arXiv subjects

N. Casati

Publications and source records attributed to N. Casati.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Distortion mode anomalies in bulk PrNiO$_3$ illustrating the potential of symmetry-adapted distortion mode analysis for the study of phase transitions

The origin of the metal-to-insulator transition in RNiO3 perovskites with trivalent 4f ion has challenged the condensed matter research community for almost three decades. A drawback for progress in this direction has been the lack of studies combining physical properties and accurate structural data covering the full nickelate phase diagram. Here we focus on a small region close to the itinerant limit (R = Pr, 1.5K < T < 300K), where we investigate the gap opening and the simultaneous emergence of charge order in PrNiO3. We combine electric resistance, magnetization, and heat capacity measurements with high resolution neutron and synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction data that, in contrast to previous studies, we analyze in terms of symmetry-adapted distortion modes. Such analysis allows to identify the contribution of the different modes to the global distortion in a broad temperature range. Moreover, it shows that the structural changes at the MIT, traditionally described in terms of the evolution of the interatomic distances and angles, appear as abrupt increases of all nonzero mode amplitudes at TMIT = TN ~130K accompanied by the appearance of new modes below this temperature. A further interesting observation is the existence of a nearly perfect linear correlation between the amplitude of the breathing mode associated to the charge order and the staggered magnetization below the MIT. Our data also uncover a previously unnoticed anomaly at T* ~60K (~0.4 x TMIT), clearly visible in the electrical resistance, lattice parameters and some mode amplitudes. Since phase coexistence is only observed in a small temperature region around TMIT (~10K), these observations suggest the existence of a hidden symmetry in the insulating phase. We discuss some possible origins, among them the theoretically predicted existence of polar distortions induced by the non-centrosymmetric magnetic order.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Evolution of Magnetic Order from the Localized to the Itinerant Limit

Quantum materials that feature magnetic long-range order often reveal complex phase diagrams when localized electrons become mobile. In many materials magnetism is rapidly suppressed as electronic charges dissolve into the conduction band. In materials where magnetism persists, it is unclear how the magnetic properties are affected. Here we study the evolution of the magnetic structure in Nd(1-x)Ce(x)CoIn(5) from the localized to the highly itinerant limit. We observe two magnetic ground states inside a heavy-fermion phase that are detached from unconventional superconductivity. The presence of two different magnetic phases provides evidence that increasing charge delocalization affects the magnetic interactions via anisotropic band hybridization.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Optimization of single crystal growth of candidate quantum spin-ice Pr2Hf2O7 by optical floating-zone method

We report the optimized conditions for growing the high quality single crystals of candidate quantum spin-ice Pr2Hf2O7 using the optical floating-zone method. Large single crystals of Pr2Hf2O7 have been grown under different growth conditions using a four-mirror type optical floating-zone furnace and their microscopic structural differences have been probed by high-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction (SXRD). The SXRD data reveal that the crystals grown under fowing argon (~ 2 L/h) atmosphere with slightly off-stoichiometric (optimized) starting composition yields the highest quality crystals. The magnetic susceptibility, isothermal magnetization and heat capacity data of optimally grown crystals are presented.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Classical Spin Nematic Transition in LiGa$_{0.95}$In$_{0.05}$Cr$_4$O$_8$

We present the results of a combined $^7$Li NMR and diffraction study on LiGa$_{0.95}$In$_{0.05}$Cr$_4$O$_8$, a member of LiGa$_{1-x}$In$_{x}$Cr$_4$O$_8$ "breathing" pyrochlore family. Via specific heat and NMR measurements, we find that the complex sequence of first-order transitions observed for $x=0$ is replaced by a single, apparently second-order transition at $T_f=11$ K. Neutron and X-ray diffraction rule out both structural symmetry lowering and magnetic long-range order as the origin of this transition. Instead, reverse Monte Carlo fitting of the magnetic diffuse scattering indicates that the low temperature phase may be described as a collinear spin nematic state, characterized by a quadrupolar order parameter. This state also shows signs of short range order between collinear spin arrangements on tetrahedra, revealed by mapping the reverse Monte Carlo spin configurations onto a three-state color model describing the manifold of nematic states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Physical properties of a candidate quantum spin-ice system Pr2Hf2O7

Physical properties of a pyrohafnate compound Pr2Hf2O7 have been investigated by ac magnetic susceptibility χ_ ac(T), dc magnetic susceptibility χ(T), isothermal magnetization M(H) and heat capacity C_p(T) measurements on polycrystalline as well as single crystal samples combined with high-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural characterization and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) to determine the crystal field energy level scheme and wave functions. Synchrotron XRD data confirm the ordered cubic pyrochlore (Fd-3m) structure without any noticeable site mixing or oxygen deficiency. No clear evidence of long range magnetic ordering is observed down to 90 mK, however the χ_ac(T) evinces slow spin dynamics revealed by a frequency dependent broad peak associated with spin freezing. The INS data reveal the expected five well defined magnetic excitations due to crystal field splitting of the J = 4 ground state multiplet of the Pr^3+. The crystal field parameters and ground state wavefunction of Pr^3+ have been determined. The Ising anisotropic nature of magnetic ground state is inferred from the INS as well as χ(T) and M(H) data. Together these properties make Pr2Hf2O7 a candidate compound for quantum spin-ice behavior.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Investigation of the magnetic structure and crystal field states of pyrochlore antiferromagnet Nd2Zr2O7

We present synchrotron x-ray diffraction, neutron powder diffraction and time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering measurements on the rare earth pyrochlore oxide Nd2Zr2O7 to study the ordered state magnetic structure and cystal field states. The structural characterization by high-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction confirms that the pyrochlore structure has no detectable O vacancies or Nd/Zr site mixing. The neutron diffraction reveals long range all-in/all-out antiferromagnetic order below T_N ~ 0.4 K with propagation vector k = (0 0 0) and an ordered moment of 1.26(2) μ_B/Nd at 0.1 K. The ordered moment is much smaller than the estimated moment of 2.65 μ_B/Nd for the local <111> Ising ground state of Nd3+ (J=9/2) suggesting that the ordering is partially suppressed by quantum fluctuations. The strong Ising anisotropy is further confirmed by the inelastic neutron scattering data which reveals a well-isolated dipolar-octupolar type Kramers doublet ground state. The crystal field level scheme and ground state wavefunction have been determined.

cond-mat.str-el↗