ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Investigation of a new series of magnetic pyrochlores

Abstract: Magnetic lanthanide (Ln) containing pyrochlores (Ln2M2O7) are much studied as quantum magnetic materials. Ln2Rh2O7 pyrochlores are of interest as S = 1/2 Rh4+ is analogous to Ir4+ in iridates where strong spin-orbit coupling gives rise to much interesting physics. We have recently synthesised a new series of Rh containing pyrochlores Ln2Rh2O7 (Ln = Tb-Yb) using high pressure, high temperatures (HPHT) synthesis conditions. Magnetic measurements evidence a variety of ground states. We propose to investigate these exciting new pyrochlore materials by neutron powder diffraction (NPD) measurements using WISH@ISIS. The main aims are to discover any long range orders of Rh4+ and/or Ln3+ magnetic moments at low temperature and to follow their thermal evolution, and to check the basic structural integrity (full Ln/Rh cation order and O-stoichiometry) and for any low temperature structural distortions. WISH is required due to the small (~150 mg) recovered masses of these samples from HPHT synthesis, furthermore the small magnetic moment of Rh4+ (S = 1/2) necessitates high intensity NPD data. We request 3 days on WISH to study all six samples in an orange cryostat at base temperature (1.5-2 K), 100 K, and intermediate temperatures for selected samples. Long counting times will be needed for absorbing Rh in all samples, and Er, Tm, and highly-absorbing Dy in specific samples.

Principal Investigator: Professor Paul Attfield
Experimenter: Mr Shilin Xu
Experimenter: Mr Shaoyuan Zhang
Local Contact: Dr Pascal Manuel
Experimenter: Dr Kunlang Ji
Experimenter: Ms Karolina Wojcik
Experimenter: Dr Yuichi Shimakawa
Experimenter: Dr Sean Injac
Experimenter: Dr Masato Goto

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610356

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610356

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Professor Paul Attfield et al; (2026): Investigation of a new series of magnetic pyrochlores, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610356

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.