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Comparative study of the field‐induced and spontaneous AF2′ multiferroic phases in MnWO 4 and Mn 0.90 Co 0.10 WO 4 within the magnetic symmetry framework
Author(s) -
Urcelay-Olabarria Irene,
García-Muñoz José Luis,
Ressouche Eric,
Mukhin Alexander A.,
Skumryev Vassil
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s1600576716000881
Subject(s) - multiferroics , ferroelectricity , condensed matter physics , spins , anisotropy , magnetic field , polarization (electrochemistry) , magnetic anisotropy , physics , magnetic structure , symmetry (geometry) , materials science , crystallography , magnetization , chemistry , dielectric , optics , quantum mechanics , geometry , mathematics
(Mn,Co)WO 4 compounds are regarded as reference spin‐induced multiferroics. A comparative study is presented here, within the magnetic symmetry framework, of the incommensurate magnetic orders responsible for the ferroelectric phases of (i) MnWO 4 under a magnetic field ( H || b ) and (ii) Mn 0.90 Co 0.10 WO 4 in the absence of an external field. On the one hand, although these two ferroelectric phases are stabilized under different external physical conditions, both present the same Xc 1′(α0γ) ss magnetic symmetry and practically the same modulation vector. The magnetic ordering in both phases is an elliptical helix with the magnetic moments (as the polarization vector, P ) perpendicular to the b axis, although in most of the ferroelectric compositions of the (Mn,Co)WO 4 family the spins rotate in planes containing b (and have P || b ). On the other hand, the anisotropy of the resulting magnetic modulations is extraordinarily different in the two phases. This is described and explained in the light of the different anisotropies of Co and Mn ions.