Physical properties of the trigonal binary compound Nd<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

Nd2O3 is a structurally and chemically simple material which crystallizes in a trigonal structure, with Nd3+ ions surrounded by cages of 7 oxygen anions. Here we study the physical properties of Nd2O3 with neutron diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering, heat capacity, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The inelastic neutron scattering measurements reveal that the crystal field spectrum consists of four excitations spanning the energy range 3-60 meV. The ground state eigenfunction consists of XY-spins in the ab plane. Fits to the magnetic susceptibility data indicate a Curie-Weiss temperature of θCW=-23.7(1) K. Neutron diffraction measurements show that long range antiferromagnetic order occurs below TN=550 mK implying a frustration index of θCW / TN ~43. These results suggest that Nd2O3 may be a model system for competing interactions between magnetic moments subject to strong spin-orbit coupling.

*This work was supported by the U.S. DOE, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

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Presenters

  • Gabriele Sala

    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak-Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Lab

Authors

  • Gabriele Sala

    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak-Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Matthew Brandon Stone

    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Binod Rai

    • Materials Science & Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Andrew May

    • Materials Science & Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak-Ridge National Laboratory
    • Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Clarina Dela Cruz

    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Georg Ehlers

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • SNS, Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak-Ridge National Laboratory

  • Vasile O Garlea

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6475, USA
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Mark D Lumsden

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Hasitha Suriya Arachchige

    • Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee
    • Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee
    • Department of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Tennessee

  • Victor R. Fanelli

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • David George Mandrus

    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
    • University of Tennessee-Knoxville
    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee
    • University of Tennessee (Knoxville, USA)
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville
    • Department of Material Science & Engineering, University of Tennessee
    • Material Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee
    • Materials Science and Technology, Materials Science and Technology
    • University of Tennessee, Knoxville
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee
    • Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee

  • Andy Christianson

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory