Controlling structural distortion in the geometrically frustrated layered cobaltate YBaCo₄O_7+δ by Fe substitution and its role on magnetic correlations

Abstract

Effects of Fe-substitution on the crystal structure and magnetic correlations of the geometrically frustrated antiferromagnets YBaCo₄O_7+δ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8) have been studied by neutron diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and ac susceptibility. The compounds YBaCo_4-xFe_xO_7+δ have a special layered-type crystal structure with an alternating Kagomé (6c site) and triangular (2a site) layers along the c axis. Fe³⁺ ions are found to be substituted at both the crystallographic 2a and 6c sites of Co ions. Mössbauer results show a high spin state of Fe³⁺ ions in a tetrahedral coordination. A reduction in the distortion of the Kagomé lattice has been observed with the Fe-substitution. The correlation length of the short-range antiferromagnetic ordering decreases with the Fe-substitution. The sharpness of the magnetic transition also decreases with the Fe-substitution.