The magnetic structure of the topological semimetal Co3Sn2S2
Abstract
Co3Sn2S2 has recently been predicted to be a Weyl semimetal in which magnetic order is key to its behavior as a topological material. Here we report unpolarized neutron diffraction and spherical neutron polarimetry measurements, supported by magnetization and transport data, which probe the magnetic order in Co3Sn2S2 below TC = 177 K. The results are fully consistent with ferromagnetic order in which the spins on the Co atoms point along the crystal c axis, although we cannot rule out some canting of the spins. We find no evidence for a type of long-ranged (k=0) in-plane 120 antiferromagnetic order which had previously been considered as a secondary phase present at temperatures between 90 K and TC. A discontinuous change in bulk properties and neutron polarization observed at T = 125 K when samples are cooled in a field and measured on warming is found to be due to a sudden reduction in ferromagnetic domain size. Our results lend support to the theoretical predictions that Co3Sn2S2 is a magnetic Weyl semimetal.
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