arXiv subjects

David C. Johnston

Publications and source records attributed to David C. Johnston.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Spiral Spin Liquid State in the Corrugated Honeycomb Lattice of CaMn$_2$P$_2$

CaMn$_2$P$_2$ exemplifies the realization of a frustrated $J_1$-$J_2$-$J_3$ Heisenberg model of a corrugated honeycomb magnetic lattice. Previous studies show that below the Néel temperature ($T_{\rm N}$), the system forms a cycloidal $6\times 6$ $ab$-plane magnetic unit cell that conforms with various magnetic space groups. Here, we present single-crystal neutron-diffraction studies across expansive reciprocal-space volumes, confirming the cycloidal magnetic structure while uncovering further distinctive features. We find evidence for three magnetic domains, the analysis of which narrows the possible magnetic model structures. At $T_{\rm N}$, the insulator exhibits a sharp phase transition, above which the spin structure transforms into a spiral spin liquid state, evident via a continuous ring of scattering with degenerate wavevectors corresponding to a collection of short-range spiral spin configurations. These degenerate states emerge as thermal fluctuations effectively reduce the $J_3$ interaction. The integration of experimental, theoretical, and real-space simulation results reveals the intricate balance of exchange interactions ($J_1$-$J_2$-$J_3$) that stabilizes the ground-state magnetic structure and drives the emergence of a sought-after $U$(1)-symmetric spiral spin-liquid state with easy-plane anisotropy above the transition temperature.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Low-Energy Electronic Structure in the Unconventional Charge-Ordered State of ScV$_6$Sn$_6$

Kagome vanadates {\it A}V$_3$Sb$_5$ display unusual low-temperature electronic properties including charge density waves (CDW), whose microscopic origin remains unsettled. Recently, CDW order has been discovered in a new material ScV$_6$Sn$_6$, providing an opportunity to explore whether the onset of CDW leads to unusual electronic properties. Here, we study this question using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The ARPES measurements show minimal changes to the electronic structure after the onset of CDW. However, STM quasiparticle interference (QPI) measurements show strong dispersing features related to the CDW ordering vectors. A plausible explanation is the presence of a strong momentum-dependent scattering potential peaked at the CDW wavevector, associated with the existence of competing CDW instabilities. Our STM results further indicate that the bands most affected by the CDW are near vHS, analogous to the case of {\it A}V$_3$Sb$_5$ despite very different CDW wavevectors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Coexistence of Ferromagnetism and Antiferromagnetic Dimers in Topological Insulators

The addition of magnetic impurities in topological insulators can drive ferromagnetic order that leads to novel quantum anomalous Hall transport well below the Curie temperature. The fragility of the quantized regime has been ascribed to the random nature of the magnetic moment distribution. Here, we refine this hypothesis by using inelastic neutron scattering and density-functional theory calculations to show that two antagonistic components define the magnetism in Mn-substituted SnTe, thereby limiting the effectiveness of dilute magnetic TIs. One component is strongly bound antiferromagnetic dimers that compete with ferromagnetic order. The other component consists of undimerized moments where ferromagnetic order develops via long-range interactions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Temperature-dependent Eu spin reorientations in the tetragonal A-type antiferromagnet EuGa$_4$ induced by small ab-plane magnetic fields

The body-centered-tetragonal antiferromagnet EuGa$_4$ exhibits A-type antiferromagnetic order below its Néel temperature $T_{\rm N} = 16.4$ K in magnetic field $H = 0$ where the moments are ferromagnetically aligned in the $ab$-plane with the Eu moments in adjacent Eu planes aligned antiferromagnetically. Previous magnetization versus field $M_{ab}(H)$ measurements revealed that the moments exhibit a spin-reorientation transition at a critical field $H_{c1}$ where the Eu moments become perpendicular to an in-plane magnetic field while still remaining in the $ab$ plane. A theory for $T=0$ K was previously presented that successfully explained the observed low-field moment-reorientation behavior at $T = 2$ K. Here we present a theory explaining the observed $T$ dependence of $M_{ab}(H,T<T_{\rm N})$ in the [1,0,0] direction for $H\leq H_{\rm c1}(T)$ from 2 to 14 K arising from a $T$-dependent anisotropy energy.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Frustrated Magnetic Cycloidal Structure and Emergent Potts Nematicity in CaMn$_2$P$_2$

We report neutron-diffraction results on single-crystal CaMn$_2$P$_2$ containing corrugated Mn honeycomb layers and determine its ground-state magnetic structure. The diffraction patterns consist of prominent (1/6, 1/6, $L$) reciprocal lattice unit (r.l.u.; $L$ = integer) magnetic Bragg reflections, whose temperature-dependent intensities are consistent with a first-order antiferromagnetic phase transition at the Néel temperature $T_{\rm N} = 70(1)$ K. Our analysis of the diffraction patterns reveals an in-plane $6\times6$ magnetic unit cell with ordered spins that in the principal-axis directions rotate by 60-degree steps between nearest neighbors on each sublattice that forms the honeycomb structure, consistent with the $P_Ac$ magnetic space group. We find that a few other magnetic subgroup symmetries ($P_A2/c$, $P_C2/m$, $P_S\bar{1}, P_C2, P_Cm, P_S1$) of the paramagnetic $P\bar{3}m11^\prime$ crystal symmetry are consistent with the observed diffraction pattern. We relate our findings to frustrated $J_1$-$J_2$-$J_3$ Heisenberg honeycomb antiferromagnets with single-ion anisotropy and the emergence of Potts nematicity

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Thermodynamics of the nonrelativistic free-electron Fermi gas in one, two, and three dimensions from the degenerate to the nondegenerate temperature regime

The thermodynamic properties of a nonrelativistic free-electron Fermi gas is of fundamental interest in condensed matter physics. Properties previously studied in three-dimensions (3D) in the low- and high-temperature limits include the internal energy, heat capacity, zero-field magnetic spin susceptibility, and pressure. Here we report solutions for the temperature dependence spanning these two temperature regimes of the chemical potential, internal energy, magnetic susceptibility, and the heat capacity at constant volume in 1D, 2D, and 3D. Also calculated are the pressure, enthalpy, heat capacity at constant pressure, isothermal compressibility, and thermal expansion coefficient versus temperature in 2D and 3D. Of primary interest here are the detailed dimension-dependent crossovers of these properties between the degenerate and nondegenerate temperature regime, which are graphically illustrated for each of the above properties.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Molecular-field-theory fits to magnetic susceptibilities of antiferromagnetic GdCu2Si2, CuO, LiCrO2, and alpha-CaCr2O4 single crystals below their Neel temperatures

A recently-developed molecular field theory (MFT) has been used to fit single-crystal magnetic susceptibility chi versus temperature T data below the respective antiferromagnetic ordering temperatures TN for a variety of collinear and coplanar noncollinear Heisenberg antiferromagnets. The spins in the system are assumed to interact by Heisenberg exchange and to be identical and crystallographically equivalent. The fitting parameters for chi(T) of collinear antiferromagnets are measurable quantities: the Weiss temperature theta_p in the Curie-Weiss law, TN, chi(TN), and the spin S. For coplanar noncollinear helix and cycloid structures, an additional fitting parameter is the turn angle between layers of ferromagnetically-aligned spins. Here MFT fits to anisotropic chi(T) data from the literature for single crystals of the collinear antiferromagnets GdCu2Si2 and CuO and the noncollinear antiferromagnets LiCr2As2 with a 120 degree cycloidal structure and alpha-CaCr2O4 with a 120 degree helical structure below their respective Neel temperatures are presented. The MFT fit to the anisotropic chi(T < TN) data for CuO is poor, whereas the fits to the data for GdCu2Si2, LiCrO2, and alpha-CaCr2O4 are quite good. The poor fit for CuO is attributed to the influence of strong quantum fluctuations associated with the small Cu spin and the quasi-one-dimensional magnetism that are not taken into account by the MFT. The magnetic contribution to the zero-field heat capacity of the collinear antiferromagnet GdNiGe3 at T < TN is also fitted by the MFT.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Noninteracting Electrons in a Prototypical One-Dimensional Sinusoidal Potential

A prototypical model of a one-dimensional metallic monatomic solid containing noninteracting electrons is studied, where the argument of the cosine potential energy periodic with the lattice contains the first reciprocal lattice vector G1 = 2pi/a, where a is the lattice constant. The time-independent Schrodinger equation can be written in reduced variables as a Mathieu equation for which numerically-exact solutions for the band structure and wave functions are obtained. The band structure has band gaps that increase with increasing amplitude q of the cosine potential. In the extended-zone scheme, the energy gaps decrease with increasing index n of the Brillouin-zone boundary ka = n pi where k is the crystal momentum of the electron. The wave functions at the bottoms and tops of the bands are found to be real or imaginary, respectively, corresponding to standing waves at these energies. Irrespective of the wave vector k within the first Brillouin zone, the electron probability density is found to be periodic with the lattice. The Fourier components of the wave functions are derived versus q, which reveal multiple reciprocal-lattice-vector components with variable amplitudes in the wave functions unless q = 0. The magnitudes of the Fourier components are found to decrease exponentially as a power of n for n ~ 3 to 45 for ka = pi/2 and q = 2 and a precise fit is obtained to the data. The probability densities and probability currents obtained from the wave functions are also discussed. The probability currents are found to be zero for crystal momenta at the tops and bottoms of the energy bands, because the wave functions for these crystal momenta are standing waves. Finally, the band structure is calculated from the central equation and compared to the numerically-exact band structure.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Attractive Kronig-Penney Band Structures and Wave Functions

The repulsive-potential Kronig-Penney (KP) model for a one-dimensional band structure is well known. However, real metals contain positively-charged ions resulting in attractive potential wells seen by the metallic electrons. Here we consider the latter case in detail. The square-well version of the KP model is considered first, for which the band structure and wave functions for different potential-well depths are derived. Then an extended treatment of the attractive Dirac-comb version of the KP model is presented. For the nearly-free-electron case, the band structure exhibits a negative-energy band in addition to positive-energy bands. The wave functions, electron densities of states, effective masses, and group velocities are derived for the positive-energy band states. The wave functions of the negative-energy band states are also calculated and found to be quite different from the sinusoidal wave functions for the positive-energy band and band-gap states. High-degeneracy bound states are found at negative energies and their wave functions are derived.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

CsMn$_4$As$_3$: A layered tetragonal transition-metal pnictide compound with antiferromagnetic ground state

We report the synthesis and properties of a new layered tetragonal ternary compound CsMn$_4$As$_3$ (structure: KCu$_4$S$_3$-type, space group: $P4/mmm$, No. 123 and $Z = 2$). The material is a small band-gap semiconductor and exhibits an antiferromagnetic ground state associated with Mn spins. The compound exhibits a signature of a distinct magnetic moment canting event at 150(5)~K with a canting angle of $\approx 0.3^{\circ}$. Although, some features of the magnetic characteristics of this new compound are qualitatively similar to those of the related BaMn$_2$As$_2$, the underlying Mn sublattices of the two materials are quite different. While the Mn square-lattice layers in BaMn$_2$As$_2$ are equally spaced along the $c$-direction with the interlayer distance $d_{\rm L\,Ba} = 6.7341(4)$ Ang., the Mn sublattice forms bilayers in CsMn$_4$As$_3$ with the interlayer distance within a bilayer $d_{\rm L\,Cs} = 3.1661(6)$ Ang. and the distance between the two adjacent bilayers $d_{\rm B} = 7.290(6)$ Ang. This difference in the Mn sublattice is bound to significantly alter the energy balance between the $J_{1}$, $J_{2}$ and $J_{c}$ exchange interactions within the J1-J2-Jc model compared to that in BaMn$_2$As$_2$ and the other related 122 compounds including the well-known iron-arsenide superconductor parent compound BaFe$_2$As$_2$. Owing to the novelty of its transition metal sublattice, this new addition to the family of tetragonal materials related to the iron-based superconductors brings prospects for doping and pressure studies in the search of new superconducting phases as well as other exciting correlated-electron properties.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Dysonian Electron-Spin-Resonance Spectra of Local Magnetic Moments in Metals

The absorptive and dispersive components of the frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility both contribute to the electron-spin resonance (ESR) radio-frequency (rf) power absorption of local magnetic moments in metals according to Dyson's theory. The magnetic-field prefactor present in the expression for this power absorption has been omitted in the past when fitting Dyson's lineshape to the observed field derivative of broad ESR rf power absorption spectra but is shown here to significantly influence such fits and therefore also the quantitative physical interpretations of the temperature-dependent fit parameters.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Magnetic structure and magnetization of z-axis helical Heisenberg antiferromagnets with XY anisotropy in high magnetic fields transverse to the helix axis at zero temperature

A helix has a wavevector along the z axis with the magnetic moments ferromagnetically-aligned within xy planes with a turn angle kd between the moments in adjacent planes in transverse field Hx = 0. The magnetic structure and x-axis average magnetization per spin of this system in a classical XY anisotropy field HA is studied versus kd, HA, and large Hx at zero temperature. For values of HA below a kd-dependent maximum value, the xy helix phase transitions with increasing Hx into a spin-flop (SF) phase where the ordered moments have x, y, and z components. The moments in the SF phase are taken to be distributed on either one or two xyz spherical ellipses. The minor axes of the ellipses are oriented along the z axis and the major axes along the y axis where the ellipses are flattened along the z axis due to the presence of the XY anisotropy. From energy minimization of the SF spherical ellipse parameters for given values of kd, HA and Hx, four kd-dependent SF phases are found: either one or two xyz spherical ellipses and either one or two xy fans, in addition to the xy helix phase and the paramagnetic (PM) phase with all moments aligned along Hx. The PM phase occurs via second-order transitions from the xy fan and SF phases with increasing Hx. Phase diagrams in the Hx-HA plane are constructed by energy minimization with respect to the SF phases, the xy helix phase, and the xy fan phase for four kd values. One of these four phase diagrams is compared with the magnetic properties found experimentally for the model helical Heisenberg antiferromagnet EuCo2P2 and semiquantitative agreement is found.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Cycloidal Paths in Physics

A popular classroom demonstration is to draw a cycloid on a blackboard with a piece of chalk inserted through a hole at a point P with radius r = R from the center of a wood disk of radius R that is rolling without slipping along the chalk tray of the blackboard. Here the parametric equations versus time are derived for the path of P from the superposition of the translational motion of the center of mass (cm) of the disk and the rotational motion of P about this cm for r = R (cycloid), r < R (curtate cycloid) and r > R (prolate cycloid). It is further shown that the path of P is still a cycloidal function for rolling with frictionless slipping, but where the time dependence of the sinusoidal Cartesian coordinates of the position of P is modified. In a similar way the parametric equations versus time for the orbit with respect to a star of a moon in a circular orbit about a planet that is in a circular orbit about a star are derived, where the orbits are coplanar. Finally, the general parametric equations versus time for the path of the magnetization vector during undamped electron-spin resonance are found, which show that cycloidal paths can occur under certain conditions.

physics.pop-ph↗

arXiv2017

Influence of classical anisotropy fields on the properties of Heisenberg antiferromagnets within unified molecular field theory

A comprehensive study of the influence of classical anisotropy fields on the magnetic properties of Heisenberg antiferromagnets within unified molecular field theory versus temperature T, magnetic field H, and anisotropy field parameter hA1 is presented for systems comprised of identical crystallographically-equivalent local moments. The anisotropy field for collinear z-axis antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering is constructed so that it is aligned in the direction of each ordered and/or field-induced thermal-average moment with a magnitude proportional to the moment, whereas that for XY anisotropy is defined to be in the direction of the projection of the moment onto the xy plane, again with a magnitude proportional to the moment. Properties studied include the zero-field Neel temperature TN, ordered moment, heat capacity and anisotropic magnetic susceptibility of the AFM phase versus T with moments aligned either along the z axis or in the xy plane. Also determined are the high-field magnetization perpendicular to the axis or plane of collinear or planar noncollinear AFM ordering, the high-field magnetization along the z axis of a collinear z-axis AFM, spin-flop (SF), and paramagnetic (PM) phases, and the free energies of these phases versus T, H, and hA1. Phase diagrams at T = 0 in the Hz-hA1 plane and at T > 0 in the Hz-T plane are constructed for spins S = 1/2. For hA1 = 0 the SF phase is stable at low field and the PM phase at high field with no AFM phase present. As hA1 increases, the phase diagram contains the AFM, SF and PM phases. Further increases in hA1 lead to the disappearance of the SF phase and the appearance of a tricritical point on the AFM-PM transition curve. Applications of the theory to extract hA1 from experimental low-field magnetic susceptibility data and high-field magnetization versus field isotherms for single crystals of AFMs are discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Magnetic Structure and Magnetization of Helical Antiferromagnets in High Magnetic Fields Perpendicular to the Helix Axis at Zero Temperature

The zero-temperature angles of magnetic moments in a helix or sinusoidal fan confined to the xy plane, with respect to an in-plane magnetic field Hx applied perpendicular to the z axis of a helix or fan, are calculated for commensurate helices and fans with field-independent turn angles kd between moments in adjacent layers of the helix or fan using the classical J0-J1-J2 Heisenberg model. For 0 < kd < $4π/9$, first-order transitions from helix to a fan structure occur at fields Ht as previously inferred, where the fan is found to be approximately sinusoidal. However, for $4 π/9$ < kd < $π$, different behaviors are found depending on the value of kd and these properties vary nonmonotonically with kd. In this kd range, the change from helix to fanlike structure is usually a crossover with no phase transition between them, although first-order and second order transitions are found. We also calculated the average x-axis moment per spin $μ_{x ave}$ versus Hx for helices and fans with crossovers and phase transitions between them. When smooth helix to fanlike crossovers occur in the range $4π/9$ < kd < $π$, $μ_{x ave}$ exhibits an S-shape behavior with increasing Hx. This predicted behavior is consistent with $μ_{x ave}$(Hx) data previously reported by Sangeetha, et al. [Phys. Rev. B 94, 014422 (2016)] for single-crystal EuCo2P2 possessing a helix ground state with kd = $0.85π$. The low-field magnetic susceptibility and the ratio Ht/Hc are calculated analytically or numerically versus kd for helices.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Influence of uniaxial single-ion anisotropy on the magnetic and thermal properties of Heisenberg antiferromagnets within unified molecular field theory

The influence of uniaxial single-ion anisotropy -DSz^2 on the magnetic and thermal properties of Heisenberg antiferromagnets (AFMs) is investigated. The uniaxial anisotropy is treated exactly and the Heisenberg interactions are treated within unified molecular field theory (MFT) [Phys. Rev. B 91, 064427 (1915)], where thermodynamic variables are expressed in terms of directly measurable parameters. The properties of collinear AFMs with ordering along the z axis (D > 0) in applied fields Hz = 0 are calculated versus D and temperature T. The high-field average magnetization per spin muz(Hz,D,T) is found, and the critical field Hc(D,T) is derived at which the second-order AFM to PM phase transition occurs. The magnetic properties of the spin-flop (SF) phase are calculated, including the zero-field properties TN(D) and mu(D,T). The high-field muz(Hz,D,T) is determined, together with the associated spin-flop field HSF(D,T) at which a second-order SF to PM phase transition occurs. The free energies of the AFM, SF and PM phases are derived from which Hz-T phase diagrams are constructed. For a certain combination of parameters we find a topologically distinct phase diagram where a spin-flop bubble occurs at finite Hz and T. Also calculated are properties arising from a perpendicular magnetic field. In addition to the above results for D > 0, some properties with D < 0 are determined. In order to compare the properties of the above spin systems with those of noninteracting systems with DSz^2 uniaxial anisotropy with either sign of D, an Appendix is included in which results for the thermal and magnetic properties of such noninteracting spin systems are provided.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Magnetic Dipole Interactions in Crystals

The influence of magnetic dipole interactions (MDIs) on the magnetic properties of local-moment spin systems is investigated. The eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the MDI tensor are determined for a wide variety of spin lattices and magnetic wavevectors in the magnetically ordered state with collinear moment alignments. The predicted easy axes in the ordered state are compared with experimental results for antiferromagnetic (AFM) compounds. The theory is generalized to include noncollinear AFM structures and compared with experiments. Many properties caused or influenced by MDIs in the ordered and paramagnetic states are calculated within Weiss molecular field theory.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Unified Molecular Field Theory for Collinear and Noncollinear Heisenberg Antiferromagnets

A unified molecular field theory (MFT) is presented that applies to both collinear and planar noncollinear Heisenberg antiferromagnets (AFs) on the same footing. The spins in the system are assumed to be identical and crystallographically equivalent. This formulation allows calculations of the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility chi versus temperature T below the AF ordering temperature TN to be carried out for arbitrary Heisenberg exchange interactions J{ij} between arbitrary neighbors j of a given spin i without recourse to magnetic sublattices. The Weiss temperature theta_p in the Curie-Weiss law is written in terms of the J{ij} values and TN in terms of the J{ij} values and an assumed AF structure. Other magnetic and thermal properties are then expressed in terms of quantities easily accessible from experiment as laws of corresponding states for a given spin S. For collinear ordering these properties are the reduced temperature t = T/TN, the ratio f = theta_p/TN and S. For planar noncollinear helical or cycloidal ordering, an additional parameter is the wavevector of the helix or cycloid. The MFT is also applicable to AFs with other AF structures. The MFT predicts that chi(T <= TN) of noncollinear 120 degree spin structures on triangular lattices is isotropic and independent of S and T and thus clarifies the origin of this universally observed behavior. The high-field magnetization and heat capacity for fields applied perpendicular to the ordering axis (collinear AFs) and ordering plane (planar noncollinear AFs) are also calculated and expressed for both types of AF structures as laws of corresponding states for a given S, and the reduced perpendicular field versus reduced temperature phase diagram is constructed.

cond-mat.str-el↗