Search

Cubic energy materials such as thermoelectrics or hybrid perovskite materials are often understood to be highly disordered. In GeTe and related IV-VI compounds, this is thought to provide the low thermal conductivities needed for thermoelectric applications. Since conventional crystallography cannot distinguish between static disorder and atomic motions, we develop the energy-resolved variable-shutter pair distribution function technique. This collects structural snapshots with varying exposure times, on timescales relevant for atomic motions. In disagreement with previous interpretations, we find the time-averaged structure of GeTe to be crystalline at all temperatures, but with anisotropic anharmonic dynamics at higher temperatures that resemble static disorder at fast shutter speeds, with correlated ferroelectric fluctuations along the $<$100$>$c direction. We show that this anisotropy naturally emerges from a Ginzburg-Landau model that couples polarization fluctuations through long-range elastic interactions. By accessing time-dependent atomic correlations in energy materials, we resolve the long-standing disagreement between local and average structure probes, and show that spontaneous anisotropy is ubiquitous in cubic IV-VI materials., Comment: Published version, substantial changes, many references removed due to journal limits :-( Please see the supporting information online. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format (see conditions)

We study the spontaneous crystallization of an assembly of highly monodisperse steel spheres under shaking, as it evolves from localized icosahedral ordering towards a packing reaching crystalline ordering. Towards this end, real space neutron tomography measurements on the granular assembly are carried out, as it is systematically subjected to a variation of frequency and amplitude. As expected, we see a presence of localized icosahedral ordering in the disordered initial state (packing fraction around 0.62). As the frequency is increased for both the shaking amplitudes (0.2 and 0.6 mm) studied here, there is a rise in packing fraction, accompanied by an evolution to crystallinity. The extent of crystallinity is found to depend on both the amplitude and frequency of shaking. We find that the icosahedral ordering remains localized and its extent does not grow significantly, while the crystalline ordering grows rapidly as an ordering transition point is approached. In the ordered state, crystalline clusters of both face centered cubic (FCC) and hexagonal close packed (HCP) types are identified, the latter of which grows from stacking faults. Our study shows that an earlier domination of FCC gives way to HCP ordering at higher shaking frequencies, suggesting that despite their coexistence, there is a subtle dynamical competition at play. This competition depends on both shaking amplitude and frequency, as our results as well as those of earlier theoretical simulations demonstrate. It is likely that this involves the very small free energy difference between the two structures., Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures

Exchange bias (EB) as large as ~5.5 kOe is observed in SrLaCo0.5Mn0.5O4 which is the highest ever found in any layered transition metal oxides including Ruddlesden-Popper series. Neutron diffraction measurement rules out long-range magnetic ordering and together with dc magnetic measurements suggest formation of short-range magnetic domains. AC magnetic susceptibility, magnetic memory effect and magnetic training effect confirm the system to be a cluster spin glass. By carrying out density functional calculations on several model configurations, we propose that EB is originated at the boundary between Mn-rich antiferromagnetic and Co-rich ferromagnetic domains at the sub-nanoscale. Reversal of magnetization axis on the Co-side alters the magnetic coupling between the interfacial Mn and Co spins which leads to EB. Our analysis infers that the presence of competing magnetic interactions is sufficient to induce exchange bias and thereby a wide range of materials exhibiting giant EB can be engineered for designing novel magnetic memory devices., Comment: 6 figures, Accepted in Physical Review B

We have investigated the ferromagnetic phase transition of elemental Co by high-resolution neutron backscattering spectroscopy. We monitored the splitting of the nuclear levels by the hyperfine field at the Co nucleus. The energy of this hyperfine splitting is identified as the order parameter of the ferromagnetic phase transition. By measuring the temperature dependence of the energy we determined the critical exponent $\beta = 0.350 \pm 0.002$ and the ferromagnetic Curie temperature of $T_{\text{C}} = 1400$~K. The present result of the critical exponent agrees better with the predicted value (0.367) of the 3-dimensional Heisenberg model than that determined previously by NMR.

Spin waves in the type-III ordered antiferromagnetic state of the frustrated $t$-$t'$ Hubbard model on the fcc lattice are calculated to investigate finite-$U$-induced competing interaction and frustration effects on magnetic excitations and instabilities. Particularly strong competing interactions generated due to interplay of fcc lattice geometry and magnetic order result in significant spin wave softening. The calculated spin wave dispersion is found to be in qualitative agreement with the measured spin wave dispersion in the pyrite mineral $\rm Mn S_2$ obtained from inelastic neutron scattering experiments. Instabilities to other magnetic orders (type I, type II, spiral, non-collinear), as signalled by spin wave energies turning negative, are also discussed., Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures

The magnetic structures and the magnetic phase transitions in the Mn-doped orthoferrite TbFeO$_3$ studied using neutron powder diffraction are reported. Magnetic phase transitions are identified at $T^\mathrm{Fe/Mn}_N \approx$ 295~K where a paramagnetic-to-antiferromagnetic transition occurs in the Fe/Mn sublattice, $T^\mathrm{Fe/Mn}_{SR} \approx$ 26~K where a spin-reorientation transition occurs in the Fe/Mn sublattice and $T^\mathrm{R}_N \approx$ 2~K where Tb-ordering starts to manifest. At 295~K, the magnetic structure of the Fe/Mn sublattice in TbFe$_{0.5}$Mn$_{0.5}$O$_3$ belongs to the irreducible representation $\Gamma_4$ ($G_xA_yF_z$ or $Pb'n'm$). A mixed-domain structure of ($\Gamma_1 + \Gamma_4$) is found at 250~K which remains stable down to the spin re-orientation transition at $T^\mathrm{Fe/Mn}_{SR}\approx$ 26~K. Below 26~K and above 250~K, the majority phase ($> 80\%$) is that of $\Gamma_4$. Below 10~K the high-temperature phase $\Gamma_4$ remains stable till 2~K. At 2~K, Tb develops a magnetic moment value of 0.6(2)~$\mu_\mathrm{B}/$f.u. and orders long-range in $F_z$ compatible with the $\Gamma_4$ representation. Our study confirms the magnetic phase transitions reported already in a single crystal of TbFe$_{0.5}$Mn$_{0.5}$O$_3$ and, in addition, reveals the presence of mixed magnetic domains. The ratio of these magnetic domains as a function of temperature is estimated from Rietveld refinement of neutron diffraction data. Indications of short-range magnetic correlations are present in the low-$Q$ region of the neutron diffraction patterns at $T < T^\mathrm{Fe/Mn}_{SR}$. These results should motivate further experimental work devoted to measure electric polarization and magnetocapacitance of TbFe$_{0.5}$Mn$_{0.5}$O$_3$., Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, Accepted to J. Appl. Phys., 2016

Strong spin-lattice coupling and prominent frustration effects observed in the 50$\%$ Fe-doped frustrated hexagonal ($h$)LuMnO$_3$ are reported. A N\'{e}el transition at $T_{\mathrm N} \approx$ 112~K and a possible spin re-orientation transition at $T_{\mathrm {SR}} \approx$ 55~K are observed in the magnetization data. From neutron powder diffraction data, the nuclear structure at and below 300~K was refined in polar $P6_3cm$ space group. While the magnetic structure of LuMnO$_3$ belongs to the $\Gamma_4$ ($P6'_3c'm$) representation, that of LuFe$_{0.5}$Mn$_{0.5}$O$_3$ belongs to $\Gamma_1$ ($P6_3cm$) which is supported by the strong intensity for the $\mathbf{(100)}$ reflection and also judging by the presence of spin-lattice coupling. The refined atomic positions for Lu and Mn/Fe indicate significant atomic displacements at $T_{\mathrm N}$ and $T_{\mathrm {SR}}$ which confirms strong spin-lattice coupling. Our results complement the discovery of room temperature multiferroicity in thin films of $h$LuFeO$_3$ and would give impetus to study LuFe$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$O$_3$ systems as potential multiferroics where electric polarization is linked to giant atomic displacements.

The prototypical phase change material GeTe shows an enigmatic phase transition at Tc ca. 650 K from rhombohedral (R3m) to cubic (Fm-3m) symmetry. While local probes see little change in bonding, in contrast, average structure probes imply a displacive transition. Here we use high energy X-ray scattering to develop a model consistent with both the local and average structure pictures. We detect a correlation length for domains of the R3m structure which shows power law decay upon heating. Unlike a classical soft mode, it saturates at ca. 20 {\AA} above Tc. These nanoclusters are too small to be observed by standard diffraction techniques, yet contain the same local motif as the room temperature structure, explaining previous discrepancies. Finally, a careful analysis of the pair distribution functions implies that the 0.6 % negative thermal expansion (NTE) at the R3m -Fm-3m transition is associated with the loss of coherence between these domains.

We reinvestigate the pressure dependence of the crystal structure and antiferromagnetic phase transition in MnTe$_2$ by the rigorous and reliable tool of high pressure neutron powder diffraction. First-principles density functional theory calculations are carried out in order to gain microscopic insight. The measured N\'eel temperature of MnTe$_2$ is found to show unusually large pressure dependence of $12$ K GPa$^{-1}$. This gives rise to large violation of Bloch's rule given by $\alpha=\frac{d\log T_N}{d\log V}=-\frac{10}{3} \approx -3.3$, to a $\alpha$ value of -6.0 $\pm$ 0.1 for MnTe$_2$. The ab-initio calculation of the electronic structure and the magnetic exchange interactions in MnTe$_2$, for the measured crystal structures at different pressures, gives the pressure dependence of the Ne\'el temperature, $\alpha$ to be -5.61, in close agreement with experimental finding. The microscopic origin of this behavior turns to be dictated by the distance dependence of the cation-anion hopping interaction strength.

The recent surge of interest in phase change materials GeTe, Ge$_2$Sb$_2$Te$_5$, and related compounds motivated us to revisit the structural phase transition in GeTe in more details than was done before. Rhombohedral-to-cubic ferroelectric phase transition in GeTe has been studied by high resolution neutron powder diffraction on a spallation neutron source. We determined the temperature dependence of the structural parameters in a wide temperature range extending from 309 to 973 K. Results of our studies clearly show an anomalous volume contraction of 0.6\% at the phase transition from the rhombohedral to cubic phase. In order to better understand the phase transition and the associated anomalous volume decrease in GeTe we have performed phonon calculations based on the density functional theory. Results of the present investigations are also discussed with respect to the experimental data obtained for single crystals of GeTe.

We report the characterisation of natural samples of the cubic pyrite mineral MnS2 using very high resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques. At low temperatures we find a new low temperature polymorph, which results from coupling between magnetic and lattice degrees of freedom. Below the magnetic ordering temperature T_N= 48 K, we detect a pseudo-tetragonal distortion with a tiny c/a ratio of 1.0006. The structure can be refined in the space group Pbca. The symmetry lowering reduces magnetic frustration in the fcc Mn2+ lattice and is likely responsible for the previously reported lock-in of the magnetic propagation vector. This behaviour is similar to the frustration driven symmetry breaking reported in other three-dimensional Heisenberg magnets like the chromate spinels

Exchange bias effect in the ferromagnetic double perovskite compound Y$_2$CoMnO$_6$, which is also a multiferroic, is reported. The exchange bias, observed below 8~K, is explained as arising due to the interface effect between the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic clusters created by {\it antisite} disorder in this material. Below 8~K, prominent ferromagnetic hysteresis with metamagnetic "steps" and significant coercive field, $H_c \approx$ 10~kOe are observed in this compound which has a $T_c \approx$ 75~K. A model based on growth of ferromagnetic domains overcoming the elastic energy of structurally pinned magnetic interfaces, which closely resembles martensitic-like transitions, is adapted to explain the observed effects. The role of {\it antisite} disorder in creating the domain structure leading to exchange bias effect is highlighted in the present work., Comment: 4 pages two-column, 4 figures, accepted to Appl. Phys. Lett

We investigated the dispersion of nuclear spin waves in Nd$_2$CuO$_4$ by using neutron spin-echo spectroscopy at millikelvin temperatures. Our results show unambiguously the existence of dispersion of nuclear spin waves in Nd$_2$CuO$_4$ at T = 30 mK. A fit of the dispersion data with the spin wave dispersion formula gave the Suhl-Nakamura interaction range to be of the order of 10 {\AA}.

Dramatic volume collapses under pressure are fundamental to geochemistry and of increasing importance to fields as diverse as hydrogen storage and high-temperature superconductivity. In transition metal materials, collapses are usually driven by so-called spin-state transitions, the interplay between the single-ion crystal field and the size of the magnetic moment. Here we show that the classical S=5/2 mineral Hauerite undergoes an unprecedented 22 % collapse driven by a conceptually different magnetic mechanism. Using synchrotron x-ray diffraction we show that cold compression induces the formation of a disordered intermediate. However, using an evolutionary algorithm we predict a new structure with edge-sharing chains. This is confirmed as the thermodynamic groundstate using in situ laser heating. We show that magnetism is globally absent in the new phase, as low-spin quantum S=1/2 moments are quenched by dimerisation. Our results show how the emergence of metal-metal bonding can stabilise giant spin-lattice coupling in Earth's minerals., Comment: Published version, minor changes

We report the results of inelastic neutron scattering investigation on the model antiferromagnet CoF$_2$ by time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy. We measured the details of the scattering function $S(Q,\omega)$ as a function of temperature with two different incident neutron wavelengths. The temperature and Q dependence of the measured scattering function suggests the presence of magnon-phonon coupling in almost all branches. The present results are in agreement with the strong magnetoelastic effects observed previously.

We investigated low energy nuclear spin excitations in the layered compound CoCl$_2$ by high resolution back-scattering neutron spectroscopy. We detected inelastic peaks at $E = 1.34 \pm 0.03$ $\mu$eV on both energy loss and energy sides of the central elastic peak at $T = 2$ K. The energy of the inelastic peaks decrease with temperature continuously and become zero at $T_N \approx 25$ K at which the two ielastic peaks merge with the central elastic peak. We interpret the low energy excitations to be due to the transition between hyperfine field split nuclear levels. The present data together with the data on other Co compounds show that the energy of the nuclear spin excitations of a number of compounds follow a linear relationship with the electronic magnetic moment of the Co ion whereas that of other compounds deviate appreciably from this linear behaviour. We ascribe this anomalous behaviour to the presence of unquenched orbital moments of the Co ions., Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1205.4099

We have investigated magnetoelastic effects in multiferroic HoMnO$_3$ below the antiferromagnetic phase transition $T_N \approx 75$ K by neutron powder diffraction. The lattice parameter $a$ of the hexagonal unit cell of HoMnO$_3$ decrease in the usual way at lower temperatures and then shows abrupt contraction below $T_N$ whereas the lattice parameter $c$ increases continuously with decreasing temperature and shows an anomalous increase below $T_N$. The unit cell volume decreases continuously with decreasing temperature and undergoes abrupt contraction below $T_N$. By fitting the background thermal expansion for a nonmagnetic lattice with the Einstein-Gr\"uneisen equation we determined the lattice strains $\Delta a$, $\Delta c$ and $\Delta V$ due to the magnetoelastic effects as a function of temperature. We have also determined the temperature variation of the ordered magnetic moment of Mn ion by fitting the measured Bragg intensities of the nuclear and magnetic reflections with the known crystal and magnetic structure models., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1207.0301

We have investigated magnetoelastic effects in multiferroic YMnO$_3$ below the antiferromagnetic phase transition, $T_N \approx 70$ K, using neutron powder diffraction. The $a$ lattice parameter of the hexagonal unit cell of YMnO$_3$ decreases normally above $T_N$, but decreases anomalously below T$_N$, whereas the $c$ lattice parameter increases with decreasing temperature and then increases anomalously below T$_N$. The unit cell volume also undergoes an anomalous contraction below $T_N$. By fitting the background thermal expansion for a non-magnetic lattice with the Einstein-Gr\"uneisen equation, we determined the lattice strains $\Delta a$, $\Delta c$ and $\Delta V$ due to the magnetoelastic effects as a function of temperature. We have also determined the temperature variation of the ordered magnetic moment of the Mn ion by fitting the measured Bragg intensities of the nuclear and magnetic reflections with the known crystal and magnetic structure models and have established that the lattice strain due to the magnetoelastic effect in YMnO$_3$ couples with the square of the ordered magnetic moment or the square of the order parameter of the antiferromagnetic phase transition.

We have investigated low energy nuclear spin excitations in double perovskite compounds R$_2$CoMnO$_6$ (R = Y,Tb) by inelastic neutron scattering with a high-resolution back-scattering spectrometer. We observed inelastic signals at about 2.1 $\mu$eV for Y$_2$CoMnO$_6$ and also for Tb$_2$CoMnO$_6$ at T = 2 K in both energy loss and energy gain sides. We interpret these inelastic peaks to be due to the transitions between the hyperfine split nuclear levels of $^{59}$Co nucleus. The inelastic peaks move towards the central elastic peak and finally merge with it at the magnetic ordering temperature $T_C$. The energy of the low energy excitations decreases continuously and becomes zero at $T_C \approx 75$ K for Y$_2$CoMnO$_6$ and $T_C \approx 100$ K for Tb$_2$CoMnO$_6$. For Tb$_2$CoMnO$_6$, which contains magnetic rare-earth ions, additional quasielastic scattering due presumably to the fluctuations of large Tb magnetic moments was observed. The present study reveals the magnetic ordering of the Co sublattice. The results of this investigation along with that obtained by us for other compounds indicate the presence of unquenched orbital moments in some of the Co compounds.

We have studied the temperature dependence of crystal and magnetic structures of the Jahn-Teller distorted transition metal difluorides CrF$_2$ and CuF$_2$ by neutron powder diffraction in the temperature range 2-280 K. The lattice parameters and the unit cell volume show magnetoelastic effects below the N\'eel temperature. The lattice strain due to the magnetostriction effect couples with the square of the order parameter of the antiferromagnetic phase transition. We also investigated the temperature dependence of the Jahn-Teller distortion which does not show any significant effect at the antiferromagnetic phase transition but increases linearly with increasing temperature for CrF$_2$ and remains almost independent of temperature in CuF$_2$. The magnitude of magnetovolume effect seems to increase with the low temperature saturated magnetic moment of the transition metal ions but the correlation is not at all perfect.

We have investigated temperature dependence of the lattice parameters and the unit cell volume of ZnF$_2$ by neutron diffraction and have discovered negative thermal expansion (NTE) at low temperature. To understand why this simple compound exhibits NTE we performed first principle calculations. These calculations reproduce qualitatively the experimental temperature dependence of volume.

We report a combination of physical property and neutron scattering measurements for polycrystalline samples of the one-dimensional spin chain compound CoV2O6. Heat capacity measurements show that an effective S = 1/2 state is found at low temperatures and that magnetic fluctuations persist up to 6.Tn. Above Tn = 6.3 K, measurements of the magnetic susceptibility as a function of T and H show that the nearest neighbour exchange is ferromagnetic. In the ordered state, we have discovered a crossover from a metamagnet with strong fluctuations between 5 K and Tn to a state with a 1/3 magnetisation plateau at 2 < T < 5 K. We use neutron powder diffraction measurements to show that the AFM state has incommensurate long range order and inelastic time of flight neutron scattering to examine the magnetic fluctuations as a function of temperature. Above Tn, we find two broad bands between 3.5 and 5 meV and thermally activated low energy features which correspond to transitions within these bands. These features show that the excitations are deconfined solitons rather than the static spin reversals predicted for a uniform FM Ising spin chain. Below Tn, we find a ladder of states due to the confining effect of the internal field. A region of weak confinement below Tn, but above 5 K, is identified which may correspond to a crossover between 2D and 3D magnetic ordering., Comment: Expanded version, includes results from arXiv:0804.2966 and neutron powder diffraction. To appear in PRB

To shed light on the role of magnetism on the superconducting mechanism of the oxygen-free FeAs pnictides, we investigate the effect of magnetic ordering on phonon dynamics in the low-temperature orthorhombic parent compounds, which present a spin-density wave. The study covers both the 122 (AFe2As2; A=Ca, Sr, Ba) and 1111 (AFeAsF; A=Ca, Sr) phases. We extend our recent work on the Ca (122 and 1111) and Ba (122) cases by treating computationally and experimentally the 122 and 1111 Sr compounds. The effect of magnetic ordering is investigated through detailed non-magnetic and magnetic lattice dynamical calculations. The comparison of the experimental and calculated phonon spectra shows that the magnetic interactions/ordering have to be included in order to reproduce well the measured density of states. This highlights a spin-correlated phonon behavior which is more pronounced than the apparently weak electron-phonon coupling estimated in these materials. Furthermore, there is no noticeable difference between phonon spectra of the 122 Ba and Sr, whereas there are substantial differences when comparing these to CaFe2As2 originating from different aspects of structure and bonding.

Soft X-ray resonant scattering studies at the Mn $L_{\texttt{II, III}}$- and the La $M_{\texttt{IV, V}}$- edges of single-crystal LaSr$_2$Mn$_2$O$_7$ are reported. At low temperatures, below $T_\texttt{N} \approx 160$ K, energy scans with a fixed momentum transfer at the \emph{A}-type antiferromagnetic (0 0 1) reflection around the Mn $L_{\texttt{II, III}}$-edges with incident linear $\sigma$ and $\pi$ polarizations show strong resonant enhancements. The splitting of the energy spectra around the Mn $L_{\texttt{II, III}}$-edges may indicate the presence of a mixed valence state, e.g., Mn$^{3+}$/Mn$^{4+}$. The relative intensities of the resonance and the clear shoulder-feature as well as the strong incident $\sigma$ and $\pi$ polarization dependences strongly indicate its complex electronic origin. Unexpected enhancement of the charge Bragg (0 0 2) reflection at the La $M_{\texttt{IV, V}}$-edges with $\sigma$ polarization has been observed up to 300 K, with an anomaly appearing around the orbital-ordering transition temperature, $T_{\texttt{OO}} \approx 220$ K, suggesting a strong coupling (competition) between them., Comment: Accepted by European Physical Journal B

The discovery of a new family of high Tc materials, the iron arsenides (FeAs), has led to a resurgence of interest in superconductivity. Several important traits of these materials are now apparent, for example, layers of iron tetrahedrally coordinated by arsenic are crucial structural ingredients. It is also now well established that the parent non-superconducting phases are itinerant magnets, and that superconductivity can be induced by either chemical substitution or application of pressure, in sharp contrast to the cuprate family of materials. The structure and properties of chemically substituted samples are known to be intimately linked, however, remarkably little is known about this relationship when high pressure is used to induce superconductivity in undoped compounds. Here we show that the key structural features in BaFe2As2, namely suppression of the tetragonal to orthorhombic phase transition and reduction in the As-Fe-As bond angle and Fe-Fe distance, show the same behavior under pressure as found in chemically substituted samples. Using experimentally derived structural data, we show that the electronic structure evolves similarly in both cases. These results suggest that modification of the Fermi surface by structural distortions is more important than charge doping for inducing superconductivity in BaFe2As2.

The iron arsenide Sr2CrO3FeAs with the tetragonal Sr2GaO3CuS-type structure was synthesized and its crystal structure re-determined by neutron powder diffraction. In contrast to previous X-ray crystallographic studies, a mixed occupancy of chromium and iron was found within the FeAs4/4 layer (93+/-1% Fe : 7+/-1% Cr). We suggest that the partial Cr-doping at the Fe site is the reason for the absence of a spin-density wave anomaly and superconductivity in this compound. Additional experiments via neutron polarization analysis revealed short-range spin correlations below ~100 K and long-range antiferromagnetic ordering below T_N = 36 K with a magnetic propagation vector of q = (1/2, 1/2, 0). The Cr3+ ions form a collinear magnetic structure of the C-type in the magnetic space group C_Pmma' (a' = a-b, b'=a+b, c'=c), where Cr3+-ions occupy the 4g (0, 1/4, z) Wyckoff position. The magnetic moments are aligned along the orthorhombic a'-axis. At 3.5 K, an ordered magnetic moment of 2.75+/-0.05 mu_B for the Cr3+-sublattice was refined., Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures

In this paper we report the structural and property (magnetic and electrical transport) measurements of nanocrystals of half-doped $\mathrm{La_{0.5}Ca_{0.5}MnO_3}$(LCMO) synthesized by chemical route, having particle size down to an average diameter of 15nm. It was observed that the size reduction leads to change in crystal structure and the room temperature structure is arrested so that the structure does not evolve on cooling unlike bulk samples. The structural change mainly affects the orthorhombic distortion of the lattice. By making comparison with observed crystal structure data under hydrostatic pressure it is suggested that the change in the crystal structure of the nanocrystals occurs due to an effective hydrostatic pressure created by the surface pressure on size reduction. This not only changes the structure but also causes the room temperature structure to freeze-in. The size reduction also does not allow the long supercell modulation needed for the Charge Ordering, characteristic of this half-doped manganite, to set-in. The magnetic and transport measurements also show that the Charge Ordering (CO) does not occur when the size is reduced below a critical size. Instead, the nanocrystals show ferromagnetic ordering down to the lowest temperatures along with metallic type conductivity. Our investigation establishes a structural basis for the destabilization of CO state observed in half-doped manganite nanocrystals., Comment: 11 pages, 13 Figures

We construct a theory of spin wave excitations in the bilayer manganite La(1.2)Sr(1.8)Mn2O7 based on the simplest possible double-exchange model, but including leading quantum corrections to the spin wave dispersion and damping. Comparison is made with recent inelastic neutron scattering experiments. We find that quantum effects account for some part of the measured damping of spin waves, but cannot by themselves explain the observed softening of spin waves at the zone boundary. Furthermore a doping dependence of the total spin wave dispersion and the optical spin wave gap is predicted., Comment: 19 pages revtex, 7 eps figures