Growth of bulk single-crystal MnP helimagnet and its structural and NMR characterization

TL;DR

This study reports the growth of bulk single-crystal MnP using high-pressure techniques, characterizes its structure and magnetic transitions, and explores its NMR properties, enabling further research into this helimagnetic material.

Contribution

It presents a novel method for growing large MnP single crystals and provides detailed structural and magnetic characterization, including NMR analysis, which was not previously available.

Findings

Crystals exhibit orthorhombic structure confirmed by X-ray diffraction.

Two magnetic transitions observed at 290.5 K and 44.5 K.

Zero-field 31P NMR reveals features of magnetic states.

Abstract

Bulk single crystals of manganese phosphide (MnP) were grown from melt at 1 GPa and 1200 C by using a cubic-anvil, high-pressure, and high-temperature technique. The obtained black colored crystals exhibit a plate-like morphology, with flat surfaces and maximum dimensions up to 4 x 2 x 0.5 mm3. The orthorhombic crystal structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction [Pnma, 62, Z = 4, a = 5.2510(4) {\AA}, b = 3.1670(3) {\AA}, c = 5.90098 (4) {\AA} and V = 98.279(14) {\AA}3]. Temperature-dependent magnetization measurements reveal the occurrence of two successive transitions: a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition at Tc = 290.5 K and the development of a double helimagnetic order at Ts = 44.5 K. Zero-field 31P NMR measurements in the FM and in the screw-spin AFM state show prominent features, which are compared with previous experimental data and theoretical calculations. The relatively large crystals obtained here open up new possibilities for further explorations of this interesting material.