arXiv subjects

P. Lemmens

Publications and source records attributed to P. Lemmens.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv1999

Electron-phonon and spin-phonon coupling in NaV$_{2}$O$_{5}$: charge fluctuations effect

We show that the asymmetric crystal environment of the V site in the ladder compound NaV$_{2}$O$_{5}$ leads to a strong coupling of vanadium 3d electrons to phonons. This coupling causes fluctuations of the charge on the V ions, and favors a transition to a charge-ordered state at low temperatures. In the low temperature phase the charge fluctuations modulate the spin-spin superexchange interaction, resulting in a strong spin-phonon coupling.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1999

Quantum Spin Systems: From Spin Gaps to Pseudo Gaps

Many low dimensional spin systems with a dimerized or ladder-like antiferromagnetic exchange coupling have a gapped excitation spectrum with magnetic bound states within the spin gap. For spin ladders with an even number of legs the existence of spin gaps and within the t-J model a tendency toward superconductivity with d-wave symmetry is predicted. In the following we will characterize the spin excitation spectra of different low dimensional spin systems taking into account strong spin phonon interaction ($\rm CuGeO_3$), charge ordering ($\rm NaV_2O_5$) and doping on chains and ladders (\ladder). The spectroscopic characterization of the model systems mentioned above has been performed using magnetic inelastic light scattering originating from a spin conserving exchange scattering mechanism. This is also bound to yield more insight into the interrelation between these spin gap excitations and the origin of the pseudo gap in high temperature superconductors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1999

Spin gap behavior and charge ordering in α^{\prime}-NaV_2O_5 probed by light scattering

We present a detailed analysis of light scattering experiments performed on the quarter-filled spin ladder compound $α^\prime$-NaV$_{2}$O$_{5}$ for the temperature range 5 K$\le$T$\le$300 K. This system undergoes a phase transition into a singlet ground state at T=34 K accompanied by the formation of a super structure. For T$\leq$34 K several new modes were detected. Three of these modes are identified as magnetic bound states. Experimental evidence for charge ordering on the V sites is detected as an anomalous shift and splitting of a V-O vibration at 422 cm$^{-1}$ for temperatures above 34 K. The smooth and crossover-like onset of this ordering at T$_{\rm CO}$= 80 K is accompanied by pretransitional fluctuations both in magnetic and phononic Raman scattering. It resembles the effect of stripe order on the super structure intensities in La$_2$NiO$_{4+δ}$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Magnetic bound states in the quarter-filled ladder system $α'-NaV_{2}O_{5}$}

Raman scattering in the quarter-filled spin ladder system alpha'-NaV_2O_5 shows in the dimerized singlet ground state ($T \leq T_{SP}=35K$) an unexpected sequence of three magnetic bound states. Our results suggest that the recently proposed mapping onto an effective spin chain for $T > T_{SP}$ has to be given up in favor of the full topology and exchange paths of a ladder in the dimerized phase for $T < T_{SP}$. As the new ground state we propose a dynamic superposition of energetically nearly degenerate dimer configurations on the ladder.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Magnetic Bound States in Dimerized Quantum Spin Systems

Magnetic bound states are a general phenomenon in low dimensional antiferromagnets with gapped singlet states. Using Raman scattering on three compounds as dedicated examples we show how exchange topology, dimensionality, defects and thermal fluctuations influence the properties and the spectral weight of these states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Electronic Raman scattering in Tl2Ba2CuO6+x: symmetry of the order parameter, oxygen doping effects, and normal state scattering

Single crystals of the optimally doped, moderately and strongly overdoped high temperature superconductor Tl2Ba2CuO6+x (Tl-2201) with Tc=80, 56 and 30K, respectively, have been investigated by polarized Raman scattering. By taking the peak position of the B_1g component of electronic Raman scattering as 2Delta_0 we found that the reduced gap value (2Delta_0/k_BT_c) strongly decreases with increasing doping. The behavior of the low frequency scattering for the B_1g and B_2g scattering components is similar for optimally doped and overdoped crystals and can be described by a w^3 - and w -law, respectively, which is consistent with a d-wave symmetry of the order parameter. In contrast to the optimally doped Tl-2201 in both, moderately and strongly overdoped Tl-2201, the relative (compared to the B_1g) intensity of the A_1g scattering component is suppressed. We suggest that the van Hove singularity is responsible for the observed changes of Raman intensity and reduced gap value with doping. Electronic Raman scattering in the normal state is discussed in the context of the scattering from impurities and compared to the existing infrared data. The scattering rate evaluated from the Raman measurements is smaller for the overdoped samples, compared to the moderately overdoped samples.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1998

Dopant-Bound Spinons in Cu_(1-x)Zn_xGeO_3

Polarized inelastic light scattering experiments on Cu_(1-x)Zn_xGeO_3 (0<= x <= 0.045) single crystals show for x<>0 a new distinct mode at nearly half the energy of the singlet response below the spin-Peierls transition. The temperature, magnetic field, polarization, and doping dependencies of this mode are similar to those of the singlet bound state. The data are interpreted in terms of a spinon-assisted light scattering process. Position and form of the peak provide strong evidence for the presence of dopant-bound spinons in Cu_(1-x)Zn_xGeO_3.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Revival of the spin-Peierls transition in Cu_xZn_(1-x)GeO_3 under pressure

Pressure and temperature dependent susceptibility and Raman scattering experiments on single crystalline Cu_xZn_(1-x)GeO_3 have shown an unusually strong increase of the spin-Peierls phase transition temperature upon applying hydrostatic pressure. The large positive pressure coefficient (7.5 K/GPa) - almost twice as large as for the pure compound (4.5 K/GPa) - is interpreted as arising due to an increasing magnetic frustration which decreases the spin-spin correlation length, and thereby weakens the influence of the non-magnetic Zn-substitution.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Observation of three-magnon light scattering in CuGeO_3

Temperature and magnetic field dependent polarized Brillouin spectra of CuGeO_3 are reported. In addition to a bound singlet state at 30 cm^{-1}, a new feature has been observed at 18 cm^{-1}. This feature is interpreted in terms of a novel three-magnon light scattering process between excited triplet states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Effects of in-chain and off-chain substitutions on spin fluctuations in the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3

The effect of in-chain and off-chain substitutions on 1D spin fluctuations in the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3 has been studied using Raman scattering in order to understand the interplay between defect induced states, enhanced spin-spin correlations and the ground state of low dimensional systems. In-chain and off-chain substitutions quench the spin-Peierls state and induce 3D antiferromagnetic order at T\leq 5 K. Consequently a suppression of a 1D gap-induced mode as well as a constant intensity of a spinon continuum are observed at low temperatures. A 3D two-magnon density of states now gradually extends to higher temperatures T\leq 60K compared with pure CuGeO_3. This effect is more pronounced in the case of off-chain substitutions (Si) for which a Néel state occurs over a larger substitution range, starting at very low concentrations. Besides, additional low energy excitations are induced. These effects, i.e. the shift of a dimensional crossover to higher temperatures are due to an enhancement of the spin-spin correlations induced by a small amount of substitutions. The results are compared with recent Monte Carlo studies on substituted spin ladders, pointing to a similar instability of coupled, dimerized spin chains and spin ladders upon substitution.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Experimental evidence for a spin-Peierls-transition in $α'-NaV_2O_5$

We present the first measurements of magnetisation and Raman light scattering on $α'-NaV_2O_5$ single crystals. Below 34 K, we observe a pronounced isotropic decrease of the susceptibility indicating the opening of a spin gap. The transition temperature is slightly field dependent. Raman experiments reveal a crystallographic distortion at the transition. Our results clearly establish $α'-NaV_2O_5$ to be the second inorganic spin-Peierls system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1996

Magnon-magnon interactions in the Spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3

In a magnetic substance the gap in the Raman spectrum, Delta_R, is approximatively twice the value of the neutron scattering gap, Delta_S, if the the magnetic excitations (magnons) are only weakly interacting. But for CuGeO_3 the experimentally observed ratio Delta_R/Delta_S is approximatively 1.49-1.78, indicating attractive magnon-magnon interactions in the quasi-1D Spin-Peierls compound CuGe_3. We present numerical estimates for Delta_R/Delta_S from exact diagonalization studies for finite chains and find agreement with experiment for intermediate values of the frustration parameter alpha. An analysis of the numerical Raman intensity leads us to postulate a continuum of two-magnon bound states in the Spin-Peierls phase. We discuss in detail the numerical method used, the dependence of the results on the model parameters and a novel matrix-element effect due to the dimerization of the Raman-operator in the Spin-Peierls phase.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1996

Substitution effects on spin fluctuations in the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3

Using Raman scattering we studied the effect of substitutions on 1D spin fluctuations in CuGeO_3 observed as a spinon continuum in frustration induced exchange scattering. For temperatures below the spin-Peierls transition (T_{SP}=14K) the intensity of this continuum at 120-500 cm^{-1} is exponentially suppressed and transferred into a 3D two-magnon density of states. Besides a spin-Peierls gap-induced mode at 30 cm^{-1} and additional modes at 105 and 370 cm^{-1} are observed. Substitution of Zn on the Cu-site and Si on the Ge-site of CuGeO_3 quenches easily the spin-Peierls state. Consequently a suppression of the spin-Peierls gap observable below T_{SP}=14K as well as a change of the temperature dependence of the spinon continuum are observed. These effects are discussed in the context of a dimensional crossover of this compound below T_{SP} and strong spin-lattice interaction.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1996

The J_1-J_2 model revisited : Phenomenology of CuGeO_3

We present a mean field solution of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain with nearest (J_1) and next to nearest neighbor (J_2) interactions. This solution provides a way to estimate the effects of frustration. We calculate the temperature-dependent spin-wave velocity, v_s(T) and discuss the possibility to determine the magnitude of frustration J_2/J_1 present in quasi 1D compounds from measurements of v_s(T). We compute the thermodynamic susceptibility at finite temperatures and compare it with the observed susceptibility of the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3. We also use the method to study the two-magnon Raman continuum observed in CuGeO_3 above the spin-Peierls transition.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1996

Electronic Raman scattering in the single-CuO2 layered superconductor Tl2Ba2CuO6+x

Electronic Raman scattering in Tl-2201 has been investigated in order to test whether the scattering cross-section in high temperature superconductors depends on the number of CuO2-planes, i.e. sheets or specific details of the Fermi surface. The experimental data are in qualitative agreement with the calculations of Devereaux and Einzel based on the dx^2-y^2-wave symmetry of the order parameter used in the description of the Raman scattering cross section.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1996

Frustration induced Raman scattering in CuGeO_3

We present experimental data for the Raman intensity in the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3 and theoretical calculations from a one-dimensional frustrated spin model. The theory is based on (a) exact diagonalization and (b) a recently developed solitonic mean field theory. We find good agreement between the 1D-theory in the homogeneous phase and evidence for a novel dimerization of the Raman operator in the spin-Peierls state. Finally we present evidence for a coupling between the interchain exchange, the spin-Peierls order parameter and the magnetic excitations along the chains.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1996

Investigation of the Spin-Peierls transition in CuGeO_3 by Raman scattering

Raman experiments on the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO$_3$ and the substituted (Cu$_{1- x}$,Zn$_x$)GeO$_3$ and Cu(Ge$_{1-x}$,Ga$_x$)O$_3$ compounds were performed in order to investigate the response of specific magnetic excitations of the one-dimensional spin-1/2 chain to spin anisotropies and substitution-induced disorder. In pure CuGeO$_3$, in addition to normal phonon scattering which is not affected at all by the spin-Peierls transition, four types of magnetic scattering features were observed. Below T$_{SP}$=14 K a singlet-triplet excitation at 30 cm$^{-1}$, two-magnon scattering from 30 to 227 cm$^{-1}$ and folded phonon modes at 369 and 819 cm$^{-1}$ were identified. They were assigned by their temperature dependence and lineshape. For temperatures between the spin-Peierls transition T$_{SP}$ and approximately 100 K a broad intensity maximum centered at 300 cm$^{-1}$ is observed.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1994

The Pairing Mechanism in HTSC investigated by Electronic Raman Scattering

By means of electronic Raman scattering we investigated the symmetry of the energy gap Delta(k), its temperature dependence and its variation with doping of well characterized Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta single crystals. The oxygen content delta was varied between the under- and the overdoped regime by subsequently annealing the same single crystal in Ar and O2, respectively. The symmetry analysis of the polarized electronic Raman scattering is consistent with a d_x^2-y^2-wave symmetry of the energy gap in both regimes. The gap ratio 2Delta_max/k_BT_c and its temperature dependence changes with doping similar to predictions of theories based on paramagnon coupling.

cond-mat↗