Crystallographic and magnetic structures of studied by high-resolution powder neutron diffraction

Abstract

The crystallographic and magnetic structures of the compound have been investigated by high-resolution powder neutron diffraction at 10 K and 300 K. The results show that this compound crystallizes in the -type hexagonal phase (space group ), and the occupancy factors of manganese atoms are 0.082, 0.224, 0.075, 0.478 at the 12k, 12j, 6g and 4f positions respectively. is paramagnetic at room temperature, but it shows magnetic uniaxial anisotropy at 10 K. The magnetic moments of all of the magnetic atoms are parallel to the sixfold axis, and the moments of the Er sublattice are ferrimagnetically coupled to that of the transition-metal (Fe, Mn) sublattice.