Revisiting Goodenough-Kanamori rules in a new series of double perovskites LaSr1-xCaxNiReO6.

The magnetic ground states in highly ordered double perovskites LaSr1-xCaxNiReO6 (x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0) are studied in view of the Goodenough-Kanamori rules of superexchange interactions in this paper. In LaSrNiReO6, Ni and Re sublattices are found to exhibit curious magnetic states separately, but no long range magnetic ordering is achieved. The magnetic transition at ~255 K is identified with the independent Re sublattice magnetic ordering. Interestingly, the sublattice interactions are tuned by modifying the Ni-O-Re bond angles through Ca doping. Upon Ca doping, the Ni and Re sublattices start to display a ferrimagnetically ordered state at low temperature. The neutron powder diffraction data reveals long range ferrimagnetic ordering of the Ni and Re magnetic sublattices along the crystallographic b-axis. The transition temperature of the ferrimagnetic phase increases monotonically with increasing Ca concentration.

Evolution of Magnetic Order from the Localized to the Itinerant Limit.

Quantum materials that feature magnetic long-range order often reveal complex phase diagrams when localized electrons become mobile. In many materials magnetism is rapidly suppressed as electronic charges dissolve into the conduction band. In materials where magnetism persists, it is unclear how the magnetic properties are affected. Here we study the evolution of the magnetic structure in Nd_{1-x}Ce_{x}CoIn_{5} from the localized to the highly itinerant limit. We observe two magnetic ground states inside a heavy-fermion phase that are detached from unconventional superconductivity. The presence of two different magnetic phases provides evidence that increasing charge delocalization affects the magnetic interactions via anisotropic band hybridization.

Giant barocaloric effects at low pressure in ferrielectric ammonium sulphate.

Caloric effects are currently under intense study due to the prospect of environment-friendly cooling applications. Most of the research is centred on large magnetocaloric effects and large electrocaloric effects, but the former require large magnetic fields that are challenging to generate economically and the latter require large electric fields that can only be applied without breakdown in thin samples. Here we use small changes in hydrostatic pressure to drive giant inverse barocaloric effects near the ferrielectric phase transition in ammonium sulphate. We find barocaloric effects and strengths that exceed those previously observed near magnetostructural phase transitions in magnetic materials. Our findings should therefore inspire the discovery of giant barocaloric effects in a wide range of unexplored ferroelectric materials, ultimately leading to barocaloric cooling devices.

Superconductivity in a new layered bismuth oxyselenide: LaO(0.5)F(0.5)BiSe2.

We report superconductivity at T(c) ≈ 2.6 K in a new layered bismuth oxyselenide LaO(0.5)F(0.5)BiSe2 with the ZrCuSiAs-type structure composed of alternating superconducting BiSe2 and blocking LaO layers. The superconducting properties of LaO(0.5)F(0.5)BiSe2 were investigated by means of dc magnetization, resistivity and muon-spin rotation experiments, revealing the appearance of bulk superconductivity with a rather large superconducting volume fraction of ≈ 70% at 1.8 K.

1D to 2D Na+ ion diffusion inherently linked to structural transitions in Na0.7CoO2.

We report the observation of a stepwise "melting" of the low-temperature Na-vacancy order in the layered transition-metal oxide Na0.7CoO2. High-resolution neutron powder diffraction analysis indicates the existence of two first-order structural transitions, one at T1≈290 K followed by a second at T2≈400 K. Detailed analysis strongly suggests that both transitions are linked to changes in the Na mobility. Our data are consistent with a two-step disappearance of Na-vacancy order through the successive opening of first quasi-1D (T1>T>T2) and then 2D (T>T2) Na diffusion paths. These results shed new light on previous, seemingly incompatible, experimental interpretations regarding the relationship between Na-vacancy order and Na dynamics in this material. They also represent an important step towards the tuning of physical properties and the design of tailored functional materials through an improved control and understanding of ionic diffusion.

Crystal structure of BaFe2Se3 as a function of temperature and pressure: phase transition phenomena and high-order expansion of Landau potential.

BaFe2Se3 (Pnma, CsAg2I3-type structure), recently assumed to show superconductivity at ~11 K, exhibits a pressure-dependent structural transition to the CsCu2Cl3-type structure (Cmcm space group) around 60 kbar, as evidenced from pressure-dependent synchrotron powder diffraction data. Temperature-dependent synchrotron powder diffraction data indicate an evolution of the room-temperature BaFe2Se3 structure towards a high-symmetry CsCu2Cl3 form upon heating. Around 425 K BaFe2Se3 undergoes a reversible, first-order isostructural transition, which is supported by the differential scanning calorimetry data. The temperature-dependent structural changes occur in two stages, as determined by the alignment of the FeSe4 tetrahedra and corresponding adjustments of the positions of Ba atoms. On further heating, a second-order phase transformation into the Cmcm structure is observed at 660 K. A rather unusual combination of isostructural and second-order phase transformations is parameterized within phenomenological theory assuming high-order expansion of the Landau potential. A generic phase diagram mapping observed structures is proposed on the basis of the parameterization.

Structural study of SrPrZnRuO6, SrPrCoRuO6, SrPrMgRuO6 and SrPrNiRuO6 double perovskite oxides by symmetry-adapted mode analysis.

Powder SrPrZnRuO6, SrPrCoRuO6, SrPrMgRuO6 and SrPrNiRuO6 double perovskites were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method, and their crystal structure was investigated by Rietveld analysis (using the symmetry-mode procedure) by x-ray, synchrotron and neutron powder diffraction data. SrPrMRuO6 materials are monoclinic perovskites at room temperature, adopting the space group P21/n, [Formula: see text], c ≈ 2ap, Z = 2. The unit cell parameters increase through the series as the B-cation size increases. The tilting of the octahedra is associated with irreducible representations GM(+)4 and X(+)3. In the studied series, Sr(2+)/Pr(3+) are in eight-fold coordination and are displaced from the center of the Sr/PrO8 polyhedron along [010] by the X(+)5(A10) mode. The size of the first coordination sphere of Sr/Pr increases and the second coordination sphere reduces with temperature, suggesting an actual change in coordination. While changing the interatomic distances, the distortion of the structure diminishes, as observed in distortion mode amplitudes and octahedral tilt angles. The temperature driven [Formula: see text] phase transition was observed for Ni and Mg materials at ≈1025 K and 950 K, respectively. Tilting of the octahedra in the trigonal phase is associated with GM(+)4, which is the unique active mode associated with the not experimentally observed [Formula: see text] phase transition.

Intrinsic crystal phase separation in the antiferromagnetic superconductor Rb(y)Fe(2-x)Se2: a diffraction study.

The crystal and magnetic structures of the superconducting iron-based chalcogenides Rb(y)Fe(2-x)Se(2) have been studied by means of single-crystal synchrotron x-ray and high-resolution neutron powder diffraction in the temperature range 2-570 K. The ground state of the crystal is an intrinsically phase-separated state with two distinct-by-symmetry phases. The main phase has the iron vacancy ordered √5 × âˆš5 superstructure (I4/m space group) with AFM ordered Fe spins. The minority phase does not have √5 × âˆš5-type of ordering and has a smaller in-plane lattice constant a and larger tetragonal c-axis and can be well described by assuming the parent average vacancy disordered structure (I4/mmm space group) with the refined stoichiometry Rb(0.60(5))(Fe(1.10(5))Se)(2). The minority phase amounts to 8-10% mass fraction. The unit cell volume of the minority phase is 3.2% smaller than the one of the main phase at T = 2 K and has quite different temperature dependence. The minority phase merges with the main vacancy ordered phase on heating above the phase separation temperature T(P) = 475 K. The spatial dimensions of the phase domains strongly increase above T(P) from 1000 to >2500 Å due to the integration of the regions of the main phase that were separated by the second phase at low temperatures. Additional annealing of the crystals at a temperature T = 488 K, close to T(P), for a long time drastically reduces the amount of the minority phase.

Synthesis of a new alkali metal-organic solvent intercalated iron selenide superconductor with Tc ≈ 45 K.

We report on a new iron selenide superconductor with a T(c) onset of 45 K and the nominal composition Li(x)(C(5)H(5)N)(y)Fe(2-z)Se(2), synthesized via intercalation of dissolved alkaline metal in anhydrous pyridine at room temperature. This superconductor exhibits a broad transition, reaching zero resistance at 10 K. Magnetization measurements reveal a superconducting shielding fraction of approximately 30%. Analogous phases intercalated with Na, K and Rb were also synthesized and characterized. The superconducting transition temperature of Li(x)(C(5)H(5)N)(y)Fe(2-z)Se(2) is clearly enhanced in comparison to those of the known superconductors FeSe(0.98) (T(c) ~ 8 K) and A(x)Fe(2-y)Se(2) (T(c) ~ 27-32 K) and is in close agreement with critical temperatures recently reported for Li(x)(NH(3))(y)Fe(2-z)Se(2). Post-annealing of intercalated material (Li(x)(C(5)H(5)N)(y)Fe(2-z)Se(2)) at elevated temperatures drastically enlarges the c-parameter of the unit cell (~44%) and increases the superconducting shielding fraction to nearly 100%. Our findings indicate a new synthesis route leading to possibly even higher critical temperatures for materials in this class: by intercalation of organic compounds between Fe-Se layers.

On the magnetic structure of PrMn2O5: a neutron diffraction study.

The long-range magnetic ordering of PrMn(2)O(5) has been studied on polycrystalline samples from neutron diffraction and specific heat measurements. The onset of antiferromagnetic ordering is observed at T(N) ≈ 25 K. In the temperature interval 18 K < T < 25 K the magnetic structure is defined by the propagation vector k(1) = (1/2,0,0). Below 18 K, some additional magnetic satellites appear in the NPD patterns, which are indexed with k(2) = (0,0,1/2). Therefore, below 18 K the magnetic structure consists of two independent magnetic domains, defined by the propagation vectors k(1) and k(2). The magnetic structure of the k(1)-domain is given by the basis vectors (C(x),0,0) and (C(x)',0,0) for Mn(4h) and Mn(4f), respectively. In the k(2)-domain, the magnetic structure is defined by the basis vectors (0,0,G(z)) and (F(x)',G(y)',0) for Mn(4h) and Mn(4f), respectively. At T = 1.5 K, for the magnetic phase associated with k(1), the magnetic moments of the Mn atoms at the 4h and 4f sites are 1.82(7) and 1.81(6) µ(B), respectively; for the magnetic phase associated with k(2), the magnetic moments for the Mn(4h) and Mn(4f) atoms are 0.59(5) and 2.62(5) µ(B), respectively.

Incommensurate magnetic order in TbTe3.

We report a neutron diffraction study of the magnetic phase transitions in the charge-density wave (CDW) TbTe(3) compound. We discover that in the paramagnetic phase there are strong 2D-like magnetic correlations, consistent with the pronounced anisotropy of the chemical structure. A long-range incommensurate magnetic order emerges in TbTe(3) at T(mag1) = 5.78 K as a result of continuous phase transitions. We observe that near the temperature T(mag1) the magnetic Bragg peaks appear around the position (0, 0, 0.24) (or its rational multiples), that is fairly close to the propagation vector (0,0,0.29) associated with the CDW phase transition in TbTe(3). This suggests that correlations leading to the long-range magnetic order in TbTe(3) are linked to the modulations that occur in the CDW state.

Direct observation of local Mn-Mn distances in the paramagnetic compound CsMn(x)Mg(1-x)Br3.

We introduce a novel method for local structure determination with a spatial resolution of the order of 0.01 Å. It can be applied to materials containing clusters of exchange-coupled magnetic atoms. We use neutron spectroscopy to probe the energies of the cluster excitations which are determined by the interatomic coupling strength J. Since for most materials J is related to the interatomic distance R through a linear relation dJ/dR=α (for dR/R≪1), we can directly derive the local distance R from the observed excitation energies. This is exemplified for the mixed one-dimensional paramagnetic compound CsMn(x)Mg(1-x)Br3 (x=0.05,0.10) containing manganese dimers oriented along the hexagonal c axis. Surprisingly, the resulting Mn-Mn distances R do not vary continuously with increasing internal pressure but lock in at some discrete values.

Temperature and pressure evolution of the crystal structure of A(x)(Fe(1-y)Se)2 (A = Cs, Rb, K) studied by synchrotron powder diffraction.

Temperature-dependent synchrotron powder diffraction on Cs(0.83)(Fe(0.86)Se)(2) revealed first-order I4/m to I4/mmm structural transformation around 216 °C associated with a disorder of the Fe vacancies. Irreversibility observed during the transition is likely associated with a mobility of the intercalated alkali atoms. Pressure-dependent synchrotron powder diffraction on Cs(0.83)(Fe(1-y)Se)(2), Rb(0.85)(Fe(1-y)Se)(2), and K(0.8)(Fe(1-y)Se)(2) (y ~ 0.14) indicated that the I4/m superstructure reflections are present up to pressures of 120 kbar. This may indicate that the ordering of the Fe vacancies is present in both superconducting and nonsuperconductive states.

The synthesis, and crystal and magnetic structure of the iron selenide BaFe2Se3 with possible superconductivity at Tc = 11 K.

We report on the synthesis of single crystals of BaFe(2)Se(3) and study their crystal and magnetic structures by means of synchrotron single-crystal x-ray and neutron powder diffraction. The crystal structure has orthorhombic symmetry and consists of double chains of FeSe(4) edge connected tetrahedra intercalated with barium. Below 240 K, long range spin-block checkerboard antiferromagnetic order is developed. The magnetic structure is similar to one observed in A(0.8)Fe(1.6)Se(2) (A = K, Rb or Cs) superconductors. The crystals exhibit a transition to the diamagnetic state with an onset transition temperature of T(c) ∼ 11 K. Though we observe FeSe as an impurity phase (<0.8% mass fraction) it is not likely that the diamagnetism is attributable to the FeSe superconductor, which has T(c) ≈ 8.5 K.

Room temperature antiferromagnetic order in superconducting X(y)Fe(2-x)Se2 (X = Rb, K): a neutron powder diffraction study.

Magnetic and crystal structures of superconducting X(y)Fe(2-x)Se2 (X = Rb and K with T(c) = 31.5 and 29.5 K) have been studied by neutron powder diffraction at room temperature. Both crystals show an ordered iron vacancy pattern and the crystal structure is well described by the I4/m space group with the lattice constants a = 8.799, c = 14.576 and a = 8.730, c = 14.115 Å and the refined stoichiometry x = 0.30(1), y = 0.83(2) and x = 0.34(1), y = 0.83(1) for Rb and K crystals, respectively. The structure contains one fully occupied iron position and one almost empty vacancy position. Assuming that the iron moment is ordered only on the fully occupied site we have sorted out all eight irreducible representations (irreps) for the propagation vector k = 0 and have found that irreps τ2 and τ7 fit the experimental data well with the moments along the c axis. The moment amplitudes amounted to 2.15(3) µ(B), 2.55(3) µ(B) for τ2 and 2.08(6) µ(B), 2.57(3) µ(B) for τ7 for Rb and K crystals, respectively. Irrep τ2 corresponds to the Shubnikov group I4/m' and gives a constant moment antiferromagnetic configuration, whereas τ7 does not have a Shubnikov counterpart and allows two different magnetic moments in the structure.

Coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity in the iron-based compound Cs0.8(FeSe0.98)2.

We report on muon-spin rotation and relaxation (µSR), electrical resistivity, magnetization and differential scanning calorimetry measurements performed on a high-quality single crystal of Cs(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2). Whereas our transport and magnetization data confirm the bulk character of the superconducting state below T(c)=29.6(2) K, the µSR data indicate that the system is magnetic below T(N)=478.5(3) K, where a first-order transition occurs. The first-order character of the magnetic transition is confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry data. Taken all together, these data indicate in Cs(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2) a microscopic coexistence between the superconducting phase and a strong magnetic phase. The observed T(N) is the highest reported to date for a magnetic superconductor.

Phase relations and crystal structure of τ6-Ti2(Ti(0.16)Ni(0.43)Al(0.41))3.

Ti(2)(Ti(0.16)Ni(0.43)Al(0.41))(3) is a novel compound (labeled as τ(6)) in the Ti-rich region of the Ti-Ni-Al system in a limited temperature range 870 < T < 980 °C. The structure of τ(6)-Ti(2)(Ti,Ni,Al)(3) was solved from a combined analysis of X-ray single crystal and neutron powder diffracton data (space group C2/m, a = 1.85383(7) nm, b = 0.49970(2) nm, c = 0.81511(3) nm, and ß = 99.597(3)°). τ(6)-Ti(2)(Ti,Ni,Al)(3) as a variant of the V(2)(Co(0.57)Si(0.43))(3)-type is a combination of slabs of the MgZn(2)-Laves type and slabs of the Zr(4)Al(3)-type forming a tetrahedrally close-packed Frank-Kasper structure with pentagon-triangle main layers. Titanium atoms occupy the vanadium sites, but Ti/Ni/Al atoms randomly share the (Co/Si) sites of V(2)(Co(0.57)Si(0.43))(3). Although τ(6) shows a random replacement on 6 of the 11 atom sites, it has no significant homogeneity range (~1 at. %). The composition of τ(6) changes slightly with temperature. DSC/DTA runs (1 K/min) were not sufficient to define proper reaction temperatures due to slow reaction kinetics. Therefore, phase equilibria related to τ(6) were derived from X-ray powder diffraction in combination with EPMA on alloys, which were annealed at carefully set temperatures and quenched. τ(6) forms from a peritectoid reaction η-(Ti,Al)(2)Ni + τ(3) + α(2) ↔ τ(6) at 980 °C and decomposes in a eutectoid reaction τ(6) ↔ η + τ(4) + α(2) at 870 °C. Both reactions involve the η-(Ti,Al)(2)Ni phase, for which the atom distribution was derived from X-ray single crystal intensity data, revealing Ti/Al randomly sharing the 48f- and 16c-positions in space group Fd3̅m (Ti(2)Ni-type, a = 1.12543(3) nm). There was no residual electron density at the octahedral centers of the crystal structure ruling out impurity stabilization. Phase equilibria involving the τ(6) phase have been established for various temperatures (T = 865, 900, 925, 950, 975 °C, and subsolidus). The reaction isotherms concerning the τ(6) phase have been established and are summarized in a Schultz-Scheil diagram.

Synthesis and crystal growth of Cs(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2): a new iron-based superconductor with T(c) = 27 K.

We report on the synthesis of large single crystals of a new FeSe layer superconductor Cs(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2). X-ray powder diffraction, neutron powder diffraction and magnetization measurements have been used to compare the crystal structure and the magnetic properties of Cs(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2) with those of the recently discovered potassium intercalated system K(x)Fe(2)Se(2). The new compound, Cs(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2), shows a slightly lower superconducting transition temperature (T(c) = 27.4 K) in comparison to 29.5 in (K(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2)). The volume of the crystal unit cell increases by replacing K by Cs-the c parameter grows from 14.1353(13) to 15.2846(11) Å. For the alkali metal intercalated layered compounds known so far, (K(0.8)Fe(2)Se(2) and Cs(0.8)(FeSe(0.98))(2)), the T(c) dependence on the anion height (distance between Fe layers and Se layers) was found to be analogous to those reported for As-containing Fe superconductors and Fe(Se(1 - x)Ch(x)), where Ch = Te, S.

Evidence for the strong effect of quenched correlated disorder on phase separation and magnetism in (La(1-y)Pr(y))0.7Ca0.3MnO3.

High resolution neutron diffraction shows that the mesoscopic separation into ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) phases and the FM transition temperature T(C) in the perovskite manganite (La(1-y)Pr(y))(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO(3) strongly depend on the quenched correlated disorder. The different disorder strengths are achieved by different procedures of the sample synthesis and are quantitatively characterized by the microstrain-type diffraction peak broadening. The system shifts to predominantly a one-phase state with smaller T(C) as the correlated disorder strength is decreased, supporting the viewpoint that the origin of phase separation in the indicated manganite system is the correlated quenched disorder. The ground state of an ultimately chemically homogeneous sample is FM-like containing about 20% of the AFM minority phase. This FM-like state can be readily transformed to the AFM-like one having < 20% of the FM phase by the decrease of the effective charge carrier bandwidth via oxygen isotope substitution.

Orbital order at Mn and O sites and absence of Zener polaron formation in manganites.

We report the doping dependence of the ground state of A-site ordered manganites below and above half doping. Energy and polarization dependence of the orbital reflection, taken by resonant soft-x-ray powder diffraction, at both Mn L(2,3) and O K edges, provides direct evidence for orbital order at Mn(3+) and oxygen sites and absence of Zener polaron formation. For x > or = 0.2 anomalous melting of the orbital order is observed, which is coupled neither to magnetic ordering nor to a structural transition, indicating a two-dimensional character of the interactions.