Spin Correlations in the Geometrically Frustrated Pyrochlore Tb2Mo2O7

TL;DR

This study uses neutron scattering to analyze spin correlations in the geometrically frustrated pyrochlore Tb2Mo2O7, revealing short-range order, spin freezing, and the effects of lattice disorder on magnetic behavior.

Contribution

First detailed neutron scattering analysis of spin correlations in Tb2Mo2O7, highlighting the impact of geometric frustration and spin freezing on magnetic structure.

Findings

Observation of diffuse elastic peaks indicating short-range order.

Detection of a Q-independent signal from uncorrelated moments.

Absence of sharp crystal field excitation peaks.

Abstract

We report neutron scattering studies of the spin correlations of the geometrically frustrated pyrochlore Tb2Mo2O7 using single crystal samples. This material undergoes a spin-freezing transition below Tg~24 K, similar to Y2Mo2O7, and has little apparent chemical disorder. Diffuse elastic peaks are observed at low temperatures, indicating short-range ordering of the Tb moments in an arrangement where the Tb moments are slightly rotated from the preferred directions of the spin ice structure. In addition, a Q-independent signal is observed which likely originates from frozen, but completely uncorrelated, Tb moments. Inelastic measurements show the absence of sharp peaks due to crystal field excitations. These data show how the physics of the Tb sublattice responds to the glassy behavior of the Mo sublattice with the associated effects of lattice disorder.