Phase-Coherent Spin and Lattice Modulations in a Y-type Hexaferrite
Abstract
Spin-driven multiferroics owe their electric polarization to lattice distortions that follow the magnetic order, yet in incommensurate magnets symmetry normally forbids such a distortion at the fundamental magnetic wavevector, and the distortions themselves are rarely observed. Here we use half-polarized neutron scattering to show that the Y-type hexaferrite Ba0.4Sr1.6Mg2Fe12O22 hosts, in its saturated high-field state, a magnetic modulation and a longitudinal lattice modulation at one and the same wavevector, locked in phase. The signature is a large nuclear-magnetic interference asymmetry, r ~ 0.8, of the same sign at the two conjugate satellites and persisting to 275 K. The zone contrast and the field dependence of the satellite indicate an internal, field-induced longitudinal distortion. The modulated state coexists with the transverse-conical magnetoelectric phase and outlives it, revealing a fundamental-wavevector spin-lattice coupling in a magnetic field regime previously regarded as a simple ferrimagnet.
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BibTeX
@misc{stepancic2026phasecoherent,
title = {{Phase-Coherent Spin and Lattice Modulations in a Y-type Hexaferrite}},
author = {Oskar Stepančić and Annika Stellhorn and Emma Campillo and Kun Zhai and Niklas Ekström and A. Corani and D. Alba Venero and R. Cubitt and E. Blackburn and L. Shen},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.17292},
eprint = {2610.17292},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.17292},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Phase-Coherent Spin and Lattice Modulations in a Y-type Hexaferrite
AU - Oskar Stepančić
AU - Annika Stellhorn
AU - Emma Campillo
AU - Kun Zhai
AU - Niklas Ekström
AU - A. Corani
AU - D. Alba Venero
AU - R. Cubitt
AU - E. Blackburn
AU - L. Shen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.17292
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.17292
AB - Spin-driven multiferroics owe their electric polarization to lattice distortions that follow the magnetic order, yet in incommensurate magnets symmetry normally forbids such a distortion at the fundamental magnetic wavevector, and the distortions themselves are rarely observed. Here we use half-polarized neutron scattering to show that the Y-type hexaferrite Ba_0.4Sr_1.6Mg_2Fe_12O_22 hosts, in its saturated high-field state, a magnetic modulation and a longitudinal lattice modulation at one and the same wavevector, locked in phase. The signature is a large nuclear-magnetic interference asymmetry, r ~ 0.8, of the same sign at the two conjugate satellites and persisting to 275 K. The zone contrast and the field dependence of the satellite indicate an internal, field-induced longitudinal distortion. The modulated state coexists with the transverse-conical magnetoelectric phase and outlives it, revealing a fundamental-wavevector spin-lattice coupling in a magnetic field regime previously regarded as a simple ferrimagnet.
ER -