• Featured in Physics

Magnetic Ordering in Solid Oxygen up to Room Temperature

S. Klotz, Th. Strässle, A. L. Cornelius, J. Philippe, and Th. Hansen
Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 115501 – Published 16 March 2010
Physics logo See Synopsis: Pressed to order

Abstract

Oxygen is the only elemental molecule which carries an electronic magnetic moment. As a consequence, the different solid phases encountered on cooling show various degrees of magnetic order, and similar behavior is expected under compression. Here we present neutron diffraction data which reveal the magnetic ordering under high pressure in the δ (“orange”) phase, i.e., in the range 6–8 GPa and 20–240 K. We show that δO2 contains in total three different magnetic structures, all of them being antiferromagnetic and differing in the stacking sequence of O2 sheets along the c axis. This structural diversity can be explained by the quasi-two-dimensional nature of δO2 and the strong orientation dependence of the magnetic exchange interaction between O2 molecules. The results show that δO2 is a room temperature antiferromagnet.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 15 January 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.115501

©2010 American Physical Society

Synopsis

Key Image

Pressed to order

Published 5 April 2010

High-pressure neutron diffraction reveals solid oxygen’s complex magnetic phase diagram.

See more in Physics

Authors & Affiliations

S. Klotz1,*, Th. Strässle2, A. L. Cornelius1,3, J. Philippe1, and Th. Hansen4

  • 1IMPMC, CNRS-UMR 7590, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 75252 Paris, France
  • 2Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, ETH Zurich and Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
  • 3Permanent address: Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4002, USA
  • 4Institut Laue Langevin, BP 156, F-38042 Grenoble, France

  • *Stefan.Klotz@impmc.jussieu.fr

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 104, Iss. 11 — 19 March 2010

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×