Size-dependent magnetic ordering and spin-dynamics in DyPO4 and GdPO4 nanoparticles
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragon (ICMA), Spain
- Leiden University
- ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
- Universidad de Malaga, Spain
- University of Osnabruck, Barbarastr Germany
- ORNL
Low-temperature magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements on nanoparticles (d 2.6 nm) of the antiferromagnetic compounds DyPO4 (TN = 3:4 K) and GdPO4 (TN = 0:77 K) provide clear demonstrations of finite-size effects, which limit the divergence of the magnetic correlation lengths, thereby suppressing the bulk long-range magnetic ordering transitions. Instead, the incomplete antiferromagnetic order inside the particles leads to the formation of net magnetic moments on the particles. For the nanoparticles of Ising-type DyPO4 superparamagnetic blocking is found in the ac-susceptibility at 1 K, those of the XY-type GdPO4 analogue show a dipolar spin-glass transition at 0:2 K. Monte Carlo simulations for the magnetic heat capacities of both bulk and nanoparticle samples are in agreement with the experimental data. Strong size effects are also apparent in the Dy3+ and Gd3+ spin-dynamics, which were studied by zero-field SR relaxation and high-field 31P-NMR nuclear relaxation measurements. The freezing transitions observed in the ac-susceptibility of the nanoparticles also appear as peaks in the temperature dependence of the zero-field SR rates, but at slightly higher temperatures - as to be expected from the higher frequency of the muon probe. For both bulk and nanoparticles of GdPO4, the muon and 31P-NMR rates are for T 5 K dominated by exchange-narrowed hyperfine broadening arising from the electron spin-spin interactions inside the particles. The dipolar hyperfine interactions acting on the muons and the 31P are, however, much reduced in the nanoparticles. For the DyPO4 analogues the high-temperature rates appear to be fully determined by electron spin-lattice relaxation processes.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1024699
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review B, Vol. 94, Issue 9; ISSN 1098--0121
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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