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arXiv · 1808.10085

Physical properties of the trigonal binary compound Nd$_2$O$_3$

G. Sala·M. B. Stone·B. K. Rai·A. F. May·C. R. Dela Cruz·H. Suriya Arachchige·G. Ehlers·V. R. Fanelli·V. O. Garlea·M. D. Lumsden·D. Mandrus·A. D. Christianson
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Abstract

We have studied the physical properties of Nd$_2$O$_3$ with neutron diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering, heat capacity, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Nd$_2$O$_3$ crystallizes in a trigonal structure, with Nd$^{3+}$ ions surrounded by cages of 7 oxygen anions. The crystal field spectrum consists of four excitations spanning the energy range 3-60 meV. The refined eigenfunctions indicate XY-spins in the $ab$ plane. The Curie-Weiss temperature of $\theta_{CW}=-23.7(1)$ K was determined from magnetic susceptibility measurements. Heat capacity measurements show a sharp peak at 550 mK and a broader feature centered near 1.5 K. Neutron diffraction measurements show that the 550 mK transition corresponds to long-range anti-ferromagnetic order implying a frustration index of $\theta_{CW}/T_N\approx43$. These results indicate that Nd$_2$O$_3$ is a structurally and chemically simple model system for frustration caused by competing interactions with moments with predominate XY anisotropy.

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G. Sala, M. B. Stone, B. K. Rai, A. F. May, C. R. Dela Cruz, H. Suriya Arachchige, G. Ehlers, V. R. Fanelli, V. O. Garlea, M. D. Lumsden, D. Mandrus, A. D. Christianson. 2018-08-30. Physical properties of the trigonal binary compound Nd$_2$O$_3$. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevmaterials.2.114407

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