Low temperature magnetic structure of geometrically frustrated SrHo 2O4

Abstract

SrHo2O4 is a geometrically frustrated compound because the Ho3+ ions are arranged in a network of triangles and hexagons and coupled with antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. Powder neutron diffraction measurements show that long-range magnetic order is established at TN 0.68 K. The low temperature magnetic structure is made up of two distinct components: a k 0 long-range structure as well as a shorter-range low-dimensional structure with scattering intensity around the (0 0) position. The diffuse component of the magnetic scattering from SrHo2O4 remains very intense at temperatures well above TN. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.