Re-entrant spin glass behavior in Mn-rich YMnO3

Abstract

We use magnetism and specific heat measurements to investigate the hexagonal Mn-rich YMnO3. It is found that upon cooling from a high temperature, the compound first orders antiferromagnetically at TN∼72K and then undergoes a re-entrant spin glass (RSG) transition at TSG∼42K. This RSG behavior results from the competition between the ferromagnetic interaction and the antiferromagnetic interaction, which is related to the intrinsic geometric magnetic frustration in this system.