Magnetic Structures of the LiNi0.9Co0.1PO4 Crystal

We present the magnetic structures and properties of single crystal and polycrystalline samples LiNi0.9Co0.1PO4 obtained by conventional self-flux (LiCl) growth from solution and glycerol-nitrate methods, respectively. The samples were studied with magnetic property measurement system, X-ray and neutron diffraction. A symmetry analysis of possible magnetic structures for the propagation vectors kC = 0 and kIC = (0, k, 0) was carried out. The magnetic structures in the LiNi0.9Co0.1PO4 single crystal are commensurate (kC = 0) and incommensurate (kIC = (0, k, 0)) antiferromagnetic orders. The module k is equal 0.10–0.12 reciprocal lattice units at low temperatures. At 7 K, the magnetic moment of the 3d-ion is 2.0 μB and decreases to zero at 21 K. The temperatures of magnetic phase transitions determined during magnetic property measurements are similar in single-crystal and polycrystalline samples. Single crystal neutron diffraction is made it possible to observe some details of the incommensurate structure.