Noncollinear spin structure with weak ferromagnetism in NbMnP

Abstract

NbMnP is a metallic material, which consists of the zigzag chains of Mn moments along the $b$ axis. The magnetic susceptibility as well as the resistivity shows an anomaly at 233 K, which indicates an antiferromagnetic phase transition. Our neutron powder diffraction experiment reveals that the magnetic structure is a $Q=0$ structure and noncollinear with an easy plane anisotropy perpendicular to the $b$ axis, and the $a$- and $c$-axis magnetic components align antiferromagnetically and ferromagnetically along the zigzag chain direction, respectively. The ordered moment is $1.2{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}$, which is reduced probably due to the itineracy of the Mn moments. A localized picture model suggests that the $Q=0$ magnetic structure is formed by the frustration among several exchange couplings. A weak ferromagnetic component is also present in the antiferromagnetic phase, which is considered to be caused by a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.