Commensurate-Incommensurate Magnetic Phase Transition in Magnetoelectric Single Crystal LiNiPO₄

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.207201· OSTI ID:1003208

Vaknin, D. ^[1]; Zarestky, Jerel L ^[2]; Rivera, J. -P. ^[3]; Schmid, H. ^[3]

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1. Ames Laboratory
2. ORNL
3. University of Geneva

Neutron scattering studies of single crystal LiNiPO{sub 4} 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.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); High Flux Isotope Reactor
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1003208
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 92; ISSN 1079-7114; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
BRAGG REFLECTION
CRYSTAL-PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
LITHIUM
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
MONOCRYSTALS
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
NICKEL
PARAMAGNETISM
PHOSPHATES
SCATTERING
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
WAVELENGTHS