Complex magnetic order in the kagome ferromagnet Pr3Ru4Al12

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • M. S. Henriques - , ILL - Institut Laue-Langevin, Czech Academy of Sciences (Author)
  • D. I. Gorbunov - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Author)
  • A. V. Andreev - , Czech Academy of Sciences (Author)
  • X. Fabrèges - , French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) (Author)
  • A. Gukasov - , French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) (Author)
  • M. Uhlarz - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Author)
  • V. Petříček - , Czech Academy of Sciences (Author)
  • B. Ouladdiaf - , ILL - Institut Laue-Langevin (Author)
  • J. Wosnitza - , Chair of Physics of High Magnetic Fields, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Author)

Abstract

In the hexagonal crystal structure of Pr3Ru4Al12, the Pr atoms form a distorted kagome lattice, and their magnetic moments, are subject to competing exchange and anisotropy interactions. We performed magnetization, magnetic-susceptibility, specific-heat, electrical-resistivity, and neutron-scattering measurements. Pr3Ru4Al12 is a uniaxial ferromagnet with TC=39 K that displays a collinear magnetic structure (in the high-temperature range of the magnetically ordered state) for which the only crystallographic position of Pr is split into two sites carrying different magnetic moments. A spin-reorientation phase transition is found at 7 K. Below this temperature, part of the Pr moments rotate towards the basal plane, resulting in a noncollinear magnetic state with a lower magnetic symmetry. We argue that unequal RKKY exchange interactions competing with the crystal electric field lead to a moment instability and qualitatively explain the observed magnetic phases in Pr3Ru4Al12.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number014431
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume97
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 24 Jan 2018
Peer-reviewedYes