Muons and magnets

Abstract:

We report the results of magnetization, susceptibility and muon spin rotation/relaxation (mu SR) measurements and crystal structure analyses of the organic neutral and ion radicals based on nitronyl nitroxide. Magneto-structural correlations in naphthyl and quinolyl nitronyl nitroxides, some of which exhibit ferromagnetic intermolecular interactions, are discussed in terms of intermolecular and interatomic contacts. The temperature dependence of the paramagnetic susuceptibility of sodium 2-sulfonatofuryl nitronyl nitroxide and 2-carboxyfuryl nitronyl nitroxide are interpreted in terms of a combination of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. Of the organic radicals exhibiting ferromagnetic intermolecular interactions, magnetic transitions in the zero-field muon spin relaxation are observed in l-naphthyl and p-cyanophenyl nitronyl nitroxide below 0.10 and 0.17 K, respectively.

Abstract:

Ferromagnetism has been observed in a family of organic molecular crystals based on the nitronyl nitroxide radical. We present the results of mu SR experiments on a number of nitronyl nitroxide compounds. The zero-field spin precession of muons implanted in diamagnetic states can be used to follow the magnetic order parameter as a function of temperature. Five of the materials studied show magnetic transitions, although the transition temperature and the nature of the magnetic ground state in each case are quite different. mu SR can be used to study these ground states and thus help to relate the observed magnetic properties to the crystal structure of each material.

Abstract:

We report mu SR measurements on a series of compounds with composition La2-xSrxNiO4+delta where the net hole concentration x + 2 delta is greater than 0.4. A magnetic transition is found in all the samples studied which occurs at a composition-dependent temperature T-M. Below T-M, clear precession signals are observed in zero applied magnetic field. The possible muon sites are discussed within the context of dipole-field calculations.

Abstract:

We report studies of spin dynamics in the conducting polymers polyaniline and polypyrrole using both mu(+)SR and mu(-)SR techniques. These measurements reveal characteristic held dependences and cutoff frequencies for the muon spin relaxation which can be related to the spin diffusion process. Clear evidence is seen for increased spin localisation at low temperatures where a crossover occurs from two or three dimensional spin diffusion to a one dimensional diffusion regime.

Abstract:

We have carried out implanted positive muon studies on the molecular metal system d(n)(DMe-DCNQI)(2)Cu in order to understand better its novel magnetic properties. Examples of these salts at different levels of deuteration were studied. The fully deuterated (d(8)) salt shows a metal-insulator (MI) transition around 80 K and a magnetic transition around 7 K. The muon spin relaxation rate is enhanced below the MI transition, reflecting the localisation of spins along the Cu columns, however, the increase in muon spin relaxation rate occurs well above the metal-insulator (MI) transition and suggests a slowdown of the spin fluctuations around 120 K. At temperatures below 7 K a zero field precession signal was observed as a result of the 3D magnetic ordering of the Cu spins. For a muon site associated with the ring of the DCNQI molecule, the local field distribution was found to be consistent with the previously proposed magnetic structure. A sharp nuclear quadrupolar level crossing resonance (QLCR) was observed at 50 G which was assigned to resonance with the imine nitrogen on the DCNQI molecule.