Competing magnetic interactions in magnetoelectric YbMnO3

Ray S.K., Zou Y., Williamsen M.S., Sen S., Buroker L., Guptasarma P.
Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States

Abstract: We present studies of magnetization and heat capacity of a single crystal of YbMnO3 in variable temperature and magnetic field, and clarify several new aspects of the magnetic field- temperature phase diagram. YbMnO 3 is a rare-earth manganite oxide with hexagonal crystal symmetry in which two multiferroic ordered states - ferroelectricity and antiferromagnetism - coexist at low temperature. Single crystals of YbMnO3 were carefully grown from a Floating Zone (FZ) at low speed, then oriented and studied with the magnetic field oriented along the caxis. Magnetization and heat capacity measurement show features corresponding to long range anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of Mn3+, and the rare earth Yb 3+. The ordering temperature of Mn3+ is independent of applied magnetic field up to 5T. However, contrary to previous reports in flux-grown crystals, we do not observe a complete suppression of Yb3 order above 0.1 T. Instead, we find that Yb3+ remains ordered at least up to 1 T, suggesting a revision of our current understanding of the ordering mechanism of the Mn-Yb and Yb -Yb sub-lattices in this hexagonal structure. © 2009 Materials Research Society.

Year: 2009
Source title: Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings
Volume: 1161
Page : 43-48
Link: Scorpus Link
Document Type: Conference Paper
Source: Scopus
 Authors with affiliations:
  1. Ray, S.K., Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
  2. Zou, Y., Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
  3. Williamsen, M.S., Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
  4. Sen, S., Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
  5. Buroker, L., Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
  6. Guptasarma, P., Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
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