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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.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

High-energy synchrotron flares powered by strongly radiative relativistic magnetic reconnection: 2D and 3D PIC simulations

ABSTRACT The time evolution of high-energy synchrotron radiation generated in a relativistic pair plasma energized by reconnection of strong magnetic fields is investigated with 2D and 3D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. The simulations in this 2D/3D comparison study are conducted with the radiative PIC code OSIRIS, which self-consistently accounts for the synchrotron radiation reaction on the emitting particles, and enables us to explore the effects of synchrotron cooling. Magnetic reconnection causes compression of the plasma and magnetic field deep inside magnetic islands (plasmoids), leading to an enhancement of the flaring emission, which may help explain some astrophysical gamma-ray flare observations. Although radiative cooling weakens the emission from plasmoid cores, it facilitates additional compression there, further amplifying the magnetic field B and plasma density n, and thus partially mitigating this effect. Novel simulation diagnostics utilizing 2D histograms in the n-B space are developed and used to visualize and quantify the effects of compression. The n-B histograms are observed to be bounded by relatively sharp power-law boundaries marking clear limits on compression. Theoretical explanations for some of these compression limits are developed, rooted in radiative resistivity or 3D kinking instabilities. Systematic parameter-space studies with respect to guide magnetic field, system size, and upstream magnetization are conducted and suggest that stronger compression, brighter high-energy radiation, and perhaps significant quantum electrodynamic effects such as pair production, may occur in environments with larger reconnection-region sizes and higher magnetization, particularly when magnetic field strengths approach the critical (Schwinger) field, as found in magnetar magnetospheres.

Schoeffler, K. M. (ORCID:0000000276447381)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Magnetorotational dynamo can generate large-scale vertical magnetic fields in 3D GRMHD simulations of accreting black holes

ABSTRACT Jetted astrophysical phenomena with black hole engines, including binary mergers, jetted tidal disruption events, and X-ray binaries, require a large-scale vertical magnetic field for efficient jet formation. However, a dynamo mechanism that could generate these crucial large-scale magnetic fields has not been identified and characterized. We have employed three-dimensional global general relativistic magnetohydrodynamical simulations of accretion discs to quantify, for the first time, a dynamo mechanism that generates large-scale magnetic fields. This dynamo mechanism primarily arises from the non-linear evolution of the magnetorotational instability (MRI). In this mechanism, large non-axisymmetric MRI-amplified shearing wave modes, mediated by the axisymmetric azimuthal magnetic field, generate and sustain the large-scale vertical magnetic field through their non-linear interactions. We identify the advection of magnetic loops as a crucial feature, transporting the large-scale vertical magnetic field from the outer regions to the inner regions of the accretion disc. This leads to a larger characteristic size of the, now advected, magnetic field when compared to the local disc height. We characterize the complete dynamo mechanism with two time-scales: one for the local magnetic field generation, $t_{\rm gen}$, and one for the large-scale scale advection, $t_{\rm adv}$. Whereas the dynamo we describe is non-linear, we explore the potential of linear mean field models to replicate its core features. Our findings indicate that traditional $\alpha$-dynamo models, often computed in stratified shearing box simulations, are inadequate and that the effective large-scale dynamics is better described by the shear current effects or stochastic $\alpha$-dynamos.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Achieving uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in Ce2⁢Fe17⁢N3 through Co- and Sm-substitution

Th2⁢Zn17−type structure-based permanent magnets, such as Sm2⁢Fe17⁢N3, offer strong potential as alternatives to neodymium magnets (NdFeB), but their practical use is limited by phase stability and the scarcity of Sm. Ce-based counterparts, particularly Ce2⁢Fe17⁢N3, are attractive low-cost candidates, yet their intrinsic planar magnetic anisotropy restricts permanent-magnet performance. Here, we induce uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in Ce2⁢Fe17⁢N3 through two approaches: (i) Co substitution on the Fe sublattice and (ii) partial substitution of Ce with Sm. Combined density functional theory and experimental results show that both strategies modify the 3⁢𝑑–4⁢𝑓 interactions and band filling, yielding magnetization values up to ∼1.2T and magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies exceeding 1MJ/m3 for Co-alloyed compositions, with significantly larger anisotropy achieved upon Sm substitution. In addition, the Sm-substituted Ce2⁢Fe17⁢N3 samples exhibit enhanced high-temperature stability compared to Sm2⁢Fe17⁢N3. These findings demonstrate that Ce2⁢Fe17⁢N3-based alloys can deliver magnetic performance suitable for permanent-magnet applications while reducing cost and reliance on critical rare-earth elements, and they provide practical design guidelines for rare-earth-lean magnets for energy and industrial applications.

Pokhrel, Nabaraj [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000328283076)↗
DOE OSTI2019

Evolution of structural, magnetic, and transport properties in MnBi 2- x Sb x Te 4

In this work we report the evolution of structural, magnetic, and transport properties in MnBi 2- x Sb x Te 4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 2) single crystals. MnSb 2 Te 4 , isostructural to MnBi 2 Te 4 , is successfully synthesized in single-crystal form. Magnetic measurements suggest an antiferromagnetic order below T N =19K for MnSb 2 Te 4 with the magnetic moments aligned along the crystallographic c axis. With increasing Sb content in MnBi 2- x Sb x Te 4 , the a -lattice parameter decreases linearly following Vegard's law, while the c -lattice parameter shows little compositional dependence. The contraction along a is caused by the reduction of the Mn-Te-Mn bond angle, while the Mn-Te bond length remains nearly constant. The antiferromagnetic ordering temperature slightly decreases from 24 K for MnBi 2 Te 4 to 19 K for MnSb 2 Te 4 . More dramatic change was observed for the critical magnetic fields required for the spin-flop transition and the moment saturation. Both critical fields decrease with increasing Sb content for x ≤ 1.72; a spin-flip transition occurs in MnSb 2 Te 4 at a small field of 3 kOe applied along the c axis. In high magnetic fields, the saturation moment at 2 K shows significant suppression from 3.56 μ B /Mn for MnBi 2 Te 4 to 1.57 μ B /Mn for MnSb 2 Te 4 . Analysis of the magnetization data suggests that both the interlayer magnetic interaction and single-ion anisotropy decrease with increasing Sb content for x ≤ 1.72. The partial substitution of Bi by Sb also dramatically affects the transport properties. A crossover from n -type to p -type conducting behavior is observed around x ≈0.63. Our findings show close correlation between structural, magnetic, and transport properties in MnBi 2- x Sb x Te 4 and that partial substitution of Bi by Sb is an effective approach to fine tuning both the magnetism and transport properties of MnBi 2- x Sb x Te 4 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Magnetism of Ir 5 + -based double perovskites: Unraveling its nature and the influence of structure

A combination of x-ray-diffraction, x-ray absorption, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, macroscopic magnetization, and muon-spin relaxation measurements is used to investigate the interplay between structure (both crystallography and microstructure) and magnetism in Sr 2 YIrO 6 as a function of both chemical (Ca-doping) and physical (hydrostatic) pressure. X-ray absorption spectroscopy clearly shows that the physical pressure is more effective in modifying the structure. On the other hand, the dichroic measurements evidence a constant magnetic signal with physical pressure and strong differences with Ca-doping. Muon-spin relaxation reveals the presence of magnetic order, even when this is hidden in the magnetization data. From the combined analysis, the magnetic results are explained in terms of the presence of Ir 6+ or Ir 4+ ions in magnetic clusters, most likely located at and triggered by antisite disorder. The measurements under high physical pressure indicate that the magnetic state is independent of the crystallographic details such as Ir-O distances and Ir-O-Y angles.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Magnetic, thermal, and electronic-transport properties of EuMg 2 Bi 2 single crystals

The trigonal compound EuMg 2 Bi 2 has recently been discussed in terms of its topological band properties. These are intertwined with its magnetic properties. In this paper detailed studies of the magnetic, thermal, and electronic-transport properties of EuMg 2 Bi 2 single crystals are presented. The Eu + 2 spins 7/2 in EuMg 2 Bi 2 exhibit an antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition at a temperature T N = 6.7 K, as previously reported. By analyzing the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility χ data below T N in terms of molecular-field theory (MFT), the AFM structure is inferred to be a c -axis helix, where the ordered moments in the hexagonal a b -plane layers are aligned ferromagnetically in the a b plane with a turn angle between the moments in adjacent moment planes along the c axis of ≈ 120 ° . An alternate but less likely magnetic structure is a planar structure with nearest-neighbor Eu spins aligned at ≈ 120 ° with respect to each other, where these ordered-moment layers are stacked along the c axis. The magnetic heat capacity exhibits a λ anomaly at T N with evidence of dynamic short-range magnetic fluctuations both above and below T N . The high- T limit of the magnetic entropy is close to the theoretical value for spins 7/2. The in-plane electrical resistivity ρ ( T ) data indicate metallic character with a mild and disorder-sensitive upturn below T min = 23 K. An anomalous rapid drop in ρ ( T ) on cooling below T N as found in zero field is replaced by a two-step decrease in magnetic fields. The ρ ( T ) measurements also reveal an additional transition below T N in applied fields of unknown origin that is not observed in the other measurements and may be associated with an incommensurate to commensurate AFM transition. The dependence of T N on the c -axis magnetic field H ⊥ was derived from the field-dependent χ ( T ) , C p ( T ) , and ρ ( T ) measurements. This T N ( H ⊥ ) was found to be consistent with the prediction of MFT for a c -axis helix with S = 7 / 2 and was used to generate a phase diagram in the H ⊥ – T plane.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Magnetism and its coexistence with superconductivity in CaK(Fe 0.949 Ni 0.051 ) 4 As 4 : Muon spin rotation/relaxation studies

Here, the magnetic response of Ca K ( Fe 0.949 Ni 0.051 ) 4 As 4 was investigated by means of the muon spin rotation/relaxation. The long-range commensurate magnetic order sets in below the Néel temperature T N = 50.0 ( 5 ) K. The density-functional theory calculations have identified three possible muon stopping sites. The experimental data were found to be consistent with only one type of magnetic structure, namely, the long-range magnetic spin-vortex-crystal order with the hedgehog motif within the a b plane and the antiferromagnetic stacking along the c direction. The value of the ordered magnetic moment at T ≈ 3 K was estimated to be m Fe = 0.38 ( 11 ) μ B ( μ B is the Bohr magneton). A microscopic coexistence of magnetic and superconducting phases accompanied by a reduction of the magnetic order parameter below the superconducting transition temperature T c ≃ 9 K is observed. Comparison with 11, 122, and 1144 families of Fe-based pnictides points to existence of correlation between the reduction of the magnetic order parameter at T → 0 and the ratio of the transition temperatures T c / T N . Such correlations were found to be described by Machida's model for coexistence of itinerant spin-density-wave magnetism and superconductivity [K. Machida, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 50 , 2195 (1981) ; S. L. Bud'ko et al. , Phys. Rev. B 98 , 144520 (2018) ].

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Magnetoelastic coupling, negative thermal expansion, and two-dimensional magnetic excitations in FeAs

We present a temperature-dependent investigation of the local structure and magnetic dynamics of the FeAs binary. The magnetic susceptibility χ (T) result shows an anomalous broad feature up to 550 K, with χ continuing to increase above the Néel antiferromagnetic ordering temperature (T N =70K), peaking at ~250 K, then decreasing gently above. It is remarkable that this peak susceptibility temperature corresponds to the onset of anisotropic negative thermal expansion in both the a and c axes, suggesting that magnetic interactions are affecting the structure even well above the Néel point. A systematic investigation into local bonding correlations, from time-of-flight neutron pair distribution function analyses, shows the octahedral volume around each Fe site growing monotonically while adjacent octahedra tilt toward one another before relaxing away past this peak in the anomalous magnetic susceptibility. We use inelastic-neutron scattering to map spin-wave excitations in FeAs at temperatures above and below the T N . We find magnetic excitations near T N to be very different from the excitations in the ground state at 1.5 K. Spin waves measured at 1.5 K are three dimensional (3D), however, in the vicinity of the magnetic transition, the magnetic fluctuations clearly indicate two-dimensional (2D) character in this intrinsically 3D crystal structure. Unlike the undoped 2D parents of iron-arsenide superconductors, where the magnetic correlations are considerably weaker along the c axis than in the ab plane, inelastic neutron scattering here shows that the spin fluctuations in the 3D FeAs binary are nearly 2D in the bc plane at 90 K. These results demonstrate the importance of short-range correlations in understanding the magnetic properties of transition-metal binaries, and suggest how 2D excitations, even in a 3D structure, can potentially become a breeding ground for unconventional superconductivity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Magnetic Structure and Spin Fluctuation in Colossal Magnetoresistance Ferrimagnet Mn 3 Si 2 Te 6

The ferrimagnetic insulator Mn 3 Si 2 Te 6 , which features a Curie temperature T c at 78 K and a delicate yet consequential magnetic frustration, exhibits colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) when the magnetic field is applied along the magnetic hard axis, surprisingly inconsistent with existing precedents [Y. Ni, H. Zhao, Y. Zhang, B. Hu, I. Kimchi, and G. Cao, Phys. Rev. B 103, L161105 (2021)]. This discovery motivates a thorough single-crystal neutron diffraction study in order to gain insights into the magnetic structure and its hidden correlation with the new type of CMR. Here we report a noncollinear magnetic structure below the T c where the moments lie predominantly within the basal plane but tilt toward the c axis by ≈10° at ambient conditions. A substantial magnetic diffuse scattering decays slowly and persists well above the T c . The evolution of the spin correlation lengths agrees well with the electrical resistivity, underscoring the role of spin fluctuation contributing to the magnetoresistivity near the transition. Further, application of magnetic field along the c axis renders a swift occurrence of CMR but only a slow tilting of the magnetic moments toward the c axis. The unparalleled changes indicate a nonconsequential role of magnetic polarization.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Evolution of short-range magnetic correlations in ferromagnetic Ni-V alloys

Here we experimentally study how the magnetic correlations develop in a binary alloy close to the ferromagnetic quantum critical point with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Upon alloying the itinerant ferromagnet nickel with vanadium, the ferromagnetic order is continuously suppressed. The critical temperature T c vanishes when vanadium concentrations reach the critical value of x c =0.116 indicating a quantum critical point separating the ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases. Earlier magnetization and μ⁢SR data have indicated the presence of magnetic inhomogeneities in Ni 1-x ⁢V x and, in particular, recognize the magnetic clusters close to x c , on the paramagnetic and on the ferromagnetic sides with nontrivial dynamical properties [R. Wang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 267202 (2017)]. We present the results of SANS study with full polarization analysis of polycrystalline Ni 1-x⁢ V x samples with x=0.10 and x=0.11 with low critical temperatures T c <50 K. For both Ni-V samples close to x c we find isotropic magnetic short-range correlations on the nanometer scale persisting at low temperatures. They are suppressed gradually in higher magnetic fields. In addition, signatures of long-range ordered magnetic domains are present below T c . The fraction of these magnetic clusters embedded in the ferromagnetic ordered phase grows toward x c and agrees well with the cluster fraction estimate from the magnetization and μ⁢SR data. Our SANS studies provide new insights into the nature of the inhomogeneities in a ferromagnetic alloy close to a quantum critical point.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Magnetic structure and Ising-like antiferromagnetism in the bilayer triangular lattice compound NdZnPO

Here, the complex interplay of spin frustration and quantum fluctuations in low-dimensional quantum materials leads to a variety of intriguing phenomena. This research focuses on a detailed analysis of the magnetic behavior exhibited by NdZnPO, a bilayer spin-1/2 triangular lattice antiferromagnet. The investigation employs magnetization, specific heat, and powder neutron scattering measurements. At zero field, a long-range magnetic order is observed at T N = 1.64 K. Powder neutron diffraction experiments show the Ising-like magnetic moments along the c-axis, revealing a stripe like magnetic structure with magnetic propagation vector (1/2, 0, 1/2). Application of a magnetic field along the c-axis suppresses the antiferromagnetic order, leading to a fully polarized ferromagnetic state above B c = 4.5 T. This transition is accompanied by notable enhancements in the nuclear Schottky contribution. Moreover, the absence of spin frustration and expected field-induced plateau-like phases are remarkable observations. Detailed calculations of magnetic dipolar interactions revealed complex couplings reminiscent of a honeycomb lattice, suggesting the potential emergence of Kitaev-like physics within this system. This comprehensive study of the magnetic properties of NdZnPO highlights unresolved intricacies, underscoring the imperative for further exploration to unveil the underlying governing mechanisms.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Role of stacking defects on the magnetic behavior of CrCl 3

Here, in the study of van der Waals–layered magnetic materials, the properties of CrCl 3 continue to attract attention. This compound is reported to undergo antiferromagnetic ordering below ~14 K, with a ferromagneticlike region proposed to exist between 14 and 17 K. Ideally, the crystal structure is rhombohedral (R) below ~235 K, separated from a higher-temperature monoclinic (M) phase by a layer-sliding structural phase transition. However, the structural transition is often inhibited even in bulk single crystals, allowing M-type layer stacking, reported to have a 10-fold greater interlayer magnetic coupling than R-type stacking, to be present at low temperature. To clarify the effect of stacking defects on CrCl 3 , we report magnetization measurements on samples of varying crystalline quality. At low applied magnetic field, some crystals predominantly show the T N = 14 K peak, but other crystals show hysteretic behavior and a magnetization enhancement at a slightly higher temperature (14 < T ≲ 17 K.) Samples with anomalous behavior exhibit a transition around ~2 T in isothermal magnetization-field data, evidence that M-type stacking defects are the source of these anomalies. Ground powder samples are especially likely to show strongly anomalous behavior. We suggest that the anomalous behavior arises from few-layer magnetic domains that form just above T N in an environment of mixed interlayer magnetic coupling strength. We argue that the influence of M-type stacking boundaries on sublattice magnetization is already observable in reported neutron scattering data, and may be responsible for an enhancement near 17 K in reported specific heat data.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Observation of transient states during magnetization reversal in a quasicrystal artificial spin ice

Artificial spin ices (ASIs) consisting of arrays of magnetic bars are key systems in the study of geometric frustration in magnetic systems. Of particular interest are quasicrystal (QC) ASIs, in which the lack of translational symmetry and the varying coordination number of interacting bars allow for topologically enhanced frustrated magnetization to occur. We have directly observed the formation of magnetic vortexes within the vertices of a QC-ASI as a metastable transient state, during the magnetization reversal process. We observed that the vortexes primarily form in a specific subset of the vertex motif types. Furthermore, micromagnetic simulations show that although these magnetic vortexes result in an increase in the local energy of the vertex before the magnetization of the bars reverses to align with the applied magnetic field, the overall energy increase is lower than the higher energy motif configurations that would result from reversal of the magnetization in the connecting bar.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Chemical disorder and spin-liquid-like magnetism in the van der Waals layered 5 d transition metal halide Os 0.55 Cl 2

Here, single crystals of the van der Waals layered 5d transition-metal compound Os 0.55 Cl 2 were grown and characterized by x-ray diffraction, magnetization and heat-capacity measurements, and atomic resolution electron microscopy. The crystals are stable in air and easily cleaved. The structure is derived from the CdCl 2 structure type, with triangular layers of transition metal sites coordinated by edge-sharing octahedra of Cl and separated by a van der Waals gap. On average, only 55% of the metal sites are occupied by Os, and evidence for short- and long-ranged vacancy orders is observed by diffraction and real-space imaging. Magnetization data indicate magnetocrystalline anisotropy due to spin-orbit coupling, antiferromagnetic correlations, and no sign of magnetic order or spin freezing down to 0.4 K. Heat-capacity measurements in applied magnetic fields show only a broad, field-dependent anomaly. The magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity obey power laws at low temperature and low field with exponents close to 0.5. The power law behaviors of the low-temperature heat capacity and magnetic susceptibility suggest gapless magnetic fluctuations prevent spin freezing or ordering in Os 0.55 Cl 2 . Divergence of the magnetic Gruneisen parameter indicates nearness to a magnetic quantum critical point. Similarities to behaviors of spin-liquid materials are noted, and in total the findings suggest Os 0.55 Cl 2 may be an example of a quantum spin liquid in the limit of strong chemical disorder.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Relativistic-electron-driven magnetic reconnection in the laboratory

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process occurring in many plasma systems. Magnetic field lines break and reconfigure in to a lower energy state, converting released magnetic field energy into plasma kinetic energy. Around some of the universe’s most energetic objects, such as gamma ray burst or active galactic nuclei, where the magnetic field energy exceeds the plasma rest mass energy, the most extreme magnetic reconnection in the relativistic regime is theorized. The pre- sented experiments and three-dimensional particle-in-cell modeling recreate in the laboratory the scaled plasma conditions necessary to access the relativistic electron regime and therefore approach conditions around these distant, inaccessible objects. High-power, ultrashort laser pulses focused to high-intensity (I > 2.5 × 1018 Wcm-2) on solid targets produces relativistic temperature electrons within the focal volume. The hot electrons are largely confined to the target surface and form a ra- dial surface current that generates a huge, expanding azimuthal magnetic field. Focusing two laser pulses in close proximity on the target surface leads to oppositely directed magnetic fields being driven together. The fast electron motion due to the magnetic reconnection is inferred using an ex- perimental x-ray imaging technique. The x-ray images enable the measurement of the reconnection layer dimensions and temporal duration. The reconnection rates implied from the aspect ratio of the reconnection layer, δ/L ≈ 0.3, was found to be consistent over a range of experimental pulse durations (40 fs–20 ps) and agreed with the modeling. Further experimental evidence for magnetic reconnection is the formation of a nonthermal electron population shown by the modeling to be accelerated in the reconnection layer.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Nanoscale magnetization inhomogeneity within single phase nanopillars

We report observation of a radial dependence in the magnetic anisotropy of epitaxially strained CoFe 2 O 4 nanopillars in a BaTiO 3 matrix. This archetypal example of a multiferroic heterostructure with a self-assembling three-dimensional architecture possesses significant out-of-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Here, the anisotropy originates from the large magnetostriction of CoFe 2 O 4 and the state of stress within the nanocomposite. Magnetometry suggests the existence of two magnetic phases with different anisotropies. Micromagnetic simulations of a core-shell magnetic anisotropy qualitatively reproduce features of the magnetic hysteresis and elucidate the magnetization reversal mechanism: The magnetization initially reorients within the pillar core, followed by that of the shell. This is consistent with polarized small-angle neutron scattering which can be described by a CoFe 2 O 4 magnetization that is nonuniform on nanometer length scales. As the length scale of inhomogeneity of the magnetic anisotropy is similar to estimates of the relaxation of the displacement field from the CoFe 2 O 4 –BaTiO 3 interface, stress and its influence on structure provide an important route to new functionality of vertically aligned nanopillars for applications in low-power memory, computing, and sensing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Structural distortion and incommensurate noncollinear magnetism in EuAg 4 As 2

Layered pnictide materials have provided a fruitful platform to study various emergent phenomena, including superconductivity, magnetism, charge density waves, etc. In this work, we report the observation of structural distortion and noncollinear magnetism in layered pnictide EuAg 4 As 2 via transport, magnetization, single crystal x-ray, and neutron diffraction data.EuAg 4 As 2 single crystal shows a structural distortion at 120 K, where two sets of superlattice peaks with the propagation vectors of q 1 =±(0, 0.25, 0.5) and q 2 =±(0.25, 0, 1) emerge. Between 9–15 K, the hexagonal Eu 2+ sublattice enters an unpinned incommensurate magnetic state, with magnetic Bragg reflections pictured as circular sectors. Furthermore, below 9 K, it orders in an incommensurate noncollinear antiferromagnetic state with a well-defined propagation wavevector of (0, 0.1, 0.12) and a very rare magnetic structure, which is helical along the c axis and cycloidal along the b axis with a moment of 6.4 μB/Eu 2+ . Furthermore, rich magnetic phases under magnetic fields, large magnetoresistance, and strong coupling between charge carriers and magnetism in EuAg 4 As 2 are revealed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Enhancing stability, magnetic anisotropy, and coercivity of manganese aluminum: Machine learning, ab initio , and micromagnetic modeling

The binary manganese aluminum (MnAl) alloy with L⁢1 0 crystal structure is a promising rare earth (RE) element-free permanent magnetic material because of its exceptional magnetic properties. However, experimentally synthesizing it in a stable bulk form is extremely challenging. Here, in this study, an alternative method of stabilizing the material, a pathway for experimental synthesis and validation, is proposed and theoretically verified. This is done by partially substituting Mn and Al sites with Fe and Ni and identifying its enhanced phase stability, saturation magnetization density, magnetic anisotropy, and coercivity from density functional theory (DFT), machine learning (ML) crystal graph convolution neural network (CGCNN), and micro-magnetic modeling. When considering a fixed 50% Ni, the magnetic anisotropy increases with the increasing Fe content but decreases the formation energy. The calculated formation energies, elastic constants, and phonon frequencies demonstrate that the binary and quaternary compositions are stable. Most importantly, in 50% Fe and Ni-substituted-equiatomic phase, magnetic anisotropy constants and saturation magnetization density increase by 56% and 23% as compared to the MnAl. Further, the coercivity of the equiatomic phase predicted with micro-magnetic modeling is higher by 17% than the parent compound.

Bhandari, Churna [Ames National Laboratory, and Io↗