X-ray and neutron scattering

Abstract:

A study of vapour transport equilibrated crystals of LiTaO3 shows periodic fringes that change with temperature. The origin of these fringes and their behaviour is explained in terms of domains with slanted walls. Micro-Raman measurements have been used to determine the Li2O concentration through the crystals, and by comparison with the observed fringe pattern the variation of birefringence with Li2O content has been determined.

Abstract:

We report neutron inelastic scattering measurements on the normal and superconducting states of single-crystalline Cs 0.8Fe 1.9Se 2. Consistent with previous measurements on Rb xFe 2-ySe 2, we observe two distinct spin excitation signals: (i) spin-wave excitations characteristic of the block antiferromagnetic order found in insulating A xFe 2-ySe 2 compounds, and (ii) a resonance-like magnetic peak localized in energy at 11 meV and at an in-plane wave-vector of (0.25,0.5). The resonance peak increases below T c=27 K, and has a similar absolute intensity to the resonance peaks observed in other Fe-based superconductors. The existence of a magnetic resonance in the spectrum of Rb xFe 2-ySe 2 and now of Cs xFe 2-ySe 2 suggests that this is a common feature of superconductivity in this family. The low-energy spin-wave excitations in Cs 0.8Fe 1.9Se 2 show no measurable response to superconductivity, consistent with the notion of spatially separate magnetic and superconducting phases. © 2012 American Physical Society.

Abstract:

This report presents azimuthal dependent and polarization dependent x-ray resonant magnetic scattering at the Ir L(3) edge for the bilayered iridate compound Sr(3)Ir(2)O(7). The two magnetic wave vectors, k1 = (1/2, 1/2, 0) and k2 = (1/2, -1/2, 0), result in domains of two symmetry-related G-type antiferromagnetic structures, denoted A and B, respectively. These domains are approximately 0.02 mm(2) and are independent of the thermal history. An understanding of this key aspect of the magnetism is necessary for an overall picture of the magnetic behaviour in this compound. The azimuthal and polarization dependence of the magnetic reflections, relating to both magnetic wavevectors, show that the Ir magnetic moments in the bilayer compound are oriented along the c axis. This contrasts with single layer Sr(2)IrO(4) where the moments are confined to the ab plane.