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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Influence of temperature, doping, and amorphization on the electronic structure and magnetic damping of iron

Hybrid magnonic quantum systems have drawn increased attention in recent years for coherent quantum information processing, but too large magnetic damping is a persistent concern when metallic magnets are used. Their intrinsic damping is largely determined by electron-magnon scattering induced by spin-orbit interactions. In the low scattering limit, damping is dominated by intra-band electronic transitions, which has been theoretically shown to be proportional to the electronic density of states at the Fermi level. In this work, we focus on body-centered-cubic iron as a paradigmatic ferromagnetic material. We comprehensively study its electronic structure using first-principles density functional theory simulations and account for finite lattice temperature, boron (B) doping, and structure amorphization. Our results indicate that temperature induced atomic disorder and amorphous atomic geometries only have a minor influence. Instead, boron doping noticeably decreases the density of states near the Fermi level with an optimal doping level of 6.25%. In addition, we show that this reduction varies significantly for different atomic geometries and report that the highest reduction correlates with a large magnetization of the material. Furthermore, this may suggest materials growth under external magnetic fields as a route to explore in experiment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of V2CoAl: Experimental and computational study

Here, we present results of combined experimental and computations study of V2CoAl, a Heusler alloy that exhibits nearly perfect spin-polarization. Our calculations indicate that this material maintains a high degree of spin-polarization (over 90%) in the wide range of lattice parameters, except at the largest considered unit cell volume. The magnetic alignment of V2CoAl is ferrimagnetic, due to the antialignment of the magnetic moments of vanadium atoms in their two sublattices. The calculated total magnetic moment per formula unit is nearly integer at the optimal lattice parameter and at the smaller volumes of the unit cell, but it deviated from the integer values as the unit cell expands. This is consistent with the calculated variation in the degree of spin polarization with lattice constant. The expected ferrimagnetic behavior has been observed in the arc-melted V2CoAl sample, with a Curie temperature of about 80 K. However, the saturation magnetization is significantly smaller than the theoretical prediction of ∼2 μB/f.u., most likely due to the observed B2-type atomic disorder. The samples exhibit metallic electron transport across the measurement range of 2 K to 300 K.

Kharel, Parashu (ORCID:0000000171330718)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Collinear antiferromagnetic order in a quasi-two-dimensional triangular lattice compound DyNiAl 4 Ge 2

The two-dimensional magnetic triangular lattice, with rare-earth local moments coupled through long-range interactions and hosting strong spin-orbit coupling, serves as an ideal platform for exploring novel quantum phenomena. Here, we report the physical properties of DyNiAl 4 Ge 2 single crystals through comprehensive structural, magnetic, heat capacity, electrical transport, and neutron powder diffraction measurements. DyNiAl 4 Ge 2 crystallizes in a trigonal lattice with the space group $R\bar{3}m$, where Dy atoms form two-dimensional triangular lattice layers within the 𝑎𝑏 plane and stack along the 𝑐 axis. Magnetic susceptibility measurement reveals a magnetic phase transition at 𝑇 𝑁 = 9.0 K, further confirmed by the 𝜆-shaped peak in the heat capacity curve. The obtained temperature-magnetic field phase diagram is relatively simple compared to other isostructural compounds, suggesting the absence of magnetic frustration. This is further evidenced by neutron powder diffraction, which shows a collinear antiferromagnetic ground state with a propagation vector 𝒌 = (0, 0, 1.5), implying the absence of magnetic frustration in DyNiAl 4 Ge 2 . In this magnetic structure, Dy moments are aligned ferromagnetically within each triangular layer and arranged antiferromagnetically between adjacent layers along the 𝑐 axis. In conclusion, our results establish DyNiAl 4 Ge 2 as a model system for understanding the interplay between RKKY interaction and geometrical frustration in this family of compounds.

Wu, HengHeng [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), S↗
DOE OSTI2021

The First Neptunium Dioxide Neutron Diffraction Experiment at HFIR

Here we present the first neutron diffraction experiment of a 50 mg sample of neptunium(IV) dioxide (NpO 2 ) powder at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) using the wide-angle neutron diffractometer (WAND 2 ) HB-2C. We also provide a brief literature survey to pinpoint gaps in the crystal, electronic, and magnetic structure of NpO 2 to determine the optimum experiment to be pursued in the next HFIR user proposal cycle. Characterizing actinide materials with neutron diffraction, inelastic scattering, neutron imaging, polarized neutron studies, and small-angle neutron scattering techniques will increase our understanding of 5f electron behavior and elucidate atomic and magnetic structural properties. This strategy will help fill gaps in the literature and provide theoretical physicists with the data needed to build physical and chemical models to guide and validate computational methods. These methods may be used for predicting structural and chemical features of actinide-based materials. This proof-of-principle effort begins to uncover how to advance actinide science and technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) using neutron capabilities. This effort has already sparked collaborative discussions between researchers outside the Radioisotope Science and Technology Division, including theoretical physicists from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division and beamline scientists in the Neutron Scattering Division. We intend to continue pursuing neutron experiments and develop a scientific strategy focused on studying transuranium elements (e.g., Np, Pu, Am, and Cm) using the advanced neutron capabilities at ORNL.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

63,65 Cu NMR study of the magnetically ordered state of the multiferroic CuFeO 2

In this work, field-swept 63,65 Cu NMR spectra under magnetic fields up to 8.3 T at a constant NMR frequency and temperatures T < 12 K on a single crystalline sample of multiferroic CuFeO 2 were measured and analyzed. When the magnetic field is applied along the c axis, a nearly zero internal magnetic field at the Cu site in magnetic ordered state was observed. This is explained by the perfect cancellation of the internal fields produced by the 6 nearest neighbor Fe 3+ ( S = 5/2) ions, revealing the magnetic structure to be a collinear four-sublattice structure. On the other hand, when the magnetic field is applied along the ab plane, we observed a finite internal field at the Cu sites, which is due to the canting of the Fe moments. Strong change in the NMR signal intensity is observed around 7–8 T, corresponding to the magnetic phase transition from the collinear magnetic to ferroelectric incommensurate states. The ratio of the two magnetic phases significantly depends on the history of the change in the external magnetic field and the temperature of the sample. The details of history dependence of the ratio were discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Planar Collisionless Shock Simulations with the Semi-implicit Particle-in-cell Model FLEKS

This study investigates the applicability of the semi-implicit particle-in-cell code FLexible Exascale Kinetic Simulator (FLEKS) to heliospheric shock simulations. We examine one- and two-dimensional local planar shock simulations, initialized using MHD states with upstream conditions representative of plasmas in the hypersonic, β ∼ 1 regime, for both quasi-perpendicular and quasi-parallel configurations. The refined algorithm in FLEKS proves robust, enabling accurate shock simulations with a grid resolution on the order of the electron inertial length d e . Our simulations successfully capture key shock features, including shock structures (foot, ramp, overshoot, and undershoot), upstream and downstream waves (fast magnetosonic, whistler, Alfvén ion-cyclotron, and mirror modes), and non-Maxwellian particle distributions. Crucially, we find that at least two spatial dimensions are critical for accurately reproducing downstream-wave physics in quasi-perpendicular shocks and capturing the complex dynamics of quasi-parallel shocks, including surface rippling, shocklets, short, large-amplitude magnetic structures, magnetic reconnection, and jets. Furthermore, our parameter studies demonstrate the impact of mass ratio and grid resolution on shock physics. This work provides valuable guidance for selecting appropriate physical and numerical parameters for shock simulations using a semi-implicit PIC method, paving the way for incorporating kinetic shock processes into large-scale collisionless plasma simulations with the MHD-AEPIC model.

plasma astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Chiral properties of the zero-field spiral state and field-induced magnetic phases of the itinerant kagome metal YMn 6 Sn 6

Applying a magnetic field in the hexagonal plane of YMn 6 Sn 6 leads to a complex magnetic phase diagram of commensurate and incommensurate phases, one of which coexists with the topological Hall effect (THE) generated by a unique fluctuation-driven mechanism. Using unpolarized neutron diffraction, we report on the solved magnetic structure for two previously identified, but unknown, commensurate phases. These include a low-temperature, high-field fanlike phase and a room-temperature, low-field canted antiferromagnetic phase. Here, an intermediate incommensurate phase between the fanlike and forced ferromagnetic phases is also identified as the last known phase of the in-plane field-temperature diagram. Additional characterization using synchrotron powder diffraction reveals extremely high-quality, single-phase crystals, which suggests that the presence of two incommensurate magnetic structures throughout much of the phase diagram is an intrinsic property of the system. Interestingly, polarized neutron diffraction shows that the centrosymmetric system hosts preferential chirality in the zero-field double-flat-spiral phase, which, along with the THE, is a topologically nontrivial characteristic.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Structures and Magnetic Properties of K 2 Pd 4 U 6 S 17 , K 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , Rb 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , and Cs 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 Synthesized Using the Boron–Chalcogen Mixture Method

A series of A 2 M 4 U 6 S 17 (A = Alkali metal, M = Pd or Pt) compounds, specifically K 2 Pd 4 U 6 S 17 , K 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , Rb 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , and Cs 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , were synthesized using the combined Boron-Chalcogen Mixture (BCM) and molten flux crystal growth methods. The formation of the Rb- and Cs- containing analogues resulted from the in-situ alkali polysulfide flux formation formed from the alkali carbonates. The successful synthesis of single crystals of the title compounds allowed for their structural characterization by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure determination revealed disorder of the alkali cations in Rb 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , and Cs 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , while the potassium cations in K 2 Pd 4 U 6 S 17 and K 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 were fully ordered. Here, magnetic measurements were performed on samples of K 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , Rb 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , and Cs 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 that contained small amounts of paramagnetic β-US 2 and diamagnetic PtS. Antiferromagnetic order is observed at T N = 9.1 K for K 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 . No long-range magnetic order was observed for Rb 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 and Cs 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 . Uranium moments of 2.5, 2.6, and 2.6 μB were measured for K 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , Rb 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , and Cs 2 Pt 4 U 6 S 17 , respectively.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Magnetic and electronic structures of antiferromagnetic topological material candidate EuMg 2 Bi 2

In this work, EuMg 2 Bi 2 has been investigated to understand the electronic and magnetic behaviors as an antiferromagnetic (AFM) topological semimetal candidate. High-quality single crystals of EuMg 2 Bi 2 were grown via a Bi flux and, subsequently, characterized to be consistent with the previously reported bulk magnetic and resistivity properties. A ferromagnetic interaction is indicated by the positive Curie–Weiss temperature obtained through fitting the bulk magnetic susceptibility data. The bulk resistivity measurements reveal an interesting electronic behavior that is potentially influenced by a competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interaction in and out of the ab plane. From the resulting refinement of the neutron diffraction data, EuMg 2 Bi 2 was found to exhibit an A-type magnetic structure with Eu 2+ moments ferromagnetically aligned in the plane and antiferromagnetically stacked between neighbor ferromagnetic Eu layers. The power law fitting magnetic ordering parameter below TN~8 K agrees with the 2D Heisenberg model, indicating a weak interlayer antiferromagnetic interaction. Considering the magnetic structure determined by neutron diffraction, the surface state calculation suggests that EuMg 2 Bi 2 is an AFM topological insulator candidate. Linearly dispersed Dirac surface states were also observed in our angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, consistent with the calculation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Iron-Based Chalcogenide Spin Ladder BaFe2 X 3 (X = Se,S)

The relevance of magnetic, structural, orbital, and charge degrees of freedom in the iron-based superconductors (FeSCs) and related materials occupies a central focus in condensed matter physics. While the majority of iron-based materials exhibit the same two-dimensional iron square lattice structural motif, a family of AFe2X3 (X = Se,S) compounds introduces a quasi-one-dimensional (1D) ladder motif, which resembles the two-legged spin ladder copper oxide materials. Furthermore, unlike most parent compounds of FeSCs, the members of this spin ladder family are insulators. Recently, a superconducting transition has been observed under pressure with Tc up to 24 K, similar to the pressure-induced superconductivity in the copper oxide ladder Sr14-xCaxCu24O41 material, stimulating much interest. Here, we review the magnetic, structural, and electronic properties in this family, particularly in the BaFe2X3 series tuned by pressure and by chemical substitution. The established pressure-temperature (P-T) and carrier concentration-temperature (x-T) phase diagrams in related materials provide useful information to extend the variety of high-temperature superconductors and compare with other FeSCs. We also review some essential information about analogous square lattice FeSCs.

Wu, S↗
DOE OSTI2022

Anticollinear order and degeneracy lifting in square lattice antiferromagnet LaSrCrO 4

In this work, we report the static and dynamic magnetic properties of LaSrCrO 4 , a seemingly canonical spin-3/2 square-lattice antiferromagnet that exhibits frustration between magnetic layers—owing to their AB stacking—and offers a rare testbed to investigate accidental-degeneracy lifting in magnetism. Neutron diffraction experiments on single-crystal samples uncover a remarkable anticollinear magnetic order below T N = 170 K characterized by a Néel arrangement of the spins within each layer and an orthogonal arrangement between adjacent layers. To understand the origin of this unusual magnetic structure, we analyze the spin-wave excitation spectrum by means of inelastic neutron scattering and bulk measurements. A spectral gap of 0.5 meV, along with a spin-flop transition at 3.2 T, reflect the energy scale associated with the degeneracy-lifting. A minimal model to explain these observations requires both a positive biquadratic interlayer exchange and dipolar interactions, both of which are on the order of 10 –4 meV, only a few parts per million of the dominant exchange interaction J 1 ≈11 meV. These results provide direct evidence for the selection of a noncollinear magnetic structure by the combined effect of two distinct degeneracy lifting interactions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evidence for flare-accelerated particles in large scale loops in the behind-the-limb gamma-ray solar flare of September 29, 2022

We report on the detection of the gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV from the solar flare of September 29, 2022, by Fermi LAT with simultaneous coverage in HXR by Solar Orbiter STIX. The Solar Orbiter-Earth separation was 178° at the time of the flare as seen from Earth, with Solar Orbiter observing the east limb. Based on STIX imaging, the flare was located 16° behind the eastern limb as seen from Earth. The STIX and GBM non-thermal emission and the LAT emission above 100 MeV all show similarly shaped time profiles, and the Fermi profiles peaked only 20 s after the STIX signal from the main flare site, setting this flare apart from all the other occulted flares observed by Fermi LAT. The radio spectral imaging based on the Nançay Radioheliograph and ORFEES spectrograph reveal geometries consistent with a magnetic structure that connects the parent active region behind the limb to the visible disk. We studied the basic characteristics of the gamma-ray time profile, in particular, the rise and decay times and the time delay between the gamma-ray and HXR peak fluxes. We compared the characteristics of this event with those of four Fermi LAT behind-the-limb flares and with an on-disk event and found that this event is strikingly similar to the impulsive on-disk flare. Based on multiwavelength observations, we find that the gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV originated from ions accelerated in the parent active region behind the limb and was transported to the visible disk via a large magnetic structure connected to the parent active region behind the limb. Our results strongly suggest that the source of the emission above 100 MeV from the September 29, 2022 flare cannot be the CME-driven shock.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Complex magnetic order in the decorated spin-chain system Rb 2 Mn 3 ( MoO 4 ) 3 ( OH ) 2

The macroscopic magnetic properties and microscopic magnetic structure of Rb 2 Mn 3 (MoO 4 ) 3 (OH) 2 (space group Pn ma) are investigated by magnetization, heat capacity, and single-crystal neutron diffraction measurements. The compound's crystal structure contains bond-alternating [Mn 3 O 11 ] ∞ chains along the b axis, formed by isosceles triangles of Mn ions occupying two crystallographically nonequivalent sites (the Mn1 site on the base and Mn2 site on the vertex). These chains are only weakly linked to each other by nonmagnetic oxyanions. Both superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry and neutron diffraction experiments show two successive magnetic transitions as a function of temperature. On cooling, it transitions from a paramagnetic phase into an incommensurate phase below 4.5 K with a magnetic wave vector near k 1 = ( 0 , 0.46 , 0 ). An additional commensurate antiferromagnetically ordered component arises with k 2 = ( 0, 0, 0), forming a complex magnetic structure below 3.5 K with two different propagation vectors of different stars. On further cooling, the incommensurate wave vector undergoes a lock-in transition below 2.3 K. The experimental results suggest that the magnetic superspace group is Pnma. 1' (0b0) s0ss for the single- k incommensurate phase and is Pn' m a ( 0 b 0 ) 00 s for the two- k magnetic phase. We propose a simplified magnetic structure model taking into account the major ordered contributions, where the commensurate k 2 defines the ordering of the c-axis component of the Mn1 magnetic moment, while the incommensurate k 1 describes the ordering of the ab -plane components of both Mn1 and Mn2 moments into elliptical cycloids.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Assessment of exchange-correlation functionals on oxygen vacancy formation energies of metal oxides

Oxygen vacancies are a common defect in oxides and play vital roles in many technological applications such as oxygen separation, catalytic reactors, solid oxide fuel cells, and solar thermochemical water splitting. The oxygen vacancy formation energy is directly related to the oxide reduction enthalpy and the vacancy concentration and, therefore, is a key quantity underlying these applications. The complexity of measuring oxygen vacancy formation energies experimentally suggests the utility of calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). However, the calculated results are strongly dependent on the exchange-correlation functionals and other parameters such as the Hubbard U . In this work, we compare the performance of the meta-GGA strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) functional and the commonly used semilocal generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functionals with experimental values of structural parameters, band gaps, magnetic structures, and oxygen vacancy formation energies for six representative oxides, i.e., CaMnO 3 , SrMnO 3 , LaMnO 3 , YMnO 3 , LaFeO 3 , and CeO 2 . Further, our results show that SCAN usually has better agreement with the experimental lattice constants and band gaps and larger magnetic moments than the commonly used GGA functionals. Although SCAN overestimates the oxygen vacancy formation energies of transition metal oxides and therefore requires unusually large Hubbard U values to reproduce the experimental reduction enthalpies, it does predict the correct oxygen vacancy formation energy of CeO 2 , which challenges the commonly used GGA and hybrid functionals. Our results underscore the challenges that exist in describing these complex oxides by DFT and may shed light on developing more accurate exchange-correlation functionals for oxygen vacancy formation energy calculations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Exploring superconductivity at the edge of magnetic or structural instabilities

Modern research of condensed matters devotes in understanding how properties of complex solids are determined by their structural and electronic degrees of freedom. In the last decade, the discovery of Fe-based high-temperature superconductors as well as the discovery of protected surface state in bulk materials arising from the non-trivial topological electronic structures have brought revolutionary breakthroughs, advancing our understanding of the interplay of structure, band topology, spin and charge degrees of freedom to a new level. Despite the exciting progresses, significant materials challenges remain. To address such challenges, our research funded by this award focuses on the design, synthesis and property characterization of two types of quantum materials. One is quasi-two-dimensional materials with structural/magnetic instability, the other is topological materials, especially the “ideal” ones where only minimum non-trivial bands exist at the Fermi level. The objective of our research is to design quantum materials that lie at the edge of structural/magnetic instabilities as well as the ones with non-trivial band topology, aiming at the discovery of quantum materials with emergent phenomena and the in-depth understanding of the entanglement of band topology and various degrees of freedoms through thermodynamic, transport, X-ray, and neutron measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Induced Ferromagnetism in Epitaxial Uranium Dioxide Thin Films

Abstract Actinide materials have various applications that range from nuclear energy to quantum computing. Most current efforts have focused on bulk actinide materials. Tuning functional properties by using strain engineering in epitaxial thin films is largely lacking. Using uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) as a model system, in this work, the authors explore strain engineering in actinide epitaxial thin films and investigate the origin of induced ferromagnetism in an antiferromagnet UO 2 . It is found that UO 2+ x thin films are hypostoichiometric ( x <0) with in‐plane tensile strain, while they are hyperstoichiometric ( x >0) with in‐plane compressive strain. Different from strain engineering in non‐actinide oxide thin films, the epitaxial strain in UO 2 is accommodated by point defects such as vacancies and interstitials due to the low formation energy. Both epitaxial strain and strain relaxation induced point defects such as oxygen/uranium vacancies and oxygen/uranium interstitials can distort magnetic structure and result in magnetic moments. This work reveals the correlation among strain, point defects and ferromagnetism in strain engineered UO 2+ x thin films and the results offer new opportunities to understand the influence of coupled order parameters on the emergent properties of many other actinide thin films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of CrMnSb 0.5 Si 0.5

Half-metallic Heusler compounds are among the most actively studied materials for applications in spin-based devices. Largely, this is due to their higher Curie temperature compared with the other half-metallic compounds, and relative ease of fabrication. Here we theoretically study one such Heusler alloy CrMnSb 0.5 Si 0.5 . In particular, we demonstrate a potential stability of this compound by estimating its formation energy, its half-metallic electronic structure (stable under a considered range of biaxial strain), and ferrimagnetic alignment. The calculated Curie temperature of this material is 787 K, much higher than room temperature. At the same time, we have shown that in thin-film geometry the spin-polarization of this material is strongly reduced due to the emergence of surface states in the minority-spin energy gap. In addition, one of the considered termination surfaces is thermodynamically unstable, while the other is stable. Here, the presented results may be useful for researchers working on practical applications in the field of spintronics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗