Mapping the magneto-structural quantum phases of Mn3O4

TL;DR

This study investigates the temperature and magnetic field effects on the structural and magnetic phases of Mn3O4, revealing novel magnetostructural phases and a field-tuned quantum phase transition.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental insights into the magnetostructural phase diagram of Mn3O4, highlighting the control of structural transitions via magnetic field and evidence of quantum criticality.

Findings

Structural transition from tetragonal to monoclinic at 33K

Magnetic field controls the structural transition

Evidence of a field-tuned quantum phase transition

Abstract

We present temperature-dependent x-ray diffraction and temperature- and field-dependent Raman scattering studies of single crystal Mn3O4, which reveal the novel magnetostructural phases that evolve in the spinels due to the interplay between strong spin-orbital coupling, geometric frustration, and applied magnetic field. We observe a structural transition from tetragonal to monoclinic structures at the commensurate magnetic transition at T2=33K, show that the onset and nature of this structural transition can be controlled with an applied magnetic field, and find evidence for a field-tuned quantum phase transition to a tetragonal incommensurate or spin glass phase.