Phase gap in pseudoternary R1-yRyMn2X2-xXx compounds

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Date
2013-03-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Physical Society
Abstract
Our neutron diffraction investigation of PrMn2Ge2-x Si-x reveals a clear separation into two magnetic phases, canted ferromagnetic (Fmc) and antiferromagnetic (AFmc), between x = 1.0 and 1.2 and a commensurate phase gap in the lattice, due to magnetostrictive distortion. This remarkable magnetoelastic phenomenon is driven by a nonuniform atomic distribution on the X site which in turn produces subtle variations in the local lattice and abrupt changes in the Mn-Mn magnetic exchange interaction. Our results show that coexistence of Fmc and AFmc phases depends on lattice parameter, chemical pressure from the rare-earth and metalloid sites, and local lattice strain distributions. We demonstrate that these magnetostructural correlations act across the entire family of R1-yRy' Mn2X2-xXx' compounds. © 2013, American Physical Society
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Keywords
Neutron diffraction, Ferromagnetism, Silicon, Praseodymium, Manganese, Semimetals
Citation
Wang, J. L., Kennedy, S. J., Campbell, S. J., Hofmann, M., & Dou, S. X. (2013). Phase gap in pseudoternary R1-yRyMn2X2-xXx compounds. Physical Review B, 87(10), 104401. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.87.104401
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