Probing Magnetic Sublattices in Multiferroic Ho$_{0.5}$Nd$_{0.5}$Fe$_{3}$(BO$_{3}$)$_{4}$ Single Crystal using X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism

TL;DR

This study uses element-specific XMCD to investigate magnetic sublattices in a multiferroic Ho-Nd-Fe borate crystal, revealing field-dependent spin reorientations and the dominant role of Ho in magnetic behavior.

Contribution

It provides the first element-specific insights into the magnetic sublattices and their interactions in Ho$_{0.5}$Nd$_{0.5}$Fe$_{3}$(BO$_{3}$)$_{4}$, highlighting the strong Ho-Fe coupling.

Findings

All three sublattices undergo spin reorientation under c-axis magnetic field.

Ho sublattice exhibits a magnetization jump in the ab-plane.

Ho$^{3+}$ subsystem dominates magnetic behavior compared to Nd.

Abstract

Using element-specific X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) technique we have studied different magnetic sublattices in a multiferroic Ho$_{0.5}$Nd$_{0.5}$Fe$_{3}$(BO$_{3}$)$_{4}$ single crystal. The XMCD measurements at the \emph{L}$_{2,3}$-edges of Ho and Nd, and at the Fe \emph{K}-edge have been performed at \emph{T}=2~K under a magnetic field up to 17~T applied along the trigonal \emph{c}-axis as well as in the basal \emph{ab}-plane. All three magnetic sublattices are shown to undergo a spin-reorientation transition under magnetic field applied along the \emph{c}-axis. On the contrary, when magnetic field is applied in the \emph{ab}-plane only the holmium atoms exhibit a magnetization jump. Thus, the element-specific magnetization curves revealed the Ho sublattice to be much stronger coupled to the Fe one than the Nd sublattice. The results demonstrate that the Ho$^{3+}$ subsystem plays even more dominant role in magnetic behavior of Ho$_{0.5}$Nd$_{0.5}$Fe$_{3}$(BO$_{3}$)$_{4}$ crystal than in pure HoFe$_{3}$(BO$_{3}$)$_{4}$ crystal.