Magnetic ordering in the pyrochlore Ho2CrSbO7 determined from neutron diffraction, and the magnetic properties of other RE2CrSbO7 phases (RE=Y, Tb, Dy, Er)

The magnetic structure of the pyrochlore Ho2CrSbO7, which orders magnetically below 13 K, has been studied using neutron powder diffraction. Ho2CrSbO7 is found to form an "ordered spin-ice structure" where the magnetic moments are constrained along the 111 axes, but with a ferromagnetic moment in one direction. The Cr3+ ions order ferromagnetically and this is thought to lift the degeneracy of the x, y and z directions in the cubic structure causing the ferromagnetic component from the Ho3+ ions to align. The pyrochlores RE2CrSbO7 where RE=Y, Tb, Dy and Er have also been prepared and studied using SQUID magnetometry. - Graphical abstract: The Ho magnetic moments align to provide an overall ferromagnetic moment along [001]. - Highlights: • Despite having inherent frustration on the Ho sublattice, Ho2CrSbO7 orders ferromagnetically below 13 K. • Ordering on the Cr/Sb sublattice appears to remove the degenerate ground state for the Ho order. • The Ho3+ magnetic moments are aligned along <111> directions by crystal field effects. • Y2CrSbO7 with diamagnetic Y3+ ions also has a ferromagnetic ground state