Magnetic interactions in frustrated Mn3Fe4(VO4)6

Abstract Magnetic interactions in a site-disordered multicomponent vanadate Mn3Fe4(VO4)6 are studied using DC magnetization and multifrequency Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). The static magnetic susceptibility χ shows antiferromagnetic interactions between Fe3+ and Mn2+ spins with a Curie–Weiss temperature Θ = −165(5) K. EPR measurements indicate a strong dependence of χ on the frequency and temperature. The EPR spectra due to iron and manganese ions are observed in the X-band. It is mostly manganese ions that are observed at 80 GHz while two kinds of magnetic centers are identified at frequencies above 160 GHz. The observed shifts of the resonance lines for Fe3+ ions at low frequencies differ from those at high frequencies. The observed features may be due to different magnetic sublattices which modify the magnetic ground state, while competing magnetic interactions may lead to magnetic frustration. It appears that the very high magnetic fields employed in our high-frequency EPR measurements may affect the spin-flop transitions anticipated below Neel temperature TN.