We use density functional theory based first-principles methods to study the magnetism in a 2D hexagonal BN sheet induced by the different concentrations of oxygen and silicon atoms substituting for nitrogen (O$_\mathrm{N}$) and boron (Si$_\mathrm{B}$) respectively. We demonstrate the possible formation of three distinct phases based on the magnetization energy calculated self-consistently for the ferromagnetic (ME$_{\mathrm{FM}}$) and antiferromagnetic (ME$_{\mathrm{AFM}}$) states, i.e. the paramagnetic phase with ME$_{\mathrm{FM}}$=ME$_{\mathrm{AFM}}$, the ferromagnetic phase with ME$_{\mathrm{FM}}$$>$ME$_{\mathrm{AFM}}$ and finally the polarized itinerant electrons with finite ME$_{\mathrm{FM}}$ but zero ME$_{\mathrm{AFM}}$. While the O$_\mathrm{N}$ system was found to exist in all three phases, no tendency towards the formation of the polarized itinerant electrons was observed for the Si$_\mathrm{B}$ system though the existence of the other two phases was ascertained. The different behavior of these two systems is associated with the diverse features in the magnetization energy as a function of the oxygen and silicon concentrations. Finally, the robustness of the polarized itinerant electron phase is also discussed with respect to the O substitute atom distributions and the applied strains to the system.
Ternary iron nitrides are of considerable interest due to their diverse magnetic properties. We find, based on first principles calculations, that the relatively minor structural distortion from the cubic antiperovskite structure in Fe$_3$GeN leads to unusual magnetic behavior. In particular, there is a separation into Fe sites with very different magnetic behaviors, specifically a site with Fe atoms having a stable local moment and a site where the Fe shows characteristics of much more itinerant behavior. This shows a remarkable flexibility of the Fe magnetic behavior in these nitrides and po…
Two-dimensional moire superlattices have recently emerged as a fertile ground for creating novel electronic phases of matter with unprecedented control. Despite intensive efforts, theoretical investigation of correlated moire systems has been challenged by the large number of atoms in a superlattice unit cell and the inherent difficulty of treating electron correlation. The physics of correlated moire systems is governed by low-energy electrons in a coarse-grained long-wavelength potential, unlike the singular Coulomb potential of atomically-spaced ions in natural solids. Motivated by the sepa…
Based on first-principles calculations, an antiferromagnetic Ising model on a triangular lattice has been proposed to interpret the order of Fe$(1)$-Ge pairs and the formation of $\sqrt{3}$ $\times $ $\sqrt{3}$ superstructures in the Fe$_5$GeTe$_2$ (F5GT), as well as to predict the existence of similar superstructures in Ni doped F5GT (Ni-F5GT). Our study suggests that F5GT systems may be considered as a structural realization of the well known antiferromagnetic Ising model on a triangular lattice. Based on the superstructures, a Heisenberg-Landau Hamiltonian, taking into account both Heisenbe…
Intra-unit-cell resolved intertwining of multi-$Q$ charge and spin textures in an itinerant skyrmion magnet
RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science(理化学研究所物质结构科学研究中心);Department of Applied Physics and Quantum-Phase Electronics Center (QPEC), University of Tokyo(东京大学应用物理系及量子相电子研究中心);Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo(东京大学固体物理研究所);Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo(东京大学先进科学技术研究中心)
The weak itinerant magnetic properties of $A_2$Ni$_7$ compounds with $A$ = {Y, La} have been investigated using electronic band structure calculations in the relation with their polymorphic crystal structures. These compounds crystallizes in two structures resulting from the stacking of two and three blocks of [$A_2$Ni$_4$ + 2 $A$Ni$_5$] units for hexagonal $2H$-La$_2$Ni$_7$ (Ce$_2$Ni$_7$ type) and rhombohedral $3R$-Y$_2$Ni$_7$ (Gd$_2$Co$_7$ type) respectively. Experimentally, $2H$-La$_2$Ni$_7$ is a weak itinerant antiferromagnet whereas $3R$-Y$_2$Ni$_7$ is a weak itinerant ferromagnet. From t…
The van der Waals ferromagnet Fe$_3$GeTe$_2$ has recently attracted extensive research attention due to its intertwined magnetic, electronic and topological properties. Here, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we systematically investigate the temperature evolution of the electronic structure of bulk Fe$_3$GeTe$_2$. We observe largely dispersive energy bands that are narrowed by a factor of 1.6 compared with ab-initio calculation. Upon heating towards the ferromagnetic transition near 225 K, we observe a massive reduction of quasiparticle coherence in a large ener…
We present an \textit{ab-initio} disordered local moment theory for the Gibbs free energy of a magnetic material. Two central objects are calculated: the lattice Fourier transform of the direct local moment - local moment correlation functions in the paramagnetic state and local internal magnetic fields as functions of magnetic order. We identify the potentially most stable magnetic phases from the first, which can include non-collinear and long-period states in complex multi-atom unit cells, and extract higher order correlations among the local moments from the second. We propose that these l…
We use x-ray spectroscopy at Ir L$_3$/L$_2$ absorption edge to study powder samples of the intercalated honeycomb magnet Ag$_3$LiIr$_2$O$_6$. Based on x-ray absorption and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering measurements, and exact diagonalization calculations including next-neighbour Ir-Ir electron hoping integrals, we argue that the intercalation of Ag atoms results in a nearly itinerant electronic structure with enhanced Ir-O hybridization. As a result of the departure from the local relativistic $j_{\rm eff}\! = \!1/2$ state, we find that the relative orbital contribution to the magnetic m…
The debate whether uranium 5f electrons are closer to being localized or itinerant in the ferromagnetic compound UGa2 is not yet fully settled. The experimentally determined magnetic moments are large, approximately 3 Bohr magnetons, suggesting the localized character of the 5f electrons. In the same time, one can identify signs of itinerant as well as localized behavior in various spectroscopic observations. The band theory, employing local exchange-correlation functionals, is biased toward itinerant 5f states and severely underestimates the moments. Using material-specific dynamical mean-fie…
The realization of magnetic frustration in a metallic van der Waals (vdW) coupled material has been sought as a promising platform to explore novel phenomena both in bulk matter and in exfoliated devices. However, a suitable material platform has been lacking so far. Here, we demonstrate that CeSiI hosts itinerant electrons coexisting with exotic magnetism. In CeSiI, the magnetic cerium atoms form a triangular bilayer structure sandwiched by van der Waals stacked iodine layers. From resistivity and magnetometry measurements, we confirm the coexistence of itinerant electrons with magnetism with…
Itinerant Nature of Spin-Density-Wave Order in Ruddlesden-Popper Nickelates
Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院物理研究所);School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院大学物理科学学院)
Fudan University(复旦大学);Shanghai Qizhi Institution(上海期智研究院);Nankai University(南开大学);University of Arkansas(阿肯色大学)
The effective spin Hamiltonian method is widely adopted to simulate and understand the behavior of magnetism. However, the magnetic interactions of some systems, such as itinerant magnets, are too complex to be described by any explicit function, which prevents an accurate description of magnetism in such systems. Here, we put forward a machine learning (ML) approach, applying an artificial neural network (ANN) and a local spin descriptor to develop effective spin potentials for any form of interaction. The constructed Hamiltonians include an explicit Heisenberg part and an implicit non-linear…
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology(瑞士联邦材料科学与技术研究所);Nanosurf Lab, Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences(捷克科学院物理研究所纳米镜实验室);National Center for Electron Microscopy, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory(劳伦斯伯克利国家实验室分子发现中心电子显微镜国家中心);Department of Chemistry, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda(瓦多达拉 Maharaja Sayajirao 大学化学系)
Recent experimental studies performed in the normal state of iron-based superconductors have discovered the existence of the $C_4$-symmetric (tetragonal) itinerant magnetic state. This state can be described as a spin density wave with two distinct magnetic vectors ${\vec Q}_1$ and ${\vec Q}_2$. Given an itinerant nature of magnetism in iron-pnictides, we develop a quasiclassical theory of tetragonal magnetic order in disordered three-band metal with anisotropic band structure. Within our model we find that the $C_4$-symmetric magnetism competes with the $C_2$-symmetric state with a single ${\…
Using \textit{in situ} polarized neutron reflectometry, the depth resolved evolution of the magnetism and structure in a Pd/Fe/Pd trilayer thin-film is measured during growth. The initial film structure of Pd/Fe shows a small proximity induced magnetism in the underlayer and a magnetization in the Fe layer of $\approx1.6$\,$μ_{\text{B}}$ per Fe atom, less than the expected bulk value of $2.2$\,$μ_{\text{B}}$. Deposition of the Pd capping layer initially follows an island-like growth mode with subsequent coalescence. With increasing Pd deposition the Fe moment and the proximity-induced magnetis…
Around discontinuous (first-order) magnetic phase transitions the strong caloric response of materials to the application of small fields is widely studied for the development of solid-state refrigeration. Typically strong magnetostructural coupling drives such transitions and the attendant substantial hysteresis dramatically reduces the cooling performance. In this context we describe a purely electronic mechanism which pilots a first-order paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition in divalent lanthanide compounds and which explains the giant non-hysteretic magnetocaloric effect recently discover…
Magnetism in topological materials creates phases exhibiting quantized transport phenomena with applications in spintronics and quantum information. The emergence of such phases relies on strong interaction between localized spins and itinerant states comprising the topological bands, and the subsequent formation of an exchange gap. However, this interaction has never been measured in any intrinsic magnetic topological material. Using a multimodal approach, this exchange interaction is measured in MnBi2Te4, the first realized intrinsic magnetic topological insulator. Interrogating nonequilibri…
Effect of uniaxial stress on helimagnetic phases in the square-lattice itinerant magnet EuAl$_{4}$
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo(东京大学固体物理研究所);RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)(理化学研究所新兴物质科学中心);Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University(东京都立大学物理学系);Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization(高能加速器研究机构材料结构科学研究所);Department of Advanced Materials Science, The University of Tokyo(东京大学先进材料科学系);Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo(东京大学先进科学技术研究中心);Department of Applied Physics, The University of Tokyo(东京大学应用物理学系)