Incommensurate Mn spin order has been discovered in the perovskite MnVO${}_3$ containing localized 3d${}^5$ Mn${}^{2+}$ and itinerant 3d${}^1$ V${}^{4+}$ states. This phase has a distorted Pnma crystal structure (a = 5.2741(6) Å, b = 7.4100(11) Å, and c = 5.1184(8) Å at 300 K) and is metallic at temperatures of 2–300 K and at pressures of up to 67 kbar. Neutron scattering reveals a (0.29 0 0) magnetic vector below the 46 K spin ordering transition, and both helical and spin density wave orderings are consistent with the diffraction intensities. Electronic structure calculations show large exchange splittings of the Mn and V 3d bands, and ($k_x$ 0 0) crossings of the Fermi energy by spin up and down V 3d bands may give rise to Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida coupling of Mn moments, in addition to their superexchange interactions.

• Received 22 August 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.84.094450