Neel Ordering in the Distorted Honeycomb Pyrosilicate: C-Er2Si2O7

Published

January 18, 2021

Author(s)

Gavin Hester, T. N. DeLazzer, S. S. Lim, Craig Brown, K. A. Ross

Abstract

The rare-earth pyrosilicate family of compounds (RE₂Si₂O₇) hosts a variety of polymorphs, some with honeycomb-like geometries of the rare-earth sublattices, and the magnetism has yet to be deeply explored in many of the cases. Here we report on the ground state properties of C-Er₂Si₂O₇. C-Er₂Si₂O₇ crystallizes in the C2/m space group and the Er³⁺ atoms form a distorted honeycomb lattice in the a-b plane. We have utilized specific heat, DC susceptibility, and neutron diffraction measurements to characterize C-Er₂Si₂O₇. Our specific heat and DC susceptibility measurements show signatures of antiferromagnetic ordering at 2.3 K. Neutron powder diffraction confirms this transition temperature and the relative intensities of the magnetic Bragg peaks are consistent with a collinear Neel state in the magnetic space group C2'/m, with ordered moment of 6.61 υ_B canted 13 ° away from the c-axis toward the a-axis. These results are discussed in relation to the isostructural quantum dimer magnet compound Yb₂Si₂O₇.

Citation

Journal of Physics Condensed Matter

Volume

33

Issue

12

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

magnetism, structure

Citation

Hester, G. , DeLazzer, T. , Lim, S. , Brown, C. and Ross, K. (2021), Neel Ordering in the Distorted Honeycomb Pyrosilicate: C-Er₂Si₂O₇, Journal of Physics Condensed Matter (Accessed May 6, 2024)