Magnetic phase diagrams of the Kagome staircase compound Co3V2O8

TL;DR

This paper maps the complex magnetic phase diagram of Co3V2O8, revealing multiple phase transitions and the effects of magnetic fields, highlighting the role of competing interactions and frustration in its magnetic behavior.

Contribution

It provides the first complete field-temperature phase diagram of Co3V2O8, elucidating the stability of various magnetic phases under magnetic fields.

Findings

Five zero-field phase transitions identified.

Complete magnetic field-temperature phase diagram constructed.

Complexity due to competing exchange interactions and frustration.

Abstract

At zero magnetic field, a series of five phase transitions occur in Co3V2O8. The Neel temperature, TN=11.4 K, is followed by four additional phase changes at T1=8.9 K, T2=7.0 K, T3=6.9 K, and T4=6.2 K. The different phases are distinguished by the commensurability of the b-component of its spin density wave vector. We investigate the stability of these various phases under magnetic fields through dielectric constant and magnetic susceptibility anomalies. The field-temperature phase diagram of Co3V2O8 is completely resolved. The complexity of the phase diagram results from the competition of different magnetic states with almost equal ground state energies due to competing exchange interactions and frustration.