Change in the Magnetic Domain Alignment Process at the Onset of a Frustrated Magnetic State in Ferrimagnetic La2Ni(Ni1/3Sb2/3)O6 Double Perovskite

TL;DR

This study investigates how magnetic domain alignment changes at low temperatures in La2Ni(Ni1/3Sb2/3)O6, revealing a transition from weak to strong domain wall pinning associated with frustrated magnetic states.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the change in magnetic domain behavior at the onset of frustration in a ferrimagnetic double perovskite, using combined hysteresis and time-dependent magnetization analysis.

Findings

Strong domain wall pinning at low temperatures

Transition from weak to strong pinning below 20 K

Frustrated magnetic state influences domain dynamics

Abstract

We have performed a combined study of magnetization hysteresis loops and time dependence of the magnetization in a broad temperature range for the ferrimagnetic La2Ni(Ni1/3Sb2/3)O6 double perovskite. This material has a ferrimagnetic order transition at ~100 K and at lower temperatures (~ 20 K) shows the signature of a frustrated state due to the presence of two competing magnetic exchange interactions. The temperature dependence of the coercive field shows an important upturn below the point where the frustrated state sets in. The use of the magnetization vs. applied magnetic field hysteresis data, together with the magnetization vs. time data provides a unique opportunity to distinguish between different scenarios for the low temperature regime. From our analysis, a strong domain wall pinning results the best scenario for the low temperature regime. For temperatures larger than 20K the adequate scenario seems to correspond to a weak domain wall pinning.