L J Chang et al 2009 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 21 456008 doi:10.1088/0953-8984/21/45/456008
L J Chang1, D J Huang2, W-H Li3, S-W Cheong4, W Ratcliff5 and J W Lynn5
Show affiliationsThe conical spin order of multiferroic CoCr2O4 has been studied by a neutron diffraction to investigate its magnetic phase transitions at temperatures below 40 K. Magnetic order of a spiral spin component with an incommensurate propagation vector of (0.63, 0.63, 0) was observed at 26 K, while at 14.5 K, the incommensurate conical spin order showed a transition into the fixed commensurate propagation vector of (2/3,2/3,0). In addition, two satellite peaks with propagation vectors of (0.035, 0, 0) and (0, 0.035, 0) from the commensurate vector were observed. The widths of these peaks indicate a long-range magnetic order. This new magnetic configuration below 14.5 K may lead to a new model of multiferroic behavior differing from the well-known spin–current model for magnetic ferroelectricity.
75.30.Kz Magnetic phase boundaries (including magnetic transitions, metamagnetism, etc.)
75.80.+q Magnetomechanical and magnetoelectric effects, magnetostriction
Issue 45 (11 November 2009)
Received 24 August 2009, in final form 7 October 2009
Published 23 October 2009
L J Chang et al 2009 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 21 456008
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