Evidence for two spin-glass transitions with magnetoelastic and magnetoelectric couplings in the multiferroic (Bi$_{1-x}$Ba$_x$)(Fe$_{1-x}$Ti$_x$)O$_3$ system

TL;DR

This study provides experimental evidence for two distinct spin-glass transitions in a multiferroic system, revealing their coexistence with long-range order and highlighting the role of magnetoelastic and magnetoelectric couplings.

Contribution

It demonstrates the existence of two spin-glass phases in a disordered multiferroic, supporting theoretical predictions and emphasizing the importance of magnetoelastic and magnetoelectric effects.

Findings

Identification of two spin glass phases SG1 and SG2

Significant changes in ferroelectric polarization at transition temperatures

Microscopic evidence of coexistence of spin glass and long-range order

Abstract

For disordered Heisenberg systems with small single ion anisotropy, two spin glass transitions below the long range ordered phase transition temperature has been predicted theoretically for compositions close to the percolation threshold. Experimental verification of these predictions is still controversial for conventional spin glasses. We show that multiferroic spin glass systems can provide a unique platform for verifying these theoretical predictions via a study of change in magnetoelastic and magnetoelectric couplings, obtained from an analysis of diffraction data, at the spin glass transition temperatures. Results of macroscopic and microscopic (x-ray and neutron scattering) measurements are presented on disordered BiFeO3, a canonical Heisenberg system with small single ion anisotropy, which reveal appearance of two spin glass phases SG1 and SG2 in coexistence with the LRO phase below the A-T and G-T lines. It is shown that the temperature dependence of the integrated intensity of the antiferromagnetic peak shows dips with respect to the Brillouin function behaviour around the SG1 and SG2 transition temperatures. The ferroelectric polarisation changes significantly at the two spin glass transition temperatures. These results, obtained using microscopic techniques, clearly demonstrate that the SG1 and SG2 transitions occur on the same magnetic sublattice and are intrinsic to the system. We also construct a phase diagram showing all the magnetic phases in BF-xBT system. While our results on the two spin glass transitions support the theoretical predictions, it also raises several open questions which need to be addressed by revisiting the existing theories of spin glass transitions by taking into account the effect of magnetoelastic and magnetoelectric couplings as well as electromagnons.