Magnetic structure of Er5Ge3 at 4.2 K

Abstract

A symmetry analysis of the possible magnetic structures of Er5Ge3 in the ground state is performed using the results of measurements of elastic magnetic neutron scattering at 4.2 K. It is shown that the minimum discrepancy factor R m ≈9.5% corresponds to a modulated collinear magnetic structure in which the magnetic moments of erbium atoms are oriented along the a3 axis of the unit cell of the crystal structure and induce an antiferromagnetic longitudinal spin wave (AFLSW). The magnetic structure is characterized by the wave vector k=2π(0, 0, µ /a3) (where µ≈0.293) and the modulation period λ≈3.413a3. The magnetic ordering temperature T N ≈38 K is determined from the temperature dependence of the intensity of magnetic reflections.