Magnetic-field-induced reorientation in the SDW and the spin-stripe phases of the frustrated spin-1/2 chain compound $\beta$-TeVO$_4$

Abstract

$\beta$-TeVO$_4$ is a frustrated spin 1/2 zig-zag chain system,where spin-density-wave (SDW), vector chiral (VC)and an exotic dynamic spin-stripe phase compete at low temperatures. Here we use torque magnetometry to study the anisotropy of these phases in magnetic fields of up to 5 T. Our results show that the magnetic-field-induced spin reorientation occurs in the SDW and in the spin stripe phases for $\mu_0 H \geq 2$~T. The observed spin reorientation is a new element of the anisotropic phase diagram for the field directions in the $ac$ and $a^*b$ crystallographic planes. The presented results should help establishing the model of anisotropic magnetic interactions, which are responsible for the formation of complex magnetic phases in $\beta$-TeVO$_4$ and similar quantum systems.