Magnetic correlations in La2-xSrxCoO4 studied by neutron scattering : possible evidence for stripe phases

TL;DR

This study investigates magnetic correlations in La2-xSrxCoO4 using neutron scattering, revealing incommensurate spin orderings akin to stripe phases in cuprates and nickelates, influenced by doping levels and charge mobility.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed neutron scattering analysis of magnetic correlations in La2-xSrxCoO4, highlighting the emergence of stripe-like phases at higher Sr doping.

Findings

Short-range antiferromagnetic order persists up to x=0.3.

Incommensurate spin ordering appears at higher Sr content.

Stripe-like magnetic phases are observed in cobaltates at larger doping.

Abstract

Spin correlations in LSCO have been studied by neutron scattering. The commensurate antiferromagnetic order of the parent compound persists on a very short range up to a Sr content of x=0.3, whereas small amounts of Sr suppress commensurate antiferromagnetism in cuprates and in nickelates. For x>0.3 we find incommensurate spin ordering with the modulation closely following the amount of doping. These incommensurate phases strongly resemble the stripe phases observed in cuprates and nickelates, but incommensurate magnetic ordering appears only at larger Sr content in the cobaltates due to a reduced charge mobility.