Abstract
Easy axis antiferromagnets usually exhibit a first-order spin-flop transition when the magnetic field is applied along the easy axis. Recently a colossal magnetoelectric effect was discovered in , suggesting a continuous spin-flop transition across a narrow phase in this material [Oh et al., Nat. Commun. 5, 3201 (2014)]. Additional evidence is, however, desirable to verify this mechanism. Here we measure the infrared vibrational properties of in high magnetic fields and demonstrate that the phonon anomalies are consistent with a second-order mechanism.
- Received 26 July 2015
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.92.144305
©2015 American Physical Society