arXiv · 1712.08073
Spin Quenching Assisted by a Strongly Anisotropic Compression Behavior in MnP
Abstract
We studied the crystal structure and spin state of MnP under high pressure with synchrotron X-ray diffraction and X-ray emission spectroscopy. MnP has an exceedingly strong anisotropy in compressibility, with the primary compressible direction along the b axis of the Pnma structure. X-ray emission spectroscopy reveals a pressure-driven quenching of the spin state in MnP. Firstprinciples calculations suggest that the strongly anisotropic compression behavior significantly enhances the dispersion of the Mn d-orbitals and the splitting of the d orbital levels compared to the hypothetical isotropic compression behavior. Thus, we propose spin quenching results mainly from the significant enhancement of the itinerancy of d electrons and partly from spin rearrangement occurring in the split d-orbital levels near the Fermi level. This explains the fast suppression of magnetic ordering in MnP under high pressure. The spin quenching lags behind the occurrence of superconductivity at ~8 GPa implying that spin fluctuations govern the electron pairing for superconductivity.
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Fei Han, Di Wang, Yonggang Wang, Nana Li, Jin-Ke Bao, Bing Li, Antia S. Botana, Yuming Xiao, Paul Chow, Duck Young Chung, Jiuhua Chen, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, Xiangang Wan, Wenge Yang, Ho-Kwang Mao. 2017-12-21. Spin Quenching Assisted by a Strongly Anisotropic Compression Behavior in MnP. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aaa3c3
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