Mn K-edge XANES of hexagonal manganites RMnO3 (R=Sc,Y)

Mn K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectra (XANES) and magnetic studies for ferroelectromagnetic compounds RMnO3 (R=Sc,Y) are reported. ScMnO3 shows stronger d-p hybridization with a triangular antiferromagnetic (AF) order of TN=133 K and a spin reorientation Tsr=23 K, as compared to TN=74 K for YMnO3. The identical main threshold edge energy of 6545 eV indicates Mn3+ character. Small pre-edge features with energy separation P2-P1 of 2.27 eV for ScMnO3 and 2.72 eV for YMnO3 is from the 1s-3d dipole transition, which is weakly allowed through the hybridization of Mn 4p with 3d states of neighboring Mn atoms. The larger P1 peak is corresponding to transition into empty e↓' and e↓'' minority states, and the smaller P2 peak is into leftover e↓' states