The structural and magnetic properties of Ca0.8Sm0.16Nd0.04MnO3 have been investigated by synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction in pulsed magnetic fields in connection with resistivity and magnetization measurements (in static and pulsed magnetic fields). Below 100 K, the spontaneous (B=0) low-temperature phase is found to be structurally and magnetically phase segregated, a major antiferromagnetic monoclinic P2(1)/m phase coexisting with a minor antiferromagnetic orthorhombic Pnma phase containing ferromagnetic clusters. Upon the application of a magnetic field, two magnetic transitions occur: a first transition without structural changes at low field, showing the superparamagnetic like behavior of ferromagnetic domains, followed by a metamagnetic transition. The latter is clearly accompanied by field-induced structural changes, the orthorhombic phase growing at the expense of the monoclinic one.

Pulsed-field magnetization experiments extend the typical metamagnetic staircase of CuFeO2 up to 58 T to reveal an additional first-order phase transition at high field for both the parallel and perpendicular field configuration. Virtually complete isotropic behavior is retrieved only above this transition, indicating the high-field recovery of the undistorted triangular lattice. A consistent phenomenological rationalization for the field dependence and metamagnetism crossover of the system is provided, demonstrating the importance of both spin-phonon coupling and a small field-dependent easy-axis anisotropy in accurately describing the magnetization process of CuFeO2.

In the electrical Hall effect, a magnetic field, applied perpendicular to an electrical current, induces through the Lorentz force a voltage perpendicular to the field and the current. It is generally assumed that an analogous effect cannot exist in the phonon thermal conductivity, as there is no charge transport associated with phonon propagation. In this Letter, we argue that such a magnetotransverse thermal effect should exist and experimentally demonstrate this "phonon Hall effect" in Tb3Ga5O12.

We report the first observation of a new optical phenomenon, magnetoelectric directional anisotropy (MEA). MEA is a polarization-independent anisotropy which occurs in crossed electric field E and magnetic field B perpendicular to the wave vector k of the light. It is described by a contribution to the refractive index of the form (delta)n=(gamma)k x E x B. Our experiment was performed on a Er(1.5)Y(1.5)Al(5)O(12) crystal, but MEA should exist in all media. The relation of this new effect with recently discovered magnetoelectric birefringence is discussed.