Magnetic Compton Profile Study of Orbital Ordering State of 3d Electrons in YTiO3

Orbital ordering state of 3 d electrons in YTiO 3 has been studied by magnetic Compton profile (MCP) measurement for crystallographic directions of [100] ( a -axis) and [001] ( c -axis). The magnetic effect of the observed MCP leads to the spin moment that is equal to the saturated magnetic moment within the estimated errors, which strongly suggests quenching of the orbital moment. Shape of the observed MCPs shows directional anisotropy between the two axes. The MCPs are calculated by using an atomic model wave function of a linear combination of two 3 d – t 2 g orbitals, u d y z ± v d z x ( u 2 + v 2 =1) for the Ti sites. The observed MCP is best reproduced by the calculated MCP with u =0.84±0.04 and v =0.54±0.04. This value of u is slightly larger than those obtained in the previous studies.