Evolution of magnetic and orbital properties in the magnetically diluted A-site spinel Cu1xZnxRh2O4

A. V. Zakrzewski, S. Gangopadhyay, G. J. MacDougall, A. A. Aczel, S. Calder, and T. J. Williams
Phys. Rev. B 97, 214411 – Published 11 June 2018

Abstract

In frustrated spinel antiferromagnets, dilution with nonmagnetic ions can be a powerful strategy for probing unconventional spin states or uncovering interesting phenomena. Here, we present x-ray, neutron scattering, and thermodynamic studies of the effects of magnetic dilution of the tetragonally distorted A-site spinel antiferromagnet, CuRh2O4, with nonmagnetic Zn2+ ions. Our data confirm the helical spin order recently identified at low temperatures in this material, and further demonstrate a systematic suppression of the associated Néel temperature with increasing site dilution towards a continuous transition with critical doping of xspin0.44. Interestingly, this critical doping is demonstrably distinct from a second structural critical point at xJT0.6, which is consistent with the suppression of orbital order on the A site through a classical percolative mechanism. This anomalously low value for xspin is confirmed via multiple measurements, and is inconsistent with predictions of classical percolation theory, suggesting that the spin transition in this material is driven by an enhancement of preexisting spin fluctuations with weak dilution.

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  • Received 3 May 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.97.214411

©2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

A. V. Zakrzewski, S. Gangopadhyay, and G. J. MacDougall*

  • Department of Physics and Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA

A. A. Aczel, S. Calder, and T. J. Williams

  • Neutron Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA

  • *gmacdoug@illinois.edu

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Issue

Vol. 97, Iss. 21 — 1 June 2018

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