Noncollinear spin structure with weak ferromagnetism in NbMnP

ORAL

Abstract

NbMnP is a metallic material, which consists of the zigzag chains of Mn moments along the b axis. The magnetic susceptibility as well as the resistivity shows an anomaly at 233 K, which indicates an antiferromagnetic phase transition. Our neutron powder diffraction experiment reveals that the magnetic structure is a Q=0 structure and noncollinear with an easy plane anisotropy perpendicular to the b axis and the a and c axis magnetic components align antiferromagnetically and ferromagnetically along the zigzag chain direction, respectively. The ordered moment is 1.2μB, which is reduced probably due to the itineracy of the Mn moments. A localized picture model suggests that the Q=0 magnetic structure is formed by the frustration among several exchange couplings. A weak ferromagnetic component is also present in the antiferromagnetic phase, which is considered to be caused by a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.

*This research used resource at the Spallation Neutron Source, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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Publication: M. Matsuda, D. Zhang, Y. Kuwata, Q. Znang, T. Sakurai, H. Ohta, H. Sugawara, K. Takeda, J. Hayashi, and H. Kotegawa, submitted to Physical Review B.

Presenters

  • Masaaki Matsuda

    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Authors

  • Masaaki Matsuda

    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Depei Zhang

    • Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Qiang Zhang

    • Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Yoshiki Kuwata

    • Kobe University

  • Takahiro Sakurai

    • Kobe University

  • Hitoshi Ohta

    • Kobe University

  • Hitoshi Sugawara

    • Kobe Univeristy

  • Keiki Takeda

    • Muroran Institute of Technology

  • Junichi Hayashi

    • Muroran Institute of Technology

  • Hisashi Kotegawa

    • Kobe University