Cette Thèse traite de la ferroélectricité magnétiquement induite dans deux pérovskites quadruples de manganèse: (LaMn3)Mn4O12 et (YMn3)Mn4O12. Tous deux possèdent une monovalence et une structure antiferromagnétique commensurable des sites B. Ces caractéristiques simples, font de ces composés métastables et stabilisés sous haute pression, des systèmes modèles pour identifier la contribution des interactions d’échange symétrique et antisymétrique à la polarisation. YMO est une nouvelle phase dans laquelle le faible rayon de l’ion Y3+ augmente la pression chimique et donc l’interaction d’échange. L’orientation magnétique des sites B à lieu 30 degrés plus haut que dans LMO, à TN,B=108 K. En revanche, nous mesurons une polarisation, P = 0.54 μC cm-2, identique dans les deux composés. Il s’agit d’une valeur record dans les ferroélectriques magnétiques. De façon inattendue, la nature de la ferroélectricité magnétique est très différente dans chaque composé. Dans LMO, la ferroélectricité apparaît à la transition magnétique des sites B, à TN,B = 78 K, mais nous ne reportons pas de brisure du centre d’inversion par diffraction de rayons X ou par spectroscopie Raman et IR. Nous tentons d’expliquer ce résultat inattendu dans le cadre de la théorie phénoménologique des ferroélectriques impropres. D’un autre côté, dans YMO, nous observons l’apparition de la ferroélectricité à T* = 70 K bien que T* ne corresponde pas à une transition magnétique. En effet, à T* nous reportons seulement une anomalie magnétique suggérant un ordre magnétique latent. La transition structurale, qui a lieu à Ts, pourrait être responsable de l’alignement des domaines ferroélectriques. / In the present Thesis, we study the large ferroelectricity induced by magnetism in two quadruple perovskite compounds: (LaMn3)Mn4O12 and (YMn3)Mn4O12, which both display single-valent properties and a commensurate C-type antiferromagnetic structure of the B-sites. These simple features offer a playground to elucidate the contribution of the symmetric and antisymmetric exchange interactions to the polarization. Both compounds are metastable and stabilized under high-pressure. YMO is a new phase, where the small Y3+ ion exerts a large chemical pressure, which is expected to enhance the exchange interaction and, thus, the spontaneous polarization. We find an ordering temperature of the B-sites, 30 K higher than in LMO. On the other hand, we surprisingly find identical values of the spontaneous polarization, P = 0.54 μC cm-2, in both compounds. It is a record value for magnetic ferroelectrics. In spite of the similarities, the nature of magnetic ferroelectricity appears to be very different in the two compounds. In LMO, ferroelectricity is induced by the magnetic ordering of B-sites, although no indication of inversion symmetry breaking is detected. We argue that this puzzling observation is consistent with prediction of domain structure in improper ferroelectrics. On the other hand, in YMO, the occurrence of ferroelectricity at T*=70 K is consistent with a polar structural modulation below Ts=200 K, however T* does not correspond to any long-range magnetic transition. Indeed, T* marks a magnetic anomaly suggesting a latent magnetic phase. We put forward the hypothesis that the above polar distortion of the crystal structure may force the alignment of polar domains.

A particularly interesting class of modern materials is ferroic ceramics. Their characteristic order parameter is a result of quantum chemistry taking place on a sub-Å length scale and long-range couplings, e.g. mediated by electrostatic or stress fields. Furthermore, the particular subclass of multiferroics possesses more than one order parameter and exhibits an intriguing coupling between them, which is interesting both from the fundamental physics point of view as well as from a technological vantage point. While on a more fundamental level it is desirable to elucidate the physical details of the coupling mechanism, this knowledge could subsequently lead to new and technologically interesting multiferroic materials, which overcome their current drawback that only one of the multiple order parameters is appreciably large while the others stay small. Due to the short and long range nature of the driving forces, one challenge for thoroughly understanding ferroic ceramics is the characterization of material properties within a large interval of length scales from several tens of µm to sub-Å. To that end, it is useful to exploit that all order parameters can be described as macroscopic fields, e.g. electric polarization or strain, which, in turn, can be either directly or indirectly probed with an electron beam such as used in Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Consequently, TEM is excellently suited for investigating ferroic materials, i.e., state-of-the-art instruments facilitate aberration corrected imaging within a large magnification interval covering the length scales of interest, in particular the atomic regime. A general drawback of conventional TEM techniques is the loss of phase information originally contained in the scattered electron wave introduced by recording only the electron density. Electron Holography is an advanced TEM technique that facilitates the complete evaluation of the complex electron wave, which, in combination with the manifold possibilities of TEM, provides rather straightforward access to static electromagnetic fields within the ceramic. Nevertheless, quantification of order parameters such as the electric polarization or minute details in electromagnetic fields still require to correlate the experimentally gained observations to physical models, which combine the details of the microscopic imaging process, the electron-specimen scattering, and solid state physics of the specimen. The goal of this work is to investigate and advance the limits of Electron Holography as a truly quantitative TEM technique and apply the findings in, e.g., the investigation of ferroic ceramics. In the light of the previously mentioned difficulties, the problem has to be tackled from different directions: Firstly, the whole holographic imaging process is reviewed and extended, if necessary, in order to provide quantitative measures for systematic and statistical errors inherent to reconstructed waves. In the course of that process, two previously not recognized holography-specific aberrations are identified, firstly, a resolution limiting spatial envelope and secondly, a spatial distortion to the reconstructed wave. Furthermore, several correction strategies have been developed, in order to correct the aforementioned two and other well-known disturbances, e.g. Fresnel fringes from the biprism filament. The previous holographic noise model has been extended to incorporate the important contribution from the detector and consequently to provide realistic statistic error bars of the holographically reconstructed amplitude and phase. Secondly, an investigation of the electron-specimen scattering process itself is conducted, leading to a density matrix description of the holographic measurement. The general laws of quantum electrodynamics provide the framework of that description. Relativistic phenomena such as retardation of electromagnetic fields exchanged between beam electron and specimen and spin-orbit coupling of the beam electron are quantified, where the latter is found to be negligible within TEM. The decoherence of the electron wave by statistical coupling to the thermally moving crystal lattice of ceramics is treated by a newly developed algorithm facilitating in particular the accurate quantification of elastic scattering on heavy elements. Inelastic excitations in the ceramic, e.g. bulk plasmons or core electrons, are treated in combination with elastic scattering to identify their role in the holographic reconstruction process and to develop methods for an accurate calculation. A new scattering algorithm combining elastic and inelastic scattering is developed and applied to predict peculiar scattering contrasts of dipole transitions and to discuss the long-standing problem of contrast mismatch between scattering simulations and conventional imaging. To provide a user-friendly and continuing use of the findings, a software package SEMI (Simulation of Electron Microscopy Imaging) has been written, which facilitates the simulation of elastic and inelastic scattering processes and the subsequent imaging within different approximations, incorporating the newly developed algorithms. Thirdly, Density Function Theory (DFT) solid state calculations have been employed to identify and quantify structural modifications and characteristic electromagnetic fields, such as occurring at domain boundaries, within typical ferroic ceramics like BaTiO3 or BiFeO3, and concomitantly provide models correlating observables of the (holographic) experiment to characteristics of the materials, e.g. the order parameters. This is particularly important when static electromagnetic fields provide no direct information about the order parameter, e.g. the electric polarization, i.e., it is possible to correlate the measurable atomic positions to the electric polarization within linear response theory. A software package ATA (AuTomated Atomic contrast fitting) has been developed facilitating an automated fitting of atomic positions and a subsequent determination of local polarization. In a fourth step, electron holographic experiments analyzed with the help of the revised imaging process in combination with the knowledge gained from scattering theory are used as an input to the models established from solid state physics to yield quantitative information about bulk ferroelectric materials such as BaTiO3 and PbTiO3 and more complicated configurations such as domain walls in BiFeO3 and KnbO3. It is found that particular atomic shifts characteristic for ferroelectrics provide the most reliable quantitative information about the polarization down to nm length scales, whereas minute wave modification due to characteristic electron distributions within the ceramic are currently insufficiently quantitatively interpretable within Electron Holography. The linear response program, correlating atomic positions to ferroelectric polarization with the help of ab-initio calculated Born effective charges, has been successfully applied to determine finite size effects, screening layer widths and polarization charges in non-ferroelectric/ferroelectric layered systems. Finally, a special section considers the evaluation of 3D electromagnetic fields by Electron Holographic Tomography, which provides the means to characterize even more complex 3D domain wall configurations. As the capabilities of the technique are still limited by holographic reconstruction errors and particular tomographic issues such as incomplete projection data, the main focus of that section is put on the characterization and improvement of the tomographic reconstruction process. A Singular Value based reconstruction method is developed, which facilitates a quantification and control of the tomographic reconstruction error. Furthermore, vector field reconstruction is extended in order to treat magnetic vector fields leaking out from the reconstruction volume. / Ferroische Keramiken bilden eine besonders interessante Klasse moderner funktionaler Werkstoffe. Ihr charakteristischer Ordnungsparameter ist das Ergebnis quantenchemischer Prozesse innerhalb einer sub- Å Längenskala und spezifischer langreichweitiger Kopplungen, welche beispielsweise durch elektromagnetische oder Spannungsfelder vermittelt werden. Des Weiteren besitzt die besondere Unterklasse der Multiferroika mehr als einen Ordnungsparameter und zeigt eine faszinierende Kopplung zwischen ihnen, was sowohl vom Standpunkt physikalischer Grundlagenforschung als auch aus technologischer Sicht von Interesse ist. Während es vom fundamentalen Standpunkt erstrebenswert ist, die physikalischen Details des Kopplungsmechanismus aufzuklären, könnte in der Folge dieses Wissen zu neuen und technologisch interessanten multiferroischen Materialien führen, welche den derzeit bestehenden Nachteil, dass nur ein Ordnungsparameter genügend groß ist, während die jeweils anderen klein bleiben, hinter sich lassen. Aufgrund der kurz- und langreichweitigen Natur der Antriebskräfte besteht eine Herausforderung für das umfassende Verständnis ferroischer Keramiken aus der Charakterisierung von Materialeigenschaften innerhalb eines breiten Intervalls von Längenskalen, welches von einigen 10 µm bis unterhalb eines Å reicht. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen ist es zweckmäßig auszunutzen, dass alle Ordnungsparameter als makroskopische, beispielsweise elektrostatische oder Verzerrungs-, Felder beschrieben werden können, welche wiederum direkt oder indirekt mit einem Elektronenstrahl, wie er im Transmissionselektronenmikrokop (TEM) zur Anwendung kommt, gemessen werden können. Folglich ist die Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie hervorragend geeignet um ferroische Materialien zu untersuchen, das heißt, modernste Geräte ermöglichen aberrationskorrigierte Aufnahmen innerhalb eines großen Vergrößerungsbereiches, welche die interessanten Längenskalen und insbesondere den atomaren Bereich abdecken. Ein allgemeiner Nachteil der konventionellen TEM Techniken ist der Verlust der Phaseninformationen, welche ursprünglich in der Elektronenwelle vorhanden sind und durch die Aufzeichnung der Elektronenintensität zerstört werden. Elektronenholographie ist eine weiterentwickelte TEM Technik, welche die vollständige Auswertung der komplexen Elektronenwelle ermöglicht, was wiederum in Verbindung mit den vielfältigen Möglichkeiten der TEM einen vergleichsweise direkten Zugang zu elektromagnetischen Feldern in der Keramik ermöglicht. Nichtsdestotrotz erfordert die Quantifizierung von Ordnungsparametern, wie der elektrische Polarisierung, oder von kleinsten Details elektromagnetischer Felder die Korrelation experimenteller Daten mit physikalischen Modellen, welche die Details des mikroskopischen Bildgebungsprozesses mit der Elektronen-Objekt Streuung und der Festkörperphysik des Objektes kombinieren. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit besteht aus der Untersuchung und Erweiterung der Möglichkeiten von Elektronenholographie als quantitative TEM Messmethode und der Anwendung dieser Ergebnisse bei der Untersuchung ferroischer Keramiken. Im Lichte der eben erwähnten Schwierigkeiten muss das Problem von verschiedenen Richtungen bearbeitet werden: Erstens wird der komplette holographische Bildgebungsprozess mit dem Ziel einer quantitativen Bewertung systematischer und statistischer Fehler der rekonstruierten Welle analysiert und gegebenenfalls erweitert. Im diesem Zuge wurden zwei bisher nicht erkannte holographiespezifische Fehler identifiziert, erstens eine auflösungsbegrenzende räumliche Enveloppe und zweitens eine räumliche Verzerrung der rekonstruierten Welle. Außerdem wurden verschiedene Korrekturmöglichkeiten entwickelt, um die zwei eben genannten und andere wohlbekannte Störungen, wie zum Beispiel die Fresnelstreifen des Biprismafadens, zu korrigieren. Das bisherige holographische Rauschmodel wurde erweitert um den beträchtlichen Einfluss des Detektors zu berücksichtigen und damit realistische Fehlerbalken für die holographisch rekonstruierte Amplitude und Phase zu erhalten. Zum Zweiten wird der Streuprozess selber untersucht, was zu einer Dichtematrixbeschreibung der holographischen Messung führt. Den Rahmen dieser Untersuchungen liefern die Gesetze der Quantenelektrodynamik. Relativistische Phänomene wie die Retardierung elektromagnetischer Felder, welche zwischen Strahlelektron und Objekt ausgetauscht werden, oder Spin-Bahn Kopplung des Strahlelektrons werden quantifiziert, wobei letzteres als unwichtig für TEM eingestuft werden konnte. Die Dekohärenz der Elektronenwelle durch die statistische Kopplung an das thermisch bewegte Kristallgitter der Keramik wird mit einem neu entwickelten Algorithmus beschrieben, welcher insbesondere die genaue Quantifizierung der elastischen Streuung an schweren Elementen erlaubt. Ein weiterer neuer Streualgorithmus, welcher elastische und inelastische Streuung kombiniert, wird entwickelt und angewendet, um spezifische Streukontraste von Dipolübergängen vorauszusagen und das altbekannte Problem der Kontrastdiskrepanz zwischen simulierten und experimentellen Bildkontrasten zu diskutieren. Um eine anwenderfreundliche und fortdauernde Anwendung der Erkenntnisse zu ermöglichen, wurde das Softwarepaket SEMI geschrieben, welches die Simulation elastischer und inelastischer Streuprozesse und des nachfolgenden Bildgebungsprozesses innerhalb verschiedener Näherungen ermöglicht und die neu entwickelten Algorithmen beinhaltet. Zum Dritten kommen dichtefunktionalbasierte Festkörperrechenmethoden zur Anwendung um charakteristische elektromagnetische Felder, wie sie beispielsweise an Domänengrenzen entstehen, innerhalb typischer ferroischer Keramiken wie BaTiO3 oder BiFeO3 zu identifizieren und zu quantifizieren und gleichzeitig Modelle zu entwickeln, welche Observablen des (holographischen) Experiments mit Charakteristika des Materials, beispielsweise den Ordnungsparamtern, korrelieren. Dies ist besonders wichtig, wenn statische elektromagnetische Felder keinen direkten Zugang zu den Ordnungsparametern, wie zum Beispiel die ferroelektrische Polarisation, liefern; beispielsweise besteht innerhalb linearer Antworttheorie die Möglichkeit, atomare Positionen mit der elektrischen Polarisation zu korrelieren. Ein Softwarepaket wurde entwickelt, welches die automatische Bestimmung der Atompositionen und der daraus resultierenden lokalen Polarisation ermöglicht. In einem vierten Schritt wurden mit Hilfe des überarbeiteten holographischen Bildgebungsprozesses in Kombination mit den aus der Streutheorie gewonnenen Erkenntnissen holographische Experimente analysiert und als Input für die mit Hilfe der Festkörpertheorie entwickelten Modelle genutzt, um quantitative Informationen über raumferroische Materialien wie BaTiO3 und PbTiO3 und kompliziertere Anordnungen wie Domänengrenzen in BiFeO3 und KnbO3 zu gewinnen. Es konnte festgestellt werden, dass spezifische atomare Verschiebungen, welche charakteristisch für Ferroelektrika sind, die zuverlässigste quantitative Information über die Polarisation bis in den Längenbereich einiger nm liefern, wogegen kleinste Wellenmodifikationen aufgrund charakteristischer Elektronenverteilungen innerhalb der Keramik mit Hilfe von Elektronenholographie nur unzureichend interpretierbar sind. Das lineare Antwortprogramm, welches die Atompositionen über Bornsche effektive Ladungen mit ferroelektrischer Polarisation korreliert, wurde erfolgreich angewendet, um Größeneffekte und Ausdehnungen von Abschirmschichten und Polarisationladungen in nichtferroelektrisch/ferroelektrischen Schichtsystemen zu bestimmen. Abschließend widmet sich ein spezieller Abschnitt der Auswertung 3D elektromagnetischer Felder mit Hilfe der elektronenholographischen Tomographie, was die Voraussetzung für die Charakterisierung von noch komplizierteren 3D Domänenwandanordnungen liefert. Da die Möglichkeiten dieser Technik durch den holographischen Rekonstruktionsfehler und spezifisch tomographische Probleme noch beschränkt sind, liegt der Schwerpunkt dieses Abschnitts in der Charakterisierung und Verbesserung des tomographischen Rekonstruktionsprozesses. Es wird eine singulärwertbasierte Rekonstruktionsmethode entwickelt, welche die Quantifizierung und Kontrolle des Rekonstruktionsfehlers ermöglicht. Außerdem wird die Vektorfeldrekonstruktion erweitert, um magnetische Vektorfelder, welche über das Rekonstruktionsvolumen hinausragen, zu behandeln.

A literature review on the topic of ferroic and multiferroic solid solutions of BaTiO3, SrTiO3 and EuTiO3 forms the first part of this master thesis. The second part describes the experimental preparation and evaluation of the properties of samples of europium strontium titanates - EuxSr1-xTiO3. First, the high temperature solid state synthesis was carried out and relative density and open porosity of the sintered samples were evaluated. The sintered samples showed open porosity higher than 10%. The reasons for this behavior were evaluated and described from the point of view of experimental conditions and thermodynamical calculations. Finally, electric and dielectric properties of selected samples were measured. These results show that these samples are insulators and their residual conductivity is caused probably by oxygen vacancies, arising from the synthesis in a strongly reducing atmosphere of pure hydrogen.

No description available.

We investigated the antiferromagnetic phase transition in the frustrated and multiferroic hexagonal manganites h-YMnO3 (YMO) and h-(Y0.98Eu0.02)MnO3 (YEMO). Elastic neutron scattering was used to study, in detail, the phase transition in YMO and YEMO under zero pressure and in YMO under a hydrostatic pressure of 1.5 GPa. Under conditions of zero pressure, we found critical temperatures of TN = 71.3(1) K and 72.11(5) K and the critical exponent 0.22(2) and b = 0.206(3), for YMO and YEMO, respectively. This is in agreement with earlier work by Roessli et al. Under an applied hydrostatic pressure of 1.5 GPa, the ordering temperature increased to TN = 75.2(5) K, in agreement with earlier reports, while b was unchanged. Inelastic neutron scattering was used to determine the size of the anisotropy spin wave gap close to the phase transition. From spin wave theory, the gap is expected to close with a critical exponent, b0, identical to the order parameter b. Our results indicate that the gap in YEMO indeed closes at TN = 72.4(3) K with b0 = 0.24(2), while the in-pressure gap in YMO closes at 75.2(5) K with an exponent of b0 = 0.19(3). In addition, the low temperature anisotropy gap was found to have a slightly higher absolute value under pressure. The consistent values obtained for b in the two systems support the likelihood of a new universality class for triangular, frustrated antiferromagnets.

Transition metal oxides adopt a wide variety of crystal structures and display a diverse range of physical phenomena from Mott insulating states to electron-nematics to unconventional superconductivity. Detailed understanding of these states and how they may be manipulated by structural modifications requires both precise structural knowledge and in-depth physical property measurements using as many techniques over as wide a range of phase space as possible. In the work described in this thesis a range of transition metal oxides were studied using high-resolution powder neutron diffraction and detailed low-temperature physical property measurements. The quaternary barium orthotellurates Ba₂NiTeO₆, Ba₂CuTeO₆ and Ba₂ZnTeO₆ belong to an almost unstudied family of materials. The development of procedures for synthesizing large single crystals has facilitated the investigation of interesting new anisotropic magnetic states in the Cu and Ni systems and the existence of a possible structural phase transition in the Zn-based compound. YMnO₃ is a multiferroic with improper ferrielectricity. The study of the high-temperature structural phases described in this thesis has led to the identification both of the transition path to the ferrielectric state and the identification of an isostructural phase transition within the ferrielectric phase. BiFe₀.₇Mn₀.₃O₃ is also a multiferroic material but with proper ferroelectricity. The investigation of the structural phases of this compound have provided confirmation of the high-temperature phases with the reassignment of the symmetry of the highest-temperature phase which is intriguingly different to that of the unsubstituted material. Finally, an investigation of the electronic structures of the high conductivity delafossites PdCoO₂ and PdCrO₂ using micro-cantilever torque magnetometry measurements of quantum oscillations is described. This has resolved the warping of the Fermi surface of PdCoO₂ and given insights into the complicated Fermi surface of the itinerant antiferromagnet PdCrO₂.

Ce travail traite de l’étude des propriétés structurales et magnétiques de Co2MnO4, une spinelle à symétrie cubique inversée et de groupe spatial Fd3m. Co2MnO4 est un composé multiferroïque dont les propriétés électriques et magnétiques sont dues à la présence des éléments Co et Mn, à valence mixte, distribués sur les sites tétraédriques et octaédriques de la structure AB2O4. La présence des états d’oxydation du Co et du Mn, Co2+/Co3+ et Mn2+/Mn3+/Mn4+, est en étroite relation avec les conditions de synthèse et traitements thermiques. La substitution partielle des cations par un élément non-magnétique, le Bi, dans la série BixCo2-xMnO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) permet également de modifier les propriétés physiques de la spinelle. Les composés ont été synthétisés par une variante de la méthode de précurseurs polymériques, MPPM, et calcinés à 1100 °C pendant 24 h. La diffraction des rayons-X (DRX), associée à l’affinement structural par la méthode Rietveld, ont montré pour ces matériaux cristallisés, une même structure cristallographique dont les paramètres de maille augmentent avec la quantité de Bi. Les observations par microscopie électronique à balayage (MEB) ont permis d’observer une variation de la forme et de la taille des grains, cette dernière variant entre 1 et 10 µm. L’insertion du bismuth atteint une limite de solubilité due à la différence notable entre les rayons ioniques du Co (0,65Å) et du Bi (1,17Å), conduisant alors à la formation d’une phase secondaire riche en Bi. Afin d’éviter la formation des phases secondaires, deux stratégies de synthèse ont été mises en place : l’une, substituer le Bi par du Co dans le système CoxBi2‑xMnO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.7) et l’autre, utiliser une méthode originale de synthèse, la mécanoactivation MS, pour la série CoxBi2‑xMnO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.7). Le comportement ferrimagnétique du composé initial non-substitué est maintenu après substitution partielle du Co par le Bi, avec une irréversibilité marquée entre les courbes ZFC et FC et une transition ferromagnétique très bien définie à TC. Plusieurs paramètres magnétiques tels que TC, Tmax, MFC (extrapolation de la courbe FC à T=0), température de Curie-Weiss ΘCW et moment effectif eff, sont modifiés d’une façon significative en fonction du contenu en Bi et confirment le phénomène de saturation dû à la non-solubilité du bismuth dans la structure cristalline cubique. A partir des données structurales et magnétiques, une équation d’équilibre de charges du type (Co2+)[Co2+x(Bi3+,CoIII)1-xMn3+1-xMn4+x]O4 est proposée, où l’ion Co2+, responsable des interactions antiferromagnétiques, se situe en position tétraédrique « (..) » et tous les autres cations, responsables des interactions ferromagnétiques, en positions octaédriques « [..] ». Les cations CoIII, de configuration bas-spin (S = 0) et non-magnétique, sont substitués par le Bi, également non-magnétique, ce qui résulte en un moment effectif μeff de 8.2µB, presque invariant avec la substitution du Co par le Bi. / Structural and magnetic properties of Co2MnO4, an inverse spinel structure with spatial group Fd3m and cubic symmetry, were investigated by X-Ray Diffraction (DRX) and using a SQUID magnetometer. Co2MnO4 is a multiferroic compound presenting electrical and magnetic properties due to the presence of the Co and Mn elements, which are distributed on tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the AB2O4 structure. Valence fluctuations of Co and Mn (Co2+/Co3+ and Mn2+/Mn3+/Mn4+) can easily occur and depend on the synthesis procedures and thermal processes, which can change the oxidation states of the metallic cations. In this work, samples of BixCo2-xMnO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) were synthesized, partially replacing Co by Bi, a non magnetic element. A soft chemical route, the modified polymeric precursors method (MPPM) was used. All samples were heat-treated in similar conditions, under a temperature of 1100 ºC (24h). DRX results, associated with Rietveld refinements, showed crystalline materials with similar crystallographic data. The cell parameter of the cubic structure increased with the Bi content. SEM images showed that Bi presence altered the grains sizes (~1 - 10 µm). A spurious phase, rich in Bi, was formed due to both the solubility limit of Bi and the ionic radii of Co (0,65Å) and Bi (1,17Å). In order to solve these questions, synthesis of a new solid solution, the CoxBi2-xMnO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.7), by the MPPM route was attempted. In parallel, a novel elaboration method, the mechanochemical route (MS), was used to synthesize the BixCo2-xMnO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) series. The magnetic results, MxT (Zero‑Field–Cooled / Field–Cooled) cycles, 1/χ-versus-T curves and MxH hysteresis loops, revealed important information about the magnetic nature and oxidation states of the Co and Mn cations. The ferrimagnetic behavior of Co2MnO4 was preserved, with the ZFC/FC curves exhibiting well-defined magnetic transitions and strong irreversibility below TC. Several magnetic parameters, such as TC, Tmax, MFC (extrapolation of the FC curve to T=0), the coercive field HC and MS (saturation magnetization to H= 50 kOe) changed significantly with the Bi content. According to the structural and magnetic results, a charge balance is proposed, (Co2+)[Co2+x(Bi3+,CoIII)1-xMn3+1-xMn4+x]O4, where Co2+ occupies the tetrahedral positions “(  )” and is responsible of the antiferromagnetic interactions, all others cations occupying the octahedral sites “[  ]” and are responsible of ferromagnetism. The CoIII cations at the octahedral sites are on a low-spin non-magnetic configuration (S = 0) and they are partially substituted by Bi, also a non-magnetic ion, resulting on an effective moment μeff  ~ 8,2 µB, with no change as a function of the Bi content. / As propriedades estruturais e magnéticas do composto Co2MnO4, uma estrutura espinélio inversa de grupo espacial Fd3m e simetria cúbica, foram investigadas por difração de raios X e usando um magnetômetro SQUID. Co2MnO4 é um composto multiferróico, exibindo propriedades elétricas e magnéticas devido à presença dos elementos Co e Mn, distribuídos nos sítios tetraédricos e octaédricos da estrutura AB2O4. A flutuação das valências Co2+/Co3+ e Mn2+/Mn3+/Mn4+ podem ocorrer facilmente e estão sujeitas aos processos de síntese e efeitos térmicos, podendo ser associados a estes variações nos estados de oxidação de Co e Mn devido à substituições parciais destes elementos. Neste trabalho foram sintetizadas amostras BixCo2-xMnO4 (0,0 ≤ x ≤ 0,3), sendo o Bi um elemento não magnético. Para tal, uma rota de síntese química, o método MPPM, foi utilizada. Todas as amostras foram submetidas a tratamentos térmicos em condições idênticas, na temperatura de estabilização da fase BixCo2-xMnO4 igual a 1100ºC (24h). Os resultados de DRX e refinamentos de Rietveld mostraram que o método MPPM produziu amostras cristalinas com informações cristalográficas idênticas, exceto no caso do parâmetro de rede que aumentou em dependência ao percentual de Bi. As imagens morfológicas destes materiais mostraram que o Bi alterou a forma e o tamanho dos grãos variando entre (~0,5 – 1,7 µm). Devido ao limite de solubilidade do Bi dentro da rede espinélio e à diferença entre os raios iônicos do Co (0,65Å) e Bi (1,17Å), a formação de uma fase espúria rica em Bi ocorreu. No sentido de solucionar questões como esta, a síntese do sistema CoxBi2-xMnO4 (0,0 ≤ x ≤ 1,7) pela rota MPPM e de BixCo2-xMnO4 (0,0 ≤ x ≤ 0,3) por método de mecanosíntese foram realizadas. Os resultados magnéticos, curvas MxT (Zero Field – Cooled ZFC e Field – Cooled FC); 1/χ versus T e MxH, revelaram informações importantes sobre a disposição dos cátions presentes. O comportamento ferrimagnético de Co2MnO4 foi mantido, com as curvas ZFC e FC mostrando irreversibilidade e transições bem definidas abaixo de TC. No entanto, os valores de TC, Tmáx e MFC (extrapolação da curva FC para T = 0) obtidos por MxT, assim como ΘCW obtidos por 1/χ versus T, e HC e MS (magnetização de saturação para H= 50 kOe) obtidos por MxH sofreram mudanças significativas, as quais foram associadas ao Bi que alterou o ambiente magnético dos materiais. De acordo com os resultados estruturais e magnéticos, um balanço de cargas foi proposto para BixCo2-xMnO4: (Co2+)[Co2+x(Bi3+, CoIII)1-xMn3+1-xMn4+x]O4, sendo os cátions Co2+ nas posições ( ), responsáveis pelas interações AFM e todos os cátions posicionados em [ ] na relação acima, responsáveis pelo caráter FM destes materiais. Os valores de μef = ~ 8,2µB, para todas as amostras BixCo2-xMnO4 (0,0 ≤ x ≤ 0,3), não sofreram alterações. Os cátions CoIII, presentes nos sítios octaédricos, possuem uma configuração de baixo spin (S = 0), o que não implicou em qualquer mudança na soma total dos μef quando da substituição de Co por Bi, uma vez que ambos não são elementos co momentos magnéticos.

Aujourd'hui, la puissance de calcul des processeurs et la capacité de stockage des disques durs tels que conçus dans l'électronique moderne sont limités par la limite thermodynamique aux systèmes finis. Pour garder une vitesse de développement tel que prédit par la loi de Moore, il est donc nécessaire de considérer de nouveaux types d’architecture d’unité de calcul et stockage d’information. Un autre problème réside dans la gestion des pertes de courant par effet Joule, qui deviennent critiques dès lors que l’on atteint de très fortes densités de transistors et bits magnétiques. Notre étude s’inscrit dans ces problématiques, par la conception de nouveaux systèmes à fort couplage magnéto-électrique qui permettrait de contrôler l’information magnétique par l’injection de faibles courants électriques. Notre objectif a été de concevoir un système à fort couplage magnéto-électrique. Il existe des matériaux possédant un couplage entre ordre magnétique et ordre ferroélectrique de façon intrinsèque. Ce type de structures représente une bonne base d’analyse conceptuelle sur la nature d’hybridation des ordres férroiques. Cependant le couplage y est généralement faible, et ne permet pas l’intégration de ces matériaux dans l’électronique moderne.Une autre option consiste à artificiellement générer un couplage magnéto-électrique à travers l’interface entre deux matériaux possédant chacun un des ordres férroiques. Nous avons travaillé essentiellement sur ce type d’hétérostructure binaire, alliant un substrat ferroélectrique type, (BaTiO3) avec, dans un premier temps, un film ultra-mince ferromagnétique type (Fe, Co, FeNi). Nous avons montré la présence d’une signature d’un couplage magnéto-électrique faible à l’interface de ces systèmes. Nous avons ensuite proposé de remplacer le matériau ferromagnétique typique par un film mince de FeRh, un alliage qui possède une transition de phase magnétique d’antiferromagnétique à ferromagnétique juste au-dessus de la température ambiante, qui dépend à la fois de la température, de la pression et du champ magnétique.Nous avons alors réalisé une étude de croissance de FeRh en films ultra-minces. Nous avons pu montrer que l’alliage garde une température de transition bulk et une transition assez abrupte jusqu’à 5nm d’épaisseur. Nous avons ensuite étudié le couplage magnéto-électrique dans le système FeRh(22nm)/BaTiO3 par magnétométrie SQUID sous champ électrique. Nous avons démontré un très fort effet magnéto-électrique induit par contrainte mécanique, possédant une constante de couplage record, α = 1.6 x 10-5 s.m-1, un ordre de grandeur au-dessus des valeurs rapportées dans la littérature.Utilisant notre connaissance du système, nous avons montré l’intérêt conceptuel d’utiliser un matériau à transition de phase dans les architectures novatrices de mémoire, en proposant une description mathématique d’un comportement memristif dans le système FeRh/piézoélectrique.Finalement, l’utilisation pratique de FeRh nous a amené à étudier l’alliage par calculs Ab Initio sous contrainte mécanique et sous injection de charges, pour comprendre plus fondamentalement la nature et les mécanismes de la transition. / One of the most practical concept used in physics and engineering is the concept of triggeror switch, consisting of a means to start a controlled chain of energy transformation.A switch can lead to reversible or irreversible consequences. Technological developmentusually seeks to make use of the former because it allows for repetitive logical tasks. Suchtriggers exist via the coupling between two or more types of energetic transformations.It is formally described by the interaction between two or more distinct fields and theirexpression on a system. Amongst the most studied coupling in material physics, we findelectro-mechanical couplings such as piezoelectricity or ferroelectricity, electro-caloric ormagneto-caloric couplings such as pyroelectricity and pyro-magnetism, magneto-electric,etc. The fundamental and experimental domestication and understanding of these couplingsis usually followed (and very often motivated) by the design of practical applicationin electronics engineering technology.

Les multiferroïques sont des matériaux dans lesquels plusieurs propriétés ferroïques peuvent coexister, e. g. ferromagnétisme et ferroélectricité. La recherche de tels matériaux fait l'objet d'une activité croissante en raison de l’enjeu majeur qu’ils représentent dans de nombreux domaines (mémoires, spintronique…). Les matériaux qui possèdent les propriétés nécessaires pour des applications futures sont cependant peu nombreux. Des niobates de formule Ba2LnFeNb4O15 (Ln = lanthanide), de structure bronze quadratique (TTB) susceptibles de présenter un ordre ferroélectrique et un ordre magnétique ont été synthétisés. Les propriétés magnétiques des céramiques proviennent d'une phase secondaire, faisant d’eux des composites multiferroïques. Leur souplesse cristallochimique permet de contrôler les propriétés composites par substitutions cationiques dans la matrice TTB. Afin de compléter l'étude cristallochimique, la croissance de monocristaux de TTB a été entreprise avec succès. / Multiferroics are materials which possess several ferroic properties, e.g. ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism. The search for multiferroics arises a growing activity, due to their potential applications in memories, spintronic… Yet the materials displaying the adequate properties for future application are very few. Niobates with the formula Ba2LnFeNb4O15, potentially ferroelectric and ferromagnetic, have been synthesized. The magnetic properties of the ceramics are related to a secondary phase, thus making them composite multiferroics. Their crystal-chemical flexibility allows for the composites properties tuning by cationic substitutions into the TTB framework. To complete the crystal-chemical study, the growth of TTB single-crystals was successfully engaged.

The structure and magnetism of selected compounds of the pnictides iron based superconductors with chemical formula LnO{1-x}FeAsFx (Ln = La,Sm and Ce), commonly known as 1111, and of rare earth iron borates RFe3(BO3)4 (R = Tb, Gd, Nd and Y), were studied by means of hard x-ray diffraction. For the 1111 pnictides compounds, Rietveld refinement of powder x-ray diffraction measurements at room temperature reveals, that the ionic substitution of O by F has no effect on the structure of the FeAs layers of tetrahedra, whereas the major changes takes place in the LnO layer. These changes are reflected as a shrinkage of the crystal lattice, specially in the c direction. Additionally, a study of the temperature dependent structure of the Sm and Ce-1111 compounds was performed and an estimation of the the structural transition temperature was obtained. The results of the structural measurements, combined with electrical resistivity and µSR, were used to construct the Sm and Ce-1111 phase diagrams. These phase diagrams are characterized by two regions, consisting of a spin density wave (SDW) state and a superconducting state, which are sharply separated upon doping. Considering the different Ln ion, upon F doping the transition temperatures are more efficiently suppressed in Ce-1111 as compared to Sm-1111. More intriguingly, for the Ce case, a coexistence region between static magnetism and superconductivity without an orthorhombic distortion has been observed. Further analysis of the width of the Bragg peaks reveals strong lattice fluctuations towards phase transitions, which are reflected in magnetic and transport properties. Moreover, a strong damping of the lattice fluctuations is observed at Tc for superconducting Sm-1111 samples, giving experimental evidence of competing orders towards phase transitions in the iron pnictides. Regarding the iron borates, non-resonant x-ray scattering studies have shown several new diffraction features, from the appearance of additional reflections that violate the reflection conditions for the low temperature crystal structure, to the emerging of commensurate superlattice peaks that appear below TN. A detailed analysis of the structure factors and q dependencies of the earlier reflections, demonstrate their magnetic nature. Additional resonant x-ray magnetic scattering experiments on NdFe3(BO3)4 were performed at the Nd L2,3 and Fe K edges. The results show that the magnetization behavior is different for the Nd and for the Fe sublattices. Moreover, we find that the magnetization of the Nd sublattice is induced by the Fe magnetization. The temperature dependent measurements also show a commensurate to incommensurate transition where the magnetic structure changes from a commensurate collinear structure, where both Nd and Fe moments align in the hexagonal basal plane, to an incommensurate spin helix structure that propagates along c. When a magnetic field is applied, the spin helix is destroyed and a collinear structure is formed where the moments align in a direction perpendicular to the applied magnetic field. Moreover, the critical field at which the spin helix is destroyed is the same field at which the magnetic induced electric polarization is maximum, thus, showing that the spin helix is not at the origin of the electric polarization.