Direct evidence of the orbital contribution to the magnetic moment in AA'FeReO6 double perovskites

Sikora, M.; Zajac, D.; Kapusta, C.; Borowiec, M.; Oates, C. J.; Prochazka, V.; Rybicki, D.; De Teresa, J. M.; Marquina, C.; Ibarra, M. R.

Direct evidence of the orbital contribution to the magnetic moment in AA'FeReO6 double perovskites

Authors

Description

Spin and orbital magnetic moments of Re in AA'FeReO6 double perovskites (A,A' = Ba, Sr, Ca) have been directly probed employing XMCD spectroscopy at the Re L2,3-edges. A considerable orbital magnetic moment is observed in all the studied compounds despite octahedral coordination. Relative orbital to spin contribution per Re atom rises with lattice distortion from mL/mS = -0.28 to -0.34 for AA'=Ba2FeReO6 and Ca2FeReO6, respectively. A preliminary XMCD measurements at the Fe L2,3-edges reveals also a significant orbital moment of iron in Ca2FeReO6. The relation of the results to the magnetic properties of the compounds is discussed.
8 pages, 3 figures, 1 table