Name: The Influence of Confinement on Phase Transitions (Part 1)
Start: 2010-02-15T08:00:00+01:00
End: 2010-03-01T18:00:00+01:00
Location: No location set

Monday, February 15, 2010

10:30 AM Welcome and Coffee
Welcome and Coffee
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
11:00 AM Introduction and Setting the Stage - Björgvin Hjörvarsson (Uppsala University)
Introduction and Setting the Stage
- Björgvin Hjörvarsson (Uppsala University)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Give a thorough description of the experimental results concerning dimensionally confined magnetic systems.
12:00 PM Lunch
Lunch
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM Critical Temperatures of Finite Samples at Finite Observation Times - Elena Vedmedenko (University of Hamburg)
Critical Temperatures of Finite Samples at Finite Observation Times
- Elena Vedmedenko (University of Hamburg)
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
The correlation function is an essential ingredient of any theory of phase transitions, covering electronic systems, liquids or magnets, since it provides direct information on critical properties of a system. With the Ornstein-Zernike law its general analytical form is known for infinite systems at infinite observation times, above the critical temperature. However, important experimental developments involve ever smaller length- and time-scales connected with size- and time-dependent phases like thermally assisted switching of magnetization. For such nano-sized systems, there is up to now no clear understanding of crossover phenomena like the crossover from a paramagnetic state at high temperatures via a superparamagnetic regime to ferro- or antiferromagnetic order at low T, and how they manifest themselves in the correlation function. This is related to the problem that a Curie (or Neel) temperature cannot be defined unambiguously. These problems hamper a reliable interpretation of experimental results. In this talk I will present a particularly simple general expression for the correlation function, covering all sample sizes L, all observation times, and the entire temperature range from zero to infinity. Our numerical and analytical calculations demonstrate that the Curie temperature does not simply decrease with decreasing sample size but rather splits in finite samples for finite observation times. This new result obtained for open boundaries does not violate scaling invariance and recovers all known laws for periodic boundary conditions, infinite observation times and high temperatures as limiting cases. The proposed form for the correlation function allows for a novel and effective procedure to determine above mentioned splitting and critical temperatures which goes beyond the famous Binder cumulants method as it permits an accurate determination of the Curie temperature of infinite and finite objects, as well as the blocking temperature, from a single calculation of a finite object without tedious finite-size scaling.
3:00 PM Discussion Session
Discussion Session
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

6:00 PM Dinner
Dinner
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
10:00 AM Magnon Softening in a ferromagnetic monolayer - Anders Bergman (Uppsala University)
Magnon Softening in a ferromagnetic monolayer
- Anders Bergman (Uppsala University)
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
We study the Fe/W(110) monolayer system through a combination of first principles calculations and atomistic spin dynamics simulations. We focus on the dispersion of the spin waves parallel to the [001] direction. Our results compare favorably with the experimental data of Prokop et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 177206], and correctly capture a drastic softening of the magnon spectrum, with respect to bulk bcc Fe. The suggested shortcoming of the itinerant electron model, in particular that given by density functional theory, is refuted. We also demonstrate that finite temperature effects are significant, and that atomistic spin dynamics simulations represent a powerful tool with which to include these.
11:00 AM Discussion Session
Discussion Session
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

12:00 PM Lunch
Lunch
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
1:00 PM Confinement and Ordering - Peter Holdsworth (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon)
Confinement and Ordering
- Peter Holdsworth (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon)
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
2:00 PM Discussion Session
Discussion Session
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
11:00 AM Structure modifications in ultra thin films of transition metal oxides - Holger Meyerheim (Max-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Halle, Germany)
Structure modifications in ultra thin films of transition metal oxides
- Holger Meyerheim (Max-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Halle, Germany)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
The talk reviews recent studies on the geometric structure of oxide films in the ultra thin film limit and their implications on their magnetic (multiferroic) properties. In a first example the structural phase transition in pure and Cobalt-doped ZnO-film is discussed. Depending on film thickness a transition from the bulk Wurtzite (WZ)- type structure to the hexagonal-Boron-nitride (h-BN) phase is observed. Cobalt doping leads to a phase segregation in which WZ-type CoO-nanoclusters are coherently embedded into the h-BN host ZnO matrix. The structure model involving locally confined antiferromagnetic CoO-clusters supports recent experimental results on the magnetic properties of diluted magnetic semiconductors. The effect of confinement is also decisive for the multiferroic (ferromagnetic/ferroelectric) properties of the BaTiO3/Fe(001) interface, which is addressed in the second part of the talk. The structure analysis in combination with first principles calculations reveals the onset of an interface dipole at a critical film thickness of two unit cells of BaTiO3. Its influence on the magnetoelectric properties is discussed.
12:00 PM Lunch
Lunch
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

1:00 PM Discussion session
Discussion session
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
2:00 PM Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena - Steve Bramwell (University College London)
Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena
- Steve Bramwell (University College London)
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
3:00 PM Quantum critical points via gravity - LÃ¡rus Thorlacius (Nordita)
Quantum critical points via gravity
- LÃ¡rus Thorlacius (Nordita)
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Thursday, February 18, 2010
10:00 AM The effect of geometric constraints on the spin glass transition in binary pyrochlores - Simon Banks (University College London)
The effect of geometric constraints on the spin glass transition in binary pyrochlores
- Simon Banks (University College London)
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Recent neutron scattering experiments [1] have sharpened the picture of an algebraic spin liquid phase in CsNiCrF6, originally proposed by Zinkin et al. [2]. Anderson famously predicted that systems such as this, with equal numbers of two magnetic species populating a pyrochlore lattice, should favour configurations with two of each type of ion present on every tetrahedron [3]. With this in mind, we have studied a simple model of a system comprised of equal numbers of two species of Heisenberg spins, A and B, distributed randomly across a pyrochlore lattice, but subject to the ice-rules like constraint that each tetrahedron has two A and two B type spins. We have characterized the ground state magnetic behaviour for all possible combinations of the three exchange interactions governing the system. This reveals a large region of exchange parameter space for which the system is in a spin liquid like state consisting of a soup of single species, non-interacting, antiferromagnetic loops. This configuration is robust even in the presence of four ferromagnetic bonds per tetrahedron. We demonstrate that the highly constrained form of quenched disorder imposed on the ion placement removes the possibility of a spin glass transition from this cooperative paramagnetic regime. We go on to discuss how the underlying structural configuration leads to algebraic magnetic correlations, manifested in the familiar bow-tie structure factor. This model is also susceptible to strong finite size influences. A system with finite size will be unable to develop the correct loop distribution to produce the bow-tie structure factor. We are currently investigating how such effects manifest themselves and the implications for more controllable arrays such as can be achieved with, for example, artificial spin ice. [1] T. Fennel et al., unpublished. [2] M. P. Zinkin et al., Phys. Rev. B 56, 11786 (1997) [3] P. W. Anderson, Phys. Rev. 102, 1008 (1956)
11:00 AM Phase transitions with disorder - Mats Wallin (Theoretical Physics KTH)
Phase transitions with disorder
- Mats Wallin (Theoretical Physics KTH)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Disordered systems often display new emergent phases and phase transition, for example, spin glasses and similar states in quantum fluids with disorder. Other examples where confinement effects play an important role are given by porous matter. Experiments on such systems often indicate strong finite size effects that need to be understood. We use an approach involving Monte Carlo simulation and scaling analysis to address these issues. I will describe some of our recent studies.
12:00 PM Lunch
Lunch
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

1:00 PM Discussion session
Discussion session
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
2:00 PM Dipolar Systems - Patrik Henelius (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
Dipolar Systems
- Patrik Henelius (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Due to the long range and angular dependence of the dipolar interaction sample shape plays a crucial role in determining the ordered state of magnetic materials where long-range interactions are important. This should also apply to magnetic mulitlayer systems and I propose studying the effects of the often neglected dipolar interaction in these novel materials.
3:00 PM Methods in simulations
Methods in simulations
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday, February 19, 2010
10:15 AM Hunting for monopoles in spin ice - Peter Holdsworth (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon)
Hunting for monopoles in spin ice
- Peter Holdsworth (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon)
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
11:15 AM Discussion
Discussion
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

12:00 PM Lunch
Lunch
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
1:15 PM Magnetricity in Spin Ice - Steve Bramwell (University College London)
Magnetricity in Spin Ice
- Steve Bramwell (University College London)
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
2:15 PM Discussion
Discussion
2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

3:00 PM Future Perspectives
Future Perspectives
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

6:00 PM Dinner
Dinner
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010

Monday, March 1, 2010