Universal magnetic structure of the half-magnetization phase in Cr-based spinels

TL;DR

This study reveals a universal magnetic structure in the half-magnetization phase of Cr-based spinels, identified through neutron scattering, indicating a common spin-lattice coupling mechanism across different compounds.

Contribution

It demonstrates that Cr-based spinels share a universal magnetic structure in the half-magnetization phase, supported by neutron scattering evidence.

Findings

Magnetic structure has cubic P4_3 32 symmetry

Structure is consistent across CdCr2O4 and HgCr2O4

Suggests a universal spin-lattice coupling mechanism

Abstract

Using an elastic neutron scattering technique under a pulsed magnetic field up to 30 T, we determined the magnetic structure in the half-magnetization plateau phase in the spinel CdCr$_2$O$_4$. The magnetic structure has a cubic $P4_3$32 symmetry, which is the same as that observed in HgCr$_2$O$_4$. This suggests that there is a universal field induced spin-lattice coupling mechanism at work in the Cr-based spinels.