• Opherden, L.; Hornung, J.; Xu, J.; Islam, A.T.M.N.; Lake, B.; Wosnitza, J.: Evolution of antiferromagnetic domains in the all-in-all-out ordered pyrochlore Nd2Zr2O7. Physical Review B 95 (2017), p. 184418/1-6

10.1103/PhysRevB.95.184418
Open Access Version

Abstract:
We report the observation of magnetic domains in the exotic, antiferromagnetically ordered all-in-all-out state of Nd2Zr2O7, induced by spin canting. The all-in-all-out state can be realized by Ising-like spins on a pyrochlore lattice and is established in Nd2Zr2O7 below 0.31 K for external magnetic fields up to 0.14 T. Two different spin arrangements can fulfill this configuration which leads to the possibility of magnetic domains. The all-in-all-out domain structure can be controlled by an external magnetic field applied parallel to the [111] direction. This is a result of different spin canting mechanisms for the two all-in-all-out configurations for such a direction of the magnetic field. The change of the domain structure is observed through a hysteresis in the magnetic susceptibility. No hysteresis occurs, however, in the case the external magnetic field is applied along [100].