On the magnetic structures of 1:1:1 stoichiometric topological phases LnSbTe (Ln = Pr, Nd, Dy and Er)

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic structures of LnSbTe topological phases, revealing diverse antiferromagnetic orderings and their relation to electronic structures, using neutron diffraction and symmetry analysis.

Contribution

It provides the first systematic analysis of magnetic properties and structures in LnSbTe compounds, highlighting their complex magnetic ordering patterns.

Findings

ErSbTe orders antiferromagnetically at 2.1 K

NdSbTe exhibits magnetic order at 6.7 K with specific propagation vectors

PrSbTe shows no long-range magnetic order down to 1.8 K

Abstract

LnSbTe (Ln - lanthanide) group of materials, belonging to ZrSiS/PbFCl (P4/nmm) structure type, is a platform to study the phenomena originating from the interplay between the electronic correlations, magnetism, structural instabilities and topological electronic structure. Here we report a systematic study of magnetic properties and magnetic structures of LnSbTe materials. The studied materials undergo antiferromagnetic ordering at TN = 2.1 K (Ln = Er), 6.7 K (Ln = Dy), 3.1 K (Ln = Nd). Neutron powder diffraction reveals ordering with k1 = (1/2 + d 0 0) in ErSbTe, k2 = (1/2 0 1/4) in NdSbTe. DySbTe features two propagation vectors k2 and k4 = (0 0 1/2). No long-range magnetic order is observed in PrSbTe down to 1.8 K. We propose the most probable models of magnetic structures, discuss their symmetry and possible relation between the electronic structure and magnetic ordering.