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Experimental and theoretical studies of the dynamic magnetization in swept magnetic fields of the orthorhombic SrY$_2$O$_4$ single-crystals doped with the Dy$^{3+}$ Kramers ions (0.01 and 0.5 at.%) with natural abundances of even and odd Dy isotopes are presented. Impurity ions substitute for Y$^{3+}$ ions at two nonequivalent crystallographic sites with the same local $C_s$ symmetry but strongly different crystal fields. Well pronounced double-loop hysteresis is observed at temperatures 2, 4, 5 and 6 K for sweeping rates of 5 and 1 mT/s. The microscopic model of spectral, magnetic and kinetic properties of Dy$^{3+}$ ions is developed based on the results of EPR, site selective optical spectra and magnetic relaxation measurements. The derived approach to the dynamic magnetization in the sweeping field based on the numerical solution of generalized master equations with time-dependent transition probabilities induced by the electron-phonon interaction, quantum tunneling and cross-relaxation allowed us to reproduce successfully the evolution of the hysteresis loop shape with temperature, sweeping rate and concentration of paramagnetic ions., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, 52 references

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies of the impurity Fe$^{3+}$ and Mn$^{4+}$ centers indicate that the symmetry of the crystal structure of millimeter-scale strontium titanate plates above 105 K lowers in the bulk from cubic to tetragonal, different from that of the conventional low-temperature antiferrodistortive phase. It is shown that the effect does not originate from the residual stress; its magnitude (observed tetragonal distortion) and particular manifestations depend on plate orientation, surface quality and the geometry of a sample. Peculiarities of the observed phenomenon are presented and possible scenario of its realization is discussed., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures

Polar metals, commonly defined by the coexistence of polar crystal structure and metallicity, are thought to be scarce because the long-range electrostatic fields favoring the polar structure are expected to be fully screened by the conduction electrons of a metal. Moreover, reducing from three to two dimensions, it remains an open question whether a polar metal can exist. Here we report on the realization of a room temperature two-dimensional polar metal of the B-site type in tri-color (tri-layer) superlattices BaTiO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$/LaTiO$_3$. A combination of atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy, optical second harmonic generation, electrical transport, and first-principles calculations have revealed the microscopic mechanisms of periodic electric polarization, charge distribution, and orbital symmetry. Our results provide a route to creating all-oxide artificial non-centrosymmetric quasi-two-dimensional metals with exotic quantum states including coexisting ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, and superconducting phases.

Time-domain Brillouin scattering technique, also known as picosecond ultrasonic interferometry, which provides opportunity to monitor propagation of nanometers to sub-micrometers length coherent acoustic pulses in the samples of sub-micrometers to tens of micrometers dimensions, was applied to depth-profiling of polycrystalline aggregate of ice compressed in a diamond anvil cell to Megabar pressures. The technique allowed examination of characteristic dimensions of elastic inhomogeneities and texturing of polycrystalline ice in the direction normal to the diamond anvil surfaces with sub-micrometer spatial resolution via time-resolved measurements of variations in the propagation velocity of the acoustic pulse traveling in the compressed sample. The achieved two-dimensional imaging of the polycrystalline ice aggregate in-depth and in one of the lateral directions indicates the feasibility of three-dimensional imaging and quantitative characterization of acoustical, optical and acousto-optical properties of transparent polycrystalline aggregates in diamond anvil cell with tens of nanometers in-depth resolution and lateral spatial resolution controlled by pump laser pulses focusing., Comment: 32 pages, 5 figures