Study of High-Field Magnetic Phases of the Low-Carrier-System CeP by Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Diffraction

Abstract

The magnetic structures of the low-carrier-system CeP are investigated under magnetic fields up to 12.5 T with the field H||[1\\bar10] and up to 14 T with H||[001] by synchrotron X-ray diffraction utilizing the unique relationship between the magnetic structure and lattice modulation in this system. The magnetic phases corresponding to the modulation wave vectors k=2⁄11, 2/10, 2/9 and 2/8 are observed at low temperatures. The magnetic phases with k=2⁄8 (↑↑°°°°°° or ↑↑←→←→←→), k=2⁄9 (↑↑°°°°°°° or ↑↑←→←→←→←) and k=2⁄11 (↑↑°°°°°°°°°) are the new phases under magnetic fields found in the present work. The result demonstrates that magnetic fields play a role similar to high pressure to realize the unique magnetic structure and its multistep change in CeP. This fact indicates the importance of the magnetic polaron effect mediated by the p–f mixing effect in the system.