# Magnetization-density distribution in the metallic ferromagnet SrRuO3 determined by polarized neutron diffraction

## TL;DR

This study uses polarized neutron diffraction to map the magnetization density in SrRuO3, revealing significant oxygen site polarization and confirming density functional calculations, with no temperature-dependent changes observed.

## Contribution

It provides detailed experimental magnetization-density maps in SrRuO3 and compares them with theoretical calculations, highlighting oxygen polarization and orbital hybridization.

## Key findings

- Oxygen sites carry 30% of total magnetization
- Magnetization distribution remains unchanged between 2 and 200 K
- Density functional calculations agree with experimental results

## Abstract

The magnetization-density distribution in the metallic ferromagnet SrRuO$_3$ was studied by means of polarized neutron diffraction. The analyzes by multipole refinements and by the maximum entropy method consistently reveal a strong polarization of all oxygen sites carrying 30\% of the total magnetization. The spin-density distribution on the Ru site exhibits a nearly cubic shape in agreement with an almost equal occupation of $t_{2g}$ orbitals and $pd$ hybridization. The experimental analysis is well reproduced by density functional calculations. There is no qualitative change in the magnetization distribution between 2 and 200 K.