Superexchange interaction in orbitally fluctuating RVO3

Phys Rev Lett. 2007 Oct 12;99(15):156401. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.156401. Epub 2007 Oct 8.

Abstract

Changes in pressure and magnetic field in the orbital and magnetic ordering temperatures of RVO3 perovskites are reported; they reveal a competition between two magnetic orbitally ordered phases that have opposite preferences for the e-orbital component in the localized {3}T{1g} ground state of the V(3+) ion. This competition is shown to be biased by the VO{6/2} site distortion intrinsic to the orthorhombic structure. A remarkable enhancement of T{N} with pressure is found where the competition leads to enhanced orbital critical fluctuations.