Synchrotron x-ray-diffraction study of orbital ordering inYVO3

Abstract

Synchrotron x-ray-diffraction experiments have been carried out in a perovskite-type vanadium oxide ${\mathrm{YVO}}_{3}$ to elucidate orbital ordering of the system. The change from C- to G-type orbital ordering at the lower magnetic transition temperature was strongly suggested. The long-range orbital ordering appears also in the high-temperature paramagnetic phase. Azimuthal-angle dependence of orbital superlattice reflections indicates that for both orbital-ordering phases the orbital occupation is approximately the ${d}_{\mathrm{xy}}^{1}{d}_{\mathrm{yz}}^{1}$ and ${d}_{\mathrm{xy}}^{1}{d}_{\mathrm{zx}}^{1}$ configuration in two sublattices, respectively. These results are in good agreement with a theoretical prediction.