Magnetic Structure and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction in the S=1/2 Helical-Honeycomb Antiferromagnet α-Cu2V2O7

Published

July 24, 2015

Author(s)

G. Gitgeatpong, Yang Zhao, M. Avdeev, R. O. Piltz, T. J. Sato, K. Matan

Abstract

Magnetic properties of the S = 1/2 quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet alph}Cu₂V₂O₇ have been studied using magnetization and neutron scattering measurements. Magnetic susceptibility shows a broad peak at 50 K followed by an abrupt increase indicative of a phase transition to a magnetically ordered state at t_N = 33.4(1) K. Above T_N, a fit to the Curie-Weiss law gives a Curie-Weiss temperature of θ=-73(1) K (J_CW = 6.3(1) meV), whereas the Bonner-Fisher fit yields the antiferromagnetic intra-chain coupling of J_BF = 2.99(2) meV. The discrepancy in the exchange interaction suggests a highly anisotropic network of spins with a sizeable inter-chain interaction. Below T_N, weak ferromagnetism due to spin canting is observed. The canting is caused by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction with an estimated bc-plane component D_p of 0.420(3) meV. Neutron diffraction reveals that the S=1/2 Cu²⁺ spins along a zigzag chain antiferromagnetically align in the Fd'd'2 magnetic space group. The ordered moment of 0.93(9) υB is predominantly along the crystallographic a-axis.

Citation

Physical Review B

Volume

92

Issue

2

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Magnetic structure, neutron scattering

Citation

Gitgeatpong, G. , Zhao, Y. , Avdeev, M. , Piltz, R. , Sato, T. and Matan, K. (2015), Magnetic Structure and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction in the S=1/2 Helical-Honeycomb Antiferromagnet α-Cu₂V₂O₇, Physical Review B, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=918027 (Accessed April 19, 2024)