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J. Lord

Publications and source records attributed to J. Lord.

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The magnetic states of lightly hole-doped cuprates in the clean limit

We have performed extensive zero field muSR experiments on pure YBa2Cu3O6+y and diluted Y-rare-earth substituted Y0.92Eu0.08Ba2Cu3O6+y and Y0.925Nd0.075Ba2Cu3O6+y at light hole-doping. A common magnetic behavior is detected for all the three families, demonstrating negligible effects of the isovalent Y-substituent disorder. Two distinct regimes are identified, separated by a crossover, whose origin is attributed to the concurrent thermal activation of spin and charge degrees of freedom: a thermally activated and a re-entrant quenched-hole antiferromagnetic regime. The peculiar temperature and hole density dependence of the magnetic moment m(h,T) fit a model with a (spin) activation energy for the crossover between the two regimes throughout the entire investigated range. The magnetic moment is suppressed by a simple dilution mechanism both in the reentrant regime (0<h<0.056) and in the so-called Cluster Spin Glass state coexisting with superconductivity (0.056<h<0.08). We argue a common magnetic ground state for these two doping regions and dub it quenched-hole antiferromagnet. Conversely frustration prevails in the thermally activated regime, that vanishes at the same concentration where superconductivity emerges, suggesting the presence of a quantum critical point at h_c=0.056(2).

cond-mat.supr-con

Quantum magnetism in the paratacamite family: towards an ideal kagome lattice

We report MuSR measurements on the S=1/2 (Cu2+) paratacamite Zn_xCu_{4-x}(OH)_6Cl_2 family. Despite a Weiss temperature of -300 K, the x=1 compound is found to have no transition to a magnetic frozen state down to 50 mK as theoretically expected for the kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet. We find that the limit between a dynamical and a frozen inhomogeneous ground state occurs around x=0.5. For x=1, we discuss the relevance to a singlet picture.

cond-mat.str-el

Antiferromagnetic properties of a water vapor-inserted $YBa_2Cu_3O_{6.5}$ compound studied by NMR, NQR and $μ$ SR

We present a detailed NQR, NMR and $μ$SR study of a magnetic phase obtained during a topotactic chemical reaction of YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6.5}$ high- temperature superconductor with low-pressure water vapor. Our studies give straightforward evidence that the ''empty'' Cu(1) chains play the role of an easy water insertion channel. It is shown that the NQR spectrum of the starting material transforms progressively under insertion of water, and completely disappears when one H$_{2}$O molecule is inserted per unit cell. Similarly, a Cu ZFNMR signal characteristic of this water inserted material appears and grows with increasing water content, which indicates that the products of the reaction are non-superconducting antiferromagnetic phases in which the bilayers are ordered. These antiferromagnetic phases are felt by proton NMR which reveals two sites with static internal fields of 150 and about 15 Gauss respectively. Two muon sites are also evidenced with similar local fields which vanish at $T\approx 400$ K. This indicates that the magnetic phases have similar Néel temperatures as the other bilayer undoped compounds. An analysis of the internal fields on different sites of the structure suggests that they can be all assigned to a single magnetic phase at large water content in which the Cu(1) electron spins order with those of the Cu(2). It appears that even samples packed in Stycast epoxy resin heated moderately at a temperature (200$^{0}$C) undergo a reaction with epoxy decomposition products which yield the formation of the same final compound. It is then quite clear that such effects should be considered quite seriously and avoided in experiments attempting to resolve tiny effects in such materials, as those performed in some recent neutron scattering experiments.

cond-mat.supr-con

Universal superconducting and magnetic properties of the (CaLa)(BaLa)CuO system: a MuSR investigation

The (Ca_xLa_(1-x))(Ba_(1.75-x)La_(0.25+x))Cu_(3)O_(y) system is ideal for testing theories of high temperature superconductivity, since nearly the full range of doping is controlled by y, and T_(c)^max is continuously controlled by x, with minimal structural changes. We investigate this system with both transverse and longitudinal field MuSR. This allows us to re-examine the Uemura relation, the nature of the spontaneous magnetic fields below T_(c), and the relation between their appearance temperature T_(g) and T_(c)^max . Our major findings are: (I) the Uemura relation is respected by CLBLCO more adequately than by other cuprates, (II) T_(g) and T_(c) are controlled by the same energy scale, (III) the phase separation between hole poor and hole rich regions is a microscopic one, and (IV) spontaneous magnetic fields appear gradually with no moment size evolution.

cond-mat.supr-con