arXiv subjects

B. Hitti

Publications and source records attributed to B. Hitti.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Observation of a charge-neutral muon-polaron complex in antiferromagnetic Cr$_2$O$_3$

We report a comprehensive muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) study of the prototypical magnetoelectric antiferromagnet Cr$_2$O$_3$. We find the positively charged muon ($μ^+$) occupies several distinct interstitial sites, and displays a rich dynamic behavior involving local hopping, thermally activated site transitions and the formation of a charge-neutral complex composed of a muon and an electron polaron. The discovery of such a complex has implications for the interpretation of $μ$SR spectra in a wide range of magnetic oxides, and opens a route to study the dopant characteristics of interstitial hydrogen impurities in such materials. We address implications arising from implanting a $μ^+$ into a linear magnetoelectric, and discuss the challenges of observing a local magnetoelectric effect generated by the charge of the muon.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2009

Field-induced coupled superconductivity and spin density wave order in the Heavy Fermion compound CeCoIn5

The high field superconducting state in CeCoIn5 has been studied by transverse field muon spin rotation measurements with an applied field parallel to the crystallographic c-axis close to the upper critical field Hc2 = 4.97 T. At magnetic fields >= 4.8 T the muon Knight shift is enhanced and the superconducting transition changes from second order towards first order as predicted for Pauli-limited superconductors. The field and temperature dependence of the transverse muon spin relaxation rate sigma reveal paramagnetic spin fluctuations in the field regime from 2 T < H < 4.8 T. In the normal state close to Hc2 correlated spin fluctuations as described by the self consistent renormalization theory are observed. The results support the formation of a mode-coupled superconducting and antiferromagnetically ordered phase in CeCoIn5 for H directed parallel to the c-axis.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2004

Muonium as a shallow center in GaN

A paramagnetic muonium (Mu) state with an extremely small hyperfine parameter was observed for the first time in single-crystalline GaN below 25 K. It has a highly anisotropic hyperfine structure with axial symmetry along the [0001] direction, suggesting that it is located either at a nitrogen-antibonding or a bond-centered site oriented parallel to the c-axis. Its small ionization energy (=< 14 meV) and small hyperfine parameter (--10^{-4} times the vacuum value) indicate that muonium in one of its possible sites produces a shallow state, raising the possibility that the analogous hydrogen center could be a source of n-type conductivity in as-grown GaN.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2003

A common behavior of thermoelectric layered cobaltites: incommensurate spin density wave states in [Ca$_2$Co$_{4/3}$Cu$_{2/3}$O$_4$]$_{0.62}$[CoO$_2$] and [Ca$_2$CoO$_3$]$_{0.62}$[CoO$_2$]

Magnetism of a misfit layered cobaltite [Ca$_2$Co$_{4/3}$Cu$_{2/3}$O$_4$]$_x^{\rm RS}$[CoO$_2$] ($x \sim$ 0.62, RS denotes a rocksalt-type block) was investigated by a positive muon spin rotation and relaxation ($μ^+$SR) experiment. A transition to an incommensurate ({\sf IC}) spin density wave ({\sf SDW}) state was found below 180 K (= $T_{\rm C}^{\rm on}$); and a clear oscillation due to a static internal magnetic field was observed below 140 K (= $T_{\rm C}$). Furthermore, an anisotropic behavior of the zero-field $μ^+$SR experiment indicated that the {\sf IC-SDW} propagates in the $a$-$b$ plane, with oscillating moments directed along the c axis. These results were quite similar to those for the related compound [Ca$_2$CoO$_3$]$_{0.62}^{\rm RS}$[CoO$_2$], {\sl i.e.}, Ca$_3$Co$_4$O$_9$. Since the {\sf IC-SDW} field in [Ca$_2$Co$_{4/3}$Cu$_{2/3}$O$_4$]$_{0.62}^{\rm RS}$[CoO$_2$] was approximately same to those in pure and doped [Ca$_2$CoO$_3$]$_{0.62}^{\rm RS}$[CoO$_2$], it was concluded that the {\sf IC-SDW} exist in the [CoO$_2$] planes.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Electron correlation in the two-dimensional triangle lattice of Na$_x$CoO$_2$

Magnetism of layered cobaltites Na$_x$CoO$_2$ with $x$ = 0.6 and 0.9 has been investigated by a positive muon spin rotation and relaxation ($μ^+$SR) spectroscopy together with magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements, using single crystal samples in the temperature range between 250 and 1.8 K. Zero-field (ZF-) $μ^+$SR measurements on Na$_{0.9}$CoO$_2$ indicates a transition from a paramagnetic to an incommensurate spin density wave state at 19 K(=$T_{\sf SDW}$). The anisotropic ZF-$μ^+$SR spectra suggest that the oscillating moments of the {\sf IC-SDW} directs along the c-axis. Since Na$_{0.6}$CoO$_2$ is paramagnetic down to 1.8 K, the magnitude of $T_{\sf SDW}$ is found to strongly depend on $x$.This behavior is well explained using the Hubbard model within a mean field approximation on two-dimensional triangle lattice in the CoO$_2$ plane. Also, both the appearance of the {\sf IC-SDW} state by the change in $x$ and the magnitude of the electronic specific heat parameter of Na$_{0.6}$CoO$_2$ indicate that Na$_x$CoO$_2$ is unlikely to be a typical strongly correlated electron system.

cond-mat.str-el↗