Spin waves above and below the Verwey transition in TbBaFe2O5

Abstract

TbBaFe2O5+δ (TBFO) is a mixed valence compound with an antiferromagnetic order (TN=450K) that changes along with the crystal structure and conductivity upon cooling below a Verwey-like transition (TV=280K). This type of double-cell-layered perovskite is useful to study putative charge ordering in fractional valence systems because the crystal structure develops unique sites for the different valence states. While the evolution of the static magnetic structure in the different charge ordered states of TBFO is known, in this study we investigate the effect of charge ordering on the magnetic interactions. Dispersive magnetic excitations measured using single crystal inelastic neutron scattering experiments at T=4KTV are modeled with linear-spin-wave theory to extract anisotropy and superexchange parameters. Below TV, we observe a sizable magnon gap due to an easy-axis magnetic anisotropy that closes above TV due to the evolution of easy-plane anisotropy. The magnetic interactions are found to be highly threedimensional and change across TV. Above TV, where the conductivity is greater, a damping term is required to model the spin waves that suggests a coupling to valence fluctuations.