Charge order, enhanced orbital moment, and absence of magnetic frustration in layered multiferroic LuFe2 O4

Abstract

Electronic and magnetic properties of the charge ordered phase of LuFe2 O4 are investigated by means of x-ray spectroscopic and theoretical electronic structure approaches. LuFe2 O4 is a compound showing fascinating magnetoelectric coupling via charge ordering. Here, we identify the spin ground state of LuFe2 O4 in the charge ordered phase to be a 2:1 ferrimagnetic configuration, ruling out a frustrated magnetic state. An enhanced orbital moment may enhance the magnetoelectric coupling. Furthermore, we determine the densities of states and the corresponding correlation potentials by means of x-ray photoelectron and emission spectroscopies, as well as electronic structure calculations. © 2009 The American Physical Society.