Abstract
The magnetic structure of Nd in NdFeAsO compound has been investigated by X-ray resonant magnetic scattering at the Nd L2 edge (E=6.725 keV) at 1.7≤T≤15 K. At T=1.7 K we find that the Nd moments are aligned along the crystallographic c direction with the (1, 0, 0) propagation vector, and are arranged antiferromagnetically along the a direction and ferromagnetically along the b and c directions. At 1.7<T≤15 K, we observe an unusual temperature dependence of the magnetic Bragg peaks that appear differently at Q=(h,0,l) and (0,k,l). From the changes of magnetic intensities and our representation analysis, we find that the Nd moments are reoriented toward the a direction with a gradual decrease of the moment component in the c direction with increasing temperature. We conclude that the reorientation of the Nd moment is due to a strong interplay with the Fe moment which is fully ordered in this temperature range.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 224401 |
| Journal | Physical Review B |
| Volume | 100 |
| Issue number | 22 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
Work at Rutgers University was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Grant No. DOE: DE-FG02-07ER46382. Work by the Ames group was supported by the Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358. This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.