Signatures of a magnetic superstructure phase induced by ultrahigh magnetic fields in a breathing pyrochlore antiferromagnet

Abstract

The mutual coupling of spin and lattice degrees of freedom is ubiquitous in magnetic materials and potentially creates exotic magnetic states in response to the external magnetic field. Particularly, geometrically frustrated magnets serve as a fertile playground for realizing magnetic superstructure phases. Here, we observe an unconventional two-step magnetostructural transition prior to a half-magnetization plateau in a breathing pyrochlore chromium spinel by means of state-of-the-art magnetization and magnetostriction measurements in ultrahigh magnetic fields available up to 600 T. Considering a microscopic magnetoelastic theory, the intermediate-field phase can be assigned to a magnetic superstructure with a three-dimensional periodic array of 3-up-1-down and canted 2-up-2-down spin molecules. We attribute the emergence of the magnetic superstructure to a unique combination of the strong spin-lattice coupling and large breathing anisotropy.

arXiv comment10 pages, 5 figures, SI: 15 pages, 14 figures

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• A review on magnetic field induced spin crossover in LaCoO${}_3$ up to 600 T
• Intermediate field-induced phase of the honeycomb magnet BaCo${}_2$(AsO${}_4$)${}_2$
• Six magnetization plateau phases in a spin-1/2 distorted kagome antiferromagnet: application to ${\mathrm{Y}}_3{\mathrm{Cu}}_9(\mathrm{OH}{)}_{19}{\mathrm{Cl}}_8$
• X-ray free-electron laser observation of giant and anisotropic magnetostriction in $\beta$-O${}_2$ at 110 Tesla
• Dynamic Spin-Lattice Coupling and Statistical Interpretation for the Molecular-Like Excitations in Frustrated Pyrochlores
• Quintuplet condensation in the skyrmionic insulator Cu2OSeO3 at ultrahigh magnetic fields