Spin dynamics, short-range order and superparamagnetism in superconducting ferromagnet RuSr2Gd1.4Ce0.6Cu2O10-δ

We report structural, detailed DC and linear/non-linear AC, isothermal and thermoremanent magnetization study of the rutheno-cuprate superconducting ferromagnet RuSr2Gd1.4Ce0.6Cu2O10-delta, (GdRu-1222). Structural analysis, by employing Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pattern, reveals that GdRu-1222 crystallizes in tetragonal phase with I4/mmm space group. GdRu-1222 is a reported superconducting ferromagnet with Ru spins magnetic ordering at around 110 K and superconductivity below 40 K in Cu-O-2 planes. Detailed linear/non-linear first and higher order harmonic of AC susceptibility studies unveiled the complex magnetism of GdRu-1222. A frequency dependent cusp is observed in AC susceptibility (chi(ac)) vs. T measurements. The change in cusp position with applied frequency followed the well known Vogel-Fulcher law, which is a feature to describe a spin-glass (SG) system with possibility of embedded homogeneous/non-homogeneous magnetically interacting/non-interacting ferromagnetic clusters. Such an interpretation is also supported by thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) study at T=60 K. Detailed interpretation of AC magnetization results revealed the formation of magnetic (ferromagnetic) homogenous/non-homogenous clusters of different sizes embedded in spin-glass (SG) matrix. The magnetization vs. applied field loops do not saturate, even at high applied fields (50 kOe), resulting in the short-range magnetic ordering in the system, which causes the formation of clusters that freeze at low temperatures. Temperature variation of first- and third-order susceptibility harmonics show good agreement with the Wohlfarth's model (WM), leading to the superparamagnetism (SPM) state. Detailed magnetization (DC and AC both) results and their analysis helped in explaining the temperature dependent magnetism of the GdRu-1222 system. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.