Evolution of the commensurate and incommensurate magnetic phases of the S = 3/2 kagome staircase Co3V2O8 in an applied field

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Helton, Joel S, Chen, Ying, Bychkov, Georgii L, Barilo, Sergei N, Rogado, Nyrissa, Cava, Robert J, Lynn, Jeffrey W
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 30.11.2011
• Subjects: Ferromagnetism; Magnetism; Neutron diffraction; Phase diagrams; Phase transitions; Phases; Physics - Strongly Correlated Electrons; Single crystals; Spin density waves; Wave propagation
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1107.5025

Single crystal neutron diffraction studies have been performed on the S = 3/2 kagome staircase compound Co3V2O8 with a magnetic field applied along the magnetization easy-axis (H || a). Previous zero field measurements [Y. Chen, et al., Phys. Rev. B 74, 014430 (2006)] reported a rich variety of magnetic phases, with a ferromagnetic ground state as well as incommensurate, transversely polarized spin density wave (SDW) phases (with a propagation vector of k = (0 delta 0)) interspersed with multiple commensurate lock-in transitions. The magnetic phase diagram with H || a adds further complexity. For small applied fields, H = 0.05 T, the commensurate lock-in phases are destabilized in favor of the incommensurate SDW, while slightly larger applied fields restore the commensurate lock-in phase with delta = 1/2 and yield a new commensurate phase with delta = 2/5. For all measurements in an applied field, higher-order scattering is observed that corresponds to the second-harmonic.