Determination of the magnetic structure of CePt$_2$In$_7$ by means of neutron diffraction

Abstract

The magnetic structure of the heavy fermion antiferromagnet CePt$_2$In$_7$ is determined using neutron diffraction. We find a magnetic wave vector $\mathbf{q}_M = (1/2,1/2,1/2)$, which is temperature independent up to $T_N =$ 5.5 K. A staggered moment of 0.45(1)$\mu_B$ at 2 K resides on the Ce ion. The nearest-neighbor moments in the tetragonal basal plane are aligned antiferromagnetically. The moments rotate by 90$^\circ$ from one CeIn$_3$ plane to another along the $c$ axis. A much weaker satellite peak with an incommensurate magnetic wave vector $\mathbf{q}_M = (1/2,1/2,0.47)$ seems to develop at low temperature. However, the experimental data available so far are not sufficient to draw a definitive conclusion about the possible co-existence of commensurate and incommensurate magnetic structures in this material.