New type of incommensurate magnetic ordering in Mn3TeO6

The complex metal oxide Mn3TeO6 exhibits a corundum related structure and has been prepared both in forms of single crystals by chemical transport reactions and of polycrystalline powders by a solid state reaction route. The crystal structure and magnetic properties have been investigated using a combination of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, electron microscopy, calorimetric and magnetic measurements. At room temperature this compound adopts a trigonal structure, space group R3¯ with a = 8.8679(1) Å, c = 10.6727(2) Å. A long-range magnetically ordered state is identified below 23 K. An unexpected feature of this magnetic structure is several types of Mn-chains. Under the action of the incommensurate magnetic propagation vector k = [0, 0, 0.4302(1)] the unique Mn site is split into two magnetically different orbits. One orbit forms a perfect helix with the spiral axis along the c-axis while the other orbit has a sine wave character along the c-axis.

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► Mn3TeO6 has a corundum related structure and orders magnetically below 23 K.
► The magnetic structure consists of several types of Mn-chains.
► The unique Mn site is split into two magnetically different orbits.
► One orbit forms a perfect helix with the spiral axis along the c-axis.
► The other orbit has a sine wave character along the c-axis.