Ni2Mo3O8: Complex Antiferromagnetic Order on a Honeycomb Lattice

Published

January 18, 2019

Author(s)

Jennifer R. Morey, Allen Scheie, John P. Sheckelton, Craig Brown, Tyrel M. McQueen

Abstract

Theoretical studies have predicted the existence of topological magnons in honeycomb compounds with zig-zag antiferromagnetic (AFM) order. Here we report this discovery of zig-zag AFM order in the layered and non-centrosymmetric honeycomb nickelate Ni₂Mo₃O₈ through a combination of magnetization, specific heat, x-ray and neutron diffraction and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. It is the first example of such order in an integer-spin non-centrosymmetric structure (P6_3mc). Further, each of the the two distinct sites of the bipartite honeycomb lattice has a unique crystal field environment, octahedral and tetrahedral Ni²⁺ respectively, enabling independent substitution on each sublattice. Replacement of Ni by Mg on the octahedral site suppresses the long range magnetic order and results in a weakly ferromagnetic state. Conversely, substitution of Fe for Ni enhances the AFM ordering temperature. Thus Ni₂Mo₃O₈ provides a platform on which to explore the rich physics of S=1 on the honeycomb in the presence of competing magnetic interactions with a non-centrosymmetric, formally piezeo-polar, crystal structure.

Citation

Physical Review Materials

Volume

3

Issue

1

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

honeycomb lattice, nickelate, neutron diffraction

Citation

Morey, J. , Scheie, A. , Sheckelton, J. , Brown, C. and McQueen, T. (2019), Ni₂Mo₃O₈: Complex Antiferromagnetic Order on a Honeycomb Lattice, Physical Review Materials, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=925978 (Accessed September 20, 2024)