Magnetism in NdMn0.1Fe0.9O3 compound

Abstract

The low temperature crystal and magnetic structures of NdMn0.1Fe0.9O3 were determined on the basis of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction experiments as well as from specific heat and magnetization measurements. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal structure, space group Pnma, in the entire temperature interval 20 mK < T < 300 K. The lattice parameters exhibit standard thermal expansion effects for T > 20 K and at lower temperatures the anomalies due to magnetostriction effect were observed. The iron sublattice orders magnetically into 3 different magnetic structures, namely into Γ5 = (Ax, Fy, Gz) for 130 K < T < TN (Néel temperature); Γ1 = (Gx, Cy, Az) for 15 K < T < 130 K and Γ3 = (Cx, Gy, Fz) for 20 mK < T < 15 K. The Nd ions order at temperatures below 1.6–1.75 K into the same Γ3 phase as the iron sublattice at these temperatures. The obtained magnetic structures fit perfectly in between the magnetic phases of closely related NdFeO3 and NdMn0.5Fe0.5O3 compounds. Our study, together with all previously published data, completes the entire magnetic phase diagram of NdMn1−xFexO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) solid solution substitutional system.