Successive magnetic phase transitions with magnetoelastic and magnetodielectric coupling in the ordered triple perovskite Sr3CaRu2O9

Abstract

We report a comprehensive temperature-dependent investigation of the 1:2 ordered triple perovskite system Sr3CaRu2O9. It crystallizes in the monoclinic structure with space group P21/c, consisting of corner-sharing CaO6 and RuO6 octahedra. Using dc magnetization and neutron diffraction measurements, we show that this system undergoes successive magnetic transitions at ∼190 and ∼160 K. From the analysis of the temperature-dependent neutron diffraction and dielectric data, we demonstrate two distinguishing features of the Sr3CaRu2O9 system: (i) magnetoelastic coupling associated with the two magnetic transitions, as revealed by a change in the unit cell volume, direct Ru-Ru distance, and bond angles and (ii) magnetodielectric coupling, as revealed by the anomalies across the two magnetic transitions. The present results would add significantly to the current understanding of the triple perovskites with incipient spin-orbit coupling.