Striped magnetic ground state of the kagome lattice in Fe4Si2Sn7O16

Abstract

We have experimentally identified a different magnetic ground state for the kagome lattice, in the perfectly hexagonal Fe2+ (3d 6 , S = 2) compound Fe4 Si2 Sn7 O16 . A representational symmetry analysis of neutron diffraction data shows that below TN = 3.5 K, the spins on 2/3 of the magnetic ions order into canted antiferromagnetic chains, separated by the remaining 1/3 which are geometrically frustrated and show no long-range order down to at least T = 0.1 K. Mössbauer spectroscopy confirms that there is no static order on the latter 1/3 of the magnetic ions—i.e., they are in a liquidlike rather than a frozen state—down to at least 1.65 K. A heavily Mn-doped sample Fe1.45 Mn2.55 Si2 Sn7 O16 has the same magnetic structure. Although the propagation vector q = (0, 1/2 , 1/2 ) breaks hexagonal symmetry, we see no evidence for magnetostriction in the form of a lattice distortion within the resolution of our data. We discuss the relationship to partially frustrated magnetic order on the pyrochlore lattice of Gd2Ti2O7, and to theoretical models that predict symmetry breaking ground states for perfect kagome lattices.