Magnetism of Nd2O3 single crystals near the N\'eel temperature
Abstract
Single crystals of Nd2O3 were grown and characterized using neutron scattering and thermodynamic measurements. Nd2O3 has long-range antiferromagnetic order below T N = 0.55 K and specific heat measurements have demonstrated that a significant amount of the magnetic entropy is released above T N. Inelastic neutron scattering experiments reveal a magnetic mode(s) with little dispersion peaked at ≈ 0.37 meV that is of greatest intensity below T N but persists above 2T N. This persistence of dynamic correlations is likely related to frustrated interactions associated with the nearly-ideal stacked triangular lattice geometry of Jeff = 1/2 spins on Nd3+ ions. The magnetization is observed to be strongly anisotropic at all temperatures due to crystal field effects, with easy-plane anisotropy observed. A non-compensated magnetic structure is inferred from the temperature-dependence of the magnetization when a magnetic field of sufficient strength is applied within the basal plane near T N, and the evolution of the long-range order is summarized in a temperature-field phase diagram.