Commensurate-Incommensurate Magnetic Phase Transition in Magnetoelectric Single Crystal LiNiPO4

D. Vaknin, J. L. Zarestky, J.-P. Rivera, and H. Schmid
Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 207201 – Published 19 May 2004

Abstract

Neutron scattering studies of single crystal LiNiPO4 reveal a spontaneous first-order commensurate-incommensurate magnetic phase transition. Short- and long-range incommensurate phases are intermediate between the high temperature paramagnetic and the low temperature antiferromagnetic phases. The modulated structure has a predominant antiferromagnetic component, giving rise to satellite peaks in the vicinity of the fundamental antiferromagnetic Bragg reflection, and a ferromagnetic component, giving rise to peaks at small momentum transfers around the origin at (0,±Q,0). The wavelength of the modulated magnetic structure varies continuously with temperature. It is argued that the incommensurate short- and long-range phases are due to spin-dimensionality crossover from a continuous to the discrete Ising state.

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  • Received 28 August 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.207201

©2004 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

D. Vaknin1, J. L. Zarestky1, J.-P. Rivera2, and H. Schmid2

  • 1Ames Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
  • 2Department of Inorganic, Analytical, and Applied Chemistry, University of Geneva, Sciences II, 30 quai E. Ansermet, CH-1211-Geneva 4, Switzerland

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Vol. 92, Iss. 20 — 21 May 2004

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