Magnetic-field-induced superconductivity in a two-dimensional organic conductor

DFT/TD-DFT study of the spin transition complex [Fe(pmea)(NCS)2]

The spin crossover (SCO) compound [Fe(pmea)(NCS)(2)] (where pmea symbolizes the ligand bis[(2-pyridyl)methyl]-2-(2-pyridyl)ethylamine) has been studied by DFT/TD-DFT methods. Several density functionals and basis sets were used in the calculations to obtain optimized geometries of the compound in the low-(LS), intermediate-(IS) and high-spin (HS) states. The vibrational modes and IR spectra, spin splittings energies, excited states and UV/vis absorption spectra were calculated. From the TD-DFT calculations, it can be inferred that this complex may act as a reversible optical switch via the LIESST effect and its reverse process.

Pressure-driven quantum criticality in iron-selenide superconductors

We report a finding of a pressure-induced quantum critical transition in K0.8Fe(x)Se2 (x = 1.7 and 1.78) superconductors through in situ high-pressure electrical transport and x-ray diffraction measurements in diamond anvil cells. Transitions from metallic Fermi liquid behavior to non-Fermi liquid behavior and from antiferromagnetism to paramagnetism are found in the pressure range of 9.2-10.3 GPa, in which superconductivity tends to disappear. The change around the quantum critical point from the coexisting antiferromagnetism state and the Fermi liquid behavior to the paramagnetism state and the non-Fermi liquid behavior in the iron-selenide superconductors demonstrates a unique mechanism for their quantum critical transition.

Continuous and discontinuous quantum phase transitions in a model two-dimensional magnet

The Shasty-Sutherland model, which consists of a set of spin 1/2 dimers on a 2D square lattice, is simple and soluble but captures a central theme of condensed matter physics by sitting precariously on the quantum edge between isolated, gapped excitations and collective, ordered ground states. We compress the model Shastry-Sutherland material, SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2), in a diamond anvil cell at cryogenic temperatures to continuously tune the coupling energies and induce changes in state. High-resolution X-ray measurements exploit what emerges as a remarkably strong spin-lattice coupling to both monitor the magnetic behavior and the absence or presence of structural discontinuities. In the low-pressure spin-singlet regime, the onset of magnetism results in an expansion of the lattice with decreasing temperature, which permits a determination of the pressure-dependent energy gap and the almost isotropic spin-lattice coupling energies. The singlet-triplet gap energy is suppressed continuously with increasing pressure, vanishing completely by 2 GPa. This continuous quantum phase transition is followed by a structural distortion at higher pressure.

Structural, magnetic, and electronic properties of phenolic oxime complexes of Cu and Ni

Square planar complexes of the type Ni(L(1))(2), Ni(L(2))(2), Cu(L(1))(2), and Cu(L(2))(2), where L(1)H = 2-hydroxy-5-t-octylacetophenone oxime and L(2)H = 2-hydroxy-5-n-propylacetophenone oxime, have been prepared and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, UV/vis spectroscopy, field-effect-transistor measurements, density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations, and, in the case of the paramagnetic species, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and magnetic susceptibility. Variation of alkyl groups on the ligand from t-octyl to n-propyl enabled electronic isolation of the complexes in the crystal structures of M(L(1))(2) contrasting with π-stacking interactions for M(L(2))(2) (M = Ni, Cu). This was evidenced by a one-dimensional antiferromagnetic chain for Cu(L(2))(2) but ideal paramagnetic behavior for Cu(L(1))(2) down to 1.8 K. Despite isostructural single crystal structures for M(L(2))(2), thin-film X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed different morphologies depending on the metal and the deposition method (vapor or solution). The Cu complexes displayed limited electronic interaction between the central metal and the delocalized ligands, with more mixing in the case of Ni(II), as shown by electrochemistry and UV/vis spectroscopy. The complexes M(L(2))(2) showed poor charge transport in a field-effect transistor (FET) device despite the ability to form π-stacking structures, and this provides design insights for metal complexes to be used in conductive thin-film devices.

Frontiers of organic conductors and superconductors

We review the development of conductive organic molecular assemblies including organic metals, superconductors, single component conductors, conductive films, conductors with a switching function, and new spin state (quantum spin liquid state). We emphasize the importance of the ionicity phase diagram for a variety of charge transfer systems to provide a strategy for the development of functional organic solids (Mott insulator, semiconductor, superconductor, metal, complex isomer, neutral-ionic system, alignment of chemical potentials, etc.). For organic (super)conductors, the electronic dimensionality of the solids is a key parameter and can be designed based on the self-aggregation ability of a molecule. We present characteristic structural and physical properties of organic superconductors.

Carrier dynamics in an organic magnetic superconductor and related salts κ, λ-(BETS)(2)MCl(4) (M = Fe, Ga)

In order to compare the carrier dynamics and reveal the origin of differences in their electrical behaviour, time-resolved reflectivity changes were measured on single crystals of the title compounds. The observed relaxation behaviour explained well their electrical behaviour, and indicated that different conduction mechanisms dominated κ- and λ-type BETS salts, irrespective of local spins, at about 8-100 K; the electrical behaviour of the κ-type salts is governed by relaxation times of carriers and/or density of states at the Fermi levels, while that of the λ-type salts is dominated by the latter.

Progress of Multi Functional Properties of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid System, A[FeIIFeIIIX3] (A = (n-CnH2n+1)4N, Spiropyran; X = C2O2S2, C2OS3, C2O3S)

In the case of mixed-valence systems whose spin states are situated in the spin crossover region, new types of conjugated phenomena coupled with spin and charge are expected. From this viewpoint, we have investigated the multifunctional properties coupled with spin, charge and photon for the organic-inorganic hybrid system, A[Fe^IIFe^IIIX₃](A = (n-C_nH_2n+1)₄N, spiropyran; X = dto(C₂O₂S₂), tto(C₂OS₃), mto(C₂O₃S)). A[Fe^IIFe^III(dto)₃] and A[Fe^IIFe^III(tto)₃] undergo the ferromagnetic phase transitions, while A[Fe^IIFe^III(mto)₃] undergoes a ferrimagnetic transition. In (n-C_nH_2n+1)₄N [Fe^IIFe^III(dto)₃](n = 3,4), a new type of phase transition called charge transfer phase transition (CTPT) takes place around 120 K, where the thermally induced charge transfer between Fe^II and Fe^III occurs reversibly. At the CTPT, the iron valence state dynamically fluctuated with a frequency of about 0.1 MHz, which was confirmed by means of muon spin relaxation. The charge transfer phase transition and the ferromagnetic transition for (n-C_nH_2n+1)₄N[Fe^IIFe^III(dto)₃] remarkably depend on the size of intercalated cation. In the case of (SP)[Fe^IIFe^III(dto)₃](SP = spiropyran), the photoinduced isomerization of SP under UV irradiation induces the charge transfer phase transition in the [Fe^IIFe^III(dto)₃] layer and the remarkable change of the ferromagnetic transition temperature. In the case of (n-C_nH_2n+1)₄N[Fe^IIFe^III(mto)₃](mto = C₂O₃S), a rapid spin equilibrium between the high-spin state (S = 5/2) and the low-spin state (S = 1/2) at the Fe^IIIO₃S₃ site takes place in a wide temperature range, which induces the valence fluctuation of the FeS₃O₃ and FeO₆ sites through the ferromagnetic coupling between the low spin state (S = 1/2) of the Fe^IIIS₃O₃ site and the high spin state (S = 2) of the Fe^IIO₆ site.

Superconductivity in just four pairs of (BETS)2GaCl4 molecules

How small can a sample of superconducting material be and still display superconductivity? This question is relevant to our fundamental understanding of superconductivity, and also to applications in nanoscale electronics, because Joule heating of interconnecting wires is a major problem in nanoscale devices. It has been shown that ultrathin layers of metal can display superconductivity, but any limits on the size of superconducting systems remain a mystery. (BETS)2GaCl4, where BETS is bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene, is an organic superconductor, and in bulk it has a superconducting transition temperature Tc of approximately 8 K and a two-dimensional layered structure that is reminiscent of the high-Tc cuprate superconductors. Here, we use scanning tunnelling spectroscopy to show that a single layer of (BETS)2GaCl4 molecules on an Ag(111) surface displays a superconducting gap that increases exponentially with the length of the molecular chain. Moreover, we show that a superconducting gap can still be detected for just four pairs of (BETS)2GaCl4 molecules. Real-space spectroscopic images directly visualize the chains of BETS molecules as the origin of the superconductivity.

Magnetic field-induced off-resonance third-order optical nonlinearity of iron oxide nanoparticles incorporated mesoporous silica thin films during heat treatment

Highly dispersed and uniform Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles (NPs) have been incorporated into the pore channels of SBA-15 mesoporous silica thin films (MSTFs). And such Fe(2)O(3) NPs incorporated MSTFs did not show detectable nonlinear optical (NLO) signals at off-resonance wavelength 1064 nm by Z-scan technique. However after a vacuum heat treatment at 800 degrees C for 1 h under 6 T magnetic field, the Fe(2)O(3) NPs incorporated MSTFs with very low Fe content (0.8 approximately 1.5 at.%) presented distinctive NLO signals with chi(3) value in an order of 10(-10) esu. We proposed the physical reason for the NLO property generation to be the magnetic domain orientation of the iron oxide NPs incorporated within the pore channels of the MSTFs by the magnetic field heat treatment.

Magnetic-field-induced superconducting state in Zn nanowires driven in the normal state by an electric current

Four-terminal resistance measurements have been carried out on Zn nanowires formed using electron-beam lithography. When driven resistive by current, these wires reenter the superconducting state upon application of small magnetic fields. The data are qualitatively different from those of previous experiments on superconducting nanowires, which revealed either negative magnetoresistance near T_{c} or high-magnetic-field-enhanced critical currents.