Local distortions in multiferroic AgCrO2 triangular spin lattice

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

Lopes, AML (Author) Other; Oliveira, GNP (Author) Other; Mendonca, TM (Author) Other; Agostinho Moreira, JA (Author) FCUP; Almeida, A (Author) FCUP; Araujo, JP (Author) FCUP; Amaral, VS (Author) Other; Correia, JG (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

Vol. 84

ISSN: 1098-0121

Publisher: American Physical Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 34 Citations

Scopus - 35 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Physical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-PK1

DOI: 10.1103/physrevb.84.014434

Abstract (EN): In this work an electric-field gradient and magnetic hyperfine field study of the multiferroic AgCrO2 triangular spin lattice is presented. Perturbed angular correlation measurements at different temperatures, revealed the coexistence of two electric-field gradients, i.e., two distinct local environments at temperatures below 100 K. The emerging second local environment appears as a distortion of the Cr surrounding resulting in a local symmetry lowering. This local distortion emerges much above T-N and concomitantly with the onset of short-range magnetic correlations. We claim that, through a magnetoelastic instability, distinct Cr-Cr exchange interaction pathways appear providing a channel for magnetic frustration release.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7