Coexistence of the long-range and short-range magnetic order components in SrEr$_2$O$_4$

TL;DR

This study uncovers the coexistence of long-range and short-range magnetic orders in SrEr₂O₄, using neutron diffraction and simulations to understand their distinct characteristics and temperature evolution.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed experimental and theoretical analysis of coexisting magnetic structures in SrEr₂O₄, revealing their distinct orientations and temperature behaviors.

Findings

Long-range order appears below 0.75 K with ${f k}=0$ structure.

Short-range incommensurate order persists without a sharp phase transition.

Diffuse scattering patterns are reproduced by classical Monte Carlo simulations.

Abstract

Single crystal neutron diffraction reveals two distinct components to the magnetic ordering in geometrically frustrated SrEr$_2$O$_4$. One component is a long-range ordered ${\bf k}=0$ structure which appears below $T_N = 0.75$ K. Another component is a short-range incommensurate structure which manifests itself by the presence of a strong diffuse scattering signal. On cooling from higher temperatures down to 0.06 K, the partially ordered component does not undergo a pronounced phase transition. The magnetic moments in the long-range commensurate and short-range incommensurate structures are predominantly pointing along the [001] and [100] axes respectively. The unusual coexistence of two magnetic structures is probed using both unpolarised and XYZ-polarised neutron scattering techniques. The observed diffuse scattering pattern can be satisfactorily reproduced with a classical Monte Carlo simulation by using a simple model based on a ladder of triangles.