A comprehensive study of the magnetic properties of the pyroxenes series CaMgSi2O6–Co2Si2O6 as a function of Co content. (19th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Delmonte, Davide; Gori, Claudia; Lambruschi, Erica; Mantovani, Luciana; Mezzadri, Francesco; Bersani, Danilo; Lottici, Pier Paolo; Gilioli, Edmondo; Solzi, Massimo; Tribaudino, Mario
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 30:Number 28(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-06-19
• Subjects: antiferromagnetism -- spin canting -- metamagnetic transition -- weak ferromagnetism -- 1D magnetic order -- pyroxenes -- mineralogy; Condensed matter -- Periodicals; Matière condensée -- Périodiques; Vaste stoffen; Vloeistoffen; Natuurkunde; Electronic journals; Computer network resources; 530.4105
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-648X/aaca0e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-8984

Abstract

Abstract: We report a detailed study on the magnetic properties of the pyroxene series M 2 M 1Si2 O6, with M 2 = Ca and M 1 = Mg, where magnesium and then calcium are progressively substituted by cobalt. For cobalt site occupancy larger than 0.7 at the M 1 site, a collinear antiferromagnetic phase is detected for T < T N1 = 12 K with a monodimensional character (i.e. M 1 site intra-chain order parallel to c axis). Moreover the magnetization easy axis has been estimated to lie roughly along the [1 0 1] direction. Cobalt content ⩾0.5 at the M 2 site (overall content 1.5) determines the formation of a new independent antiferromagnetic order with higher Néel temperature, involving only the M 2 site intra-chain interactions. The incoming M 2 site order is accompanied by a lowering of the space symmetry which yields to a weakly ferromagnetic resultant due to spin canted distribution of the magnetic moments either along the M 1 or M 2 chains. Furthermore, metamagnetic transitions are observed for both M 1 and M 2 site intra-chain orders at relatively low critical magnetic fields, around 2 T, suggesting that this series of pyroxenes can be used as a model system for investigating the fundamental aspects of magnetism in the matter.