Engineering topics

Pecharsky, V K

Publications and source records attributed to Pecharsky, V K.

8 records

DOE OSTI2014

On the magnetic order of Gd{sub 5}Ge{sub 3}

We have investigated the magnetic structure of Gd{sub 5}Ge{sub 3} by neutron powder diffraction down to 3.6 K. This compound presents three events in the heat capacity which we show are related to fundamental changes in the magnetic order. The primary antiferromagnetic ordering occurs at 82(2) K and produces a magnetic cell that is tripled with respect to the underlying orthorhombic crystal cell. The propagation vector is k{sub 1}=[0 0 1/3 ]. At 74(2) K, the magnetic order becomes “anti-C” with a propagation vector k{sub 2} = [1 0 0]. A third change in the magnetic order occurs at 40(2) K, and the new magnetic structure is essentially the “anti-C” structure but with the addition of a tripled magnetic component corresponding to a propagation vector k{sub 3} = [1/3 0 0].

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2014

In situ X-ray powder diffraction study of Ho{sub 5}Ge{sub 4}

In Ho{sub 5}Ge{sub 4} the magnetostructural transition (MST) from high temperature paramagnetic Sm{sub 5}Ge{sub 4}-type (O-II type) orthorhombic structure to a new low temperature antiferromagnetic (AFM) monoclinic structure (Mβ-structure; the distortion occurs in the ac-plane) results in discontinuities of 400, 400, and 300 ppm along a, b, and c axes, respectively. During MST the unit cell volume exhibits discontinuity of 1000 ppm, and changes in both inter and intra slab bonds are less than 2%. In the AFM state the application of 35 kOe magnetic field leads to a partial reconstruction of the high temperature O-II structure, which is accompanied with a large magnetostriction. The strain energy associated with magnetostriction effects leads to an incomplete field driven MST in the magnetically ordered state.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2014

Growth and characterization of Pt-protected Gd{sub 5}Si{sub 4} thin films

Successful growth and characterization of thin films of giant magnetocaloric Gd{sub 5}(Si{sub x}Ge{sub 1−x}){sub 4} were reported in the literature with limited success. The inherent difficulty in producing this complex material makes it difficult to characterize all the phases present in the thin films of this material. Therefore, thin film of binary compound of Gd{sub 5}Si{sub 4} was deposited by pulsed laser deposition. It was then covered with platinum on the top of the film to protect against any oxidation when the film was exposed to ambient conditions. The average film thickness was measured to be approximately 350 nm using a scanning electron microscopy, and the composition of the film was analyzed using energy dispersive spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates the presence of Gd{sub 5}Si{sub 4} orthorhombic structure along with Gd{sub 5}Si{sub 3} secondary phase. The transition temperature of the film was determined from magnetic moment vs. temperature measurement. The transition temperature was between 320 and 345 K which is close to the transition temperature of the bulk material. Magnetic moment vs. magnetic field measurement confirmed that the film was ferromagnetic below 342 K.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2014

Electronic structure, magnetic properties, and magnetostructural transformations in rare earth dialuminides

We report electronic structure, magnetic properties, and magnetostructural transformations of selected rare earth dialuminides calculated by using local spin density approximation (LSDA), including the Hubbard U parameter (LSDA + U) approach. Total energy calculations show that CeAl{sub 2} and EuAl{sub 2} adopt antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground states, while dialuminides formed by other magnetic lanthanides have ferromagnetic (FM) ground states. The comparison of theoretical and experimental magnetic moments of CeAl{sub 2} indicates that the 4f orbital moment of Ce in CeAl{sub 2} is quenched. Theoretical calculations confirm that Eu in EuAl{sub 2} and Yb in YbAl{sub 2} are divalent. PrAl{sub 2} exhibits a tetragonal distortion near FM transition. HoAl{sub 2} shows a first order magnetostructural transition while DyAl{sub 2} shows a second order transformation below magnetic transition. The dialuminides formed by Nd, Tb, and Er are simple ferromagnets without additional anomalies in the FM state.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2012

Crystal structure of Tb5Ni2In4 and Y5Ni2In4, and magnetic properties of Dy5Ni2In4

The crystal structure of the R5Ni2In4 intermetallic compounds was earlier reported for R Ho, Er, Tm, and Lu (Lu5Ni2In4-type, oP22, Pbam); more recently the isostructural phases Dy5Ni2In4 and Sc5Ni2In4 have also been identified. Three inequivalent crystallographic sites are occupied by the R atoms in these compounds. We have synthesized and characterized Dy5Ni2In4 and the two new isotypic compounds Tb5Ni2In4 and Y5Ni2In4. So far, none of the physical properties have been reported on any of these phases; in this article we report on the physical properties of the Dy5Ni2In4 and the crystal structure of Tb5Ni2In4 and Y5Ni2In4 compounds. Measurements of the magnetic properties performed on Dy5Ni2In4 show a ferromagnetic-like ordering with a T-C approximate to 105 K, followed by multiple magnetic orderings at lower temperatures. The fit of the inverse susceptibility in the paramagnetic state follows the Curie-Weiss law, where mu(eff). - 10.3 mu(B)/Dy-atom (close to theoretical value of 10.64 mu(B) for the free ion Dy3+) and a positive paramagnetic Curie temperature theta(p) - 58 K. Ni atoms are most likely to be nonmagnetic. The heat capacity also shows three peaks: a large one at 103K and two weaker at 12 and 8 K, respectively; the in-field heat capacity data corroborate these results, suggesting ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic orderings at the temperature of 103 and 12 K, respectively. Low temperature x-ray diffraction has shown that the compound does not undergo any structural change down to 5K. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2011

The role of demagnetization factor in determining the ‘true’ value of the Curie temperature

The Curie temperature, T{sub c}, is the temperature above which a material loses its long-range ferromagnetic order. Considering the equation of state of a ferromagnet in the mean-field approximation it has been shown theoretically that the value of the demagnetization factor N has a significant influence on the perceived location of T{sub c} on the temperature scale. A series of precise measurements of magnetization using two differently shaped single crystals of high-purity gadolinium was carried out to prove this result experimentally and develop a procedure leading to the 'true' value of T{sub c}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2011

Use of Stevens coefficients for the prediction of magnetic transitions in pseudobinary R1-xRx'Al2 alloys: Application to Tm1-xTbxAl2

Recent heat-capacity and low-field magnetic susceptibility measurements revealed unusual magnetic phenomena occurring in Er{sub 1-x}R{sub x}Al{sub 2} systems (where R = Dy,Tb) in the vicinity of a 'magic' concentration of x = 0.25. Empirically, such behavior was attributed to different shapes of the 4f charge densities of the R{sup 3+} ions, which are represented by the opposite signs of the second-order Stevens factors. Here we show that by using both the signs and magnitudes of the second-order Stevens factors, magnetic transitions can be predicted in a broader range of pseudobinary R{sub 1-x}R'{sub x}Al{sub 2} alloys, where R and R' are rare-earth metals that have opposite signs of second-order Stevens factors. The predictions have been verified using the Tm{sub 1-x}Tb{sub x}Al{sub 2} system as a model using x-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, and heat-capacity measurements. First-principles calculations have also been performed to explore the behavior of the density of states near the Fermi level.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2010

Magnetic structure of Gd[subscript 5]Ge[subscript 4]

Gd{sub 5}Ge{sub 4} crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma, and orders antiferromagnetically below the Neel temperature T{sub N} {approx} 127 K. We have employed x-ray resonant magnetic scattering to elucidate the details of the magnetic structure. The magnetic unit cell is the same as the chemical unit cell. From azimuth scans and the Q dependence of the magnetic scattering, all three Gd sites in the structure were determined to be in the same magnetic space group Pnma. The magnetic moments are primarily aligned along the c axis and the c components of the magnetic moments at the three different sites are equal. The ferromagnetic Gd-rich slabs are stacked antiferromagnetically along the b direction.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗