Itinerant electron magnetism in 3d-transition metals (invited)

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1979 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.326915· OSTI ID:5725956

Cooke, J F

Inelastic neutron scattering experiments performed on the 3-d transition metal ferromagnets have revealed striking behavior associated with the magnetic excitations found in these materials. Of particular importance is the disappearance of the spin-wave mode above a certain cut-off wave vector and the existence of spin-waves well above the Curie temperature. These phenomena are inconsistent with predictions of localized spin models but can be understood if the ''magnetic electrons'' are assumed to be itinerant. At low temperatures, quantitative predictions of the itinerant electron theory based on KKR energy band calculations have been found to be in excellent agreement with experiment. In addition, these calculations predicted the existence of an optical spin-wave mode in nickel which was recently observed. The extrapolation of the low temperature theory to finite temperatures, based on the concept of a temperature dependent spin splitting of the electron bands, appears to be inconsistent with experiment. More realistic attempts to develop a finite temperature theory are currently under investigation.

• Research Organization: Solid State Division,Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
• OSTI ID: 5725956
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 50:B11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
BAND THEORY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
D STATES
INELASTIC SCATTERING
NEUTRON SPECTRA
SPIN WAVES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
MAGNETIC MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METALS
SCATTERING
SPECTRA
656000* - Condensed Matter Physics