Structural and magnetic investigations of single-crystalline neodymium zirconate pyrochlore Nd2Zr2O7

M. Ciomaga Hatnean, M. R. Lees, O. A. Petrenko, D. S. Keeble, G. Balakrishnan, M. J. Gutmann, V. V. Klekovkina, and B. Z. Malkin
Phys. Rev. B 91, 174416 – Published 14 May 2015
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Abstract

We report structural and magnetic properties studies of large high-quality single crystals of the frustrated magnet Nd2Zr2O7. Powder x-ray diffraction analysis confirms that Nd2Zr2O7 adopts the pyrochlore structure. Room-temperature x-ray diffraction and time-of-flight neutron-scattering experiments show that the crystals are stoichiometric in composition with no measurable site disorder. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility shows no magnetic ordering at temperatures down to 0.5 K. Fits to the magnetic susceptibility data using a Curie-Weiss law reveal a ferromagnetic coupling between the Nd moments. Magnetization versus field measurements show a local Ising anisotropy along the 111 axes of the Nd3+ ions in the ground state. Specific heat versus temperature measurements in zero applied magnetic field indicate the presence of a thermal anomaly below T7 K, but no evidence of magnetic ordering is observed down to 0.5 K. The experimental temperature dependence of the single-crystal bulk dc susceptibility and isothermal magnetization are analyzed using crystal field theory and the crystal field parameters and exchange coupling constants determined.

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  • Received 15 December 2014
  • Revised 22 April 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.91.174416

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

M. Ciomaga Hatnean*, M. R. Lees, O. A. Petrenko, D. S. Keeble, and G. Balakrishnan

  • Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom

M. J. Gutmann

  • ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Oxford, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom

V. V. Klekovkina and B. Z. Malkin

  • Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Kremlevskaya 18, Russia

  • *go.warwick.ac.uk/supermag
  • Current address: Diamond Light Source, Chilton, OX11 0DE, United Kingdom.
  • G.Balakrishnan@warwick.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 91, Iss. 17 — 1 May 2015

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