Super-Necking Crystal Growth and Structural and Magnetic Properties of SrTb${}_2$O${}_4$ Single Crystals

Abstract

We report on single-crystal growths of the SrTb${}_2$O${}_4$ compound by a super-necking technique with a laser-floating-zone furnace and study the stoichiometry, growth mode, and structural and magnetic properties by scanning electronic microscopy, neutron Laue, X-ray powder diffraction, and the physical property measurement system. We optimized the growth parameters, mainly the growth speed, atmosphere, and the addition of a Tb${}_4$O${}_7$ raw material. Neutron Laue diffraction displays the characteristic feature of a single crystal. Our study reveals an atomic ratio of Sr:Tb $=0.97(2):2.00(1)$ and a possible layer by layer crystal growth mode. Our X-ray powder diffraction study determines the crystal structure, lattice constants and atomic positions. The paramagnetic (PM) Curie--Weiss (CW) temperature ${\theta }_{\text{CW}}=$ 5.00(4) K, and the effective PM moment $M_{\text{mea}}^{\text{eff}}=$ 10.97(1) ${\mu }_{\text{B}}$ per Tb${}^{3+}$ ion. The data of magnetization versus temperature can be divided into three regimes, showing a coexistence of antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions. This probably leads to the magnetic frustration in the SrTb${}_2$O${}_4$ compound. The magnetization at 2 K and 14 T originates from both the Tb1 and Tb2 sites and is strongly frustrated with an expected saturation field at $\sim$41.5 T, displaying an intricate phase diagram with three ranges.

19 pages, 13 figures

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Cited by in corpus (1)

• Crystalline and magnetic structures, magnetization, heat capacity and anisotropic magnetostriction effect in a yttrium-chromium oxide