Magnetic phase transition and continuous spin switching in a high-entropy orthoferrite single crystal

Rare-earth orthoferrite REFeO_(3)(where RE is a rare-earth ion)is gaining interest.We created a high-entropy orthoferrite(Tm_(0.2)Nd_(0.2)Dy_(0.2)Y_(0.2)Yb_(0.2))FeO_(3)(HEOR)by doping five RE ions in equimolar ratios and grew the single crystal by optical floating zone method.It strongly tends to form a single-phase structure stabilized by high configurational entropy.In the low-temperature region(11.6‒14.4 K),the spin reorientation transition(SRT)ofΓ_(2)(F_(x),C_(y),G_(z))‒Γ_(24)‒Γ_(4)(G_(x),A_(y),F_(z))occurs.The weak ferromagnetic(FM)moment,which comes from the Fe sublattices distortion,rotates from the a-to c-axis.The two-step dynamic processes(Γ_(2)‒Γ_(24)‒Γ_(4))are identified by AC susceptibility measurements.SRT in HEOR can be tuned in the range of 50‒60000 Oe,which is an order of magnitude larger than that of orthoferrites in the peer system,making it a candidate for high-field spin sensing.Typical spin-switching(SSW)and continuous spin-switching(CSSW)effects occur under low magnetic fields due to the strong interactions between RE‒Fe sublattices.The CSSW effect is tunable between 20‒50 Oe,and hence,HEOR potentially can be applied to spin modulation devices.Furthermore,because of the strong anisotropy of magnetic entropy change()and refrigeration capacity(RC)based on its high configurational entropy,HEOR is expected to provide a novel approach for refrigeration by altering the orientations of the crystallographic axes(anisotropic configurational entropy).

Annealing-induced long-range charge density wave order in magnetic kagome FeGe:Fluctuations and disordered structure

Charge density wave(CDW) in kagome materials with the geometric frustration is able to carry unconventional characteristics.Recently, a CDW has been observed below the antiferromagnetic order in kagome FeGe, in which magnetism and CDW are intertwined to form an emergent quantum ground state. However, the CDW is only short-ranged and the structural modulation originating from it has yet to be determined experimentally. Here we realize a long-range CDW order by post-annealing process,and resolve the structure model through single crystal X-ray diffraction. Occupational disorder of Ge resulting from short-range CDW correlations above T_(CDW) is identified from structure refinements. The partial dimerization of Ge along the c axis is unveiled to be the dominant distortion for the CDW. Occupational disorder of Ge is also proved to exist in the CDW phase due to the random selection of partially dimerized Ge sites. Our work provides useful insights for understanding the unconventional nature of the CDW in FeGe.

Effect of impurity scattering on superconductivity in K2Cr3As3

Impurity scattering in a superconductor may serve as an important probe for the nature of superconducting pairing state. Here we re- port the impurity effect on superconducting transition temperature Te in the newly discovered Cr-based superconductor K2Cr3As3. The resistivity measurements show that the crystals prepared using high-purity Cr metal （≥99.99%） have an electron mean free path much larger than the superconducting coherence length. For the crystals prepared using impure Cr that contains various non- magnetic impurities, however, the Tc decreases significantly, in accordance with the generalized Abrikosov-Gor＇kov pair-breaking theory. This finding supports a non-s-wave superconductivity in K2Cr3As3.

La_(2)Rh_(3+δ)Sb_(4):a new ternary superconducting rhodium-antimonide

Rhodium-containing compounds offer a fertile playground to explore novel materials with superconductivity(SC)and other fantastic electronic correlation effects.A new ternary rhodium-antimonide La_(2)Rh_(3)+δSb_(4)(δ≈1/8)has been synthesized by a Bi-flux method.It crystallizes in the orthorhombic La_(2)Rh_(3+δ)Sb_(4)-like structure,with the space group Pnma(No.62).The crystalline structure appears as stacking the two-dimensional RhSb_(4)-and RhSb_(5)-polyhedra networks along b axis,and the La atoms embed in the cavities of these networks.Band structure calculations confirm it as a multi-band metal with a van-Hove singularity like feature at the Fermi level,whose density of states are mainly of Rh-4d and Sb-5p characters.The calculations also imply that the redundant Rh acts as charge dopant.SC is observed in this material with onset transition at Ton c≈0.8 K.Ultra-low temperature magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements suggest that it is an s-wave type-II superconductor.Our work may also imply that the broad Ln_(2)Tm_(3+δ)Sb_(4)(Ln=rare earth,Tm=Rh,Ir)family may host new material bases where new superconductors,quantum magnetism and other electronic correlation effects could be found.