Short-range magnetic order in holmium-praseodymium superlattices

J.A. Simpson, D.F. McMorrow, R.A. Cowley, R.C.C. Ward, M.R. Wells

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    The chemical and magnetic structures of Ho/Pr superlattices have been studied by a combination of X-ray and neutron scattering techniques. While the Ho blocks are HCP, the Pr blocks retain their bulk-like DHCP structure, but with a stacking of the hexagonal atomic planes that is not coherent between successive blocks. Below a Neel temperature of approximately 110 K, the Ho magnetic moments order into a basal plane spiral with a magnetic coherence length that is limited to the width of a single Ho block, even for a sample comprising of only six atomic planes of Pr. These observations are discussed in terms of the differing band structures of the two elements.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalJournal of Physics Condensed Matter
    Volume7
    Issue number31
    Pages (from-to)L417-L423
    ISSN0953-8984
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1995

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