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Crystal Field Excitations in Raman Spectra of Pr-based Pyrochlores

ORAL

Abstract

Interplay of strong electron correlations and spin-orbit coupling leads to exotic magnetic phases in rare earth pyrochlores. Here we present a study of Pr2Ir2O7 and Pr2Zr2O7, which show magnetic interactions but no ordering down to low temperatures [1-3]. We performed low temperature Raman scattering spectroscopy study of Pr2Ir2O7 and Pr2Zr2O7 single crystals to probe crystal field excitations and phonons. A comparison of crystal field excitations in these two materials reveals a splitting in the Pr3+ crystal field doublet at 57 meV in Pr2Zr2O7, possibly originating from the magneto-elastic coupling induced vibronic state. An anomalous broadening of this crystal field excitation is observed in Pr2Ir2O7. A comparison of phonon spectrum to the density functional theory calculations demonstrates an anomalous broadening/splitting of the Eg phonon mode corresponding to the Ir-O-Ir (Zr-O-Zr) bending. We discuss relevance of our findings to magnetic properties of these materials.

[1] S. Nakatsuji, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett 96.8 (2006) 087204.
[2] Y. Machida, et al., Nature 463.7278 (2010) 210.
[3] K. Kimura et al., Nat. Commun. 4 (2013) 1934

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Presenters

  • Yuanyuan Xu

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University

Authors

  • Yuanyuan Xu

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University

  • Takumi Ohtsuki

    The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo

  • Huiyuan Man

    Stanford Univ, Department of Physics, Stanford University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University

  • Nan Tang

    Material Science Depeartment, University of Tennessee, The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo

  • Santu Baidya

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Piscataway, NJ 08854, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University

  • Hongbin Zhang

    Technische Universitat Darmstadt, Institut für Materialwissenschaft, Technische Universität Darmstadt

  • Satoru Nakatsuji

    Univ of Tokyo-Kashiwanoha, University of Tokyo, Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, Institute for Solid State Physics, the University of Tokyo, Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Institute for Solid State Physics, Univ of Tokyo-Kashiwanoha

  • David Vanderbilt

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Piscataway, NJ 08854, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rutgers University, Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States, Rutgers University, Physics, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Rutgers University, New Brunswick

  • Natalia Drichko

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University