Magnetization, crystal structure and anisotropic thermal expansion of single-crystal SrEr2O4

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetization, crystal structure, and anisotropic thermal expansion of single-crystal SrEr2O4, revealing no structural phase transitions up to 500 K and magnetic frustration below 15 K with antiferromagnetic correlations up to 300 K.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental data on the structural and magnetic properties of SrEr2O4, highlighting anisotropic thermal expansion and magnetic frustration phenomena.

Findings

No structural phase transitions up to 500 K.

Anisotropic thermal expansion consistent with phonon contributions.

Magnetic frustration below 15 K with correlations up to 300 K.

Abstract

The magnetization, crystal structure, and thermal expansion of a nearly stoichiometric Sr$_{1.04(3)}$Er$_{2.09(6)}$O$_{4.00(1)}$ single crystal have been studied by PPMS measurements and in-house and high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. No evidence was detected for any structural phase transitions even up to 500 K. The average thermal expansions of lattice constants and unit-cell volume are consistent with the first-order Gr\"uneisen approximations taking into account only the phonon contributions for an insulator, displaying an anisotropic character along the crystallographic \emph{a}, \emph{b}, and \emph{c} axes. Our magnetization measurements indicate that obvious magnetic frustration appears below $\sim$15 K, and antiferromagnetic correlations may persist up to 300 K.