Competition between magnetic interactions and structural instabilities leading to itinerant frustration in the triangular lattice antiferromagnet LiCrSe2
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2023
LiCrSe2 constitutes a recent valuable addition to the ensemble of two-dimensional triangular lattice antiferromagnets. In this work, we present a comprehensive study of the low temperature nuclear and magnetic structure established in this material. Being subject to a strong magnetoelastic coupling, LiCrSe2 was found to undergo a first order structural transition from a trigonal crystal system (P3 ¯ m1) to a monoclinic one (C2/m) at T s = 30 K. Such restructuring of the lattice is accompanied by a magnetic transition at T N = 30 K. Refinement of the magnetic structure with neutron diffraction data and complementary muon spin rotation analysis reveal the presence of a complex incommensurate magnetic structure with a up-up-down-down arrangement of the chromium moments with ferromagnetic double chains coupled antiferromagnetically. The spin axial vector is also modulated both in direction and modulus, resulting in a spin density wave-like order with periodic suppression of the chromium moment along the chains. This behavior is believed to appear as a result of strong competition between direct exchange antiferromagnetic and superexchange ferromagnetic couplings established between both nearest neighbor and next nearest neighbor Cr3+ ions. We finally conjecture that the resulting magnetic order is stabilized via subtle vacancy/charge order within the lithium layers, potentially causing a mix of two co-existing magnetic phases within the sample.
Författare
E. Nocerino
Alba Nova Universitetscentrum
Shintaro Kobayashi
Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI)
C. Witteveen
Universität Zürich
Université de Genève
Ola Kenji Forslund
Chalmers, Fysik, Materialfysik
Nami Matsubara
Alba Nova Universitetscentrum
Chiu Tang
Diamond Light Source
Takeshi Matsukawa
Ibaraki University
Akinori Hoshikawa
Ibaraki University
Akihiro Koda
High Energy Accelerator Research Organization
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)
Kazuyoshi Yoshimura
Graduate School of Science
I. Umegaki
High Energy Accelerator Research Organization
Yasmine Sassa
Chalmers, Fysik, Materialfysik
F. O. von Rohr
Université de Genève
V. Pomjakushin
Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Villigen
J. Brewer
University of British Columbia (UBC)
TRIUMF
Jun Sugiyama
Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society
Martin Månsson
Alba Nova Universitetscentrum
Communications Materials
26624443 (eISSN)
Vol. 4 1 81Framtidens Lågdimensionella Skyrmion Material
Vetenskapsrådet (VR) (2017-05078), 2019-06-01 -- 2021-12-31.
Ämneskategorier
Den kondenserade materiens fysik
DOI
10.1038/s43246-023-00407-x