Crystal Lab
The Crystal Lab suite integrates solid state chemistry instruments and methods necessary to synthesize novel materials. Typical materials are new low dimensional magnets or substances which are technically important, e.g. superconductors, multiferroics or thermoelectrics. We provide many methods to control the material synthesis from the initial constituents to the final products – the samples for our research at HZB. Important are high temperature furnaces where up to 3000°C can be reached using different gas atmosphere. Various techniques for single crystal growth are available. The access to the Crystal Lab is open for members of HZB. Users will be trained so that they are able to follow their synthesis plans independently. We also welcome external users, but the contact must be mediated by members of HZB.
We have used our Crystal Lab suite to synthesize single crystals of novel materials like low-dimensional and quantum magnets. Examples of our crystal growth activities are listed in the following:
BaCu2V2O8
The novel quantum magnet BaCu2V2O8 is a rare physical realization of a onedimensional antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic dimerized chain which displays strongly correlated phenomena at elevated temperatures.
ES Klyushina, AC Tiegel, B Fauseweh, ATMN Islam, JT Park, B Klemke, A Honecker, GS Uhrig, SR Manmana, B Lake Phys. Rev. B 93 (2016) 241109(R)
BaNi2V2O8
A spin -1 honeycomb antiferromagnet, expected to be 2D Heisenberg magnet with XY anisotropy, a potential candidate for the BKT transition.
ES Klyushina, B Lake, ATMN Islam, JT Park, A Schneidewind, T Guidi, EA Goremychkin, B Klemke, M Månsson Phys. Rev. B 96 (2017) 214428
α-CaCr2O4
A distorted triangular lattice antiferromagnet with Cr3+ ions having spin-3/2, which reveals competing magnetic phases.
S Toth, B Lake, SAJ Kimber, O Pieper, M Reehuis, ATMN Islam, O Zaharko, C Ritter, AH Hill, H Ryll, K Kiefer, DN Argyriou, and AJ Williams Phys. Rev. B 84 (2011) 054452
Ca10Cr7O28
Ca10Cr7O28 is a physical realization of a quantum spin liquid based on a complex frustration mechanism
C Balz, B Lake, J Reuther, H Luetkens, R Schönemann, T Herrmannsdörfer, Y Singh, ATMN Islam, EM Wheeler, JA Rodriguez-Rivera, T Guidi, GG Simeoni, C Baines, H Ryll Nature Physics 12 (2016) 942
MgV2O4
A cubic spinel with V3+ ions with spin-1 in a pyrochlore lattice forming a highly frustrated structure of corner sharing tetrahedra.
ATMN Islam, E M Wheeler, M Reehuis, K Siemensmeyer, M Tovar, B Klemke, K Kiefer, AH Hill, B Lake Phys. Rev. B 85 (2012) 024203
Nd2Zr2O7
A proximate to U1 spin liquid with a ordered ground state showing quantum moment fragmentation doublet on the pyrochlore lattice.
J Xu, VK Anand, AK Bera, M Frontzek, DL Abernathy, N Casati, K Siemensmeyer, B Lake Phys. Rev. B 92 (2015) 224430
Pr2Hf2O7
The pyrohafnate compound Pr2Hf2O7 is a candidate compound for quantum spin-ice behavior.
VK Anand, L Opherden, J Xu, DT Adroja, ATMN Islam, T Herrmannsdörfer, J Hornung, R Schönemann, M Uhlarz, HC Walker, N Casati, B Lake Phys. Rev B 94 (2016) 144415
SrCo2V2O8
Quasi 1D spin-1/2 antiferromagnet with Heisenberg-Ising (XXZ) anisotropy.
AK Bera, B Lake, WD Stein, S Zander Phys. Rev. B 89 (2014) 094402
Sr3Cr2O8
A dimerized spin-1/2 antiferromagnet with frustrated interdimer interactions due to hexagonal structure.
DL Quintero-Castro, B Lake, ATMN Islam, EM Wheeler, C Balz, M Månsson, KC Rule, S Gvasaliya, and A Zheludev, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 127206 (2012)
SrNi2V2O8
A Haldane chain compound with the addition perturbations of both single ion anisotropy and interchain coupling.
AK Bera, B Lake, ATMN Islam, O Janson, H Rosner, A Schneidewind, JT Park, E Wheeler, S Zander Phys. Rev. B 91 (2015) 144414
