Abstract

X-ray and neutron powder diffraction has been used to determine the crystal and magnetic structure of Mn3Ni20P6. The crystal structure can be described as cubic with space group Fm3¯m (225) without any nuclear phase transformation within studied temperature interval from room temperature down to 4K.The magnetic structure of Mn3Ni20P6 is complex with two independent magnetic positions for the Mn atoms and the compound passes three successive magnetic phase transitions during cooling. At 30K the spins of the Mn atoms on the Wyckoff 4a site (Mn1) order to form a primitive cubic antiferromagnetic structure with propagation vector k=(0 0 1). Between 29 and 26K the Mn atoms on the Wyckoff 8c site (Mn2) order independently on already ordered Mn1 magnetic structure forming a commensurate antiferromagnetic structure with propagation vector k=(0 0 ½) and below 26K, both Mn positions order to form an incommensurate helical structure with propagation vector k=(0 0 ~0.45).Magnetization vs. temperature curve of Mn3Ni20P6 shows a steep increase indicating some magnetic ordering below 230K and a sharp field dependent anomaly in a narrow temperature range around 30K.

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