Article abstract
Nature Physics 3, 29 - 35 (2007)
doi:10.1038/nphys488
Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Statistical physics, thermodynamics and nonlinear dynamics | Techniques and instrumentation
Phase separation and suppression of critical dynamics at quantum phase transitions of MnSi and (Sr1-xCax)RuO3
Y. J. Uemura1, T. Goko1,2, I. M. Gat-Malureanu1,3, J. P. Carlo1, P. L. Russo1, A. T. Savici1, A. Aczel4, G. J. MacDougall4, J. A. Rodriguez4, G. M. Luke4, S. R. Dunsiger4, A. McCollam5, J. Arai2, Ch. Pfleiderer6, P. Böni6, K. Yoshimura7, E. Baggio-Saitovitch8, M. B. Fontes8, J. Larrea8, Y. V. Sushko9 and J. Sereni10
Abstract
Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) at zero temperature are generally studied by means of pressure or composition tuning. Volume-integrated probes such as neutron and magnetization measurements, as well as pressure uncertainties in NMR studies using powder specimens, however, have limited the characterization of magnetism and detection of discontinuous changes at QPTs. Overcoming these limitations, we carried out muon spin relaxation measurements that have a unique sensitivity to volume fractions of magnetically ordered and paramagnetic regions, and studied QPTs from itinerant helimagnet or ferromagnet to paramagnet transitions in MnSi (single crystal; varying pressure) and (Sr1-xCax)RuO3 (ceramic specimens; varying x). Our results provide the first clear evidence that both cases are associated with phase separation and suppression of dynamic critical behaviour, reveal slow dynamics of the 'partial order' diffuse spin correlations in MnSi above the critical pressure and suggest the possibility that a majority of QPTs in correlated electron systems involve first-order transitions and/or phase separation.
- Department of Physics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
- Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
- Department of Science, SUNY Maritime College, Throggs Neck, New York 10465, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada
- Physik Department, Technische Universität München, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Centro Brasilieiro de Pesquisas Fisicas, Rua Xavier Sigaud 150 Urca, CEP 22290-180 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055, USA
- Laboratorio de Bajas Temperaturas, Centro Atomico Bariloche, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Correspondence to: Y. J. Uemura1 e-mail: tomo@lorentz.phys.columbia.edu
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