion U is present in only one of the inequivalent transition metal sites. Using a slave-boson formalism, we construct a phase diagram which describes a charge transfer transition between insulating and metallic behavior as the parameters of the model are changed. The parameters for Sr2FeMoO6 are estimated from first-principles calculations and a transition to the insulating state with negative pressure is obtained.

cond-mat.str-el

Island phases and charge order in two-dimensional manganites

The ferromagnetic Kondo lattice model with an antiferromagnetic interaction between localized spins is a minimal description of the competing kinetic t and magnetic K energy terms which generate the rich physics of manganite systems. Motivated by the discovery in one dimension of homogeneous ``island phases'', we consider the possibility of analogous phases in higher dimensions. We characterize the phases present at commensurate fillings, and consider in detail the effects of phase separation in all filling and parameter regimes. We deduce that island and flux phases are stable for intermediate values of K/t at the commensurate fillings n = 1/4, 1/3, 3/8, and 1/2. We discuss the connection of these results to the charge and magnetic ordering observed in a wide variety of manganite compounds.

cond-mat.str-el

Ferromagnetic Polarons in Manganites

Using the Lanczos method in linear chains we study the double exchange model in the low concentration limit, including an antiferromagnetic super-exchange K. In the strong coupling limit we find that the ground state contains ferromagnetic polarons whose length is very sensitive to the value of K/t. We investigate the dispersion relation, the trapping by impurities, and the interaction between these polarons. As the overlap between polarons increases, by decreasing K/t, the effective interaction between them changes from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic. The scaling to the thermodynamic limit suggests an attractive interaction in the strong coupling regime (J_h > t) and no binding in the weak limit (J_h \simeq t).

cond-mat.str-el

New Type of Charge and Magnetic order in the Ferromagnetic Kondo Lattice

We study numerically the one dimensional ferromagnetic Kondo lattice, a model widely used to describe nickel and manganese perovskites. By including a nearest neighbor Coulomb interaction (V) and a superexchange interaction between the localized moments (K), we obtain the phase diagram in parameter space for several dopings at T=0. Due to the competition between double and superexchange, we find a region where the formation of magnetic polarons induces a charge ordered (CO) state which survives also for V=0. This mechanism should be taken into account in theories of charge ordering involving spin degrees of freedom.

cond-mat.str-el

Electron-Doped Manganese Perovskites: The Polaronic State

Using the Lanczos method in linear chains we study the ground state of the double exchange model including an antiferromagnetic super-exchange in the low concentration limit. We find that this ground state is always inhomogeneous, containig ferromagnetic polarons. The extention of the polaron spin distortion, the dispersion relation and their trapping by impurities, are studied for diferent values of the super exchange interaction and magnetic field. We also find repulsive polaron polaron interaction.

cond-mat

Phase diagram for Ca_{1-x}Y_xMnO_3 type crystals

We present a simple model to study the electron doped manganese perovskites. The model considers the competition between double exchange mechanism for itinerant electrons and antiferromagnetic superexchange interaction for localized electrons. It represents each Mn^{4+} ion by a spin 1/2, on which an electron can be added to produce Mn^{3+}; we include a hopping energy t, a strong intratomic interaction exchange J (in the limit J/t>>1), and an interatomic antiferromagnetic interaction K between the local spins. Using the Renormalized Perturbation Expansion and a Mean Field Approximation on the hopping terms and on the superexchange interaction we calculate the free energy. From it, the stability of the antiferromagnetic, canted, ferromagnetic, and novel spin glass phases can be determined as functions of the parameters characterizing the system. The model results can be expressed in terms of t and K for each value of the doping x in phase diagrams. The magnetization m and canting angle can also be calculated as fuctions of temperature for fixed values of doping and model parameters.

cond-mat

Intermediate Valence Model for the Colossal Magnetoresistance in Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7}

The colossal magnetoresistance exhibited by Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7} is an interesting phenomenon, as it is very similar to that found in perovskite manganese oxides although the compound differs both in its crystalline structure and electronic properties from the manganites. At the same time, other pyrochlore compounds, though sharing the same structure with Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7}, do not exhibit the strong coupling between magnetism and transport properties found in this material. Mostly due to the absence of evidence for significant doping into the Mn-O sublattice, and the tendency of Tl to form conduction bands, the traditional double exchange mechanism mentioned in connection with manganites does not seem suitable to explain the experimental results in this case. We propose a model for Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7} consisting of a lattice of intermediate valence ions fluctuating between two magnetic configurations, representing Mn-3d orbitals, hybridized with a conduction band, which we associate with Tl. This model had been proposed originally for the analysis of intermediate valence Tm compounds. With a simplified treatment of the model we obtain the electronic structure and transport properties of Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7}, with good qualitative agreement to experiments. The presence of a hybridization gap in the density of states seems important to understand the reported Hall data.

cond-mat

Effect of double exchange and diagonal disorder on the magnetic and transport properties of La_{1-x}Sr_xMnO_3

We use a model previously formulated based on the double exchange mechanism and diagonal disorder to calculate magnetization and conductivity for La_{1-x}Sr_xMnO_3 type crystals as a function of temperature. The model represents each Mn^{4+} ion by a spin S=1/2, on which an electron can be added to produce Mn$^{3+}$. We include a hopping energy $t,$ two strong intratomic interactions: exchange $J$, and Coulomb $U,$ and, to represent in a simple way the effects of disorder, a Lorentzian distribution of diagonal energies of width $Γ$ at the Mn sites. In the strong coupling limit, $J,U>>t,Γ$, the model results can be expressed in terms of $t$ and $Γ.$ We use the results of the model to draw ''phase diagrams'' that separate ferromagnetic from paramagnetic states and also ''insulating '' states where the Fermi level falls in a region of localized states from ''metallic '' where the Fermi level falls in a region of extended states. Finally, assuming that particles in extended states make the largest contribution to conductivity, we calculate the resistivity for different concentrations and magnetic fields and compare with experiment. We conclude that for the model can be used successfully to represent the transport properties of the systems under consideration.

cond-mat