Transversal spin freezing and re-entrant spin glass phase in chemically disordered Fe-contained double perovskite multiferroics

Abstract

We propose experimental verification and theoretical explanation of magnetic anomalies in the complex Fe-contained double perovskite multiferroics like PbFe$_{1/2}$Nb$_{1/2}$O$_3$. The theoretical part is based on our model of coexistence of long-range magnetic order and spin glass in the above substances. In our model, the exchange interaction is anisotropic, coupling antiferromagnetically $z$ spin components of Fe$^{3+}$ ions. At the same time, the $xy$ components are coupled by much weaker exchange interaction of ferromagnetic sign. In the system with spatial disorder (half of corresponding lattice cites are occupied by spinless Nb$^{5+}$ ions) such frustrating interaction results in the fact that antiferromagnetic order is formed by $z$ projection of the spins, while their $xy$ components contribute to spin glass behaviour. Our theoretical findings are supported by the experimental evidence of coexistence of antiferromagnetic and spin glass phases in chemically disordered Fe-contained double perovskite multiferroics.