Direct Observation of Condon Domains in Silver by Hall Probes

TL;DR

This study directly observed inhomogeneous Condon domains on silver's surface using micro Hall probes under strong magnetic fields, confirming theoretical predictions about their formation and characteristics.

Contribution

It provides the first direct measurement of Condon domain structures on silver, detailing their size, shape, and orientation through innovative Hall probe techniques.

Findings

Condon domains observed on silver surface under high magnetic fields.

Domain inhomogeneity aligns with theoretical phase diagram predictions.

Minimal inhomogeneity detected on beryllium despite higher expected induction splitting.

Abstract

Using a set of micro Hall probes for the detection of the local induction, the inhomogeneous Condon domain structure has been directly observed at the surface of a pure silver single crystal under strong Landau quantization in magnetic fields up to 10 T. The inhomogeneous induction occurs in the theoretically predicted part of the H-T Condon domain phase diagram. Information about size, shape and orientation of the domains is obtained by analyzing Hall probes placed along and across the long sample axis and by tilting the sample. On a beryllium surface the induction inhomogeneity is almost absent although the expected induction splitting here is at least ten times higher than in silver.