${\mathrm{SrEr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4$ is a geometrically frustrated magnet which demonstrates rather unusual properties at low temperatures including a coexistence of long- and short-range magnetic order, characterized by two different propagation vectors. In the present work, the effects of crystal fields (CFs) in this compound containing four magnetically inequivalent erbium sublattices are investigated experimentally and theoretically. We combine the measurements of the CF levels of the ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$ ions made on a powder sample of ${\mathrm{SrEr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4$ using neutron spectroscopy with site-selective optical and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements performed on single-crystal samples of the lightly Er-doped nonmagnetic analog, ${\mathrm{SrY}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4$. Two sets of CF parameters corresponding to the ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$ ions at the crystallographically inequivalent lattice sites are derived which fit all the available experimental data well, including the magnetization and dc susceptibility data for both lightly doped and concentrated samples.

We investigate the motion of electrically charged metallic nano- and microparticles produced by laser ablation in He gas and injected into superfluid helium. In the presence of a vertical static electric field, the particles either perform a repetitive shuttle-like motion transporting the charge across the liquid–gas interface or become trapped under the free surface of liquid He and coalesce into long filaments and complex two-dimensional mesoscopic networks. A classical electrohydrodynamic model is used to describe the motion of charged microparticles in superfluid He. The resulting filaments and networks are analyzed using electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that each filament is in fact composed of a large number of nanowires with a characteristic diameter of order of 10 nm and extremely large aspect ratios.

The synthesis of the NiCr₂O₄ compound with the spinel structure via the high-temperature solid-state reaction leads to different deviations of the cationic composition from the nominal depending on the atmosphere in the furnace chamber. The samples prepared from the same starting NiO and Cr₂O₃ compounds but in different atmospheres differ in phase composition and orbital and spin ordering temperatures. We find that a common route of synthesis in the air and a possible presence of the Ni₂O₃ in initial NiO lead to the incorporation of the Ni³⁺ ions into the octahedral sites regularly occupied by the Cr³⁺ ions. This results in a decrease in the orbital ordering and an increase in the Nèel temperatures. We propose that the Nèel temperature value serves as a measure of a departure of a composition from the nominal NiCr₂O₄. The lowest Nèel temperature among our series was T_N = 63 K which we consider the closest to the intrinsic quantity of the NiCr₂O₄ compound.

We present the new synthesis root of spinel-structure FeCr₂O₄ and its single crystal growth by the optical floating zone method, ensuring its single phase and near-ideal composition. The advantage of the proposed synthesis method is the creation of the reducing atmosphere in the oven needed for preserving the Fe²⁺ oxidation state via decomposition of the iron (II) oxalate FeC₂O₄ used as one of the initial components. The occurrence of the Fe³⁺ ions in the obtained polycrystalline samples as well as grown single crystals was carefully monitored by means of Mössbauer spectroscopy. Magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity temperature dependences reveal a sequence of the structural (138 K) and magnetic (at 65 K and 38 K) phase transition characteristics for the FeCr₂O₄ compound.

Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ cathodes for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) were synthesized using a hydrothermal method with the subsequent annealing in an argon atmosphere to achieve optimal properties. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the material’s single-phase nature, while the scanning electron microscopy revealed a granular structure, indicating a uniform particle size distribution, beneficial for electrochemical performance. Magnetometry and electron spin resonance studies were conducted to investigate the magnetic properties, confirming the presence of the relatively low concentration and highly uniform distribution of tetravalent vanadium ions (V⁴⁺), which indicated low lithium deficiency values in the original structure and a high degree of magnetic homogeneity in the sample, an essential factor for consistent electrochemical behavior. For this pure phase Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ sample, devoid of any impurities such as carbon or salts, extensive electrochemical property testing was performed. These tests resulted in the experimental discovery of a remarkably high lithium diffusion coefficient D = 1.07 × 10⁻¹⁰ cm²/s, indicating excellent ionic conductivity, and demonstrated impressive stability of the material with sustained performance over 1000 charge–discharge cycles. Additionally, relithiated Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ (after multiple electrochemical cycling) samples were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, magnetometry and electron spin resonance methods to determine the extent of degradation. The combination of high lithium diffusion coefficients, a low degradation rate and remarkable cycling stability positions this Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ material as a promising candidate for advanced energy storage applications.

Atomic ions and free electrons embedded in condensed helium play important role in modern research on quantum fluids and solids. Here we present experimental and theoretical study of Ba⁺ cations immersed in superfluid He. We observe laser-induced fluorescence of Ba⁺ injected into liquid He from the plasma of radio frequency discharge in He-Ba gas mixture. The structure of trapping site is studied theoretically in the frame of the atomic bubble model making use of ab initio Ba⁺ - He pair potentials available in the literature. Calculated spectra of the ion are compared with the results of the experiment.