Directed synthesis of a hybrid improper magnetoelectric multiferroic material

Preparing materials which simultaneously exhibit spontaneous magnetic and electrical polarisations is challenging as the electronic features which are typically used to stabilise each of these two polarisations in materials are contradictory. Here we show that by performing low-temperature cation-exchange reactions on a hybrid improper ferroelectric material, Li2SrTa2O7, which adopts a polar structure due to a cooperative tilting of its constituent TaO6 octahedra rather than an electronically driven atom displacement, a paramagnetic polar phase, MnSrTa2O7, can be prepared. On cooling below 43 K the Mn2+ centres in MnSrTa2O7 adopt a canted antiferromagnetic state, with a small spontaneous magnetic moment. On further cooling to 38 K there is a further transition in which the size of the ferromagnetic moment increases coincident with a decrease in magnitude of the polar distortion, consistent with a coupling between the two polarisations.

Photoinduced multistage phase transitions in Ta2NiSe5

Ultrafast control of material physical properties represents a rapidly developing field in condensed matter physics. Yet, accessing the long-lived photoinduced electronic states is still in its early stages, especially with respect to an insulator to metal phase transition. Here, by combining transport measurement with ultrashort photoexcitation and coherent phonon spectroscopy, we report on photoinduced multistage phase transitions in Ta2NiSe5. Upon excitation by weak pulse intensity, the system is triggered to a short-lived state accompanied by a structural change. Further increasing the excitation intensity beyond a threshold, a photoinduced steady new state is achieved where the resistivity drops by more than four orders at temperature 50 K. This new state is thermally stable up to at least 350 K and exhibits a lattice structure different from any of the thermally accessible equilibrium states. Transmission electron microscopy reveals an in-chain Ta atom displacement in the photoinduced new structure phase. We also found that nano-sheet samples with the thickness less than the optical penetration depth are required for attaining a complete transition.

Analysis of Chaotic Response of Frenkel-Kontorova-Tomlinson Model

The Frenkel-Kontorova-Tomlinson (FKT) model represents mechanical systems in which the atomic smooth surfaces of two bodies slide against each other. The model is very sensitive to changes of the system parameters, and ranges from simple stable harmonic to chaotic solutions. The design of the model between two bodies for the dynamic problem, following the network method rules, is explained with precision and run on standard electrical circuit simulation software. It provides the phase diagrams of atom displacement for each atom and the total friction force by the summation of all the atom displacements. This article is focused on studying the effect of the selected time step on the result and in the lack of sensitivity of Lyapunov exponents to assess chaotic behaviour.

Hydrogen atoms in bridging positions from quantum crystallographic refinements: influence of hydrogen atom displacement parameters on geometry and electron density

Hydrogen atom positions can be obtained accurately from X-ray diffraction data of hydrogen maleate salts via Hirshfeld atom refinement.

Nano-SQUIDs with controllable weak links created via current-induced atom migration

Weak link modification through current-induced atom displacement in order to tune the SQUID's response.

Development and Application of Neutron Damage Calculation Code for ADS System

A neutron damage calculation code named NDCC was developed for the shielding analysis of ADS. The code can calculate atom displacement, helium and hydrogen production of the nuclides and compositions constituting the structural materials in ADS system. A benchmark was performed in China Lead-Alloy Cooled Research Reactor (CLEAR-I) to test the availability and reliability of the NDCC code. The discrepancy between the NDCC calculation and the results calculated by other codes fell into a reasonable range.