Neutron diffraction and Mössbauer study of the magnetic structure of YFe6Sn6

Abstract

We have used time-of-flight (TOF) neutron powder diffraction, and both Fe57 and Sn119 Mössbauer spectroscopy over the temperature range 2–600 K to determine the magnetic ordering mode of the Fe sublattice in YFe6Sn6. The crystal structure is orthorhombic (space group Immm). The Fe sublattice orders antiferromagnetically with a Néel temperature of 558(5) K. The TOF neutron diffraction patterns obtained at 4 and 293 K show that the antiferromagnetic ordering of the Fe sublattice is along [100] with a propagation vector q=[010]. The magnetic space group is IPm′m′m′. This magnetic structure is confirmed by our Sn119 Mössbauer spectra.