Magnetic Order in Honeycomb Layered U${}_2$Pt${}_6$Ga${}_{15}$ Studied by Resonant X-ray and Neutron Scatterings

Abstract

Antiferromagnetic (AF) order of U${}_2$Pt${}_6$Ga${}_{15}$ with the ordering temperature $T_{\mathrm{N}}$ = 26 K was investigated by resonant X-ray scattering and neutron diffraction on single crystals. This compound possesses a unique crystal structure in which uranium ions form honeycomb layers and then stacks along the $c$-axis with slight offset, which gives rise to a stacking disorder. The AF order can be described with the propagation vector of $q=(1/6,1/6,0)$ in the hexagonal notation. The ordered magnetic moments orient perpendicular to the honeycomb layers, indicating a collinear spin structure consistent with Ising-like anisotropy. The magnetic reflections are found to be broadened along $c^{\ast }$ indicating that the stacking disorder results in anisotropic correlation lengths. The semi-quantitative analysis of neutron diffraction intensity, combined with group theory considerations based on the crystallographic symmetry, suggests a zig-zag type magnetic structure for the AF ground state, in which the AF coupling runs perpendicular to the stacking offset, characterized as $q=(1,0,0{)}_{\mathrm{orth}}$. The realization of the zig-zag magnetic structure implies the presence of frustrating intralayer exchange interactions involving both ferromagnetic (FM) first-neighbor and AF second and third-neighbor interactions in this compound.

17 pages, 10 figures, accepted for Phys. Rev. B