Magnetism of Nd2O3 single crystals near the Neel temperature

[摘要] Single crystals of Nd2O3 were grown and characterized using neutron scattering and thermodynamic measurements. Nd2O3 has long-range antiferromagnetic order below T-N = 0.55 K and specific-heat measurements have demonstrated that a significant amount of the magnetic entropy is released above T-N. Inelastic neutron scattering experiments reveal a magnetic mode(s) with little dispersion peaked at approximate to 0.37 meV that is of greatest intensity below T-N but persists above 2T(N). This persistence of dynamic correlations is likely related to frustrated interactions associated with the nearly ideal stacked triangular lattice geometry of J(eff )= 1/2 spins on Nd3+ ions. The magnetization is observed to be strongly anisotropic at all temperatures due to crystal field effects, with easy-plane anisotropy observed. A noncompensated magnetic structure is inferred from the temperature dependence of the magnetization when a magnetic field of sufficient strength is applied within the basal plane near T-N, and the evolution of the long-range order is summarized in a temperature-field phase diagram.

[关键词] PARAMAGNETIC-SUSCEPTIBILITY;THERMOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES;HEAT-CAPACITIES;OXIDE;REFINEMENT;SPECTRUM;LA2O3