Interplay of rare earth and iron magnetism in RFeAsO (R=La, Ce, Pr, and Sm): Muon-spin relaxation study and symmetry analysis

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • H. Maeter - , Chair of Solid State Physics/Electronic Properties (Author)
  • H. Luetkens - , Paul Scherrer Institute (Author)
  • Yu. G. Pashkevich - , NASU - Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering (Author)
  • A. Kwadrin - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • R. Khasanov - , Paul Scherrer Institute (Author)
  • A. Amato - , Paul Scherrer Institute (Author)
  • A. A. Gusev - , NASU - Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering (Author)
  • K. V. Lamonova - , NASU - Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering (Author)
  • D. A. Chervinskii - , NASU - Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering (Author)
  • R. Klingeler - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • C. Hess - , Technische Universität Dresden (Author)
  • G. Behr - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • B. Buechner - , Chair of Experimental Solid State Physics (Author)
  • H. -H. Klauss - , Chair of Solid State Physics/Electronic Properties (Author)

Abstract

We report zero-field muon spin relaxation (mu SR) measurements on RFeAsO with R=La, Ce, Pr, and Sm. We study the interaction of the FeAs and R (rare-earth) electronic systems in the nonsuperconducting magnetically ordered parent compounds of RFeAsO(1-x)F(x) superconductors via a detailed comparison of the local hyperfine fields at the muon site with available Moumlssbauer spectroscopy and neutron-scattering data. These studies provide microscopic evidence of long-range commensurate magnetic Fe order with the Fe moments not varying by more than 15% within the series RFeAsO with R=La, Ce, Pr, and Sm. At low temperatures, long-range R magnetic order is also observed. Different combined Fe and R magnetic structures are proposed for all compounds using the muon site in the crystal structure obtained by electronic potential calculations. Our data point to a strong effect of R order on the iron subsystem in the case of different symmetry of Fe and R order parameters resulting in a Fe spin reorientation in the R-ordered phase in PrFeAsO. Our symmetry analysis proves the absence of collinear Fe-R Heisenberg interactions in RFeAsO. A strong Fe-Ce coupling due to non-Heisenberg anisotropic exchange is found in CeFeAsO which results in a large staggered Ce magnetization induced by the magnetically ordered Fe sublattice far above T(N)(Ce). Finally, we argue that the magnetic R-Fe interaction is probably not crucial for the observed enhanced superconductivity in RFeAsO(1-x)F(x) with a magnetic R ion.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number094524
Number of pages19
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume80
Issue number9
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2009
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 70349977092

Keywords

Keywords

  • cerium compounds, crystal structure, Heisenberg model, high-temperature superconductors, lanthanum compounds, magnetic anisotropy, magnetic structure, Mossbauer effect, muon probes, neutron diffraction, praseodymium compounds, samarium compounds, spin dynamics, LAYERED QUATERNARY COMPOUND, ELECTRONIC PHASE-DIAGRAM, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY, TRANSITION, ROTATION, OXIDES, FIELD, SMFEASO1-XFX, NEUTRON, ND2CUO4

Library keywords