Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya driven helical-butterfly structure in Ba3NbFe3Si2O14

TL;DR

This study investigates how the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction influences the magnetic structure of Ba3NbFe3Si2O14, revealing a helical-butterfly configuration driven by complex magnetic interactions.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the magnetic structure of Ba3NbFe3Si2O14, highlighting the role of Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interactions in forming a helical-butterfly structure.

Findings

Presence of a modulated magnetic component along the c-axis.

Observation of a non-zero orbital magnetic signal at the oxygen K edge.

Strong hybridization between Fe 3d and O 2p states.

Abstract

We have used soft x-ray magnetic diffraction at the Fe3+ L2,3 edges to examine to what extent the Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction in Ba3NbFe3Si2O14 influences its low temperature magnetic structure. A modulated component of the moments along the c-axis is present, adding to the previously proposed helical magnetic configuration of co-planar moments in the a,b-plane. This leads to a helical-butterfly structure and suggests that both the multi-axial in-plane and the uniform out-of-plane Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya vectors are relevant. A non zero orbital magnetic signal is also observed at the oxygen K edge, which reflects the surprisingly strong hybridization between iron 3d and oxygen 2p states, given the nominal spherical symmetry of the Fe3+ half filled shell.