Through detailed electronic structure simulations we show that the electronic orbital ordering (between d$_{yz}$ and d$_{xz}$ bands) takes place due to local breaking of in-plane symmetry that generates two non-equivalent $a$, $b$ directions in 122 f
amily of Fe-based superconductors. Orbital ordering is strongly anisotropic and the temperature dependence of the corner zone orbital order maps to that of the orthorhombicity parameter. Orbital anisotropy results in two distinct spin density wave nesting wave vectors and causes inter-orbital charge and spin fluctuations. Temperature dependence of the orbital order is proportional to the nematic order and it sets in at a temperature where magnetic fluctuation starts building. Magnetic fluctuations in the orthorhombic phase is characterized through evolution of Stoner factor which reproduces experimentalfindings very accurately. Orbital ordering becomes strongly spin dependent in presence of magnetic interaction. Occupation probabilities of all the Fe-d-orbitals exhibit temperature dependence indicating their possible contribution in orbital fluctuation. This need to be contrasted with the usual definition of nematic order parameter (n$_{d_{xz}}$-n$_{d_{yz}}$). Relationship among orbital fluctuations, magnetic fluctuations and nematicity are established.
Evidence of coexistence of Co3+ with Co2+ in ceramic Co3TeO6 through XANES, DC magnetization and first principal studies is provided. XANES along with linear combination fit provide relative concentrations of Co2+ and Co3+.Temperature dependent DC ma
gnetization exhibits the same antiferromagnetic behavior as observed in single crystal. The presence of both Co2+ and Co3+ suggests that if the later is in high spin state, the effective magnetic moment is similar to that observed in single crystal studies. In contrast, if Co3+ is in low spin state effective magnetic moment is similar to that observed in Co3O4. It is further shown that both Co2+ and Co3+ in high spin states constitute a favorable ground state through first principle calculations where Rietveld refined Synchrotron X-ray diffraction data are inputs.
We report observation of magneto-electric and magneto-dielectric couplings in ceramic Co3TeO6. Temperature dependent DC magnetization and dielectric constant measurements together indicate coupling between magnetic order and electronic polarization.
Strong anomaly in dielectric constant at ~ 18K in zero magnetic field indicates presence of spontaneous polarization. Observations like weak ferromagnetic order at lower temperature, field and temperature dependences of the ferroelectric transition provide experimental verification of the recent theoretical proposal by P. Toledano et al., Phys. Rev. B 85, 214439 (2012). We provide direct evidence of spin-phonon coupling as possible origin of magnetic order.
