Magnetic Properties of $A$-site Antiferromagnetic Spinels CoRh$_2$O$_4$ and CuRh$_2$O$_4$

ORAL

Abstract

We characterize the magnetic properties of the $A$-site spinels CoRh$_2$O$_4$ and CuRh$_2$O$_4$ by means of thermodynamic and neutron scattering measurments and perform group theory analysis, Rietveld refinement, mean-field theory, and spin wave theory calculations to analyze our results. Our investigation reveals that CoRh$_2$O$_4$ is a canonical $S=3/2$ diamond-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet with a nearest neighbor exchange $J=0.63$ meV and a N\'eel temperature of 25 K. In CuRh$_2$O$_4$, the distorted diamond lattice leads to the development of an incommensurate helical order at 24 K. Strong reduction of the ordered moment is observed for the $S=1/2$ spins and reproduced by $1/S$ corrections to spin-wave theory.

Authors

  • Luwei Ge

    • School of Physics, Georgia Tech
  • Joshua Flynn

    • Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University
  • Joseph Paddison

    • School of Physics, Georgia Tech
  • Matthew Stone

    • ORNL
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Stuart Calder

    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Lab
    • ORNL
    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Arthur J. Ramirez

    • Department of Physics, UC Santa Cruz
    • UC Santa Cruz
  • Mas Subramanian

    • Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University
  • Martin Mourigal

    • Georgia Institute of Technology
    • School of Physics, Georgia Tech
    • Georgia Tech