Studies of Mn0.5Cr0.5Fe2O4 ferrite by neutron diffraction at different temperatures in the range 768K ≥ T ≥ 13K

Neutron diffraction studies of a polycrystalline manganese-chromium- ferrite with composition Mn0.5Cr0.5Fe2O4 have been performed at a number of temperatures in the range 768K ≥ T ≥ 13K. The cation distributions, oxygen position parameter (u) and lattice constant (ao) have been determined from the analysis of the higher angle neutron diffraction data. The temperature response of the lattice constant has also been investigated and a slight anomalous expansion has been found around the magnetic transition temperature. Sublattice as well as net ferrimagnetic moments of the specimen have been found out from the analysis of the neutron diffraction data at different temperatures. A randomly canted ordering of spins has been observed in the B sublattice, while the A sublattice moments appear to exhibit collinear Neel type ordering at all temperatures. (author)