Crystal Growth and Raman Spectroscopy Study of Sm1–x La x Fe3(BO3)4 Ferroborates

• Published in: Crystal growth & design 2016-12, Vol.16 (12), p.6915-6921
• Main Authors: Moshkina, Evgeniya, Krylov, Alexander, Sofronova, Svetlana, Gudim, Irina, Temerov, Vladislav
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1528-7483; 1528-7505
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.6b01079

Sm1–x La x Fe3(BO3)4 (x = 0, 0.75) single crystals were synthesized using the flux method. The crystal nucleation procedure and flux parameters are reported. Conditions for growing the Sm1–x La x Fe3(BO3)4 (x = 0, 0.75) single crystals are described. The prepared crystals were studied by Raman spectroscopy in the temperature range of T = 10–300 K. The spectral region corresponding to temperatures of T = 10–55 K, which involves the temperatures of the magnetic phase transition T N = 32 K for x = 0 and T N = 31 K for x = 0.75, was thoroughly analyzed. Anomalies related to the magnetic ordering established in both compounds were found. The main changes occur in the low-wavenumber region (up to 100 cm–1), where the mode corresponding to magnon scattering arises. This mode is shown to have the internal structure indicative of the occurrence of unstable vibrations (40–80 cm–1). The results obtained are analyzed by calculating the empirical lattice dynamics in Sm1–x La x Fe3(BO3)4 with x = 0 and x = 1.