Muon spin relaxation in mixed perovskite (LaAlO)(SrAlTaO) with

伊藤 孝; 髭本 亘; 幸田 章宏*; 中村 惇平*; 下村 浩一郎*

Interactions (Internet), 245(1), p.25_1 - 25_7, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10751-024-01866-5

We report on muon spin relaxation (SR) measurements in a mixed perovskite compound, (LaAlO)(SrAlTaO) with (LSAT), which is widely used as a single-crystalline substrate for thin film deposition. In zero applied field (ZF), muon depolarization due to the distribution of nuclear dipole fields was observed in the temperature range from 4 K to 270 K. Interestingly, SR time spectra in ZF maintained a Gaussian-like feature over the entire range, while the depolarization rate exhibited a monotonic decrease with increasing temperature. This behavior may be attributed to the thermally activated diffusion of muons between a few adjacent sites within a confined space of the angstrom scale, where the motionally averaged local field that each muon experiences can remain non-zero and result in maintaining the Gaussian-like line shape. The spatial distribution of electrostatic potential at lattice interstices evaluated via density functional theory calculations suggests that such a restriction of muon diffusion paths can be caused by the random distribution of cations with different nominal valences in the mixed perovskite lattice.

Distinguishing ion dynamics from muon diffusion in muon spin relaxation

伊藤 孝; 門野 良典*

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 93(4), p.044602_1 - 044602_7, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.93.044602

We propose a model to describe the fluctuations in the internal magnetic field due to ion dynamics observed in muon spin relaxation (SR) by an Edwards-Anderson-type autocorrelation function that separates the quasi-static and dynamic components of the correlation by the parameter (where ). Our Monte Carlo simulations for this model showed that the time evolution of muon spin polarization deviates significantly from the Kubo-Toyabe function. To further validate the model, the results of simulations were compared with the SR spectra observed in a hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite FAPbI [with FA referring to HC(NH)], where local field fluctuations associated with the rotational motion of FA molecules and quasi-static fields from the PbI lattice are presumed to coexist. The least-squares curve fitting showed reasonable agreement with the model with , and the fluctuation frequency of the dynamical component was obtained. This result opens the door to the possibility of experimentally distinguishing fluctuations due to the dynamics of ions around muons from those due to the self-diffusion of muons. On the other hand, it suggests the need to carefully consider the spin relaxation function when applying SR to the issue of ion dynamics.

Understanding muon diffusion in perovskite oxides below room temperature based on harmonic transition state theory

伊藤 孝; 髭本 亘; 下村 浩一郎*

Physical Review B, 108(22), p.224301_1 - 224301_11, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.108.224301

In positive muon spin rotation and relaxation (SR) spectroscopy, positive muons () implanted into solid oxides are conventionally treated as immobile spin-probes at interstitial sites below room temperature. This is because each is thought to be tightly bound to an oxygen atom in the host lattice to form a muonic analogue of the hydroxy group. On the basis of this concept, anomalies in SR spectra observed in oxides have been attributed in most cases to the intrinsic properties of host materials. On the other hand, global diffusion with an activation energy of 0.1~eV has been reported in some chemically-substituted perovskite oxides at cryogenic temperatures, although the reason for the small activation energy despite the formation of the strong O bond has not yet been quantitatively understood. In this study, we investigated interstitial diffusion in the perovskite oxide lattice using KTaO cubic perovskite as a model system. We used the SR method and density functional theory calculations along with the harmonic transition state theory to study this phenomenon both experimentally and theoretically. Experimental activation energies for global diffusion obtained below room temperature were less than a quarter of the calculated classical potential barrier height for a bottleneck transfer path. The reduction in the effective barrier height could be explained by the harmonic transition state theory with a zero-point energy correction; a significant difference in zero-point energies for at the positions in the O bonding equilibrium state and a bond-breaking transition state was the primary cause of the reduction. This suggests that the assumption of immobile in solid oxides is not always satisfied since such a significant decrease in diffusion barrier height can also occur in other oxides.

Local electronic structure of interstitial hydrogen in MgH inferred from muon study

門野 良典*; 平石 雅俊*; 岡部 博孝*; 幸田 章宏*; 伊藤 孝

Journal of Physics; Condensed Matter, 35(28), p.285503_1 - 285503_13, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-648X/acccc7

Magnesium hydride has great potential as a solid hydrogen (H) storage material because of its high H storage capacity of 7.6 wt%. However, its slow hydrogenation and dehydrogenation kinetics and the high temperature of 300 C required for decomposition are major obstacles to small-scale applications such as automobiles. The local electronic structure of interstitial H in MgH is an important fundamental knowledge in solving this problem, which has been studied mainly based on density functional theory (DFT). However, few experimental studies have been performed to assess the results of DFT calculations. We have therefore introduced muon (Mu) as pseudo-H into MgH and investigated the corresponding interstitial H states by analyzing their electronic and dynamical properties in detail. As a result, we observed multiple Mu states similar to those observed in wide-gap oxides, and found that their electronic states can be attributed to relaxed-excited states associated with donor/acceptor levels predicted by the recently proposed ambipolarity model. This provides an indirect support for the DFT calculations on which the model is based via the donor/acceptor levels. An important implication of the muon results for improved hydrogen kinetics is that dehydrogenation, serving as a reduction for hydrides, stabilises the interstitial H state.

Proof-of-principle experiment for testing strong-field quantum electrodynamics with exotic atoms; High precision X-ray spectroscopy of muonic neon

奥村 拓馬*; 橋本 直; 他40名*

Physical Review Letters, 130(17), p.173001_1 - 173001_7, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.173001

To test bound-state quantum electrodynamics (BSQED) in the strong-field regime, we have performed high-precision X-ray spectroscopy of the 5-4 and 5-4 transitions (BSQED contribution of 2.4 eV and 5.2 eV, respectively) of muonic neon atoms in the low-pressure gas phase without bound electrons. Muonic atoms have been recently proposed as an alternative to few-electron high-Z ions for BSQED tests by focusing on circular Rydberg states where nuclear contributions are negligibly small. We determined the - transition energy to be 6297.08 0.04 (stat.) 0.13 (syst.) eV using superconducting transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters (5.2-5.5 eV FWHM resolution), which agrees well with the most advanced BSQED theoretical prediction of 6297.26 eV.

Present status of J-PARC MUSE

下村 浩一郎*; 幸田 章宏*; Pant, A. D.*; 名取 寛顕*; 藤森 寛*; 梅垣 いづみ*; 中村 惇平*; 反保 元伸*; 河村 成肇*; 手島 菜月*; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 2462, p.012033_1 - 012033_5, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2462/1/012033

At J-PARC MUSE, since the SR2017 conference and up to FY2022, there have been several new developments at the facility, including the completion of a new experimental area S2 at the surface muon beamline S-line and the first muon beam extraction to the H1 area in the H-line, mainly to carry out high-statistics fundamental physics experiments. Several new studies are also underway, such as applying negative muon non-destructive elemental analysis to the analysis of samples returned from the asteroid Ryugu in the D2 area of the D-line. This paper reports on the latest status of MUSE.

Quantum critical spin-liquid-like behavior in the = quasikagome-lattice compound CeRhPdSn investigated using muon spin relaxation and neutron scattering

Tripathi, R.*; Adroja, D. T.*; Ritter, C.*; Sharma, S.*; Yang, C.*; Hillier, A. D.*; Koza, M. M.*; Demmel, F.*; Sundaresan, A.*; Langridge, S.*; et al.

Physical Review B, 106(6), p.064436_1 - 064436_17, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.106.064436

We present the results of muon spin relaxation (SR) and neutron scattering measurements on the Ce-based quasikagome lattice CeRhPdSn ( = 0.1 to 0.75). Our SR results reveal the absence of both static long-range magnetic order and spin freezing down to 0.05 K in the = 0.1 sample, which is consistent with neutron scattering results. The weak temperature-dependent plateaus of the dynamic spin fluctuations below 0.2 K in zero field together with its longitudinal-field (LF) dependence indicate the presence of dynamic spin fluctuations persisting even at 0.05 K without static magnetic order. We argue that such a behavior for = 0.1 can be attributed to a metallic spin-liquid-like ground state near the quantum critical point in the frustrated Kondo lattice. The LF-SR study suggests that the out of kagome plane spin fluctuations are responsible for the spin-liquid behavior.

J-PARC物質・生命科学実験施設(MLF)及び関連設備の現状と高度化戦略

勅使河原 誠; 中村 充孝; 金正 倫計; 曽山 和彦

JAEA-Technology 2021-022, 208 Pages, 2022/02

JAEA-Technology-2021-022.pdf:14.28MB

J-PARCの定格出力1MWの物質・生命科学実験施設において、今後の具体的かつ現実的な高度化戦略を展開するため、線源性能に大きく影響する加速器技術(リニアックおよびRCS)、線源技術、中性子・ミュオン輸送技術、検出技術、そしてそれらが結実する中性子・ミュオン ビーム利用装置等の現状(所期設計値に対する到達度)について整理した。さらに、現状分析に基づき出力増強に向けた改良点等について報告する。

New precise measurements of muonium hyperfine structure at J-PARC MUSE

Strasser, P.*; 阿部 充志*; 青木 正治*; Choi, S.*; 深尾 祥紀*; 東 芳隆*; 樋口 嵩*; 飯沼 裕美*; 池戸 豊*; 石田 勝彦*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 198, p.00003_1 - 00003_8, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201919800003

High precision measurements of the ground state hyperfine structure (HFS) of muonium is a stringent tool for testing bound-state quantum electrodynamics (QED) theory, determining fundamental constants of the muon magnetic moment and mass, and searches for new physics. Muonium is the most suitable system to test QED because both theoretical and experimental values can be precisely determined. Previous measurements were performed decades ago at LAMPF with uncertainties mostly dominated by statistical errors. At the J-PARC Muon Science Facility (MUSE), the MuSEUM collaboration is planning complementary measurements of muonium HFS both at zero and high magnetic field. The new high-intensity muon beam that will soon be available at H-Line will provide an opportunity to improve the precision of these measurements by one order of magnitude. An overview of the different aspects of these new muonium HFS measurements, the current status of the preparation for high-field measurements, and the latest results at zero field are presented.

高温工学試験研究炉(HTTR)の内部構造を可視化する; ミューオンを利用した非接触・非破壊検査技術の提案

高松 邦吉

放計協ニュース, (56), p.2 - 4, 2015/10

http://www.irm.or.jp/news56.pdf

開放特許情報データベース

公報

福島第一原子力発電所の事故前、宇宙線ミューオンを使って原子番号の違いを検出できないか検討した結果、散乱法を用いた宇宙線ミューオンの可視化技術は、黒鉛ブロック, 原子炉圧力容器, ウラン(燃料体), 空気を識別することができた。また、福島第一原子力発電所の事故後、燃料デブリの状況を把握するため、透過法を用いた宇宙線ミューオンの可視化技術を提案した結果、原子力機構のHTTRの原子炉圧力容器(RPV)および原子炉格納容器(CV)の外側から、炉心および炉内構造物を可視化することができた。