On the novel double perovskites A2Fe(Mn0.5W0.5)O6 (A= Ca, Sr, Ba). Structural evolution and magnetism from neutron diffraction data

Abstract

New A2Fe(Mn0.5W0.5)O6 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) double perovskite oxides have been prepared by ceramic techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) complemented with neutron powder diffraction (NPD) indicate a structural evolution from monoclinic (space group P21/n) for A = Ca to cubic (Fm-3m) for A = Sr and finally to hexagonal (P63/mmc) for A = Ba as the perovskite tolerance factor increases with the A2+ ionic size. The three oxides present different tilting schemes of the FeO6 and (Mn,W)O6 octahedra. NPD data also show evidence in all cases of a considerable anti-site disordering, involving the partial occupancy of Fe positions by Mn atoms, and vice-versa. Magnetic susceptibility data show magnetic transitions below 50 K characterized by a strong irreversibility between ZFC and FC susceptibility curves. The A = Ca perovskite shows a G-type magnetic structure, with weak ordered magnetic moments due to the mentioned antisite disordering. Interesting magnetostrictive effects are observed for the Sr perovskite below 10 K.