Studies of the magnetic ordering and spin structure of K3Fe(CN)6
Abstract
A systematic set of Mössbauer measurements has been carried out to determine the hyperfine Hamiltonian for the 14.4-keV excited nuclear state of the 57Fe3+ ions in orthorhombic K3Fe(CN)6 in the magnetically ordered state. The experiments were performed on a single-crystal sample using polarized γ rays emitted by a magnetized source. The average hyperfine Hamiltonian was derived by using the density-matrix formalism for Mössbauer absorption. The magnetic or first-order term was found to be very nearly zero, which indicates an essentially antiferromagnetic spin arrangement. The spin direction was determined by using the theoretical angular dependences of the Mössbauer absorption lines, and it was found to be close to the crystalline b axis. The second-order or quadrupole interaction is practically axially symmetric, the principal axis being near a'. A set of susceptibility measurements is also reported. The principal axis of largest susceptibility is found to be a'. Thus, the results are consistent with antiferromagnetic ordering along the b axis.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review B
- Pub Date:
- February 1977
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevB.15.1445
- Bibcode:
- 1977PhRvB..15.1445H