Welcome to the Frandsen Group!

About the Group

We are an experimental condensed matter physics group focused on investigating the structure and magnetism of fascinating--and often technologically promising--materials, such as superconductors, strongly correlated electron systems, multiferroics, magnetocalorics, molten salts for nuclear reactors, and more. We use beams of neutrons, x-rays, and muons produced at large-scale accelerator facilities to probe the atomic and magnetic correlations in these materials, together with advanced computational modeling to gain quantitative insight into the spatial arrangement of atoms and spins in a given material. Specific techniques include atomic and magnetic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of neutron/x-ray total scattering data and muon spin relaxation/rotation (μSR). Interested and motivated undergraduate and prospective graduate students are encouraged to reach out to learn more about our research and find opportunities to participate.

Research Projects

Thermoelectrics, Magnetocalorics, and Multiferroics--Oh My!

This project focuses on the connection between the local atomic and magnetic structure and the energy-relevant properties of magnetocaloric, thermoelectric, and multiferroic materials. Magnetocaloric materials exhibit large temperature changes with the application and removal of a magnetic field, offering promising applications in solid-state refrigeration and waste heat harvesting. Thermoelectric materials experience an electrical voltage when subjected to a temperature gradient or vice versa, also providing novel routes for energy-efficient cooling and waste heat harvesting. Multiferroic materials show cross-order coupling between electric polarization and magnetic order, potentially enabling unique functionalities for energy transformation, information science, and signal processing. We are using combined atomic and magnetic pair distribution function analysis, together with muon spin spectroscopy, to establish the local atomic and magnetic structure of representative compounds for these material classes and better understand the origin of their outstanding properties. In the process, we are developing new experimental and computational methods for magnetic pair distribution function analysis, which will be widely applicable to many other materials, as well. Funding: US Department of Energy, Early Career program.

Superconductors, Geometrically Frustrated Magnets, Magnetic Nanoparticles, and More

We maintain broad interest and involvement in structural studies of numerous material systems where knowledge of the local atomic and magnetic structure can add value. We have ongoing projects on iron-based superconductors, geometrically frustrated triangular lattice antiferromagnets, magnetic nanoparticles, Mott insulator systems, high-entropy alloys and oxides, and more. We are always open to collaborations on interesting material systems.

Molten Salts For Improved Nuclear Reactors

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are a promising nuclear reactor design concept in which molten ionic salts function as the coolant and/or fuel source in the reactor. MSRs have many potential advantages over standard designs in commercial use today, including greatly enhanced safety/security and the ability to produce critical medical radioisotopes in addition to vast amounts of carbon-free electricity. To make MSRs a reality, it is necessary to understand and predict the behavior of the salts in operating conditions. Gaining a detailed knowledge of the local structure of the molten salts on the atomic scale is an essential step in this direction, since the local interactions between constituent atoms determine the macroscopic properties. In this project, we use cutting-edge neutron and x-ray total scattering and computational modeling techniques to establish the structure of relevant molten salts. We work closely with collaborators in BYU Chemical Engineering. Funding: US Department of Energy, Nuclear Energy University Program (pending).

Selected Publications

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By Emma Zappala and Benjamin A. Frandsen (et al.)
Abstract:

Magnetic, specific heat, and structural properties of the equiatomic Cantor alloy system are reported for temperatures between 5 and 300 K, and up to fields of 70 kOe. Magnetization measurements performed on as-cast, annealed, and cold-worked samples reveal a strong processing history dependence and that high-temperature annealing after cold working does not restore the alloy to a “pristine” state. Measurements on known precipitates show that the two transitions, detected at 43 and 85 K, are intrinsic to the Cantor alloy and not the result of an impurity phase. Experimental and ab initio density functional theory computational results suggest that these transitions are a weak ferrimagnetic transition and a spin-glass-like transition, respectively, and magnetic and specific heat measurements provide evidence of significant Stoner enhancement and electron-electron interactions within the material.

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Abstract:

Quasi-one-dimensional iron chalcogenides possess various magnetic states depending on the lattice distortion, electronic correlations, and presence of defects. We present neutron diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering experiments on the spin ladder compound BaFe2−δS1.5Se1.5 with ∼6% iron vacancies. The data reveal that long-range magnetic order is absent, while the characteristic magnetic excitations that correspond to both the stripe- and block-type antiferromagnetic correlations are observed. First-principles calculations support the existence of both stripe- and block-type antiferromagnetic short-range orders in the experimental sample. The disappearance of long-range magnetic order may be due to the competition between these two magnetic orders, which is greatly enhanced for a certain concentration of iron vacancies, which we calculate to be about 6%, consistent with the measured iron vacancy concentration. Our results highlight how iron vacancies in the iron-based spin ladder system strongly influence the magnetic ground state.

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By Benjamin Frandsen (et al.)
Abstract:

The VERsatile DIffractometer will set a new standard for a world-class magnetic diffractometer with versatility for both powder and single crystal samples and capability for wide-angle polarization analysis. The instrument will utilize a large single-frame bandwidth and will offer high-resolution at low momentum transfers and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. A horizontal elliptical mirror concept with interchangeable guide pieces will provide high flexibility in beam divergence to allow for a high-resolution powder mode, a high-intensity single crystal mode, and a polarized beam option. A major science focus will be quantum materials that exhibit emergent properties arising from collective effects in condensed matter. The unique use of polarized neutrons to isolate the magnetic signature will provide optimal experimental input to state-of-the-art modeling approaches to access detailed insight into local magnetic ordering.

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By Raju Baral, Jacob A. Christensen, Parker K. Hamilton, Karine Chesnel, and Benjamin A. Frandsen (et al.)
Abstract:

Thermoelectric materials hold tremendous promise for energy applications, but developing economically and environmentally viable high-performance thermoelectrics remains challenging. Recently, the paramagnon drag effect was discovered, in which local thermal fluctuations of the magnetization known as paramagnons drag charge carriers and impart to them a magnetic contribution to thermopower. This is significant because it opens a new avenue for optimizing thermoelectric properties in magnetic semiconductors. In this work, neutron scattering is used to visualize the nanoscale magnetism responsible for paramagnon drag in the antiferromagnetic semiconductor MnTe. First-principles calculations quantitatively reproduce the short-range magnetic correlations observed above the ordering temperature. These results shed light on how magnetism enhances thermoelectricity and provide a template for studies of other magnetic semiconductors as potential high-performance thermoelectrics.

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Abstract:

We report transport and inelastic neutron scattering studies on electronic properties and spin dynamics of the quasi-one-dimensional spin-chain antiferromagnet RbFeS2. An antiferromagnetic phase transition at TN≈195 K and dispersive spin waves with a spin gap of 5 meV are observed. By modeling the spin excitation spectra using linear spin wave theory, intra and interchain exchange interactions are found to be SJ1=100(5) meV and SJ3=0.9(3) meV, respectively, together with a small single-ion anisotropy of SDzz=0.04(1) meV. Comparison with previous results for other materials in the same class of Fe3+ spin-chain systems reveals that although the magnetic order sizes show significant variation from 1.8 to 3.0μB within the family of materials, the exchange interactions SJ are nevertheless quite similar, analogous to the iron pnictide superconductors where both localized and delocalized electrons contribute to the spin dynamics.

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Abstract:

This article describes the application of total scattering and atomic pair distribution function (PDF) studies to the study of local and intermediate range structure in complex materials. We give a brief introduction to the methods, and then survey a sampling of different applications of them in various inorganic chemistry applications, including energy materials, nanoparticles, layered materials, metal organic frameworks and host-guest systems, polycrystalline thin films, atomic clusters, hybrid-perovskites. We also discuss studies of local magnetism and amorphous materials.