Investigating the spin dynamics of the non-collinear magnetic phase of 3.5\% Ga-doped CuFeO$_2$

ORAL

Abstract

We examine the evolution of the non-collinear phase of a hexagonal lattice antiferromagnet to help understand the inelastic neutron scattering measurements for the multiferroic ground state of 3.5\% Ga-doped CuFeO$_2$. With the complex ground state stabilized by the displacement of the oxygen atoms, the multiferroic coupling is explained by the predicted ``spin-driven'' model. By comparing the observed and calculated spectrum of spin excitations for multiple spin configurations, we conclude that the magnetic ground state is a distorted screw-type spin configuration with a distribution of turn angles produced by lattice distortions.

*Research sponsored by the Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, U.S. DOE under contract with UT-Battelle, LLC.

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Authors

  • T. Kimura

    • Division of Materials Physics, Osaka University

  • J.T. Haraldsen

    • Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • F. Ye

    • Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • R.S. Fishman

    • Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • J.A. Fernandez-Baca

    • Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Tennessee

  • Y. Yamaguchi

    • Division of Materials Physics, Osaka University

  • K. Kimura

    • Division of Materials Physics, Osaka University