We performed muon spin rotation/relaxation measurements to investigate the magnetic behavior of $T^{\prime}$-type Eu$_2$CuO$_4$ (ECO), which is the parent compound of electron-doped cuprate superconductors, and the effects of oxygen-reduction annealing on its magnetism. In as-sintered (AS) ECO, we clarified the development of magnetic correlations upon cooling below $T_\mathrm{N1}$ (= 265 K) as well as the coexistence of a dominant fluctuating spin state and partially ordered spin state in the temperature range between $\sim$150 K and $T_\mathrm{N1}$. Upon further cooling, uniform long-range magnetic order was observed below $T_\mathrm{N2} = 110$ K, which is close to the ordering temperature of 115 K in $T^{\prime}$-type La$_2$CuO$_4$ (LCO) [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 82}, 180508(R) (2010)]. For oxygen-reduction-annealed ECO, a similar ordering sequence with the same $T_\mathrm{N2}$ was observed but without the partially ordered spin state. Therefore, the fluctuating spin state over a wide temperature range and a $T_\mathrm{N2}$ less than the N{é}el temperature ($T_\mathrm{N2} \approx T_\mathrm{N1}$) in $T$-type LCO are common features of the $T^{\prime}$-type parent $R_2$CuO$_4$ ($R$CO, $R$: rare-earth ion). The origin of the partially ordered spin state in AS ECO is discussed from the viewpoint of chemical defect. Furthermore, we discuss the roles of electron doping and repairing defect in the observed effect of annealing on the magnetism of $T^{\prime}$-type $R$CO.
We show, by means of low-energy muon spin rotation measurements, that few-unit-cells thick La(2)CuO(4) layers synthesized digitally by molecular beam epitaxy synthesis are antiferromagnetically ordered. Below a thickness of about 5 CuO(2) layers the long-range ordered state breaks down, and a magnetic state appears with enhanced quantum fluctuations and a reduced spin stiffness. This magnetic state can exist in close proximity (few Angstrom) to high-temperature superconducting layers, without transmitting supercurrents.
Magnetization measurements of Sr{14-x}Ca_xCu_{24}O_{41} with 0 <= x <=12 in magnetic fields up to 16 T show that the low-temperature magnetic response of the CuO_2 spin chains changes strongly upon Ca doping. For x=0 quantum statistical simulations yield that the temperature and field dependence of the magnetization can be well described by an effective Heisenberg model in which the ground state configuration is composed of spin dimers, trimers, and monomers. For x>0 a constant contribution to the low-temperature magnetic susceptibility is observed which cannot be explained in terms of simple …
The $S=1/2$ antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain compound Sr$_2$CuO$_3$ doped with $1 \%$ and $2 \%$ of Ni impurities has been studied by means of $^{63}$Cu nuclear magnetic resonance. A strong decrease of the spin-lattice relaxation rate $T_1^{-1}$ at low temperatures points toward a spin gap, while a stretching exponent $λ< 1$ and a frequency dependence of $T_1^{-1}$ indicate that this spin gap varies spatially and should rather be characterized as a spin pseudogap. The magnitude of the spin pseudogap scales with doping level. Our results therefore evidence the finite-size character of th…
The internal magnetic field distribution in a mixed state of a cuprate superconductor, Ca$_{2-x}$Na$_x$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$ ($T_{\rm c}\simeq28.5$ K, near the optimal doping), was measured by muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) technique up to 60 kOe. The $μ$SR linewidth $Λ(B)$ which exhibits excess broadening at higher fields ($B>5$ kOe) due to field-induced magnetism (FIM), is described by a relation, $Λ(B)\propto\sqrt{B}$. This suggests that the orbital current and associated quasiparticle excitation plays predominant roles in stabilizing the quasistatic correlation. Moreover, a slowing down of the vortex …
Muon spin rotation measurements supported by magnetization experiments have been carried out in a stoichiometric high-$T_c$ parent compound La$_2$CuO$_4$ in %the a temperature range from 2~K to 340~K and in transverse magnetic fields up to 5~T. Along with the antiferromagnetic local field, muon spin rotation spectra indicate presence of an additional source of magnetic field on the muon. The characteristic splitting of about 45~G coming from this additional magnetic field is consistent with spontaneous circulating currents model of Varma.
This paper reports muon spin relaxation (MuSR) measurements of two single crystals of the title high-Tc cuprate systems where static incommensurate magnetism and superconductivity coexist. By zero-field MuSR measurements and subsequent analyses with simulations, we show that (1) the maximum ordered Cu moment size (0.36 Bohr magneton) and local spin structure are identical to those in prototypical stripe spin systems with the 1/8 hole concentration; (2) the static magnetism is confined to less than a half of the volume of the sample, and (3) regions with static magnetism form nano-scale islands…
We study the dynamics of a single hole in Li and Sr doped La$_{2}$CuO$_4$ and its extension to a finite hole concentration. We compare the physics of La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ and La$_{2}$Cu$_{1-x}$Li$_x$O$_4$ and explain why these systems are remarkably different. We demonstrate that holes in La$_{2}$Cu$_{1-x}$Li$_x$O$_4$ are always localized and that there is a critical concentration, $x_c\approx 0.03$, above which the holes break the global antiferromagnetic state into an array of weakly coupled antiferromagnetic clusters (antiferromagnetic shards). We show that the spin-shard state provides …
We study the effects of spin-orbit coupling in the $d$-density wave (DDW) phase. In the low-temperature orthorhombic phase of La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$, we find that spin-orbit coupling induces a ferromagnetic moment in the DDW phase, which is polarized along the [110] direction with a considerable magnitude. This effect does not exist in the superconducting phase. On the other hand, if the $d$-density wave order does not exist at zero field, a magnetic field along the [110] direction always induces such a staggered orbital current. We discuss experimental constraints on the DDW states in light …
The simple structure of HgBa$_2$CuO$_{4+δ}$ (Hg1201) is ideal among cuprates for study of the pseudogap phase as a broken symmetry state. We have performed $^{17}$O nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) on an underdoped Hg1201 crystal with transition temperature of 74 K to look for circulating orbital currents proposed theoretically and inferred from neutron scattering. The narrow spectra preclude static local fields in the pseudogap phase at the apical site, suggesting that the moments observed with neutrons are fluctuating. The NMR frequency shifts are consistent with a dipolar field from the Cu$…
We report the local magnetic response of an electron-doped cuprate superconductor, Pr$_{0.89}$LaCe$_{0.11}$CuO$_{4}$ ($T_c\simeq26$ K), studied by muon spin rotation (\msr) over a field range from 200 Oe to 50 kOe. In the paramagnetic state, the muon Knight shift along the crystal c-axis ($K_μ^z$) is proportional to the in-plane susceptibility $χ_{ab}$. More surprisingly, $K_μ^z$ is strongly enhanced by the occurrence of superconductivity (below $\sim$40 kOe), changing its sign from positive to negative around $\sim1$ kOe with increasing field. This finding can be understood by considering the…
The magnetic ground state of an electron-doped cuprate superconductor Pr$_{1-x}$LaCe$_x$CuO$_{4+α-δ}$ ($x=0.11, α\simeq0.04$) has been studied by means of muon spin rotation/relaxation (\msr) over a wide variety of oxygen depletion, $0.03\leδ\le0.12$. Appearance of weak random magnetism over entire crystal volume has been revealed by a slow exponential relaxation. The absence of $δ$-dependence for the random magnetism and the multiplet pattern of muon Knight shift at higher fields strongly suggest that the random moments are associated with excited Pr$^{3+}$ ions under crystal electric field.
We review examples of muon-spin relaxation measurements on molecule-based magnetic coordination polymers, classified by their magnetic dimensionality. These include the one-dimensional s=1/2 spin chain Cu(pyz)(NO3)2 and the two-dimensional s=1/2 layered material [Cu(HF2)(pyz)2]BF4. We also describe some of the more exotic ground states that may become accessible in the future given the ability to tune the interaction strengths of our materials through crystal engineering.
Muon spin rotation measurements have been performed on a powder sample of a-RuCl3, a layered material which previously has been proposed to be a quantum magnet on a honeycomb lattice close to a quantum spin liquid ground state. Our data reveal two distinct phase transitions at 11 K and 14 K which we interpret as originating from the onset of three-dimensional order and in-plane magnetic order, respectively. We identify, with the help of density functional theory calculations, likely muon stopping sites and combine these with dipolar field calculations to show that the two measured muon rotatio…
We present the results of a muon-spin relaxation study of the high-Tc analogue material Cs2AgF4. We find unambiguous evidence for magnetic order, intrinsic to the material, below T_C=13.95(3) K. The ratio of inter- to intraplane coupling is estimated to be |J'/J|=1.9 x 10^-2, while fits of the temperature dependence of the order parameter reveal a critical exponent beta=0.292(3), implying an intermediate character between pure two- and three- dimensional magnetism in the critical regime. Above T_C we observe a signal characteristic of dipolar interactions due to linear F-mu-F bonds, allowing t…
We present the results of muon-spin relaxation (muSR) measurements on the hexagonal manganite HoMnO3. Features in the temperature-dependent relaxation rate, lambda, correlate with the magnetic transitions at 76 K, 38 K and 34 K. The highest temperature transition, associated with the ordering of Mn3+ moments has the largest effect on lambda. The application of a static electric field of E=10^4 Vm^-1 below T=50 K causes a small reduction in lambda which is suggestive of coupling between ferroelectric and magnetic domain walls in the ordered state of the material.
We report a $μ$SR study in a Y$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ single crystal. We observe slow local field fluctuations at low temperature which become faster as the temperature is increased. Our analysis suggests that muon diffusion is present in this system and becomes small below 40 K and therefore incoherent. A surprisingly strong electronic magnetic signal is observed with features typical for muons thermally diffusing towards magnetic traps below $\approx 100$ K and released from them above this temperature. We attribute the traps to Ti$^{3+}$ defects in the diluted limit. Our observations are highly rel…
We study the magnetism of the hole doped CuO2 spin chains in Sr14Cu24O41 by measuring the Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and the static magnetization M in applied magnetic fields up to 14 T. In this compound, the dimerized ground state and the charge order in the chains are well established. Our experimental data suggest that at low temperatures the Curie-like increase of M as well as the occurrence of the related ESR signal are due to a small amount of paramagnetic centers which are not extrinsic defects but rather unpaired Cu spins in the chain. These observations qualitatively confirm recent…
The rare-earth ferroelectromagnet YMnO3 consists of weakly coupled triangular layers of S=2 spins. Below T_N ~ 70 K muon-spin relaxation data show two oscillatory relaxing signals due to magnetic order, with no relaxing signal resolvable (which would be expected for different coexisting spin distributions). The transition temperature T_N increases with applied hydrostatic pressure, even though the ordered moment decreases. These results suggest that pressure increases both the exchange coupling between the layers and the frustration within the layers.
We report a novel aspect of the competition and coexistence between magnetism and superconductivity in the high-$T_{c}$ cuprate La$_{2-x}$Sr$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ (La214). With a modest magnetic field applied $H \parallel c$-axis, we monitored the infrared signature of pair tunneling between the CuO$_2$ planes and discovered the complete suppression of interlayer coupling in a series of underdoped La214 single crystals. We find that the in-plane superconducting properties remain intact, in spite of enhanced magnetism in the planes.
A key unexplained feature of cuprate superconductors is the upturn in their normal state electrical resistivity $ρ(T)$ seen at low temperature inside the pseudogap phase. We examined this issue via measurements of the thermal conductivity $κ(T)$ down to 50 mK and in fields up to 17 T on the cuprate La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ at dopings $p = 0.13$, 0.136, 0.143 and 0.18. At $p$ = 0.136, 0.143, and 0.18, we observe an initial increase of the electronic thermal conductivity $κ_0/T$ as a function of field, as expected in a $d$-wave superconductor. For $p$ = 0.136 and 0.143, further increasing the fie…
We report $^{63}$Cu nuclear magnetic resonance and muon spin rotation measurements on the S=1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain compound Sr$_{1.9}$Ca$_{0.1}$CuO$_3$. An exponentially decreasing spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T$_1$ indicates the opening of a spin gap. This behavior is very similar to what has been observed for the cognate zigzag spin chain compound Sr$_{0.9}$Ca$_{0.1}$CuO$_2$, and confirms that the occurrence of a spin gap upon Ca doping is independent of the interchain exchange coupling $J'$. Our results therefore generally prove the appearance of a spin gap in an anti…
Muon spin relaxation measurements around the 25 K metal-insulator transition in Li$_{0.9}$Mo$_6$O$_{17}$ elucidate a profound role of disorder as a possible mechanism for this transition. The relaxation rate $1/T_1$ and the muon Knight shift are incompatible with the transition to a SDW state and thus exclude it.
Muon spin relaxation ($μ$SR) measurements in high transverse magnetic fields ($\parallel \hat c$) revealed strong field-induced quasi-static magnetism in the underdoped and Eu doped (La,Sr)$_{2}$CuO$_{4}$ and La$_{1.875}$Ba$_{0.125}$CuO$_{4}$, existing well above $T_{c}$ and $T_{N}$. The susceptibility-counterpart of Cu spin polarization, derived from the muon spin relaxation rate, exhibits a divergent behavior towards $T \sim 25$ K. No field-induced magnetism was detected in overdoped La$_{1.81}$Sr$_{0.19}$CuO$_{4}$, optimally doped Bi2212, and Zn-doped YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7}$.
We have investigated the magnetic properties of CuNCN, the first nitrogen-based analogue of cupric oxide, CuO. Our muon spin relaxation, nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spin resonance studies reveal that classical magnetic ordering is absent down to lowest temperatures. However, large enhancement of spin correlations and unexpected inhomogeneous magnetism have been observed below 80 K. We attribute this to a peculiar fragility of the electronic state against weak perturbations due to geometrical frustration, which selects between competing spin-liquid and more conventional frozen state…
Motivated by the magnetically-driven high-temperature ferroelectric behavior of CuO and the subsequent theoretical efforts to understand this intriguing phenomenon, we study a spin model on a two-dimensional square lattice which possesses some of the key features of the models proposed for CuO. The model consists of Heisenberg couplings between nearest and next-nearest neighbor spins, and biquadratic couplings between nearest neighbors. We use a combination of variational calculations and classical Monte Carlo simulations to study this model at zero and finite temperatures. We show that even a…
We present a low-energy muon-spin-rotation study of the magnetic and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7/PrBa2Cu3O7 trilayer and bilayer heterostructures. By determining the magnetic-field profiles throughout these structures we show that a finite superfluid density can be induced in otherwise semiconducting PrBa2Cu3O7 layers when juxtaposed to YBa2Cu3O7 "electrodes" while the intrinsic antiferromagnetic order is unaffected.
We present the results of x-ray scattering and muon-spin relaxation ($μ^{+}$SR) measurements on the iron-pnictide compound FeCrAs. Polarized non-resonant magnetic x-ray scattering results reveal the 120$^\circ$ periodicity expected from the suggested three-fold symmetric, non-collinear antiferromagnetic structure. $μ^+$SR measurements indicate a magnetically ordered phase throughout the bulk of the material below $T_\mathrm{N}$=105(5) K. There are signs of fluctuating magnetism in a narrow range of temperatures above $T_\mathrm{N}$ involving low-energy excitations, while at temperatures well b…
We present the results of muon-spin spectroscopy ($μ^{+}$SR) measurements on the molecular spin ladder system (Hpip)$_{2}$CuBr$_{4(1-x)}$Cl$_{4x}$, [Hpip=(C$_{5}$H$_{12}$N)]. Using transverse field $μ^{+}$SR we are able to identify characteristic behaviour in each of the regions of the phase diagram of the $x=0$ strong-rung spin ladder system (Hpip)$_{2}$CuBr$_4$. Comparison of our results to those of the dimer-based molecular magnet Cu(pyz)(gly)(ClO$_{4}$) shows several common features. We locate the crossovers in partially disordered (Hpip)$_{2}$CuBr$_{4(1-x)}$Cl$_{4x}$ ($x=0.05$), where a r…
We present the results of a muon-spin relaxation study of GeNi2O4. We provide further clarification of the two transitions to the antiferromagnetic state and measure the magnetic field dependence of the heat capacity up to 14 T. Both oscillatory and relaxing signals are observed below the lower transition (at temperature $T_{N2}) in the muon-decay positron asymmetry spectra, arising from two distinct types of magnetic environment. A possible explanation is suggested in terms of the separate ordering of two magnetic subsystems, one of which does not order fully down to the lowest measured tempe…
We report muon-spin relaxation measurements on SrFeAsF, which is the parent compound of a newly discovered iron-arsenic-fluoride based series of superconducting materials. We find that this material has very similar magnetic properties to LaFeAsO, such as separated magnetic and structural transitions (TN = 120 K, Ts = 175 K), contrasting with SrFe2As2 where they are coincident. The muon oscillation frequencies fall away very sharply at TN, which suggests that the magnetic exchange between the layers is weaker than in comparable oxypnictide compounds. This is consistent with our specific heat m…
The magnetic properties of CuO encompass several contemporary themes in condensed matter physics, including quantum magnetism, magnetic frustration, magnetically-induced ferroelectricity and orbital currents. Here we report polarized and unpolarized neutron inelastic scattering measurements which provide a comprehensive map of the cooperative spin dynamics in the low temperature antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase of CuO throughout much of the Brillouin zone. At high energies ($E \gtrsim 100$\,meV) the spectrum displays continuum features consistent with the des Cloizeax--Pearson dispersion for an i…
Many physical properties of high-temperature (high-Tc) superconductors are two-dimensional phenomena derived from their square planar CuO2 building blocks. This is especially true of the magnetism from the copper ions. As mobile charge carriers enter the CuO2 layers, the antiferromagnetism of the parent insulators, where each copper spin is antiparallel to its nearest neighbours1, evolves into a fluctuating state where the spins show tendencies towards magnetic order of a longer periodicity. For certain charge carrier densities, quantum fluctuations are sufficiently suppressed to yield static …
We report on the muon Knight shift measurement in single crystals of LiV2O4. Contrary to what is anticipated for the heavy-fermion state based on the Kondo mechanism, the presence of inhomogeneous local magnetic moments is demonstrated by the broad distribution of the Knight shift at temperatures well below the presumed "Kondo temperature" ($T^*\simeq 30$ K). Moreover, a significant fraction ($\simeq10$ %) of the specimen gives rise to a second component which is virtually non-magnetic. These observations strongly suggest that the anomalous properties of LiV2O4 originates from frustration of l…
The multiferroic compound CuO exhibits low temperature magnetic properties similar to antiferromagnetic iron oxides, while the electronic properties have much more in common with the high $T_c$ cuprate superconductors. This suggests novel possibilities for the ultrafast optical excitation of magnetism. On the basis on atomistic spin dynamics simulations, we study the effect of phonon-assisted multimagnon absorption and photodoping on the spin dynamics in the vicinity of the first-order phase transition from collinear to spin-spiral magnetic order. Similar as in recent experiments, we find that…
Magnetism and electronic dynamics in $CuCr_{2-x}Sn_xS_4$ spinels studied by transferred hyperfine fields at $^{119}Sn$ and muon spin rotation and relaxation
We report results of a muon spin relaxation study of slow magnetic fluctuations in the pseudogap phase of underdoped single-crystalline YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$, $y = 6.77$ and 6.83. The dependence of the dynamic muon spin relaxation rate on applied magnetic field yields the rms magnitude~$B\mathrm{_{loc}^{rms}}$ and correlation time~$τ_c$ of fluctuating local fields at muon sites. The observed relaxation rates do not decrease with decreasing temperature~$T$ below the pseudogap onset at $T^\ast$, as would be expected for a conventional magnetic transition; both $B\mathrm{_{loc}^{rms}}$ and $τ_…
The Pr-rich end of the alloy series Pr$_{1-x}$Nd$_x$Os$_4$Sb$_{12}$ has been studied using muon spin rotation and relaxation. The end compound PrOs$_4$Sb$_{12}$ is an unconventional heavy-fermion superconductor, which exhibits a spontaneous magnetic field in the superconducting phase associated with broken time-reversal symmetry. No spontaneous field is observed in the Nd-doped alloys for x $>$ 0.05. The superfluid density is insensitive to Nd concentration, and no Nd$^{3+}$ static magnetism is found down to the lowest temperatures of measurement. Together with the slow suppression of the supe…
It is inferred from bulk-sensitive muon Knight shift measurement for a Bi$_{1.76}$Pb$_{0.35}$Sr$_{1.89}$CuO$_{6+δ}$ single-layer cuprate that metal-insulator (MI) transition (in the low temperature limit, $T\rightarrow0$) occurs at the critical hole concentration $p=p_{\rm MI}=0.09(1)$, where the electronic density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level is reduced to zero by the pseudogap irrespective of the Néel order or spin glass magnetism. Superconductivity also appears for $p>p_{\rm MI}$, suggesting that this feature is controlled by the MI transition. More interestingly, the magnitude of the…
We present longitudinal field muon spin relaxation ($μ$SR) measurements in the unilluminated state of the photo-sensitive molecular magnetic Co-Fe Prussian blue analogues M$_{1-2x}$Co$_{1+x}$[Fe(CN)$_6$]$\cdot z$ H$_2$O, where M=K and Rb with $x=0.4$ and $\simeq 0.17$, respectively. These results are compared to those obtained in the $x=0.5$ stoichiometric limit, Co$_{1.5}$[Fe(CN)$_6$]$\cdot 6$ H$_2$O, which is not photo-sensitive. We find evidence for correlation between the range of magnetic ordering and the value of $x$ in the unilluminated state which can be explained using a site percolat…
We present neutron scattering measurements on single crystals of lightly doped $La_{2-x}Ba_{x}CuO_{4}$, with $0 \leq x \leq? 0.035$. These reveal the evolution of the magnetism in this prototypical doped Mott insulator from a three dimensional (3D) commensurate (C) antiferromagnetic ground state, which orders at a relatively high TN, to a two dimensional (2D) incommensurate (IC) ground state with finite ranged static correlations, which appear below a relatively low effective TN. At low temperatures, the 2D IC magnetism co-exists with the 3D C magnetism for doping concentrations as low as ? 0.…
Strong correlation between field-induced antiferromagnetic (AF) order and superconductivity is demonstrated for an electron-doped cuprate superconductor, Pr$_{1-x}$LaCe$_{x}$CuO$_{4-δ}$ (PLCCO). In addition to the specimen with $x=0.11$ (which is close to the AF phase boundary, $x\simeq0.10$), we show that the one with $x=0.15$ ($T_c\simeq16$ K at zero field) also exhibits the field-induced AF order with a reduced magnitude of the induced moment. The uniform muon Knight shift at a low magnetic field ($\sim10^2$ Oe) indicates that the AF order is not localized within the cores of flux lines, wh…
In a recent work devoted to the magnetism of Li$_{2}$CuO$_{2}$, Shu et al. [New J. Phys. 19 (2017) 023026] have proposed a "simplified" unfrustrated microscopic model that differs considerably from the models refined through decades of prior work. We show that the proposed model is at odds with known experimental data, including the reported magnetic susceptibility $χ(T)$ data up to 550~K. Using an 8$^{\rm th}$ order high-temperature expansion for $χ(T)$, we show that the experimental data for Li$_{2}$CuO$_{2}$ are consistent with the prior model derived from inelastic neutron scattering (INS)…
We report muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) measurements of single crystal Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ and Sr(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$. From measurements of the magnetic field penetration depth $λ$ we find that for optimally- and over-doped samples, $1/λ(T\to 0)^2$ varies monotonically with the superconducting transition temperature T$_{\rm C}$. Within the superconducting state we observe a positive shift in the muon precession signal, likely indicating that the applied field induces an internal magnetic field. The size of the induced field decreases with increasing doping but is present for al…
We present resistivity, magnetization, and zero field muon spin relaxation ($μ$SR) data for the pyrochlore iridate materials Nd$_{2-x}$Ca$_{x}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$ ($x = 0, 0.06$, and $0.10$) and Sm$_2$Ir$_2$O$_7$. While Nd$_{2}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$ (Nd227) is weakly conducting, Sm$_{2}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$ (Sm227) has slowly diverging resistivity at low temperature. Nd227 and Sm227 exhibit magnetic anomalies at $T_{M} = 105 K$ and $137 K$, respectively. However, zero-field $μ$SR measurements show that long-range magnetic order of the Ir$^{4+}$ sublattice sets in at much lower temperatures ($T_{LRO} \sim 8 K…
This work reports the synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of the single crystal of a facile spin 1/2 one dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet bis(4-aminopyridinium) bis(oxalato)cuprate(II) dihydrate, (C 5 H 7 N 2 ) 2 [Cu(C 2 O 4 ) 2 ].2H 2 O. Single crystals of large sizes of the title compound were obtained using the technique of liquid-liquid diffusion or layer diffusion with 100 % yield. Single crystal X-ray diffraction measurements revealed a very good quality of the grown single crystals with small value of goodness of fit R obtained at 1.058. The structure comprises corner-sha…
Muon spin relaxation experiments have been performed in the pyrochlore iridate Pr_2Ir_2O_7 for temperatures in the range 0.025-250 K. Kubo-Toyabe relaxation functions are observed up to > 200 K, indicating static magnetism over this temperature range. The T -> 0 static muon spin relaxation rate Delta(0) ~ 8 mus^-1 implies a weak quasistatic moment (~0.1 mu_B). The temperature dependence of Delta is highly non-mean-field-like, decreasing smoothly by orders of magnitude but remaining nonzero below ~150 K. The data rule out ordering of the full Pr^3+ CEF ground-state moment (3.0 mu_B) down to 0.0…
A detailed zero and transverse field (ZF&TF) muon spin rotation (muSR) investigation of magnetism and the magneto-electric coupling in Cu2OSeO3 is reported. An internal magnetic field B_int(T=0) = 85.37(25) mT was found, in agreement with a ferrimagnetic state below Tc = 57.0(1) K. The temperature dependence of the magnetic order parameter is well described by the relation B_int = B(0)(1-(T/Tc)^2)^b with an effective exponent b = 0.39(1) which is close to the critical exponent B ~ 1/3 for a three dimensional (3D) magnetic system. Just above Tc the muon relaxation rate follows the power low λ(T…
The magnetic correlations within the cuprates have undergone intense scrutiny as part of efforts to understand high temperature superconductivity. We explore the evolution of the magnetic correlations along the nodal direction of the Brillouin zone in La2-xSrxCuO4, spanning the doping phase diagram from the anti-ferromagnetic Mott insulator at x = 0 to the metallic phase at x = 0.26. Magnetic excitations along this direction are found to be systematically softened and broadened with doping, at a higher rate than the excitations along the anti-nodal direction. This phenomenology is discussed in…
We report on zero-field muon spin relaxation studies of cerium based heavy-fermion materials CeRh_{1-x}Ir_xIn_5. In the superconducting x=0.75 and 1 compositions muon spin relaxation functions were found to be temperature independent across T_c; no evidence for the presence of electronic magnetic moments was observed. The x=0.5 material is antiferromagnetic below T_N=3.75 K and superconducting below T_c=0.8 K. Muon spin realxation spectra show the gradual onset of damped coherent oscillations characteristic of magnetic order below T_N. At 1.65 K the total oscillating amplitude accounts for at …
Muon spin relaxation ($μ$SR) studies of the "1111" and "122" FeAs systems have detected static magnetism with variably sized ordered moments in their parent compounds. The phase diagrams of FeAs, CuO, organic BEDT, A$_{3}$C$_{60}$ and heavy-fermion systems indicate competition between static magnetism and superconductivity, associated with first-order phase transitions at quantum phase boundaries. In both FeAs and CuO systems, the superfluid density $n_{s}/m^{*}$ at $T \to 0$ exhibits a nearly linear scaling with $T_{c}$. Analogous to the roton-minimum energy scaling with the lambda transition…
We have performed magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, muon spin relaxation, and neutron scattering measurements on three members of the family Ba3MRu2O9, where M = In, Y and Lu. These systems consist of mixed-valence Ru dimers on a triangular lattice with antiferromagnetic interdimer exchange. Although previous work has argued that charge order within the dimers or intradimer double exchange plays an important role in determining the magnetic properties, our results suggest that the dimers are better described as molecular units due to significant orbital hybridization, resulting in one sp…
In $T$*-type cuprate oxides with five oxygen coordination, little is known about the relationship between the spin correlations and dope carriers. We performed $^{139}$La-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrical resistivity measurements on an as-sintered (AS) and oxidation annealed (OA) polycrystalline $T$*-type La$_{0.86}$Eu$_{0.86}$S$_{0.28}$CuO$_4$ (LESCO) to investigate its magnetic and superconducting (SC) properties. Upon cooling, the NMR spectrum of AS LESCO broadened below 3 K, at which the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/T_1$ against the temperature exhibited a maximum,…
A recently-developed molecular field theory (MFT) has been used to fit single-crystal magnetic susceptibility chi versus temperature T data below the respective antiferromagnetic ordering temperatures TN for a variety of collinear and coplanar noncollinear Heisenberg antiferromagnets. The spins in the system are assumed to interact by Heisenberg exchange and to be identical and crystallographically equivalent. The fitting parameters for chi(T) of collinear antiferromagnets are measurable quantities: the Weiss temperature theta_p in the Curie-Weiss law, TN, chi(TN), and the spin S. For coplanar…
The magnetic ground states of the isostructural double perovskites Ba$_2$NaOsO$_6$ and Ba$_2$LiOsO$_6$ are investigated with muon-spin rotation. In Ba$_2$NaOsO$_6$ long-range magnetic order is detected via the onset of a spontaneous muon-spin precession signal below $T_{\mathrm{c}}=7.2\pm 0.2\;\mathrm{K}$, while in Ba$_2$LiOsO$_6$ a static but spatially-disordered internal field is found below 8 K. A novel probabilistic argument is used to show from the observed precession frequencies that the magnetic ground state in Ba$_2$NaOsO$_6$ is most likely to be low-moment ($\approx 0.2$\,$μ_{\rm B}$)…