Persistent spin dynamics intrinsic to amplitude-modulated long-range magnetic order

An incommensurate elliptical helical magnetic structure in the frustrated coupled-spin-chain system FeTe2O5Br is surprisingly found to persist down to 53(3) mK (T/T_N ~ 1/200), according to neutron scattering and muon spin relaxation. In this state, finite spin fluctuations at T -> 0 are evidenced by muon depolarization, which is in agreement with specific-heat data indicating the presence of both gapless and gapped excitations. We thus show that the amplitude-modulated magnetic order intrinsically accommodates contradictory persistent spin dynamics and long-range order and can serve as a model structure to investigate their coexistence.Comment: 5 pages + supplementar

Spin-stripe phase in a frustrated zigzag spin-1/2 chain

Motifs of periodic modulations are encountered in a variety of natural systems, where at least two rival states are present. In strongly correlated electron systems such behaviour has typically been associated with competition between short- and long-range interactions, e.g., between exchange and dipole-dipole interactions in the case of ferromagnetic thin films. Here we show that spin-stripe textures may develop also in antiferromagnets, where long-range dipole-dipole magnetic interactions are absent. A comprehensive analysis of magnetic susceptibility, high-field magnetization, specific heat, and neutron diffraction measurements unveils $\beta$-TeVO$_4$ as a nearly perfect realization of a frustrated (zigzag) ferromagnetic spin-1/2 chain. Strikingly, a narrow spin stripe phase develops at elevated magnetic fields due to weak frustrated short-range interchain exchange interactions possibly assisted by the symmetry allowed electric polarization. This concept provides an alternative route for the stripe formation in strongly correlated electron systems and may help understanding other widespread, yet still elusive, stripe-related phenomena.Comment: accapted in Nature Communication

Evolution of magnetic and crystal structures in the multiferroic FeTe2O5Br

Neutron diffraction and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements were employed to investigate magnetic order in the non-ferroelectric phase preceding the low-temperature multiferroic state in FeTe2O5Br. Refnement of the neutron diffraction data and simulations of 79,81Br NQR spectra reveal that the incommensurate magnetic ordering in the non-ferroelectric state comprises amplitude-modulated magnetic moments, similarly as in the multiferroic state. The two ordered states differ in the orientation of the magnetic moments and phase shifts between modulation waves. Surprisingly, all symmetry restrictions for the electric polarization are absent in both states. The different ferroelectric responses of the two states are thus argued to arise from the differences in the phase shifts between certain modulation waves, which cancel out in the non-ferrolectric state.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures including appendix, published in PR

Unconventional Magnetism in a Nitrogen-Based Analogue of Cupric Oxide

We have investigated the magnetic properties of CuNCN, the first nitrogen-based analogue of cupric oxide, CuO. Our muon spin relaxation, nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spin resonance studies reveal that classical magnetic ordering is absent down to lowest temperatures. However, large enhancement of spin correlations and unexpected inhomogeneous magnetism have been observed below 80 K. We attribute this to a peculiar fragility of the electronic state against weak perturbations due to geometrical frustration, which selects between competing spin-liquid and more conventional frozen states.Comment: 4 pages + 1 page of supplementary information, accepted for publication in PR

ESR of MnO embedded in silica nanoporous matrices with different topologies

Electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments were performed with antiferromagnetic MnO confined within a porous vycor-type glass and within MCM-type channel matrices. A signal from confined MnO shows two components from crystallized and amorphous MnO and depends on the pore topology. Crystallized MnO within a porous glass shows a behavior having many similarities to the bulk. In contrast with the bulk the strong ESR signal due to disordered "surface" spins is observed below the magnetic transition. With the decrease of channel diameter the fraction of amorphous MnO increases while the amount of crystallized MnO decreases. The mutual influence of amorphous and crystalline MnO is observed in the matrices with a larger channel diameter. In the matrices with a smaller channel diameter the ESR signal mainly originates from amorphous MnO and its behavior is typical for the highly disordered magnetic system.Comment: 7 pages pdf file, 5 figure

Spin-Wave Description of Nuclear Spin-Lattice Relaxation in Mn_{12}O_{12} Acetate

In response to recent nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) measurements on the molecular cluster Mn_{12}O_{12} acetate, we study the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T_1 developing a modified spin-wave theory. Our microscopic new approach, which is distinct from previous macroscopic treatments of the cluster as a rigid spin of S=10, not only excellently interprets the observed temperature and applied-field dependences of 1/T_1 for ^{55}Mn nuclei but also strongly supports the ^{13}C NMR evidence for spin delocalization over the entire molecule.Comment: to be published in Phys. Rev. Lett., 4 pages, 4 figures embedde

Multiferroic FeTe2_2O5_5Br: Alternating spin chains with frustrated interchain interactions

A combination of density functional theory calculations, many-body model considerations, magnetization and electron spin resonance measurements shows that the multiferroic FeTe$_2$O$_5$Br should be described as a system of alternating antiferromagnetic $S=5/2$ chains with strong Fe-O-Te-O-Fe bridges weakly coupled by two-dimensional frustrated interactions, rather than the previously reported tetramer models. The peculiar temperature dependence of the incommensurate magnetic vector can be explained in terms of interchain exchange striction being responsible for the emergent net electric polarization.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Spin frustration and magnetic ordering in theS=12molecular antiferromagnetfcc−Cs3C60

We have investigated the low-temperature magnetic state of face-centered-cubic (fcc) Cs3C60, a Mott insulator and the first molecular analog of a geometrically frustrated Heisenberg fcc antiferromagnet with S=1/2 spins. Specific heat studies reveal the presence of both long-range antiferromagnetic ordering and a magnetically disordered state below TN=2.2 K, which is in agreement with local probe experiments. These results together with the strongly suppressed TN are unexpected for conventional atom-based fcc antiferromagnets, implying that the fulleride molecular degrees of freedom give rise to the unique magnetic ground state