Nature of Partial Magnetic Order in the Frustrated Antiferromagnet Gd2Ti2O7

Abstract

The frustrated pyrochlore antiferromagnet Gd${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$ has an unusual partially-ordered magnetic structure at the lowest measurable temperatures. This structure is currently believed to involve four magnetic propagation vectors $\mathbf{k}\in ⟨\frac{1}{2}\frac{1}{2}\frac{1}{2}{⟩}^{\ast }$ in a cubic 4-$\mathbf{k}$ structure, based on analysis of magnetic diffuse-scattering data [J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 16, L321 (2004)]. Here, we present three pieces of evidence against the 4-$\mathbf{k}$ structure. First, we report single-crystal neutron-diffraction measurements as a function of applied magnetic field, which are consistent with the selective field-induced population of non-cubic magnetic domains. Second, we present evidence from high-resolution powder neutron-diffraction measurements that rhombohedral strains exist within magnetic domains, which may be generated by magneto-elastic coupling only for the alternative 1-$\mathbf{k}$ structure. Finally, we show that the argument previously used to rule out the 1-$\mathbf{k}$ structure is flawed, and demonstrate that magnetic diffuse-scattering data can actually be fitted quantitatively by a 1-$\mathbf{k}$ structure in which spin fluctuations on ordered and disordered magnetic sites are strongly coupled. Our results provide an experimental foundation on which to base theoretical descriptions of partially-ordered states.

5 pages, 4 figures