[Paper Review] Field-induced spin-flip and spin-flop transitions in NdFeO3

M. M. Gomes, R. Vilarinho+15 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Mar 24, 2026

Multiferroics and related materials0 citations

TL;DR

The study demonstrates how the orientation of an applied magnetic field drives distinct magnetic phase transition sequences in NdFeO3, revealing complex spin reconfigurations mediated by anisotropic 4f-3d coupling across a wide temperature range, including low-temperature precursor effects from Nd sublattice ordering.

ABSTRACT

Magnetic control of correlated spin systems is central to the development of next-generation spin-based technologies. Rare-earth orthoferrites provide an interesting platform in which exchange coupling between rare-earth 4f and transition-metal 3d moments generates competing magnetic interactions and multiple metastable states. Here, we show that the orientation of the applied magnetic field drives different magnetic phase transition sequences in NdFeO3 across a broad temperature range. Using Raman and polarized terahertz spectroscopies, supported by magnetization and specific-heat measurements, we track the temperature- and field-dependent evolution of the different magnetic phases and the successive spin rearrangements, driven by 4f - 3d magnetic anisotropic interactions. For fields applied along the crystallographic c-axis, a spin-reorientation transition is followed by spin-flop and spin-flip processes, producing an unexpectedly complex magnetic phase sequence at low temperatures. Below 8 K, precursor effects associated with ordering of the Nd-sublattice strongly modify the transition pathway. Our results demonstrate how anisotropic 4f-3d coupling enables magnetic-field control of coupled spin excitations and provide a route to accessing novel spin configurations in rare-earth orthoferrites.

Motivation & Objective

• Investigate how magnetic field orientation controls magnetic phase transitions in NdFeO3.
• Elucidate the role of 4f–3d anisotropic interactions in spin rearrangements.
• Map temperature- and field-dependent evolution of magnetic phases using multiple spectroscopic and thermodynamic probes.

Proposed method

• Use Raman spectroscopy to track spin rearrangements under varying field directions.
• Employ polarized terahertz spectroscopy to probe spin excitations.
• Supplement spectroscopic data with magnetization and specific-heat measurements.
• Analyze how Nd and Fe sublattices interact via anisotropic 4f–3d coupling to drive transitions.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How does field direction (along crystallographic axes) influence the sequence of magnetic phase transitions in NdFeO3?
• RQ2 What are the roles of spin-reorientation, spin-flop, and spin-flip processes in establishing the observed magnetic phases?
• RQ3 How does Nd-sublattice ordering at low temperatures modify the transition pathways?
• RQ4 Can anisotropic 4f–3d coupling be leveraged to access novel spin configurations in rare-earth orthoferrites?

Key findings

• Field orientation along the c-axis yields a sequence: spin-reorientation, followed by spin-flop and then spin-flip transitions.
• A broad temperature range shows different magnetic phase sequences driven by 4f–3d anisotropic interactions.
• Below 8 K, Nd-sublattice ordering introduces precursor effects that strongly modify the transition pathway.
• Combined spectroscopic and thermodynamic measurements map temperature- and field-dependent evolution of phases.
• Results illustrate magnetic-field control of coupled spin excitations in NdFeO3.