Search

YbCu4Au is a unique material exhibiting multiple quantum fluctuations simultaneously. In this study, we investigated the field-induced criticality in YbCu4Au, based on comprehensive micro and macro measurements, including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), neutron powder diffraction (NPD), nuclear magnetic resonance, magnetization, resistivity, specific heat, muon spin rotation relaxation (muSR), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Single crystals of YbCu4Au were grown, and their crystal structure was determined using XRD, and NPD measurements. Magnetic successive transitions were observed below 1 T by specific heat, resistivity, NPD, and muSR measurements. XAS measurements further indicate that the valence of Yb ions (+2.93) remained unchanged above 2 T. Moreover, the change in quadrupole frequency observed in the previous study is attributable to the electric quadrupole, as the expected value of the electric quadrupole was finite under magnetic fields [S. Wada et al., Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 20, 175201 (2008).]. These experimental results suggest that YbCu4Au exhibited bicritical behavior near 1 T, arising from the competition between RKKY interaction, accounting for the magnetic phases, and the Zeeman effect., Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures

Chiral superconductivity exhibits the formation of novel electron pairs that breaks the time-reversal symmetry and has been actively studied in various quantum materials in recent years. However, despite its potential to provide definitive information, effects of disorder in the crystal structure on the chiral superconductivity has not yet been clarified, and therefore the investigation using a solid-solution system is desirable. We report muon-spin-relaxation (muSR) results of layered pnictide BaPtAs_1-x_Sb_x_ with a honeycomb network composed of Pt and (As, Sb). We observed an increase of the zero-field muon-spin relaxation rate in the superconducting (SC) state at the Sb end of x=1.0, suggesting the occurrence of spontaneous magnetic field due to the time-reversal symmetry breaking in the SC state. On the other hand, spontaneous magnetic field was almost and completely suppressed for the As-Sb mixed samples of x=0.9 and 0.2, respectively, suggesting that the time-reversal symmetry breaking SC state in x=1.0 is sensitive to disorder. The magnetic penetration depth estimated from transverse-field muSR measurements at x=1.0 and 0.2 behaved like weak-coupling s-wave superconductivity. These seemingly incompatible zero-field and transverse-field muSR results of BaPtAs_1-x_Sb_x_ with x=1.0 could be understood in terms of chiral d-wave superconductivity with point nodes on the three-dimensional Fermi surface., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table

When spin-orbit-entangled $d$-electrons reside on a honeycomb lattice, rich quantum states are anticipated to emerge, as exemplified by the $d^5$ Kitaev materials. Distinct yet equally intriguing physics may be realized with a $d$-electron count other than $d^5$. We found that the layered ruthenate Ag$_3$LiRu$_2$O$_6$ with $d^4$ Ru$^{4+}$ ions at ambient pressure forms a honeycomb lattice of spin-orbit-entangled singlets, which is a playground for frustrated excitonic magnetism. Under pressure, the singlet state does not develop the expected excitonic magnetism but experiences two successive transitions to other nonmagnetic phases, first to an intermediate phase with moderate distortion of honeycomb lattice, and eventually to a high-pressure phase with very short Ru-Ru dimer bonds. While the strong dimerization in the high-pressure phase originates from a molecular orbital formation as in the sister compound Li$_2$RuO$_3$, the intermediate phase represents a spin-orbit-coupled $J$-dimer state which is stabilized by the admixture of upper-lying $J_{\rm eff} = 1$-derived states. We argue that the $J$-dimer state is induced by a pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect associated with the low-lying spin-orbital excited states and is unique to spin-orbit-entangled $d^4$ systems. The discovery of competing singlet phases demonstrates rich spin-orbital physics of $d^4$ honeycomb compounds and paves the way for realization of unconventional magnetism., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures

The band structure and magnetic properties of organic charge-transfer salt $\lambda$-(BEDSe-TTF)$_2$GaCl$_4$ (BEDSe-TTF: bis(ethylenediseleno)tetrathiafulvalene; abbreviated as $\lambda$-BEDSe) are investigated. The reported crystal structure is confirmed using X-ray diffraction measurements, and the transfer integrals are calculated. The degree of electron correlation $U/W$ ($U$: on-site Coulomb repulsion, $W$: bandwidth) of $\lambda$-BEDSe is larger than one and comparable to that of the isostructural Mott insulator $\lambda$-(ET)$_2$GaCl$_4$ (ET: bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene, abbreviated as $\lambda$-ET), whereas the $U/W$ of the superconducting salt $\lambda$-(BETS)$_2$GaCl$_4$ (BETS: bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene) is smaller than one. $^{13}$C-NMR and $\mu$SR measurements revealed that $\lambda$-BEDSe undergoes an antiferromagnetic (AF) ordering below $T_{\rm N} = 22$~K. In the AF state, discrete $^{13}$C-NMR spectra with a remaining central peak are observed, indicating the commensurate AF spin structure also observed in $\lambda$-ET. The similarity between the structural and magnetic properties of $\lambda$-BEDSe and $\lambda$-ET suggests that both salts are in the same electronic phase, i.e., the physical properties of $\lambda$-BEDSe can be understood by the universal phase diagram of bandwidth-controlled $\lambda$-type organic conductors obtained by donor molecule substitution., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B

The pyrochlore ruthenate In$_2$Ru$_2$O$_7$ displays a subtle competition between spin-orbital entanglement and molecular orbital formation. At room temperature, a spin-orbit-entangled singlet state was identified. With decreasing temperature, In$_2$Ru$_2$O$_7$ undergoes multiple structural transitions and eventually forms a nonmagnetic ground state with semi-isolated Ru$_2$O units on the pyrochlore lattice. The dominant hopping through the Ru-O-Ru linkage leads to molecular orbital formation within the Ru$_2$O units. This molecular orbital formation is unique in that it involves the O$^{2-}$ anions, unlike the transition-metal dimers observed in systems with edge-sharing octahedra. We argue that the covalent character of In-O bonds plays a pivotal role in the structural transitions and molecular orbital formation and such bonding character of "$A$-site" ions is an important ingredient for electronic phase competition in complex transition metal oxides.

We investigated Fe-substitution effects on ferromagnetic fluctuations in the superconducting overdoped and non-superconducting heavily overdoped regimes of the Bi-2201 cuprates by the magnetization and electrical-resistivity measurements. It was found that the spin-glass state was induced at low temperatures by the Fe substitution. The Curie constant and the effective Bohr magneton, estimated from the magnetic susceptibility, as well as the dimensionality of the ferromagnetic fluctuations from the resistivity, suggest the enhancement of the ferromagnetic fluctuations owing to the Fe substitution. A ferromagnetic spin-cluster model is proposed in the heavily overdoped regime of Bi-2201, while an antiferromagnetic spin-cluster model has been proposed in the overdoped regime of Bi-2201 [Hiraka et al., Phys. Rev. B 81, 144501 (2010)]., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

We performed muon spin rotation/relaxation measurements to investigate the magnetic behavior of $T^{\prime}$-type Eu$_2$CuO$_4$ (ECO), which is the parent compound of electron-doped cuprate superconductors, and the effects of oxygen-reduction annealing on its magnetism. In as-sintered (AS) ECO, we clarified the development of magnetic correlations upon cooling below $T_\mathrm{N1}$ (= 265 K) as well as the coexistence of a dominant fluctuating spin state and partially ordered spin state in the temperature range between $\sim$150 K and $T_\mathrm{N1}$. Upon further cooling, uniform long-range magnetic order was observed below $T_\mathrm{N2} = 110$ K, which is close to the ordering temperature of 115 K in $T^{\prime}$-type La$_2$CuO$_4$ (LCO) [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 82}, 180508(R) (2010)]. For oxygen-reduction-annealed ECO, a similar ordering sequence with the same $T_\mathrm{N2}$ was observed but without the partially ordered spin state. Therefore, the fluctuating spin state over a wide temperature range and a $T_\mathrm{N2}$ less than the N{\'e}el temperature ($T_\mathrm{N2} \approx T_\mathrm{N1}$) in $T$-type LCO are common features of the $T^{\prime}$-type parent $R_2$CuO$_4$ ($R$CO, $R$: rare-earth ion). The origin of the partially ordered spin state in AS ECO is discussed from the viewpoint of chemical defect. Furthermore, we discuss the roles of electron doping and repairing defect in the observed effect of annealing on the magnetism of $T^{\prime}$-type $R$CO., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures

Realization of topological superconductors (TSCs) hosting Majorana fermions is a central challenge in condensed-matter physics. One approach is to use the superconducting proximity effect (SPE) in heterostructures, where a topological insulator contacted with a superconductor hosts an effective p-wave pairing by the penetration of Cooper pairs across the interface. However, this approach suffers a difficulty in accessing the topological interface buried deep beneath the surface. Here, we propose an alternative approach to realize topological superconductivity without SPE. In a Pb(111) thin film grown on TlBiSe2, we discover that the Dirac-cone state of substrate TlBiSe2 migrates to the top surface of Pb film and obtains an energy gap below the superconducting transition temperature of Pb. This suggests that a BCS superconductor is converted into a TSC by the topological proximity effect. Our discovery opens a route to manipulate topological superconducting properties of materials., Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures

In order to investigate the low-energy antiferromagnetic Cu-spin correlation and its relation to the superconductivity, we have performed muon spin relaxation (muSR) measurements using single crystals of the electron-doped high-Tc cuprate Pr_1-x_LaCe_x_CuO_4_ in the overdoped regime. The muSR spectra have revealed that the Cu-spin correlation is developed in the overdoped samples where the superconductivity appears. The development of the Cu-spin correlation weakens with increasing x and is negligibly small in the heavily overdoped sample where the superconductivity almost disappears. Considering that the Cu-spin correlation also exist in the superconducting electron-doped cuprates in the undoped and underdoped regimes [T. Adachi et al., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 85, 114716 (2016)], our findings suggest that the mechanism of the superconductivity is related to the low-energy Cu-spin correlation in the entire doping regime of the electron-doped cuprates., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Phys. Rev. B, in press

The magnetic behavior and effects of oxygen-reduction annealing on the magnetism of T'-structured R2CuO4 (R = Eu and Nd), which is the parent compound of electron-doped cuprate superconductors, have been investigated from muon spin rotation (muSR) measurements. In the muon time spectra of as-sintered R2CuO4, an oscillation component with a small amplitude and a dominant exponential-type decay component were observed for the temperature range between 150 K and TN1 (=250-270 K). This observation suggests an inhomogeneous magnetic phase of a fluctuating spin state and a locally ordered spin state at these temperatures. With decreasing temperature,the small oscillation component disappears, and the exponential one develops below 150 K. Upon further cooling, well-defined oscillation spectra corresponding to uniform long-ranged magnetic order emerge below TN2 = 110 K. Except for the absence of the small oscillation component, similar magnetic behavior is confirmed for the annealed compounds. Therefore, the successive development of magnetism characterized by the fluctuating spin state over a wide temperature range is a common feature for T'-R2CuO4. We discuss a possible picture for the ordering sequence in T'-R2CuO4 and the origin of the small oscillation component in the as-sintered compounds from the viewpoint of local defects.

We report the single-crystal synthesis and detailed investigations of the cage-type superconductor Sc5Ru6Sn18, using powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetization, specific-heat and muon-spin relaxation (muSR) measurements. Sc5Ru6Sn18 crystallizes in a tetragonal structure (space group I41/acd) with the lattice parameters a = 1.387(3) nm and c = 2.641(5) nm. Both DC and AC magnetization measurements prove the type-II superconductivity in Sc5Ru6Sn18 with Tc = 3.5(1) K, a lower critical field H_c1 (0) = 157(9) Oe and an upper critical field, H_c2 (0) = 26(1) kOe. The zero-field electronic specific-heat data are well fitted using a single-gap BCS model, with superconducting gap = 0.64(1) meV. The Sommerfeld constant varies linearly with the applied magnetic field, indicating s-wave superconductivity in Sc5Ru6Sn18. Specific-heat and transverse-field (TF) muSR measurements reveal that Sc5Ru6Sn18 is a superconductor with strong electron-phonon coupling, with TF-muSR also suggesting the single-gap s-wave character of the superconductivity. Furthermore, zero-field muSR measurements do not detect spontaneous magnetic fields below Tc, hence implying that time-reversal symmetry is preserved in Sc5Ru6Sn18., Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures

We report muon spin relaxation and rotation ($\mu$SR) measurements on hydrothermally-grown single crystals of the tetragonal superconductor~FeS, which help to clarify the controversial magnetic state and superconducting gap symmetry of this compound. $\mu$SR time spectra were obtained from 280~K down to 0.025~K in zero field (ZF) and applied fields up to 20 mT. In ZF the observed loss of initial asymmetry (signal amplitude) and increase of depolarization rate~$\Lambda_\mathrm{ZF}$ below 10~K indicate the onset of static magnetism, which coexists with superconductivity below $T_c$. Transverse-field $\mu$SR yields a muon depolarization rate $\sigma_\mathrm{sc} \propto \lambda_{ab}^{-2}$ that clearly shows a linear dependence at low temperature, consistent with nodal superconductivity. The $s{+}d$-wave model gives the best fit to the observed temperature and field dependencies. The normalized superfluid densities versus normalized temperature for different fields collapse onto the same curve, indicating the superconducting gap structure is independent of field. The $T=0$ in-plane penetration depth $\lambda_{ab}$(0) = 198(3) nm., Comment: 5 figures

The antiperovskite-related nitride Cr$_3$GeN forms a tetragonal structure with the space group $P\bar{4}2_1m$ at room temperature. It shows a tetragonal ($P\bar{4}2_1m$) to tetragonal ($I4/mcm$) structural transition with a large hysteresis at 300--400 K. The magnetic susceptibility of Cr$_3$GeN shows Curie-Weiss type temperature dependence at high temperature, but is almost temperature-independent below room temperature. We carried out $\mu$SR and $^{14}$N-NMR microscopy measurements to reveal the magnetic ground state of Cr$_3$GeN. Gradual muon spin relaxation, which is nearly temperature-independent below room temperature, was observed, indicating that Cr$_3$GeN is magnetically inactive. In the $^{14}$N-NMR measurement, a quadrupole-split spectrum was obtained at around $^{14}K = 0$. The temperature dependence of $^{14}(1/T_1)$ satisfies the Korringa relation. These experimental results indicate that the ground state of Cr$_3$GeN is Pauli paramagnetic, without antiferromagnetic long-range order., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, proceeding of International Workshop on Itinerant-Electron Magnetism to be appeared in J. Phys. Conf. Ser

We report on zero-field muon spin rotation, electron spin resonance and polarized Raman scattering measurements of the coupled quantum spin ladder Ba2CuTeO6. Zero-field muon spin rotation and electron spin resonance probes disclose a successive crossover from a paramagnetic through a spin-liquid-like into a magnetically ordered state with decreasing temperature. More significantly, the two-magnon Raman response obeys a T-linear scaling relation in its peak energy, linewidth and intensity. This critical scaling behavior presents an experimental signature of proximity to a quantum critical point from an ordered side in Ba2CuTeO6., Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B

In order to investigate the electronic state of Ce-free and Ce-underdoped high-Tc cuprates with the so-called T' structure, we have performed muon-spin-relaxation (muSR) and specific-heat measurements of Ce-free T'-La_1.8_Eu_0.2_CuO_4+d_ (T'-LECO) polycrystals and Ce-underdoped T'-Pr_1.3-x_La_0.7_Ce_x_CuO_4+d_ (T'-PLCCO) single crystals with x=0.10. The muSR spectra of the reduced superconducting samples of both T'-LECO with Tc=15K and T'-PLCCO with x=0.10 and Tc=27K have revealed that a short-range magnetic order coexists with the superconductivity in the ground state. The formation of a short-range magnetic order due to a tiny amount of excess oxygen in the reduced superconducting samples strongly suggest that the Ce-free and Ce-underdoped T'-cuprates are regarded as strongly correlated electron systems., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. For the supplementary materials, please contact the corresponding author

Pressure dependence of the conductivity and thermoelectric power is measured through the Mott transition in the layer organic conductor EtMe3P[Pd(dmit)2]2. The critical behavior of the thermoelectric effect provides a clear and objective determination of the Mott-Hubbard transition during the isothermal pressure sweep. Above the critical end point, the metal-insulator crossing, determined by the thermoelectric effect minimum value, is not found to coincide with the maximum of the derivative of the conductivity as a function of pressure. We show that the critical exponents of the Mott-Hubbard transition fall within the Ising universality class regardless of the dimensionality of the system.

We have studied low-temperature magnetic properties as well as high-temperature lithium ion diffusion in the battery cathode materials LixNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 by the use of muon spin rotation/relaxation. Our data reveal that the samples enter into a 2D spin-glass state below TSG=12 K. We further show that lithium diffusion channels become active for T>Tdiff=125 K where the Li-ion hopping-rate [nu(T)] starts to increase exponentially. Further, nu(T) is found to fit very well to an Arrhenius type equation and the activation energy for the diffusion process is extracted as Ea=100 meV., Comment: Submitted to Journal of Physics: Conference Series (2014)

We present the muon spin relaxation/rotation spectra in the multiferroic compound (Cu,Zn)$_{3}$Mo$_{2}$O$_{9}$. The parent material Cu$_{3}$Mo$_{2}$O$_{9}$ has a multiferroic phase below $T_{\rm N}$ = 8.0 K, where the canted antiferromagnetism and the ferroelectricity coexist. The asymmetry time spectra taken at RIKEN-RAL pulsed muon facility show a drastic change at $T_{\rm N}$. At low temperatures the weakly beating oscillation caused by the static internal magnetic fields in the antiferromagnetic phase was observed in Cu$_{3}$Mo$_{2}$O$_{9}$ and the lightly ($0.5\%$) Zn-doped sample. From the fitting of the oscillating term, we obtain the order parameter in these samples: ferromagnetic moment in two sublattices of antiferromagnet. In the heavily ($5.0\%$) Zn-doped sample, the muon-spin oscillation is rapidly damped. The frequency-domain spectrum of this sample suggests a formation of magnetic superstructure., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, in press in JPS Conf. Proc. as a part of USM2013 Proceedings

One of the most fundamental limitations of a muon-spin relaxation experiment can be the lack of knowledge of the implantation site of the muon and the uncertainty about the muon's perturbation of its host. Here we review some of the work done on the `muon site problem' in the solid state and highlight some recent applications of electronic structure calculations that have successfully characterized the quantum states of muons in a number of insulating compounds containing fluorine, in a number of pnictide superconductors, and in ZnO., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1212.6782

Zero-field and longitudinal-field muon-spin-relaxation measurements have been performed in partially Fe-substituted La2-xSrxCu1-yFeyO4 in a wide range of hole concentration, to investigate the magnetic state induced by the Fe substitution recently suggested from the neutron-scattering measurements [Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 127002 (2011)]. It has been found that the magnetic transition temperature is notably enhanced through the 1% Fe substitution in a wide range of hole concentration where superconductivity appears in Fe-free La2-xSrxCuO4. In the underdoped regime, the Fe-induced magnetic order can be understood in terms of the concept of stripe pinning by Fe as in the case of the Zn-induced one in La2-xSrxCu1-yZnyO4. In the overdoped regime, on the other hand, the Fe-induced magnetic order is short-ranged, which is distinct from the stripes. It is plausible that a spin-glass state of Fe spins derived from the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction is realized in the overdoped regime, suggesting a change of the ground state from the strongly correlated state to the Fermi-liquid state with hole doping in La-214 high-Tc cuprates., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B

Ni-substitution effects on the superconductivity and Cu-spin correlation have been investigated in La2-xSrxCu1-yNiyO4 from the electrical resistivity and muon spin relaxation measurements, taking into account the hole trapping by Ni recently suggested. It has been found that the Ni-substitution suppresses the superconductivity, induces the localization of holes and develops the Cu-spin correlation to the same degree as the Zn substitution. These suggest that Ni with a trapped hole tends to give rise to potential scattering of holes in the CuO2 plane to the same degree as Zn, being discussed in relation to the so-called dynamical stripe correlations of spins and holes., Comment: 16pages, 4 figures

A systematic muon-spin-relaxation study in Bi-2201 high-Tc cuprates has revealed for the first time that the Cu-spin correlation (CSC) is developed at low temperatures below 2 K in a wide range of hole concentration where superconductivity appears. The CSC tends to become weak gradually with increasing hole-concentration. Moreover, CSC has been enhanced through the 3% substitution of Zn for Cu. These results are quite similar to those observed in La-214 high-Tc cuprates. Accordingly, it has been suggested that the intimate relation between the so-called spin-charge stripe correlations and superconductivity is a universal feature in hole-doped high-Tc cuprates. Furthermore, apparent development of CSC, which is suppressed through the Zn substitution oppositely, has been observed in non-superconducting heavily overdoped samples, being argued in the context of a recently proposed ferromagnetic state in heavily overdoped cuprates., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures

In order to investigate the electronic state in the normal state of high-Tc cuprates in a wide range of temperature and hole-concentration, specific-heat, electrical-resistivity, magnetization and muon-spin-relaxation (muSR) measurements have been performed in non-superconducting Ni-substituted La2-xSrxCu1-yNiyO4 where the superconductivity is suppressed through the partial substitution of Ni for Cu without disturbing the Cu-spin correlation in the CuO2 plane so much. In the underdoped regime, it has been found that there exist both weakly localized holes around Ni and itinerant holes at high temperatures. With decreasing temperature, all holes tend to be localized, followed by the occurrence of variable-range hopping conduction at low temperatures. Finally, in the ground state, it has been found that each Ni2+ ion traps a hole strongly and that a magnetically ordered state appears. In the overdoped regime, on the other hand, it has been found that a Kondo-like state is formed around each Ni2+ spin at low temperatures. In conclusion, the ground state of non-superconducting La2-xSrxCu1-yNiyO4 changes upon hole doping from a magnetically ordered state with the strong hole-trapping by Ni2+ to a metallic state with Kondo-like behavior due to Ni2+ spins, and the quantum phase transition is crossover-like due to the phase separation into short-range magnetically ordered and metallic regions., Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B

Muon-spin-relaxation (muSR) measurements have been performed for the partially Zn-substituted electron-doped high-T_c_ superconductor Pr_0.86_LaCe_0.14_Cu_1-y_Zn_y_O_4+alpha-delta_ with y=0-0.05 and the reduced oxygen content delta=0-0.09, in order to investigate nonmagnetic Zn-impurity effects on the Cu-spin dynamics. For all the measured samples with delta=0.01-0.09, it has been found that a fast depolarization of muon spins is observed below 100 K due to the effect of Pr^3+^ moments and that the muSR time spectrum in the long-time region above 5 mu-sec increases with decreasing temperature at low temperatures below 30 K possibly due to slowing down of the Cu-spin fluctuations assisted by Pr^3+^ moments. No Zn-induced slowing down of the Cu-spin fluctuations has been observed for moderately oxygen-reduced samples with delta=0.04-0.09, which is very different from the muSR results of La_2-x_Sr_x_Cu_1-y_Zn_y_O_4_. The possible reason may be that there are no dynamical stripe correlations of spins and electrons in the electron-doped high-T_c_ cuprates or that the effect of Pr^3+^ moments on the muSR spectra is stronger than that of a small amount of Zn impurities., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures

We address the cause of the unusual muon spin relaxation (muSR) results on molecular nanomagnets (MNMs). Through measurements on protonated and deuterated samples of the MNMs Cr7Mn (S=1) and Cr8 (S=0), we show that the muon spin for $S \neq 0$ MNMs is relaxed via dynamic fluctuations of the electronic spins. A freezing out of dynamic processes occurs on cooling and at low temperatures the muon spins are relaxed by the electronic spins which themselves are dephased by incoherent nuclear field fluctuations.We observe a transition to a state of static magnetic order of the MNM electronic spins in Cr7Mn below 2 K., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

Muon spin relaxation ($\mu$SR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments revealed that the spin singlet state with an excitation gap of $\sim$200 K is realized from $S = 1/2$ Nb$_4$ tetrahedral clusters in a cluster Mott insulator GaNb$_4$S$_8$. The intercluster cooperative phenomenon to the singlet state at $T_\mathrm{S} = 32$ K is triggered by intracluster Jahn-Teller type structural instability developed from $\sim$$3T_\mathrm{S}$. Referring to the lattice symmetry, the formation of Nb$_8$ octamer (Nb$_4$--Nb$_4$ bond) is suggested., Comment: 11 pages, 5figures

Measurements of macroscopic properties have indicated that the bond-disordered spin-gap system (CH3)2CHNH3-Cu(ClxBr1-x)3 is gapless when x is between 0.44 and 0.87. Using muon spin relaxation to investigate microscopic properties of sample with x=0.35, we observed a dynamical spin fluctuation, whose characteristic frequency decreases with decreasing temperature, indicating a magnetic ground state., Comment: 4 pages. Submitted to muSR2008(Tsukuba) and accepted for publication

We have investigated effects of Zn and Ni on the Cu-spin dynamics and superconductivity from the zero-field muon-spin-relaxation (ZF-muSR) and magnetic-susceptibility, chi, measurements for La_2-x_Sr_x_Cu_1-y_(Zn,Ni)_y_O_4_ with x=0.15-0.20, changing y up to 0.10 in fine step. In the optimally doped x=0.15, it has been concluded that the formation of a magnetic order requires a larger amount of Ni than that of Zn, which is similar to our previous results of x=0.13. From the estimation of volume fractions of superconducting (SC) and magnetic regions, it has been found for x=0.15 that the SC region is in rough correspondence to the region where Cu spins fluctuate fast beyond the muSR frequency window for both Zn- and Ni-substituted samples. According to the stripe model, it follows that, even for x=0.15, the dynamical stripe correlations of spins and holes are pinned and localized around Zn and Ni, leading to the formation of the static stripe order and the suppression of superconductivity. These may indicate an importance of the dynamical stripe in the appearance of the high-T_c_ superconductivity in the hole-doped cuprates. In the overdoped regime of x=0.18 and 0.20, on the other hand, the SC region seems to be in rough correspondence to the region where Cu spins fluctuate fast beyond the muSR frequency window, though it appears that the Cu-spin dynamics and superconductivity are affected by the phase separation into SC and normal-state regions., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B

The recent observation of superconductivity with critical temperatures up to 55 K in the FeAs based pnictide compounds marks the first discovery of a non copper-oxide based layered high-Tc superconductor (HTSC) [1-3]. It has raised the suspicion that these new materials share a similar pairing mechanism to the cuprates, since both exhibit superconductivity following charge doping of a magnetic parent material. Here we present a muon spin rotation study on SmFeAsO1-xFx (x=0-0.30), which shows that static magnetism persists well into the superconducting regime. The analogy with the cuprates is quite surprising since the parent compounds appear to have different magnetic ground states: itinerant spin density wave for the pnictides contrasted with the Mott-Hubbard insulator in the cuprates. Our findings suggest that proximity to magnetic order and associated soft magnetic fluctuations, rather than the strong electronic correlations in the vicinity of a Mott-Hubbard-metal-to-insulator transition, may be the key ingredients of HTSC., Comment: Accepted in Nature Materials

121/123Sb nuclear quadrupole resonance and muon spin relaxation experiments of Mo3Sb7 revealed symmetry breakdown to a nonmagnetic state below the transition recently found at TS=50 K. The transition is characterized by a distinct lattice dynamics suggested from narrowing of nuclear fields. We point out that the Mo sublatice is a unique three-dimensional frustrated lattice where nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic interactions compete, and propose that tetragonal distortion to release the frustration stabilizes long-range order of spin-singlet dimers, i.e., valence bond crystal, which is thermally excited to the dynamic state with cubic symmetry., Comment: 4 pages. submitted

Muon-spin rotation experiments were performed on the pnictide high temperature superconductor SmFeAsO$_{1-x}$F$_{x}$ with x=0.18 and 0.3. We observed an unusual enhancement of slow spin fluctuations in the vicinity of the superconducting which suggests that the spin fluctuations contribute to the formation of an unconventional superconducting state. An estimate of the in-plane penetration depth $\lambda_{ab}(0)=190(5)$\thinspace nm was obtained, which confirms that the pnictide superconductors obey an Uemura-style relationship between $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ and $\lambda_{ab}(0)^{-2}$., Comment: To appear in Physical Review Letters. Changes to title, figures 1 and 4, references and (minor changes to) the text

Muon-spin-relaxation measurements have been performed for the partially Zn-substituted La_2-x_Sr_x_Cu_1-y_Zn_y_O_4_ with y=0-0.10 in the overdoped regime up to x=0.30. In the 3 % Zn-substituted samples up to x=0.27, exponential-like depolarization of muon spins has been observed at low temperatures, indicating Zn-induced slowing-down of the Cu-spin fluctuations. The depolarization rate decreases with increasing x and almost no fast depolarization of muon spins has been observed for x=0.30 where superconductivity disappears. The present results suggest that the dynamical stripe correlations exist in the whole superconducting regime of La_2-x_Sr_x_CuO_4_ and that there is no quantum critical point at x~0.19., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures

Copper metaborate CuB$_2$O$_{4}$ was studied by muon spin relaxation measurements in order to clarify its static and dynamic magnetic properties. The time spectra of muon spin depolarization suggest that the local fields at the muon site contain both static and fluctuating components in all ordered phases down to 0.3 K. In the weak ferromagnetic phase (20 K~$>T>$~9.3 K), the static component is dominant. On the other hand, upon cooling the fluctuating component becomes dominant in the incommensurate helix phase (9.3K > T > 1.4K). The dynamical fluctuations of the local fields persist down to 0.3K, where a new incommensurate phase (T < 1.4K) is expected to appear. This result suggests that spins fluctuate even at T \to 0. We propose two possible origins of the remnant dynamical spin fluctuations: frustration of the exchange interactions and the dynamic behavior of the soliton lattice.

Muon-spin-rotation and relaxation studies have been performed on (CH$_3$)$_2$CHNH$_3$Cu(Cl$_x$Br$_{1-x}$)$_3$ with $x$=0.85 and 0.95, which are solid solutions of the two isomorphic spin-gap systems (CH$_3$)$_2$CHNH$_3$CuCl$_3$ and (CH$_3$)$_2$CHNH$_3$CuBr$_3$ with different spin gaps. The sample with $x$=0.85 showed a clear muon spin rotation under zero-field below $T_{\rm N}$=11.65K, indicating the existence of a long-range antiferromagnetic order. A critical exponent of the hyperfine field was obtained to be $\beta$=0.33, which agrees with 3D-Ising model. In the other sample with $x$=0.95, an anomalous enhancement of the muon spin relaxation was observed at very low temperatures indicating a critical slowing down due to a magnetic instability of the ground state.

Effects of the Zn- and Ni-substitution on the Cu-spin dynamics in the electron-doped Pr0.86LaCe0.14Cu1-y(Zn,Ni)yO4+a-d with y = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05 and different values of the reduced oxygen content d have been studied using zero-field muon-spin-relaxation (muSR) measurements at temperatures down to 2 K. For the as-grown sample (d = 0, y = 0) and the sample with a very small d value (d < 0.01, y = 0), a muon-spin precession due to long-range antiferromagnetic order has been observed. On the other hand, no precession has been observed for moderately oxygen-reduced samples (0.01 < d < 0.09). It has been found that for all the samples of 0.01 < d < 0.09 the asymmetry A(t) (muSR time spectrum) in the long-time region increases with decreasing temperature at low temperatures, suggesting possible slowing-down of the Cu-spin fluctuations. On the other hand, no significant difference between Zn- and Ni-substitution effects on the slowing down of the Cu-spin fluctuations has been observed., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Proceeding of 10th muSR conference 2005, to be published in Physica B

Muon spin relaxation measurements on the filled skutterudite compound SmRu4P12 have been carried out in zero- and longitudinal-fields. Temperature dependence of both initial asymmetry and muon-spin depolarization rate show the appearance of a magnetically ordered state below the metal-insulator transition temperature TMI. The present study indicates that the ordering below TMI is not a non-magnetic antiferro-quadrupolar ordering but a magnetic one, which supports a scenario that a magnetic octupolar ordering occurs below TMI in SmRu4P12., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, Phys. Rev. B 73, 052408 (2006)

Zero-field muon-spin-relaxation measurements have been carried out in order to investigate the Zn- and Ni-substitution effects on the Cu-spin dynamics in the electron-doped Pr_0.86_LaCe_0.14_Cu_1-y_(Zn, Ni)_y_O_4+\alpa-\delta_ with y = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05 and different values of the reduced oxygen content \delta(\delta \le 0.09). For the samples with y = 0 and very small \delta values of \delta < 0.01, a muon-spin precession due to the formation of a long-range antiferromagnetic order has been observed at low temperatures below \~ 5 K. For the moderately oxygen-reduced samples of 0.01 \le \delta \le 0.09, on the contrary, no muon-spin precession has been observed and the temperature dependence of the spectra is similar to one another regardless of the y value. That is, no impurity-induced slowing down of the Cu-spin fluctuations has been detected, which is very different from the results of the hole-doped high-T_c_ cuprates. The reason is discussed., Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of ISS2004 (to be published in Physica C)

Effects of the magnetic impurity Ni on the Cu-spin dynamics and superconductivity have been studied in La_2-x_Sr_x_Cu_1-y_Ni_y_O_4_ with x = 0.13 changing y finely up to 0.10. Compared with the case of the nonmagnetic impurity Zn, it has been found from the muon-spin-relaxation measurements that a large amount of Ni is required to stabilize a magnetic order of Cu spins. However, the evolution toward the stabilization of the magnetic order with increasing impurity concentration is qualitatively similar to each other. The area of the non-superconducting and slowly fluctuating or static region of Cu spins around Ni has been found to be smaller than that around Zn, suggesting that the pinning of rather long-ranged dynamical spin correlation such as the so-called dynamical stripe by Ni is weaker than that by Zn. This may be the reason why Zn destroys the superconductivity in the hole-doped high-T_c_ cuprates more markedly than Ni., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B