Room temperature weak collinear ferrimagnet with symmetry driven, large intrinsic magneto-optic signatures

Abstract

Here we present a magnetic thin film with a weak ferrimagnetic (FIM) phase above the N\'eel temperature ($T_{N}$ = 240 K) and a non-collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase below, exhibiting a small net magnetisation due to strain-associated canting of the magnetic moments. A long-range ordered FIM phase has been predicted in related materials, but without symmetry analysis. We now perform this analysis and use it to calculate the MOKE spectra in AFM and FIM phases. From the good agreement between the form of the measured and predicted MOKE spectra, we propose the AFM and FIM phases share the magnetic space group C2'/m' and that the symmetry driven magneto-optic and magneto-transport properties are maximised at room temperature in the FIM phase due to the non-zero intrinsic Berry phase contribution present in these materials. A room temperature FIM phase with large optical and transport signatures, as well as sensitivity to lattice strain and magnetic field, has useful prospects for high-speed spintronic applications.