Large Internal Fields in the Partially Ordered Ground State of Tb2Sn2O7
- ORNL
We present inelastic neutron scattering results on the geometrically frustrated pyrochlore Tb{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7}. At high temperature T>50 K, this system resembles the cooperative paramagnet Tb{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7}, while at low temperature T{approx}60 mK, it displays remarkably different behavior. Powder neutron scattering, susceptibility, and specific heat techniques have shown that below 0.87 K Tb{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} enters a partially ordered state that is characterized by two-sublattice ferrimagnetic long-range order which coexists with paramagnetic spin components. We show that (i) the low-temperature state produces a large internal field and collective excitations and (ii) the coexisting paramagnetic state persists down to 0.1 K, with spins fluctuating at a rate greater than 0.04 THz, resulting in a diffuse magnetic background to the diffraction patterns. A low-lying excitation at 1.2 meV partially softens as short-range correlations build up while cooling in the paramagnetic state.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Spallation Neutron Source (SNS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 932022
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review B, Vol. 76, Issue 21; ISSN 0163-1829
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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