Thermal evolution of the spin ordering at the concomitant spin–orbital rearrangement temperature in RVO3 (R=Lu, Yb and Tm)

• Magnetization measurements of polycrystalline RVO3 (R=Lu, Yb, Tm) are reported.
• The samples have two spin ordering temperatures, TSO1 and TSO2 (TSO1>TSO2).
• A magnetic field dependent jump of the excess magnetization, ΔM is observed at TSO2.
• The jump in ΔM is associated with magnetic and orbital rearrangement in the samples.
• ΔM is probably affected by possible phase coexistence in the samples.

Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetization measurements of phase pure polycrystalline RVO3 (R=Lu, Yb and Tm) are reported. The compounds were stabilized in the orthorhombic structure by thermal treatment of the respective precursors (RVO4) in a reducing atmosphere. Special pressure treatment was carried out during the synthesis to ensure phase pure samples without secondary phases. Magnetization measurements reveal the presence of two spin ordering temperatures in the samples. Interestingly, at the lower spin ordering temperature, TSO2, the uncompensated excess moment of the antiferromagnetic spin structure has different field dependences above and below TSO2, causing a jump in the thermal evolution of the magnetization that changes sign with increasing field strength. This jump is associated with the reported magnetic and orbital rearrangement in the samples, and the different spin configurations in the C- and G-type antiferromagnetic structures.