Search NASASearch

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “FERROMAGNETISM”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3

Spin and lattice dynamics of the two-dimensional van der Waals ferromagnet CrI3

Chromium tri-iodide (CrI 3 ) is a prototypical ferromagnetic van der Waals insulator with its genuinely two-dimensional (2D) long-range magnetic order below 45 K demonstrated recently. The underlying magnetic anisotropy has not been completely understood while both the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction and the Kitaev—Γ type interaction have been considered as the relevant magnetic Hamiltonian. In addition, the relation between the crystal structure and the magnetic order needs to be further elucidated concerning their possible coupling in few-layer samples and in the topmost surface layers of bulk samples. Here, we investigate these issues via temperature- and magnetic field-dependent terahertz spectroscopy on bulk CrI 3 single crystals, focusing on the dynamics of ferromagnetic resonances (FMRs) and optical phonons in the terahertz (THz) region from 4 to 120 cm -1 (from 0.5 to 15 meV). We narrow down the possible ranges of the interaction parameters such as the off-diagonal symmetric terms and the single-ion anisotropy. The accurate values of these parameters significantly constrain the magnitude of possible Kitaev—Γ exchange interaction and the topological magnon gap. Moreover, the structure-magnetism relationship was critically analyzed based on the temperature- and field-dependences of two E u in-plane optical phonon modes, which shows that the commonly believed structural phase diagram of CrI 3 , derived from surface-preferential data, has to be seriously modified.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Interacting Dirac magnons in the van der Waals ferromagnet CrBr 3

We study the effects of magnon-magnon interactions in the two-dimensional van der Waals ferromagnet CrBr 3 focusing on its honeycomb lattice structure. Motivated by earlier theoretical predictions of temperature-induced spectral shifts and van Hove singularities in the magnon dispersion [S. S. Pershoguba et al., Phys. Rev. X 8, 011010 (2018)], we go beyond the commonly used thermal magnon approximation by applying second-order perturbation theory in a fully numerical framework. Our analysis uncovers significant deviations from previous analysis: in particular, the predicted singularities are absent, consistent with recent inelastic neutron scattering measurements [S. E. Nikitin et al ., Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 127201 (2022)]. Moreover, we find that the temperature dependence of the renormalized magnon spectrum exhibits a distinct 𝑇 3 behavior for the optical magnon branch, while retaining 𝑇 2 behavior for the acoustic or down magnon band. This feature sheds light on the collective dynamics of Dirac magnons and their interactions. We further compare the honeycomb case with a triangular Bravais lattice, relevant for ferromagnetic monolayer MnBi 2 ⁢Te 4 , and show that both systems lack singular features while displaying quite distinct thermal trends.

Holstein-Primakoff method

Gallery of soft modes: Theory and experiment at a ferromagnetic quantum phase transition

We examine the low-energy excitations in the vicinity of the quantum critical point in LiHoF4, a physical realization of the Transverse Field Ising Model, focusing on the long-range fluctuations which soften to zero energy at the ferromagnetic quantum phase transition. Microwave spectroscopy in tunable loop-gap resonator structures identifies and characterizes the electronuclear soft mode and higher-energy electronuclear states as a function of frequency and magnetic fields applied transverse and parallel to the Ising axis. These are understood in the context of a theoretical model of a soft electronuclear mode that interacts with soft photons as well as soft phonons. We identify competing infrared divergences at the quantum critical point, coming from the photons and the electronuclear soft mode. It is an incomplete cancellation of these divergences that leads to the muted but distinct signatures observed in the experiments. The application of a longitudinal magnetic field gaps the soft mode. As a result, measurements well away from the quantum critical point reveal a set of "Walker'' modes associated with ferromagnetic domain dynamics.

Dipolar interaction

The Evolution of Magnetism in a Thin Film Pyrochlore Ferromagnetic Insulator

The pyrochlore vanadates are compelling candidates for next-generation dissipationless devices. Lu 2 V 2 O 7 and Y 2 V 2 O 7 are ferromagnetic insulators (T c ~ 70 K) that are believed to exhibit the magnon Hall effect and are expected to host topological magnons. Their completely dissipationless magnon edge states could be harnessed to realize low-power information transport in spintronic or magnonic devices. As a crucial step in the realization of devices, we synthesize the first thin films of pyrochlore Y 2 V 2 O 7 on isostructural Y 2 V 2 O 7 substrates and explore the evolution of their magnetic properties down to the ultrathin limit. All films are insulating ferromagnets with transition temperatures of up to the bulk value (T c ~ 68 K) that decrease with thickness according to finite-size effects. Our films also exhibit a change in anisotropy from in-plane to out-of-plane easy axis coincident with the development of partial strain relaxation and nonzero magnetic hysteresis in an applied field. Furthermore, this evolution demonstrates the impact of strain on magnetic anisotropy and paves the way to tunable magnon topology.

Anderson, Margaret A. [Harvard University, Cambrid

Ferromagnetic Atomic d ‐ p Orbital Hybridization for Promoting Al‐S Batteries

Rechargeable aluminum‐sulfur batteries (Al‐S) are emerging as a promising alternative energy storage system beyond lithium‐ion batteries due to their high energy density, abundant material resources, and economic efficiency. However, their practical application remains challenged by sluggish conversion kinetics, polysulfide shuttling, and low sulfur cathode utilization. While extensive studies have focused on enhancing polysulfide adsorption through catalytic strategies, the roles of electronic structure in dictating catalytic performance remain underexplored. Here, this work unveils the critical effect of unpaired electronic structure on the catalytic performance of single atom ferromagnetic transition metals through a systematic evaluation of three typical atomically dispersed ferromagnetic single atoms—Fe, Co, and Ni—supported on porous carbon (denoted as PC‐SAFAs). Comprehensive characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the PC‐SAFe catalysts, exhibiting the highest spin polarization arising from unpaired electrons, demonstrate the strongest interactions with polysulfide, thereby facilitating rapid and reversible polysulfide conversion reactions. Consequently, Al‐S batteries incorporating the optimized PC‐SAFe cathode achieve an impressive specific capacity of 508.8 mAh g −1 at 1.0 A g −1 after 500 cycles, along with much improved rate capability. In conclusion, this work provides a deeper understanding of the role of electronic structure in catalytic chemistry, and offers new insights for developing high‐performance Al‐S batteries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Electric‐Field‐Driven Reversal of Ferromagnetism in (110)‐Oriented, Single Phase, Multiferroic Co‐Substituted BiFeO 3 Thin Films

Abstract While multiferroic materials are attractive systems for the promise of ultra‐low‐power‐consumption computational technologies, electric‐field‐induced magnetization reversal is a key challenge for realizing devices at scale. Though significant research efforts have been working toward the realization of a material which couples ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism, there are few, even composite, systems which are practical for device scale applications at room temperature. Co‐substituted multiferroic BiFe 0.9 Co 0.1 O 3 is a promising candidate system, due to coupled ferroelectricity and weak ferromagnetism at room temperature. Here, it is theoretically indicated that the ferroic orders in this material are statically coupled, where an in‐plane 109° ferroelectric switching event can result in the reversal of this out‐of‐plane component of magnetization, and the electric field‐induced magnetization reversal is experimentally observed. Such an in‐plane poling configuration is particularly desirable for device applications.

Chemistry

Noncentrosymmetric Nowotny Chimney Ladder Ferromagnet Cr 4 Ge 7 with a High Curie Temperature of ~207 K

Noncentrosymmetric magnets usually host intriguing magnetic interactions inherent in the crystal structure with broken inversion symmetry, which can give rise to rich magnetic behaviors. Here, we report herein the high-pressure synthesis, crystal structure, magnetizations, and magnetic structure of a so-called Nowotny chimney ladder compound Cr 4 Ge 7 . Our analysis on the powder neutron diffraction data revises the crystal structure as a noncentrosymmetric space group (P4̅c2, No. 116). It exhibits two magnetic orders within the temperature range of 2–400 K. The first order at ~207 K associated with a small magnetic moment of ~0.75 μ B is assigned to a commensurate ferromagnetic structure with a propagation vector k = (0, 0, 0). The weak itinerant ferromagnet nature should be caused by the complex Cr spin orders from different Wyckoff positions. The second order-like behavior at ~18 K is assumed to arise from a competition between the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya and Heisenberg interactions. The results provide an excellent platform for the study of intricate interactions among various magnetic exchanges as well as for the exploration of high-temperature exotic magnetic properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Structural Phase Transitions in the van der Waals Ferromagnets Fe x Pd y Te 2

Two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) magnets are attracting significant attention, both as platforms for studying fundamental magnetic interactions and for the exciting possibility of utilizing them as building blocks in devices and heterostructures, which may lead to new physical phenomena and functionalities. Here, we provide a detailed study of the crystal structure and physical properties of the recently discovered vdW ferromagnet FePd 2 Te 2 . We find this compound has a relatively wide width of formation, and grow single crystals with compositions Fe x Pd y Te 2 where x ranges from 0.9 to 1.1 and y from 1.8 to 2.5, respectively. Temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction and transport measurements reveal that a first-order structural transition occurs in the range of T = 360–420 K, where the critical temperature, modulation wave vector, and corresponding room-temperature crystal structures all depend on chemical composition. Above the transition, the compounds with Pd fraction y > 2 adopt a disordered derivative of the tetragonal FeTe structure, with the Fe layer showing mixed Fe/Pd occupancy and the extra Pd atoms partially occupying interstitial sites. Below 370 K, the structure is incommensurately modulated, likely associated with the complex ordering of Pd/Fe atoms in the metal layers or the interstitial Pd in the vdW gaps. For y < 2, the composition Fe 1.1 Pd 1.8 Te 2 has monoclinic symmetry at room temperature that is consistent with the reported structure of FePd 2 Te 2 . This phase undergoes a structural transition at 420 K for which the high temperature structure is yet to be determined; however, based on the similarities with the y > 2 compounds, we speculate that its T > 420 K structure is also tetragonal. Importantly, the high temperature, symmetry-breaking structural transition observed here provides a likely explanation for the origin of the structural domains previously observed in FePd 2 Te 2 . All compounds investigated in the Fe x Pd y Te 2 series show metallic behavior, with magnetic characterization indicating that they are easy-plane, hard, ferromagnets with T C spanning 98–180 K. Both the critical temperature for the structural transition and the Curie temperature are moderately suppressed with increasing Pd fraction y and corresponding decreasing Fe fraction x, indicating that synthetic control over x and y paves way for the further exploration of these compounds.

crystal structure

Nanoscale Magnetic Ordering Dynamics in a High Curie Temperature Ferromagnet

Thermally driven transitions between ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases are characterized by critical behavior with divergent susceptibilities, long-range correlations, and spin dynamics that can span kHz to GHz scales as the material approaches the critical temperature T c , but it has proven technically challenging to probe the relevant length and time scales with most conventional measurement techniques. In this study, we employ scanning nitrogen-vacancy center based magnetometry and relaxometry to reveal the critical behavior of a high-T c ferromagnetic oxide near its Curie temperature. Cluster analysis of the measured temperature-dependent nanoscale magnetic textures points to a 3D universality class with a correlation length that diverges near T c . Meanwhile, the temperature-dependent spin dynamics, measured through all optical relaxometry suggest that the phase transition is in the XY universality class. In conclusion, our results capture both static and dynamic aspects of critical behavior, providing insights into universal properties that govern phase transitions in magnetic materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Ferromagnetic Interlayer Exchange Coupling in a Few Layers of CrSBr on a Gold Thin Film

Abstract The two-dimensional character of van der Waals magnets allows for efficient control of their properties via proximity effects and electrical stimuli, making them promising candidates for application in spin electronics. We use spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy to directly image the magnetic texture of thin CrSBr on top of a Au film, discovering a ferromagnetic ground state. We argue that the stabilization of the ferromagnetic ordering─as compared to the conventional antiferromagnetic one─is obtained via electron transfer from the Au film to the CrSBr flakes, in agreement with ab initio density functional theory calculations. Reflected-electron spectroscopy shows clear differences in the unoccupied density of states between a few layers of CrSBr on Au and bulk CrSBr, pointing toward electronic band structure modification in thin CrSBr. This work sheds light on the possibility of tuning the magnetic properties of two-dimensional magnets via substrate engineering.

Bosma, Rixt [University of Groningen , , ,]

To Substitute Rather Than Intercalate: Chimie douce Approach to Induce Ferromagnetism in Metastable Pt 0.8 M 0.2 Se 2 ( M = Cr, Co, Ni)

Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials with exotic magnetic properties have garnered significant interest due to their potential applications in spintronics and data storage technologies. However, the limited availability of intrinsic 2D magnetic materials has driven efforts to induce and manipulate magnetism in otherwise nonmagnetic 2D systems through approaches such as chemical intercalation, defect engineering, and substitutional doping. Herein, we present a facile, chimie douce method for incorporating 3d transition metals (Cr, Co, and Ni) into the nonmagnetic PtSe 2 sublattice. This synthetic approach enables control over layer thickness of Pt 1–x M x Se 2 (M = Cr, Co, Ni) nanosheets by varying the M identity and annealing conditions. Comprehensive scattering and spectroscopic characterizations confirm the successful and homogeneous substitution of M atoms at the Pt site, rather than intercalation, and reveal a strong correlation between nanosheet thickness and the identity of the substituting metal. High-temperature annealing of the nanosheets promotes an irreversible transformation toward the bulk phase, allowing for detailed characterization of structural and magnetic properties. A case study of Pt 0.8 Cr 0.2 Se 2 reveals that nanosheet thickness plays a critical role in modulating local magnetic interactions. While Cr atoms in the as-synthesized few-layers-thick nanosheets exhibit predominantly short-range antiferromagnetic interactions, the emergence of short-range ferromagnetic exchange is revealed in the bulk material. Detailed ac susceptibility and remanent magnetization measurements further demonstrate that bulk Pt 0.8 Cr 0.2 Se 2 adopts a frustrated magnetic ground state with clear signatures of ferromagnetic cluster-glass behavior. The systematic investigation presented herein establishes a clear and robust protocol for the synthesis and in-depth characterization of 2D transition-metal-substituted PtSe2 materials with varying layer thickness and paves a path toward their realization in spintronic and magnetic device applications.

crystallinity

Ferromagnetic Insulator to Metal Transition in Noncentrosymmetric Graphene Nanoribbons

Engineering sublattice imbalance within the unit cell of bottom-up synthesized graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) represents a versatile tool for realizing custom-tailored quantum nanomaterials. The interaction between low-energy zero-modes (ZMs) not only contributes to frontier bands but can form the basis for magnetically ordered phases. Here, we present the bottom-up synthesis of a noncentrosymmetric GNR that places all ZMs on the majority sublattice sites. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy reveal that strong electron–electron correlations, leading to the Stoner magnetic instability, drive the system into a ferromagnetically ordered insulating ground state featuring a sizable band gap of E g ∼1.2 eV. At higher temperatures, a chemical transformation induces an insulator-to-metal transition that quenches the ferromagnetic order. Tight-binding (TB), density functional theory, and GW calculations corroborate our experimental observations. Furthermore, this work showcases how control over molecular symmetry, sublattice polarization, and ZM hybridization in bottom-up synthesized nanographenes can open a path to the exploration of many-body physics in rationally designed quantum materials.

Band structure

Magnetization orientation-dependent Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal Co 3 Sn 2 S 2

We report a study of Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations in high-quality single crystals of ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal Co 3 Sn 2 S 2 . The Fermi surfaces resolved in our experiments are three-dimensional and reflect an underlying trigonal crystallographic symmetry. Combined with density functional calculations, we identify that multiple Fermi surfaces in the system—of both electron and hole nature—arise from the energy dispersion of the (spin-orbit gapped) mirror-protected nodal rings. We observe an evolution of the Fermi surfaces with in-plane magnetic fields, in contrast to field perpendicular to the kagome lattice planes, which has little effect. Viewed alongside the easy-axis anisotropy of the system, our observation reveals an evolution of the electronic structure of Co 3 Sn 2 S 2 —including the Weyl points—with the ferromagnetic moment orientation. Through the case study of Co 3 Sn 2 S 2 , our results provide concrete experimental evidence of an anisotropic interplay via spin-orbit coupling between the magnetic degrees of freedom and electronic band singularities, which has long been expected in semimetallic and metallic magnetic systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Enabling room-temperature ferromagnetism in few-layered MoS 2 films via strain engineering

Strain engineering presents a promising pathway for modulating the physical properties of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides materials. Here, in this study, we investigate the strain-induced magnetic behavior of diamagnetic MoS 2 films prepared by the DC magnetron sputtering technique. By applying +1% tensile strain to few-layered MoS 2 films (∼3.5 nm), we observe the emergence of room-temperature ferromagnetism with a magnetization saturation of about ∼130 emu/cm 3 , in stark contrast to bulk films (∼40 nm), which remain diamagnetic under similar conditions. Raman spectroscopy reveals a pronounced reduction in the intensity and the splitting of the E′ mode in 1% strained few-layered films, indicating a possible bond elongation and symmetry breaking under tensile stress. Additionally, x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Mo M 3 edge further confirms a strain-induced electronic structure modification in few-layered films, with no corresponding shift observed in bulk counterparts. Moreover, the strain-induced magnetic and structural changes are largely reversible upon strain release. We attribute the origin of ferromagnetism in few-layered films to the combined influence of tensile strain and defect-assisted bond weakening, which facilitates crystal field transitions within the Mo 4d orbitals. These findings demonstrate that strain engineering can effectively induce and modulate magnetism in 2D materials, providing opportunities for developing strain-controlled spintronic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Magnon damping and mode softening in quantum double-exchange ferromagnets

We present a comprehensive analysis of the magnetic excitations and electronic properties of fully quantum double-exchange ferromagnets, i.e. systems where ferromagnetic (FM) ordering emerges from the competition between spin, charge, and orbital degrees of freedom, but without the canonical approximation of using classical localized spins. Specifically, we investigate spin excitations within the Kondo lattice-like model, as well as a two-orbital Hubbard Hamiltonian in proximity to the orbital-selective Mott phase. Computational analysis of the magnon dispersion, damping, and spectral weight within these models reveals unexpected phenomena, such as magnon mode softening and the anomalous decoherence of magnetic excitations as observed in earlier experimental efforts, but explained here without the use of the phononic degrees of freedom. We show that these effects are intrinsically linked to incoherent spectral features near the Fermi level, which arise due to the quantum nature of the local (on-site) triplets. This incoherent spectrum leads to a Stoner-like continuum on which spin excitations scatter, governing magnon lifetime and strongly influencing the dynamical spin structure factor. Our study explores the transition from coherent to incoherent magnon spectra by varying the electron density. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the magnitude of the localized spin mitigates decoherence by suppressing the incoherent spectral contributions near the Fermi level. We also discuss the effective J 1 –J 2 spin Hamiltonian, which can accurately describe the large doping region characterized by the magnon-mode softening. Finally, we show that this behavior is also present in multiorbital models with partially filled orbitals, namely, in systems without localized spin moments, provided that the model is in a strong coupling regime. Our results potentially have far-reaching implications for understanding FM ordering in various multi-band systems. These findings establish a previously unknown direct connection between the electronic correlations of those materials and spin excitations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC

Enhanced ferromagnetism in monolayer Cr 2 Te 3 via topological insulator coupling

Exchange-coupled interfaces are pivotal in exploiting two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism. Due to the extraordinary correlations among charge, spin, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom, layered magnetic transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) bode well for exotic topological phenomena. Here we report the realization of wafer-scale Cr 2 Te 3 down to monolayer (ML) on insulating SrTiO 3 (111) and/or Al 2 O 3 (001) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. Robust ferromagnetism persists in the 2D limit. In particular, the Curie temperature T C of 2 ML Cr 2 Te 3 increases from 100 K to ∼120 K when proximitized to topological insulator (TI) (Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 , with substantially boosted magnetization as observed via polarized neutron reflectometry. Our experiments and theory strongly indicate that the Bloembergen–Rowland interaction is likely universal underlying T C enhancement in TI-coupled magnetic heterostructures. The topological-surface-enhanced magnetism in 2D TMC enables further exchange coupling physics and quantum hybrid studies, including paving the way to realize interface-modulated topological electronics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Kondo effect in ferromagnetic quantum critical CeRh 6 ⁢Ge 4

The mechanism of a pressure-induced quantum critical point in the heavy fermion ferromagnet CeRh 6 ⁢Ge 4 has attracted interest, as ferromagnetic quantum criticality in a clean itinerant Ce compound is typically avoided. The localized versus itinerant character of the 4⁢𝑓 electrons is a key aspect for understanding this behavior. We investigated the electronic structure of the 4⁢𝑓 shell in CeRh 6 ⁢Ge 4 using core-level photoelectron and x-ray absorption spectroscopy, demonstrating the hybridization of Ce 4⁢𝑓 with the conduction electrons. Linearly polarized x-ray absorption reveals a temperature-dependent linear dichroism consistent with the crystal-electric-field sequence as inferred from the static susceptibility. This dichroism cannot be described by an ionic full-multiplet model alone, but is reproduced by including the Kondo effect within a single-impurity Anderson model in the noncrossing approximation. The Kondo effect mixes higher-lying crystal-field states into a resulting multiorbital ground state with 4⁢𝑓 occupancy, 𝑛 𝑓 ∼ 0.9. Deviations at low temperatures between the measured linear dichroism and calculated dichroism suggest an orbital-dependent Kondo effect. A scenario in which there is a multiorbital ground state and orbital-dependent Kondo hybridization should be a starting point for a model of pressure-induced criticality in CeRh 6 ⁢Ge 4 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND

Enhancement of the Curie temperature in single-crystalline ferromagnetic LaCrGe 3 by electron irradiation-induced disorder

LaCrGe 3 has attracted attention as a potential candidate for studies of quantum phase transitions in a ferromagnetic material. The application of pressure avoids a quantum critical point by developing a new magnetic phase. It was suggested that the disorder may provide an alternative route to a quantum critical point. We used low-temperature 2.5 MeV electron irradiation to induce relatively small amounts of pointlike disorder in single crystals of LaCrGe 3 . Irradiation leads to an increase of the resistivity at all temperatures with some deviation from the Matthiessen rule. Hall effect measurements show that electron irradiation does not cause any detectable change in the carrier density. Unexpectedly, the Curie temperature, T FM , increases with the increase of disorder from approximately 90 K in pristine samples up to nearly 100 K in the heavily irradiated sample, with a tendency towards saturation at higher doses. This effect is observed both in resistivity and magnetization measurements. Although the mechanism of this effect is not entirely clear, we conclude that it cannot be caused by effective “doping” or “pressure” due to electron irradiation. Finally, we suggest that disorder-induced broadening of a sharp peak in the density of states, D⁡(E), situated at E p = E F – 0.25 eV below the Fermi energy, E F , causes an increase in D⁡(E F ), leading to an enhancement of T FM in this itinerant ferromagnet.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND