Ce Moments Research Articles

4[formula omitted] Electron Localization–Delocalization studies in CeMg[formula omitted] and PrMg[formula omitted] alloys under Pressure

The pressure dependence of magnetic moment in CeMg3 and PrMg3 has been studied through ab initio electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). Positive as well as negative pressure conditions were simulated by different degrees of unit cell compression or expansion and a fit of the total energy to the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. At ambient and negative pressures, the calculated magnetic moments for both the compounds reveal localized behaviour of 4f electrons. For increasing positive pressures, the magnetic moment of Ce in CeMg3 has been observed to diminish smoothly, becoming zero at a critical pressure of PC∼ 18 GPa indicative of pressure induced moment instability caused by an increase of f-conduction electron hybridization leading to delocalization of the 4f electrons. In contrast, the magnetic moment of Pr in PrMg3 does not show appreciable change with pressure, indicating strongly localized nature of the 4f electrons.

Density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulation insights into electronic structure and magnetic properties in HoSi and CeSi

The electronic and magnetic properties of heavy fermion bulk CeSi and HoSi were studied using density functional theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The exchange correlation (XC) potential was solved by GGA (generalized gradient approximation), TB-mBJ (Tran Blaha modified Becke Johnson) approximations, and also by TB-mBJ and GGA combined with U (Hubbard parameter). Calculations of the electronic structure indicate that CeSi and HoSi compounds are metals and reveal antiferromagnetic behavior. However, the calculations within the TB-mBJ+U approach predict ferrimagnetic behavior for HoSi. The magnetic moments of Ce and Ho in HoSi and CeSi have been estimated. The values of N é el temperature, TN, are found to be 6.61 K and 22.5 K for CeSi and HoSi, respectively. The theoretical TN value of CeSi is very close to that found experimentally, 6.1 K. The maximum of susceptibility is investigated for both compounds.

Vanishing RKKY interactions in Ce-based cage compounds

We report the results of thermodynamic measurements in external magnetic field of the cubic Ce-based cage compounds CeT 2Cd20 (T = Ni,Pd). Our analysis of the heat-capacity data shows that the Γ7 doublet is the ground state multiplet of the Ce3+ ions. Consequently, for the Γ7 doublet it can be theoretically shown that the Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida interaction between the localized Ce moments mediated by the conduction electrons, must vanish at temperatures much lower than the energy separating the ground state doublet from the first excited Γ8 quartet. Our findings provide an insight as to why no long range order has been observed in these compounds down to temperatures in the milliKelvin range.

Effect of Co-Doping on the Magnetic Ground State of the Heavy-Fermion System CeCu2Ge2 Studied by Neutron Diffraction

The antiferromagnetic phase transition of the heavy-fermion system Ce(Cu1−xCox)2Ge2 for x = 0.05 and 0.2, showing up in specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, and muon spin relaxation (μSR) data, has been further investigated. The neutron diffraction (ND) results show that Co-doping drastically reduces the moment size of Ce, without a qualitative change in the magnetic structure of the undoped compound CeCu2Ge2. An incommensurate magnetic propagation vector k = (0.2852, 0.2852, 0.4495) with a cycloidal magnetic structure with a Ce moment of 0.55 μB in the ab-plane has been observed for x = 0.05. Although for x = 0.2 the specific heat and magnetic susceptibility data reflect a phase transition with a broad peak and the muon relaxation rate shows a sharp peak at T = 0.9 K, our ND data dismiss the possibility of a long-range magnetic ordering down to 50 mK. The ND data, along with previously reported results for x = 0.2, are interpreted in terms of the reduced ordered state magnetic moments of the Ce3+ ion by Kondo screening and the presence of dynamical short-range magnetic correlations.

As75NMR study of the antiferromagnetic Kondo lattice compound CeNiAsO

We revisit the magnetic properties of the antiferromagnetic Kondo lattice CeNiAsO by $^{75}$As nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. Our results confirm two successive antiferromagnetic transitions of Ce moments at $T_{N1}=9.0(3)$ K and $T_{N2}=7.0(3)$ K. Incommensurate and commensurate antiferromagnetic orders are suggested for $T_{N2}<T<T_{N1}$ and $T<T_{N2}$ respectively, consistent with previous neutron and muon experiments. A Knight shift anomaly, characterized by the failure of $K(T)-\chi(T)$ scaling, is observed below $T^*\sim15$ K, which gives a measure of the onset of coherent $c-f$ correlations. This energy scale is further confirmed by the spin-lattice relaxation rate ($1/T_1$). The analysis of spin dynamics also reveals a quasi-two-dimensional character of spin fluctuations in CeNiAsO. This work paves the way for further $^{75}$As nuclear magnetic resonance studies under pressure.

Mixed valence nature of the Ce4fstate inCeCo5based on spin-polarizedDFT+DMFTcalculations

Cerium-based intermetallics are currently attracting much attention as highly promising alternatives to conventional permanent magnets that contain a scarce rare earth element like neodymium. In the present work we apply a charge fully self-consistent approach combining density functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory (DFT $+$ DMFT) to investigate the magnetization and electronic structure of the ${\mathrm{CeCo}}_{5}$ system. We treat simultaneously the correlation effects in Ce-$4f$ and Co-$3d$ orbitals while taking the spin polarization into account. The calculated magnetic moment corresponding to the Ce-$4f$ shell using the DFT $+$ DMFT method is found to be drastically reduced as compared to the DFT results. Moreover, the Ce-$4f$ valence state fluctuations are evaluated and compared within ${\mathrm{CeCo}}_{5}$ and $\mathrm{Ce}{({\mathrm{Co}}_{0.8}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{0.2})}_{5}$ on account of the trivalent Ce in ${\mathrm{CeCu}}_{5}$. Regarding the Cu substitutions at two Wyckoff positions of Co (2c and 3g), the substitution at 3g sites slightly enhances the magnetic moment of Ce while the substitution at 2c sites leads to nearly vanishing Ce and Co moments. Such a contrast may contribute to the experimentally reported nonmonotonic change of the magnetic anisotropy with increasing Cu alloying content in $\mathrm{Ce}{({\mathrm{Co}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{x})}_{5}$ alloys.

Interplay of 3d and 4f electrons in ZrCuSiAs-type oxypnictide CeCrAsO

We investigated the physical properties of ZrCuSiAs-type oxypnictide CeCrAsO polycrystals by electrical transport, magnetic and thermodynamic measurements below room temperature. No superconductivity is found down to the lowest temperature measured (1.8 K). A first-order magnetic transition is consistently observed at . A Schottky anomaly is observed around 14 K and the ground-state doublet of Ce ions splits by 3.75 meV. It is suggested that the magnetic moments of Cr ions, which show long-range order above room temperature, reorient at . Meanwhile the generated internal magnetic field induces a short-range antiferromagnetic order of Ce moments, serving as a good probe for demonstrating the interplay between Cr-3 d and Ce-4 f electrons and further investigating the magnetism of Cr ions.

Probing spin fluctuations of the quantum phase transition in Ce3Al by muon spin rotation

We report on the dynamics of a magnetic-field-driven antiferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic quantum phase transition in monocrystalline Ce3Al via transverse-field muon spin rotation (TF-µSR) experiments down to low temperature of sim 80 mK. The quantum phase transition is of a spin-flip type and takes place on the Ce–Al magnetic chains as a result of competition between the indirect exchange and the Zeeman interaction of the Ce moments with the external field, applied along the chain direction (also the direction of the antiferromagnetic axis). The Ce moments are not static at T to 0, but fluctuate in their direction due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Upon applying the magnetic field sweep, the fluctuations exhibit the largest amplitude at the quantum critical point, manifested in a maximum of the muon transverse relaxation rate at the critical field. The quantum nature of fluctuations observed in the TF-µSR experiments is reflected in the temperature independence of the average local magnetic field component along the external magnetic field at the muon stopping site(s) and the muon transverse relaxation rate within the investigated temperature range 1.5 K–80 mK. Quantum fluctuations are fast on the muon Larmor frequency scale, tau_{0} < 10–10 s.

Ce site dilution effects in the antiferromagnetic heavy fermion CeIn3

La-doped intermetallic single crystals of ${{\mathrm{Ce}}_{1}}_{\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{La}}_{x}{\mathrm{In}}_{3}$ were synthesized via an In self-flux method throughout the entire range $(x=0--1)$. The prototypical heavy-fermion compound ${\mathrm{CeIn}}_{3}$ shows an antiferromagnetic phase transition at 10.1 K and becomes superconducting near a critical pressure where ${T}_{N}$ is completely suppressed. As the La concentration increases, Ce moments are diluted, and the lattice constant increases linearly, satisfying Vegard's law. The electrical resistivity of the high-quality single crystals of ${{\mathrm{Ce}}_{1}}_{\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{La}}_{x}{\mathrm{In}}_{3}$ shows a gradual suppression of ${T}_{N}$ to 0 K at approximately ${x}_{c}=0.65$. The sign of the slope of the low-temperature resistivity vs temperature changes from positive to negative in the vicinity of the critical concentration ${x}_{c}$, indicating a change in the Kondo ground states from the Kondo lattice to the Kondo impurity state. In the Kondo lattice state $(x&lt;{x}_{c})$, the coherence temperature $(=50\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K})$ assigned as the peak in the resistivity is almost independent of the La concentration. In the Kondo impurity state $(x&gt;{x}_{c})$, on the other hand, a kinklike feature in the resistivity appears at $\ensuremath{\sim}50\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ and persists up to $x=0.97$, indicating a change of the Kondo scattering owing to the crystalline electric field effects. These results suggest that the critical concentration is closely connected to the emergence of the Kondo coherence state.

Metamagnetism and crystal-field splitting in pseudohexagonal CeRh3Si2

CeRh$_3$Si$_2$ has been reported to exhibit metamagnetic transitions below 5~K, a giant crystal field splitting, and anisotropic magnetic properties from single crystal magnetization and heat capacity measurements. Here we report results of neutron and x-ray scattering studies of the magnetic structure and crystal-field excitations to further understand the magnetism of this compound. Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) reveal a $J_z$\,=\,1/2 groundstate for Ce when considering the crystallographic $a$ direction as quantization axis, thus explaining the anisotropy of the static susceptibility. Furthermore, we find a total splitting of 78\,meV for the $J$\,=\,5/2 multiplet. The neutron diffraction study in zero field reveals that on cooling from the paramagnetic state, the system first orders at $T_{\text{N}_1}=4.7$\,K in a longitudinal spin density wave with ordered Ce moments along the $b$-axis (i.e. the [0 1 0] crystal direction) and an incommensurate propagation vector $\textbf{k}=(0,0.43,0$). Below the lower-temperature transition $T_{\text{N}_2}=4.48$\,K, the propagation vector locks to the commensurate value $\textbf{k}=(0,0.5,0)$, with a so-called lock-in transition. Our neutron diffraction study in applied magnetic field $H\parallel b$-axis shows a change in the commensurate propagation vector and development of a ferromagnetic component at $H=3$\,kOe, followed by a series of transitions before the fully field-induced ferromagnetic phase is reached at $H = 7$\,kOe. This explains the nature of the steps previously reported in field-dependent magnetization measurements. A very similar behaviour is also observed for the $H\parallel$ [0 1 1] crystal direction.

Magnetic frustration in a van der Waals metal CeSiI

The realization of magnetic frustration in a metallic van der Waals (vdW) coupled material has been sought as a promising platform to explore novel phenomena both in bulk matter and in exfoliated devices. However, a suitable material platform has been lacking so far. Here, we demonstrate that CeSiI hosts itinerant electrons coexisting with exotic magnetism. In CeSiI, the magnetic cerium atoms form a triangular bilayer structure sandwiched by van der Waals stacked iodine layers. From resistivity and magnetometry measurements, we confirm the coexistence of itinerant electrons with magnetism with dominant antiferromagnetic exchange between the strongly Ising-like Ce moments below 7 K. Neutron diffraction directly confirms magnetic order with an incommensurate propagation vector k ~ (0.28, 0, 0.19) at 1.6 K, which points to the importance of further neighbor magnetic interactions in this system. The presence of a two-step magnetic-field-induced phase transition along c axis further suggests magnetic frustration in the ground state. Our findings provide a novel material platform hosting a coexistence of itinerant electron and frustrated magnetism in a vdW system, where exotic phenomena arising from rich interplay between spin, charge and lattice in low dimension can be explored.

Magnetisation and magneto-transport measurements on CeBi single crystals

ABSTRACT We report the synthesis of CeBi single crystals out of Bi self-flux and a systematic study of the magnetic and transport properties with varying temperature and applied magnetic fields. From these and data, we could assemble the field-temperature (H−T) phase diagram for CeBi and visualise the three-dimensional M−T−H surface. In the phase diagram, we identify regions with well-defined magnetisation values and identify a new phase region. The magnetoresistance (MR) in the low-temperature regime shows, above 6 T a power-law, non-saturated behaviour with large MR ( at 2 K and 13.95 T), along with Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations. With increasing temperatures, MR decreases, and then becomes negative for K. This crossover in MR seems to be unrelated to any specific magnetic or metamagnetic transitions, but rather is associated with changing from a low-temperature normal metal regime with little or no scattering from the Ce moments and an anomalously large MR, to increased scattering from local Ce moments and a negative MR as temperature increases.

Magnetic order and crystalline electric field excitations of the quantum critical heavy-fermion ferromagnet CeRh6Ge4

CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$ is an unusual example of a stoichiometric heavy fermion ferromagnet, which can be cleanly tuned by hydrostatic pressure to a quantum critical point. In order to understand the origin of this anomalous behavior, we have characterized the magnetic ordering and crystalline electric field (CEF) scheme of this system. While magnetic Bragg peaks are not resolved in neutron powder diffraction, coherent oscillations are observed in zero-field $\mu$SR below $T_{\rm C}$, which are consistent with in-plane ferromagnetic ordering consisting of reduced Ce moments. From analyzing the magnetic susceptibility and inelastic neutron scattering, we propose a CEF-level scheme which accounts for the easy-plane magnetocrystalline anisotropy, where the low lying first excited CEF exhibits significantly stronger hybridization than the ground state. These results suggest that the orbital anisotropy of the ground state and low lying excited state doublets are important for realizing anisotropic electronic coupling between the $f$- and conduction electrons, which gives rise to the highly anisotropic hybridization observed in photoemission experiments.

Magnetic field induced softening of spin waves and hard-axis order in the Kondo-lattice ferromagnet CeAgSb2

A significant number of Kondo-lattice ferromagnets order perpendicular to the easy magnetization axis dictated by the crystalline electric field. The nature of this phenomenon has attracted considerable attention, but remains poorly understood. In the present paper we use inelastic neutron scattering supported by magnetization and specific heat measurements to study the spin dynamics in the hard-axis ferromagnet CeAgSb2. In the zero field state we observed two sharp magnon modes, which are associated with Ce ordering and extended up to $\approx 3 meV with a considerable spin gap of 0.6 meV. Application of a magnetic field perpendicular to the moment direction reduces the spectral intensity and suppresses the gap and significantly enhances the low-temperature specific heat at a critical field of Bc ~ 2.8 T via a mean-field-like transition. Above the transition, in the field polarized state, the gap eventually reopens due to the Zeeman effect. We modeled the observed dispersion using linear spin-wave theory (LSWT) taking into account the ground state Gamma 6 doublet and exchange anisotropy. Our model correctly captures the essential features of the spin dynamics including magnetic dispersion, distribution of the spectral intensity as well as the field-induced behavior, although several minor features remain obscure. The observed spectra do not show significant broadening due to the finite lifetime of the quasiparticles. Along with a moderate electronic specific heat coefficient gamma = 46 mJ/mol K2 this indicates that the Kondo coupling is relatively weak and the Ce moments are well localized. Altogether, our results provide profound insight into the spin dynamics of the hard-axis ferromagnet CeAgSb2 and can be used as solid ground for studying magnetic interactions in isostructural compounds including CeAuSb2, which exhibits nematicity and unusual mesoscale magnetic textures.

Perspectival usages of French past time verbal tenses: an experimental investigation

AbstractIn this paper, we carried out two experimental studies to investigate whether verbal tenses, in their perspectival usages, give access to the speaker’s perspective. Study 1 is an annotation study in which annotators evaluated corpus excerpts as expressing situations or narrating events in a subjective or objective way. We manipulated access to the verbal tense: half of the annotators saw the tense of the verbs, and half saw only infinitive forms of the verbs. Study 2 is a self-paced reading experiment in which we examined how native speakers of French process utterances with the Passé Simple when it is preceded byaujourd’hui(semantic incompatibility solved pragmatically by perspective-taking),hier(semantic and pragmatic compatibility) anden ce moment(semantic incompatibility which cannot be solved pragmatically). The results of Study 1 suggest that the subjective interpretation of an utterance is not triggered by its verbal tense. Study 2 questions the idea that perspective-taking is a component of speaker’s subjectivity. In general, our experimental findings do not support the hypothesis that verbal tenses give access to speaker’s subjectivity, a theoretical hypothesis which has never before been directly experimentally tested.

Magnetic ground states of Ce3TiSb5, Pr3TiSb5 and Nd3TiSb5 determined by neutron powder diffraction and magnetic measurements

The R 3TiSb5 ternary compounds, with R a light rare earth (La to Sm) have been reported to crystallize with the anti-Hf5CuSn3-type hexagonal structure (Pearson’s symbol hP18; space-group P63/mcm, N. 193). An early article that reported possible superconductivity in some of these intermetallic phases (namely those with R = La, Ce, and Nd) caught our attention. In this work, we have now refined the crystal structure of the R 3TiSb5 compounds with R = Ce, Pr and Nd by Rietveld methods using high-resolution neutron powder diffraction data. The magnetic ground states of these intermetallics have been investigated by low-temperature magnetization and high-intensity neutron diffraction. We find two different magnetic transitions corresponding to two related magnetic structures at T N1 = 4.8 K (k 1 = [0, 1/2, 1/8]) and T N2 = 3.4 K (k 2 = [0, 0, 1/8]), respectively for Ce3TiSb5. However, the magnetic ordering appears to occur following a peculiar hysteresis: the k 2-type magnetic structure develops only after the k 1-type phase fraction has first slowly ordered with time and the size of the ordered Ce3+ magnetic moment has become large enough to induce the second magnetic transition. At T = 1.5 K the maximum amplitude of the Ce moment in the coexisting phases amounts to μ Ce = 2.15 μ B. For Nd3TiSb5 an antiferromagnetic ordering below T N = 5.2 K into a relatively simpler commensurate magnetic structure with a magnetic moment of μ Nd = 2.14(3) μ B and magnetic propagation vector of k = [0, 0, 0], was determined. No evidence of superconductivity has been found in Nd3TiSb5. Finally, Pr3TiSb5 does not show any ordering down to 1.5 K in neutron diffraction while an antiferromagnetic ground state is detected in magnetization measurements. There is no sign of magnetic contribution from Ti atoms found in any of the studied compounds.

Constituents introduced by theming markers in French in the face of anteposed spatio-temporal complements

This paper discusses the prosodic properties of sentence-initial spatio-temporal adverbials and of PPs introduced by so-called 'thematic markers' (TMCs), such as en ce qui concerne ('as for') or du point de vue de ('with regard to'). Their function is to indicate the aboutness-topic (a.o. Reinhart 1981, Gundel 1989, Lambrecht 1994) (1) or the topic Chinese style (Chafe 1976) (2). (1) Concernant le programme, il doit différer selon les universités et les profs. (2) Mais quand on peut il faut impérativement regarder BBC News. En ce moment, au niveau de l'info, ils sont vraiment au top. (YCCQA, De Smet 2009) Mertens (2008) hypothesizes that in certain syntactic constructions such as left dislocations, (pseudo-)clefts and certain adjuncts, the articulation between the left detached element (the dislocated element, the focus of the cleft, the adjunct) and the main clause is followed by a major prosodic boundary, i.e. they end on a relative high pitch level. It appears from our corpus that most TMCs end on such a major prosodic boundary (73%). As for sentence-initial spatio-temporal PPs, only 41% end on a major prosodic boundary. There are two important differences between TMCs and sentence-initial spatio-temporal PPs which explain that a strong prosodic boundary at the end of a TMC is more frequent than at the end of sentence-initial spatio-temporal adverbials. Semantically, sentence-initial spatio-temporal adverbials always limit the application range of the main clause, but not all TMCs affect the truth values of the proposition. Some can be omitted without changing the signification of the clause. On the syntactic level, sentence-initial spatio-temporal adverbials can always appear in the scope of a cleft or can be moved towards the end of the utterance without the proposition becomes ungrammatical. TMCs which affect the truth values of the proposition can also appear in the scope of the cleft or can be moved to the end of the proposition. TMCs which do not affect the truth values of the proposition do not allow these syntactic tests. Possibility of clefting, movement and specification of the main clause are used as tests (a.o. Melis 1983, Blanche-Benveniste et al. 1990) to show whether a constituent is linked to the verb phrase. This paper shows that sentence-initial spatial-temporal PPs are linked to the verb phrase, but that this is not the case for all TMCs. These syntactic and semantic observations explain the high frequency of the strong prosodic boundary at the end of a TMC.

Structural Model and Spin-Glass Magnetism of the Ce3Au13Ge4 Quasicrystalline Approximant.

In a search for unconventional heavy-Fermion compounds with the localized 4f moments distributed quasiperiodically instead of a conventional distribution on a regular, translationally periodic lattice, we have successfully synthesized a stable Ce3Au13Ge4 Tsai-type 1/1 quasicrystalline approximant of the off-stoichiometric composition Ce3+xAu13+yGe4+z (x = 0.17, y = 0.49, z = 1.08) and determined its structural model. The structure is body-centered-cubic (bcc), with space group Im3̅, unit cell parameter a = 14.874(3) Å, and Pearson symbol cI174, and can be described as a bcc packing of partially interpenetrating multishell rhombic triacontahedral clusters. The cerium sublattice, corresponding to the magnetic sublattice, consists of a bcc packing of Ce icosahedra with an additional Ce atom in a partially occupied site (occupation 0.7) at the center of each icosahedron. The measurements of its magnetic properties and the specific heat have demonstrated that it is a regular intermetallic compound with no resemblance to heavy-Fermion systems. The partially occupied Ce2 site in the center of each Ce1 icosahedron, the mixed-occupied Au/Ge ligand sites between the Ce2 and Ce1 atoms, and the random compositional fluctuations due to nonstoichiometry of the investigated Ce3+xAu13+yGe4+z alloy introduce randomness into the Ce magnetic sublattice, which causes a distribution of the indirect-exchange antiferromagnetic interactions between the spins. Together with the geometric frustration of the triangularly distributed Ce moments, this leads to a spin-glass phase below the spin freezing temperature Tf ≈ 0.28 K.

Magnetic structure and crystalline electric field effects in the triangular antiferromagnet CePtAl4Ge2

Kondo metal $\mathrm{CePtA}{\mathrm{l}}_{4}\mathrm{G}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}$ exhibits long-range antiferromagnetic order below 2.3 K. Neutron powder-diffraction experiments reveal that Ce moments order antiferromagnetically with an incommensurate ordering wave vector $\mathbit{k}=(1.39,0,0.09)$. Inelastic neutron powder scattering experiments show a magnetic excitation at 14.5 meV, which corresponds to the first excited state due to the crystalline electric field splitting of the ground-state multiplet of $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{e}}^{3+}$. The temperature and field dependence of the magnetization of $\mathrm{CePtA}{\mathrm{l}}_{4}\mathrm{G}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}$ is consistent with a doublet ground state with a dominant $|{j}_{\mathrm{z}}=1/2\ensuremath{\rangle}$ character and a first excited doublet $|{j}_{\mathrm{z}}=3/2\ensuremath{\rangle}$ at 14.5 meV.

In Our Heart Circle for Two

In Our Heart Circle for Two Juan Miera (bio) Ceci n'est pas une histoireCeci n'est pas un poèmeCeci n'est pas un filmC'est mes sentiments en ce moment I speak my name into our circle: Juan Juan, Juan, Juan I feel nervous, it is a rapid pulse and a jolt of adrenaline. I feel insecure, it sits in my chest like a mini black hole. I feel moved, it's a surge that travels my core leaving bits of reverence and gratitude and joy in its wake. I feel hopeful, my head seems lighter and there might be a song on the tip of my tongue. Mostly I find my feelings in the love quadrant. Tenderness is a softening, I'm melting a little inside and my edges are getting less sharp on the outside. Desire is hard to look in the face, it's an averted gaze even though I really want to lock eyes, it's flushed cheeks and a tingle on the back of my neck where I like to be touched. Longing is a tightening in my throat like I'm choking on a bit of loneliness. [End Page 176] Affection is a magnetic force that makes me want to lean in; it is skin that just felt a hug and wants to be part of another. It's a faint smile and a gleam in my eye that I think—that I hope— you can see when you look at me. [End Page 177] Juan Miera Juan Miera is a retired academic who continues to explore the intersections of language, queerness, and Latinidad through short film and creative writing. He remains active in professional circles with invited lectures on queer pedagogy and is currently working on a feature-length, grant-funded documentary on the ways in which queer people of color experience and embody masculinity. Copyright © 2020 Feminist Formations