Observation of gyromagnetic reversal

Abstract

We report direct observation of gyromagnetic reversal, which is the sign change of gyromagnetic ratio in a ferrimagnet Ho$_3$Fe$_5$O$_{12}$, by using the Barnett effect measurement technique at low temperatures. The Barnett effect is a phenomenon in which magnetization is induced by mechanical rotation through the coupling between rotation and total angular momentum $J$ of electrons. The magnetization of Ho$_3$Fe$_5$O$_{12}$ induced by mechanical rotation disappears at 135~K and 240~K. The temperatures correspond to the magnetization compensation temperature $T_{\rm M}$ and the angular momentum compensation temperature $T_{\rm A}$, respectively. Between $T_{\rm M}$ and $T_{\rm A}$, the magnetization flips over to be parallel against the angular momentum due to the sign change of gyromagnetic ratio. This study provides an unprecedented technique to explore the gyromagnetic properties.