Frustrated antiferromagnetism in the Sr2YRuO6 double perovskite

Abstract

The spins of Ru5+ ions in Sr2YRuO6 form a face-centered cubic lattice with antiferromagnetic nearest neighbor interaction J≈25 meV. The antiferromagnetic structure of the first type experimentally observed below the Neel temperature TN=26 K corresponds to four frustrated spins of 12 nearest neighbors. In the Heisenberg model in the spin-wave approximation, the frustrations already cause instability of the antiferromagnetic state at T=0 K. This state is stabilized by weak anisotropy D or exchange interaction I with the next-nearest neighbors. Low D/J∼I/J∼10−3 values correspond to the experimental TN and sublattice magnetic moment values.