1/3 plateau and 3/5 discontinuity in the magnetization and the magnetic phase diagram of hexagonal GdInO$_3$

Abstract

We report the high-pressure optical floating-zone growth of GdInO$_3$ single crystals and show its magnetic phase diagram down to the mK-regime as determined by magnetization measurements. The centered-honeycomb lattice structure shows considerable magnetic frustration ($\lvert\Theta\rvert /T_{\rm N}\simeq 5$) and develops long-range magnetic order below $T_{\rm N}$~=~2.1 K from a short-range ordered paramagnetic phase. Concomitantly, a small net magnetic moment evolves at $T_{\rm N}$ which points along the crystallographic $c$ direction. Upon cooling, the net moment reorients at $T^{**}\simeq 1.7$ K and $T^{*}\simeq 1$ K. A broad 1/3 plateau indicative of the up-up-down ($uud$) spin configuration appears for $B||c$ but is absent for $B||ab$, thereby suggesting easy axis anisotropy. At $T=0.4$ K, a jump in magnetization at $\simeq 3/5$ of the saturation magnetization signals a discontinuous transition to a high field phase and we find evidence for a possible tricritical point. Small energy and field scales in the accessible regimes render GdInO$_3$ a prime example to study the phase diagram of a semiclassical frustrated hexagonal lattice in the presence of weak easy axis anisotropy of mainly dipolar origin.