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Nuclear and incommensurate magnetic structure of NaFeGe2O6 between 5 K and 298 K and new data on multiferroic NaFeSi2O6

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Abstract

The compound NaFeGe2O6 was grown synthetically as polycrystalline powder and as large single crystals suitable for X-ray and neutron-diffraction experiments to clarify the low temperature evolution of secondary structural parameters and to determine the low temperature magnetic spins structure. NaFeGe2O6 is isotypic to the clinopyroxene-type compound aegirine and adopts the typical HT-C2/c clinopyroxene structure down to 2.5 K. The Na-bearing M2 polyhedra were identified to show the largest volume expansion between 2.5 K and room temperature, while the GeO4 tetrahedra behave as stiff units. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show a broad maximum around 33 K, which marks the onset of low-dimensional magnetic ordering. Below 12 K NaFeGe2O6 transforms to an incommensurately modulated magnetic spin state, with k = [0.323, 1.0, 0.080] and a helical order of spins within the M1-chains of FeO6 octahedra. This is determined by neutron-diffraction experiments on a single crystal. Comparison of NaFeGe2O6 with NaFeSi2O6 is given and it is shown that the magnetic ordering in the latter compound, aegirine, also is complex and is best described by two different spin states, a commensurate one with C2′/c′ symmetry and an incommensurate one, best being described by a spin density wave, oriented within the (1 0 1) plane.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, FWF, Vienna under grants number R33-N10 and P19762/N10. Neutron-diffraction experiments have been supported by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme through the “Research Infrastructures” action of the “Capacities” Programme, Contract No: CP_CSA_Infra-2008-1.1.1 Number 226507-NIMI3. We would like to thank F. Cámara and an anonymous referee for their helpful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Mineralogie, Fachbereich Materialforschung und Physik, Universität Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria

    Günther J. Redhammer, Astrid Pachler, Gerold Tippelt & Georg Amthauer

  2. Forschungneutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), Lichtenbergstrasse 1, 85747, Garching, Germany

    Anatoliy Senyshyn, Martin Meven, Markus Hoelzel & Björn Pedersen

  3. Fachgebiet Strukturforschung, Materialwissenschaft, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstr. 23, 64278, Darmstadt, Germany

    Anatoliy Senyshyn & Markus Hoelzel

  4. Institut für Kristallographie, RWTH Aachen, Jägerstraße 17/19, 52056, Aachen, Germany

    Georg Roth & Sebastian Prinz

  5. Fachbereich für Chemie, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans Meerweinstr, 35032, Marburg, Germany

    Clemens Pietzonka

  6. Institut für Mineralogie, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans Meerweinstr, 35032, Marburg, Germany

    Werner Treutmann

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  1. Günther J. Redhammer
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  2. Anatoliy Senyshyn
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Correspondence to Günther J. Redhammer.

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Redhammer, G.J., Senyshyn, A., Meven, M. et al. Nuclear and incommensurate magnetic structure of NaFeGe2O6 between 5 K and 298 K and new data on multiferroic NaFeSi2O6 . Phys Chem Minerals 38, 139–157 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00269-010-0390-3

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