EuPdSn2; magnetic structures in view of resonant x-ray Bragg diffraction

TL;DR

This study investigates the complex magnetic structures of EuPdSn2 using resonant x-ray Bragg diffraction, revealing coexistence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases and highlighting the technique's potential for analyzing Eu-based magnetic materials.

Contribution

The paper introduces symmetry-informed analytic magnetic structure factors for EuPdSn2, demonstrating the effectiveness of resonant x-ray diffraction in resolving its magnetic phases.

Findings

Coexistence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic structures in EuPdSn2.

Resonant x-ray diffraction reveals significant Eu multipoles and magnetic phases.

Europium ions occupy acentric Wyckoff positions influencing magnetic diffraction patterns.

Abstract

The magnetic properties of materials hosting Eu2+(J = 7/2, 4f7) ions have attracted much attention in the science of strongly correlated electrons. In part because crystal electric field effects are impoverished for an s-state ion, as with Gd3+ intermetallics, and Eu2+ substitution in biological and optically active materials is resourceful. The magnetic structure of EuPdSn2 is not wholly resolved. Ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic structures coexist in powder neutron diffraction patterns, and compete in the ground state. Moreover, the specific heat as a function of temperature is enigmatic and indicative of J = 5/2. We present symmetry-informed analytic magnetic structure factors for single crystal resonant x-ray Bragg diffraction using Eu atomic resonances that reveal significant potential for the technique. Europium ions use acentric Wyckoff positions in magnetic space groups inferred from neutron diffraction. In consequence, axial and polar Eu multipoles are compulsory components of both magnetic neutron and resonant x-ray Bragg diffraction patterns. The proposed antiferromagnetic phase of EuPdSn2 supports anapoles (magnetic polar dipoles) already observed in magnetic neutron diffraction patterns presented by Gd doped SmAl2, and several resonant x-ray diffraction patterns.