Abstract
The magnetic structure in Er3Cu4Sn4 has been determined using high-resolution powder neutron diffraction, supported by symmetry analysis. At low temperatures, Er3Cu4Sn4 assumes a crystal structure of the Tm3Cu4Sn4 type (in the monoclinic space group C2/m). The Er atoms occupy two distinct Wyckoff sites: 2c and 4i. It has been found that the Er magnetic moments on the 2c site form a commensurate antiferromagnetic structure (k
1 = [0, 0, ½]) below 6 K. The magnetic moments reach 8.91 (8) μB at 1.4 K and are parallel to the b axis. The Er magnetic moments on the 4i site order below 2 K and form an incommensurate antiferromagnetic sine-modulated structure (k
2 = [1, 0.4667 (1), ½]), with magnetic moments lying in the ac plane and perpendicular to the a axis. The amplitude of modulation equals 8.7 (1) μB at 1.4 K.
Publisher
International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)
Subject
Materials Chemistry,Metals and Alloys,Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics,Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
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