New paper: Spin-lattice coupling in a ferrimagnetic spinel: Exotic H-T phase diagram of MnCr2S4 up to 110 T

A. Miyata, H. Suwa, T. Nomura, L. Prodan, V. Felea, Y. Skourski, J. Deisenhofer, H.-A. Krug von Nidda, O. Portugall, S. Zherlitsyn, V. Tsurkan, J. Wosnitza, and A. Loidl
Spin-lattice coupling in a ferrimagnetic spinel: Exotic H-T phase diagram of MnCr2S4 up to 110 T
Phys. Rev. B 101, 054432 (2020). (preprint arXiv:1911.12103)

In antiferromagnets, the interplay of spin frustration and spin-lattice coupling has been extensively studied as the source of complex spin patterns and exotic magnetism. Here, we demonstrate that, although neglected in the past, the spin-lattice coupling is essential to ferrimagnetic spinels as well. We performed ultrahigh-field magnetization measurements up to 110 T on a Yafet-Kittel ferrimagnetic spinel, MnCr2S4, which was complemented by measurements of magnetostriction and sound velocities up to 60 T. Classical Monte Carlo calculations were performed to identify the complex high-field spin structures. Our minimal model incorporating spin-lattice coupling accounts for the experimental results and corroborates the complete phase diagram, including two new high-field phase transitions at 75 and 85 T. Magnetoelastic coupling induces striking effects: An extremely robust magnetization plateau is embedded between two unconventional spin-asymmetric phases. Ferrimagnetic spinels provide a new platform to study asymmetric and multiferroic phases stabilized by spin-lattice coupling.