arXiv subjects

E. V. Sampathkumaran

Publications and source records attributed to E. V. Sampathkumaran.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Sharp fall of electrical resistance for a small application of magnetic field on a metastable form of a compound, Tb5Si3, under pressure

We report an unusual sensitivity of electrical resistivity (rho) to an application of a small magnetic field in an intermetallic compound, Tb5Si3, under pressure. In this compound, there is a magnetic field-induced first-order magnetic transition at 1.8 K. Under pressure, there is a metastable magnetic phase after reducing the field to zero. This metastable phase is relatively of higher rho and interestingly a small magnetic field (less than 2 kOe) in the reverse direction results in a sharp fall of rho to restore virgin state rho. The present finding could be relevant to spintronic applications.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Importance of Co 3d electron correlation in a Ce-based Kondo lattice, Ce(2)CoSi(3)

We study the role of electron correlations among Co 3d electrons contributing to the conduction band of a Kondo lattice compound, Ce2CoSi3, using high resolution photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio band structure calculations. Experimental results reveal signature of Ce 4$f$ states derived Kondo resonance feature at the Fermi level and dominance of Co 3d contributions at higher binding energies in the valence band. The line shape of the experimental Co 3$d$ band is found to be significantly different from that obtained from the band structure calculations within the local density approximations. Consideration of electron-electron Coulomb repulsion among Co 3d electrons leads to a better representation of experimental results. The correlation strength among Co 3$d$ electrons is found to be about 3 eV. Signature of electron correlation induced satellite feature is also observed in the Co 2p core level spectrum. Thus, these results demonstrate the importance of the electron correlation among conduction electrons to derive the microscopic description of such Kondo systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Magnetic ordering in the fine particles of some bulk Pauli-paramgnets

Fine particles of some of the extensively studied 'enhanced' Pauli paramagnets - LuCo2, ScCo2, ZrCo2 and CeRu2Si2, have been prepared by high-energy ball-milling and investigated for their magnetic behavior. In the case of Co systems, these particles show ferromagnetic features even at room temperature. In the case of CeRu2Si2, a well-known Kondo lattice which is non-magnetic in the bulk form, features attributable to the onset of magnetic order below about 8 K could be seen in the fine particles. The magnitudes of the magnetic moment of these small particles at high fields are sufficiently large to conclude that the observed magnetic ordering is not just a surface effect. This transformation to magnetic ordering in small particles could be widespread among enhanced Pauli paramagnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Insensitivity of magnetic anomalies in Sr3NiPtO6 to positive and negative pressures

The compound, Sr3NiPtO6, belonging to a K4CdCl6-type rhombohedral structure, has been reported not to exhibit magnetic ordering at least down to 1.8 K, despite a relatively large value of paramagnetic Curie temperature. This is attributable to geometrical frustration. Here we report the results of our efforts to gradually replace Sr by Ba and to probe the influence of positive (external) and negative (chemical) pressure on the magnetic behavior of this compound. In the Ba substituted series, single phase is formed up to x= 1.0 with Ba substituting for Sr. The magnetic properties of the parent compound in the entire temperature range of investigation are not influenced at all in any of the compositions studied as well as under external pressure (investigated up to 10 kbar). Spin-liquid-like heat-capacity behavior (finite linear term) is observed even in Ba substituted specimens. Thus, the magnetic anomalies of this compound are quite robust.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Magnetic anomalies in nanocrystalline Ca3CoRhO6, a geometrically frustrated spin-chain compound,

We have investigated the magnetic behavior of the nano crystals, synthesized by high-energy ball-milling, for a well-known geometrically frustrated spin-chain system, Ca3CoRhO6, and compared its magnetic characteristics with those of the bulk form by measuring ac and dc magnetization. The features attributable to the onset of 'partially disordered antiferromagnetism' (characterizing the bulk form) are not seen in the magnetization data of the nano particles; the magnetic moment at high fields in the very low temperature range in the magnetically ordered state gets relatively enhanced in the nano particles. It appears that the ferromagnetic intrachain interaction, judged by the sign of the paramagnetic Curie temperature, is preserved in the nano particles. These trends are opposite to those seen in Ca3Co2O6. However, the complex spin-dynamics as evidenced by large frequency dependence of ac susceptibility is retained in the nano particles as well. Thus, there are some similarities and dissimilarities between the properties of the nano particles and those of the bulk. We believe that these findings would be useful to understand correlation lengths deciding various properties of geometrical frustration and/or spin-chain phenomena.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Magnetic behavior of nanocrystalline ErCo2

We have investigated the magnetic behavior of the nanocrystalline form of a well-known Laves phase compound, ErCo2 - the bulk form of which has been known to undergo an interesting first-order ferrimagnetic ordering near 32 K - synthesized by high-energy ball-milling. It is found that, in these nanocrystallites, Co exhibits ferromagnetic order at room temperature as inferred from the magnetization data. However, the magnetic transition temperature for Er sublattice remains essentially unaffected as though the (Er)4f-Co(3d) coupling is weak on Er magnetism. The net magnetic moment as measured at high fields, sat at 120 kOe, is significantly reduced with respect to that for the bulk in the ferrimagnetically ordered state and possible reasons are outlined. We have also compared the magnetocaloric behavior for the bulk and the nano particles.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Magnetic behavior of nano crystals of a spin-chain system, Ca3Co2O6: Absence of multiple steps in the low temperature isothermal magnetization

We report that the major features in the temperature dependence of dc and ac magnetization of a well-known spin-chain compound, Ca3Co2O6, which has been known to exhibit two complex magnetic transitions due to geometrical frustration (one near 24 K and the other near 10 K), are found to be qualitatively unaffected in its nano form synthesized by high-energy ball-milling. However, the multiple steps in isothermal magnetization - a topic of current interest in low-dimensional systems - known for the bulk form well below 10 K is absent in the nano particles. We believe that this finding will be useful to the understanding of the 'step' magnetization behavior of such spin-chain systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Enhancement of positive magnetoresistance following a magnetic-field-induced ferromagnetic transition in an intermetallic compound, Tb5Si3

We report the existence of a field-induced ferromagnetic transition in the magnetically ordered state (<69 K) of an intermetallic compound, Tb5Si3, and this transition is distinctly first-order at 1.8 K (near 60 kOe), whereas it appears to become second order near 20 K. The finding we stress is that the electrical resistivity becomes suddenly large in the high-field state after this transition and this is observed in the entire temperature range in the magnetically ordered state. Such an enhancement of 'positive' magnetoresistance (below 100 kOe) at the metamagnetic transition field is unexpected on the basis that the application of magnetic field should favor a low-resistive state due to alignment of spins.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Magnetic anomalies in Gd6Co1.67Si3 and Tb6Co1.67Si3

The compounds, Gd6Co1.67Si3 and Tb6Co1.67Si3, recently reported to form in a Ce6Ni2Si3-derived hexagonal structure (space group: P6_3 / m) and to order magnetically below 295 and 190 K respectively, have been investigated by detailed magnetization (M) studies in the temperature interval 1.8-330 K as a function of magnetic field (H). The points of emphasis are: We observe multiple steps in the M(H) curve for the Tb compound at 1.8 K while increasing H, but these steps do not appear in the reverse cycle of H. At higher temperatures, such steps are absent. However, this 'staircase' behavior of M(H) is not observed for the Gd compound at any temperature and the isothermal magnetization is not hysteretic unlike in Tb compound. From the M(H) data measured at close intervals of temperature, we have derived isothermal entropy change (Delta S) and it is found that Delta S follows a theoretically predicted H^2/3-dependence.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Magnetic anomalies in Nd6Co(1.67)Si3: Surprising first order transitions in the low-temperature isothermal magnetization

We present the results of magnetic measurements on Nd6Co(1.67)Si3, a compound recently reported to crystallize in a hexagonal structure (space group P6_3/m) and to undergo long range magnetic ordering below 84 K. The results reveal that the magnetism of this compound is quite complex with additional magnetic anomalies near 50 and 20 K. There are qualitative changes in the isothermal magnetization behavior with the variation of temperature. Notably, there is a field-induced spin reorientation as the temperature is lowered below 20 K. A finding we stress is that this transition is discontinuous for 1.8K in the virgin curve, but the first order character appears only after a field-cycling for a narrow higher temperature range near 5 K. Thus, this compound serves as an example for the stabilisation of first-order transition induced by magnetic-field-cycling. The issues of 'Phase co-existence' and 'meta-stability' after a field-cycling at low temperatures in this compound are also addressed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Stability of geometrically frustrated magnetic state of Ca3CoRhO6 to applications of positive and negative pressure

The influence of negative chemical pressure induced by gradual replacement of Ca by Sr as well as of external pressure (up to 10 kbar) on the magnetism of Ca3CoRhO6 has been investigated by magnetization studies. It is found that the solid solution, Ca(3-x)Sr(x)CoRhO6, exists at least till about x= 1.0 without any change in the crystal structure. Apart from insensitivity of the spin-chain feature to volume expansion, the characteristic features of geometrical frustration interestingly appear at the same temperatures for all compositions, in sharp contrast to the response to Y substitution for Ca (reported previously). Interestingly, huge frequency dependence of ac susceptibility known for the parent compound persists for all compositions. We do not find a change in the properties under external pressure. The stability of the magnetic anomalies of this compound to the volume change (about 4%) is puzzling.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Large magnetocaloric effect in Gd4Co3

We report a large entropy change (DeltaS) below 300 K, peaking near TC= 220 K, due to isothermal change of magnetic field, for Gd4Co3, with a refrigeration capacity higher than that of Gd. Notably, the isothermal magnetization is nonhysteretic - an important criterion for magnetic refrigeration without loss. DeltaS behavior is also compared with that of magnetoresistance.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Magnetic behavior of nanocrystalline LaMn2Ge2

The compound, LaMn2Ge2, crystallizing in ThCr2Si2-type tetragonal crystal structure, has been known to undergo ferromagnetic order below (T_C=) 326 K. In this article, we report the magnetic behavior of nanocrystalline form of this compound, obtained by high-energy ball-milling. T_C of this compound is reduced maginally for the nanoform, whereas there is a significant reduction of the magnitude of the saturation magnetic moment with increasing milling time. The coercive field however increases with decreasing particle size. Thus, this work provides a route to tune these parameters by reducing the particle size in this ternary family.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Room temperature soft ferromagnetism in the nanocrystalline form of YCo2 - a well-known bulk Pauli paramagnet

The Laves phase compound, YCo2, is a well-known exchange-enahnced Pauli paramagnet. We report here that, in the nanocrystalline form, this compound interestingly is an itinerant ferromagnet at room temperature with a low coercive-field. The magnitude of the saturation moment (about 1 Bohr-magneton per formula unit) is large enough to infer that the ferromagnetism is not a surface phenomenon in these nanocrystallites. Since these ferromagnetic nanocrystallines are easy to synthesize with a stable form in air, one can explore applications, particularly where hysteresis is a disadvantage.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

An insight into spin-chain magnetism through Moessbauer spectroscopic investigations in Eu-doped Ca3Co2O6 and Ca3CoRhO6

We report the results of 151Eu Moessbauer effect and magnetization measurements in the Eu-doped Ca3Co2O6 and Ca3CoRhO6, which are of great current interest in the fields of spin-chain magnetism and geometrical frustration. We find that there is a pronounced increase in the line-width of the Moessbauer spectra below a certain characteristic temperature which is well-above the one at which three-diensional ordering features set in. This unusual broadening of the spectra indicates the existence of a characteristic temperature in these 'exotic' magnetic systems, attributable to the onset of incipient one-dimensional magnetic order. This is inferred from an intriguing correlation of this characteristic temperature with the paramagnetic Curie temperature (a measure of intrachain coupling strength in these cases).

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Magnetic Anomalies in a New Manganocuprate Gd3Ba2Mn2Cu2O12

The manganocuprate compound Gd3Ba2Mn2Cu2O12 (Gd-3222) has been synthesized by conventional solid state reaction method and its magnetic behavior has been studied by dc and ac magnetization (M) and heat capacity (C) measurements as a function of temperature (T). This compound crystallizes in a tetragonal structure (space group I4/mmm). We find that this compound exhibits three magnetic transitions, around 2.5, 4.8 and 9 K, as inferred from dc and ac magnetic susceptibility (chi) data. However, no evidence for a well-defined lambda-anomaly is found in C(T) above 1.8 K, though there is a gradual upturn below about 10 K. An application of a magnetic field results in a peak around 5K, while ac chi appears to show a very weak frequency dependence below 9 K. Isothermal M curve at 1.8 K exhibits a weak hysteresis without any evidence for saturation even at fields as high as 120 kOe. These results imply that this compound undergoes a spin-glass-like freezing at low temperatures, though the exact nature of the magnetic transition at 10 K is not clear. The magnitude of the magnetocaloric effect, as inferred from M and C data, is quite large over a wide temperature range below 50 K peaking around 4 K.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

The behavior of magnetic ordering and the KOndo effect in the alloys, Ce2Rh(1-x)Co(x)Si3: Evidence from bulk studies for Fermi-surface change during magnetic ordering - QCP transformation and applicability of SDW pictur

The results of magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity (rho), and heat capacity measurements as a function of temperature are reported for the alloys, Ce2Rh(1-x)Co(x)Si3, crystallizing in an AlB2-derived hexagonal strcture. Ce2RhSi3 exhibits antiferromagnetic ordering at 7 K. The Neel temperature decreases gradually with the increase in Co concentration. For x greater than 0.6, no magnetic ordering is observed down to 0.5 K. Interestingly, the x= 0.6 alloy exhibits signatutes of non-Fermi liquid behavior, while the Co end member is a Fermi liquid. Thus, a transformation of magnetic ordering state to non-magnetism via non-Fermiliquid state by isoelectronic chemical doping is evident in this solid solution. The electrical resistivity data for x= 0.2 and 0.3 alloys show an upturn at respective Neel temperatures, establishing the formation of a magnetism-induced pseudo-gap for these intermediate compositions alone as though there is a gradual Fermi surface transformation as the quantum critical point is approached.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Magnetic anomalies in single crystalline ErPd2Si2

Considering certain interesting features in the previously reported 166Er Moessbauer effect and neutron diffraction data on the polycrystalline form of ErPd2Si2 crystallizing in ThCr2Si2-type tetragonal structure, we have carried out magnetic measurements (1.8 to 300 K) on the single crystalline form of this compound. We observe significant anisotropy in the absolute values of magnetization (indicating that the easy axis is c-axis) as well as in the features due to magnetic ordering in the plot of magnetic susceptibility (chi) versus temperature (T) at low temperatures. The chi(T) data reveal that there is a pseudo-low dimensional magnetic order setting in at 4.8 K, with a three-dimensional antiferromagnetic ordering setting in at a lower temperature (3.8 K). A new finding in the chi(T) data is that, for H//<110>, but not for H//<001>, there is a broad shoulder in the range 8-20 K, indicative of the existence of magnetic correlations above 5 K as well, which could be related to the previously reported slow-relaxation-dominated Moessbauer spectra. Interestingly, the temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity is found to be isotropic; no feature due to magnetic ordering could be detected in the electrical resistivity data at low temperatures, which is attributed to magnetic Brillioun-zone boundary gap effects. The results reveal complex nature of the magnetism of this compound.

cond-mat.str-el↗